It has been a great honor to serve City Club as your president over the past year. This 103-year-old institution means a lot to me and I’m proud of the work we’ve done to strengthen our position as a leading civic organization in our region.
City Club’s governors, staff, and the dozens of volunteers who produce our forums, lead our research, and drive our advocacy have accomplished so much in just 12 months.
In February, we published a research report that focused on whether Portland’s city government equitably represents all Portlanders. That report, and the public education campaign that continues today, may prove to be the most consequential work City Club has undertaken since we
inspired the formation of Forest Park. City Club’s research board, advocacy board, and the amazing Stacey Rice worked closely with a committed and determined research committee to produce a report that powerfully shows the structural roots of Portland’s failure to equitably and efficiently serve all Portlanders.
This winter, we also launched a new organizational membership program that creates new pathways for businesses, nonprofits, unions, and public entities to participate in our community. Michelle Mercado, in collaboration with City Club’s membership committee, did an incredible job of shaping this program and recruiting civic-minded organizations to join. This program was part of an overall increase in new memberships and a trend toward a bigger and more engaged City Club community.
I’ve also been excited about how we’ve continued to sharpen our vision and our voice as an organization committed to inclusion, independence, and justice. Our community has a clearer understanding of what City Club stands for and is energized to support our work in part thanks to our communications director, Dan Rivas.
And we finished the budget year with a tidy surplus and in a strong position to tackle the work ahead thanks to the development, finance, and gala committees, but especially thanks to Julia Meier, who has brought unshakeable leadership to both the fiscal and programmatic sides of City Club.
Serving as City Club’s president is both humbling and enriching. I’ve been grateful for the frequent opportunities to question my assumptions and authentically engage with people who disagree with me. I’m grateful for the friendships I’ve gained over the past year. Most importantly, I’m grateful to be part of a community where we can grow into our best selves.
Colin Jones
President, 2018-19