The Church and Racial Equity in Wilsonville

The Church and Racial Equity in Wilsonville

TODAY’S ARTICLE WILL EXAMINE THE ROLE OF THE CHURCH AND RACIAL EQUITY BY HIGHLIGHTING EXCELLENT RESEARCH BY DR. DAVE KRESTA, CAN CHURCHES CHANGE A NEIGHBORHOOD?, AS WELL AS MY INITIAL IMPRESSIONS OF WILSONVILLE’S FAITH COMMUNITY IN ADDRESSING THIS ISSUE.

As a follower of Jesus, I believe the church – as an intuition, which I define as different from ekklesia - plays an essential role and should be at the political forefront in addressing individual and systemic brokenness of racism.

My hope is that by highlighting Dr. Kresta’s recommended actions for the church we can spur a discussion in Wilsonville that will lead to greater action and coordination.

Housing Deep Dive: Measuring Equity and Examining Data

Housing Deep Dive: Measuring Equity and Examining Data

From the discussion at City Council and the online feedback I received from the previous article, both asked for equity measures to define the problem and success.

Today’s article builds upon my coverage of public meetings (one, two, and three), to examine the assumptions and biases behind the Equitable Housing Strategic Plan, define the equity gaps, and recommend equity-based actions or measurements.

Coming soon...Council action on Equitable Housing Strategy

Coming soon...Council action on Equitable Housing Strategy

What actions should Wilsonville’s government take to address housing equity?

Speak up now before it is too late! City Council held a work session on October 21 to discuss actions on the Equitable Housing Strategic Plan (starting on page 8). Work sessions are important because they narrow the options brought before Council in the regular session public hearing. Get caught up by reading a quick recap of the meeting below or start with coverage of previous task force meetings (one and two). Then, go to the Act page and in two clicks, you can email City Council and Planning Commission with your thoughts today!

Equitable Housing Task Force Meeting #2

Equitable Housing Task Force Meeting #2

Can we achieve equity without talking about race? My answer is no.

After watching and reflecting upon Wilsonville’s second meeting of the Equitable Housing Task Force, which occurred on September 4th, I’m left wondering when the project will talk about explicitly about race and urban planning (see an example from the City of Portland’s Planning Department). As I covered in the first meeting recap, the concerns that the equity statement was defined as equality still remain.