RECAP: WAIC Gathering, June 4
As highlighted in our last post, we’re looking to restart WAIC to help unite neighbors and build a Wilsonville where everyone experiences this place as an inclusive community that celebrates diversity, and takes on hard conversations and decisions to address inequity.
Engaged gathering, people connected
15 people showed up to the gathering to partake in sparkling water, snacks, and discuss our community and how we can support the advancement of diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts! Overall, we ended the meeting with energy behind furthering WAIC’s values/goals and were committed to meeting again in the near future. I’ll be in touch soon about that meeting date - looking at late June or after July 4th week, so reach out to us at connect@wilsonvillealliance.org if you want to be a part of that gathering.
If you want to read more, please keep scrolling!
We started with an opening activity that involved discussion 1-1 for introverts and large group share out for extroverts. Thank you, Leticia!
We did a popcorn reading through the WAIC one-pager and the following list of our history:
2019
Discussed and formed mission, vision, values, international dialogue points, and defined what we are not
Wrote the first Juneteenth proclamation that the City ever passed and highlighted stories of local Black residents about the importance of the holiday
Successfully formed a coalition of voices across the political spectrum to enhance and pass the Equitable Housing Strategic Plan
Delivered a statement on COVID-19 impacts on equity and inclusion
2020
WAIC retreat to recap the year and plan for 2021, and officers selected!
Held monthly WAIC gathering meetings
Monthly (and at times weekly WAIC UP! emails to communicate resources and events)
City council election questionnaire
$3,000 grant from LAM research + contributions from a few WAIC officers
2021
WAIC retreat to recap the year and plan for 2022
Held monthly WAIC gathering meetings
Input on Wilsonville Middle housing, Frog Pond development, and the School Board candidate questionnaire
Newsletter highlight of diverse events/celebrations (before City’s DEI communications)
Intelledent Lives movie viewing and discussion event
Communications to encourage people to apply to the City’s DEI committee
Monthly (and at times weekly WAIC UP! emails to communicate resources and events)
2022
Multiple meetings reaffirm/discuss officers and activities
Affordable housing tour: school district, state legislator, local housing service providers, city officials, and WAIC - led to relationships that helped further Vuela's affordable housing funding, and monthly homeless service providers meeting
Monthly (and at times weekly WAIC UP! emails to communicate resources and events)
2023
Oregon Humanities: Can We All Get Along event
Helped support the City and DEI Committee Juneteenth event
Monthly (and at times weekly WAIC UP! emails to communicate resources and events)
2024
Oregon Humanities Housing and Belonging event
2025
Remembered the passing of Aaron Woods
WAIC kick-start event
We took a moment to reflect and share impressions from this history.
In an effort to better understand the diversity, equity, and inclusion landscape of Wilsonville, we did a mapping exercise to list names and resources. WAIC’s role is not to take place or duplicate, but to support, fill in gaps and to force multiply.
We ended in generating ideas about what WAIC should/could do next. One of the people there shared a beautifully simple concept: what if we just keep meeting as engaged, interested people and we’ll figure it out!
Next steps
We’re going to meet again soon to learn more about each other, keep the engagement and connections moving, and work toward identifying 3-5 people to fill WAIC organizational roles and how others can best support them. If you would like to join in, please reach out at connect@wilsonvillealliance.org!