Community partners,
You are the heart of the City of Portland’s work to serve our community, solve our most pressing problems, and build a bright future. I am writing to share some news about how we’ll need to approach that work together, as Portland – like governments across the state and nation – adapts to the Trump administration’s policies.
Today I signed an executive order that directs our city government to ensure that City programs or policies do not violate federal anti-discrimination laws, as likely to be interpreted by the current federal judiciary. This means that City programs and services cannot give preference to groups with “protected-class status” based on characteristics such as race or gender, unless the City pursues a disparity study that legally supports that preference.
Although this decision has been challenging, it is in the best interest of Portlanders. Losing federal funding would harm the very people that many of our city programs are designed to help.
The City of Portland is managing $349 million in active federal grants, with more than 90 percent going toward housing and transportation. We distribute federal investments to dozens of “sub-recipients” – community organizations and government partners who work alongside us to serve Portlanders. If we lose federal funding, so do you.
Right now alone, $31 million in new federal agreements need to be signed in the coming weeks. To secure that money, we must certify that the City complies with lawful grant requirements such as federal anti-discrimination laws.
Some jurisdictions and organizations have gone so far as to purge some, or all, of their references to diversity, equity, and inclusion, including eliminating DEI offices and equity-focused jobs. We think this goes too far. We believe in our values and remain committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and our offices and employees who support this work.
Let’s be clear: In Portland, we believe in diversity, we believe in equity, and we believe in inclusion. We say those words proudly. We will continue to operate the vast majority of programs designed to help all Portlanders, including people of color, immigrants, women, LGBTQIA2S+ people, and people with disabilities, by making city government more inclusive and more accessible. For the small subset of programs and policies that need to change, we will build upon existing equity strategies and practices to serve Portland in a manner consistent with our values. Please stay tuned as that work gets underway in the coming weeks.
I want to thank those who’ve taken my calls and sat together in recent weeks, sharing your expertise and your hearts. Here’s what I heard from you: Portland cannot afford to lose investments that make our communities stronger. Together, we are strong enough – and creative enough, and determined enough – to find new ways of creating the equitable Portland we envision.
I also want to thank the Portland City Council, who have affirmed their unwavering commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Portland will continue to stand up to the Trump administration when federal directives clash with the law and our values. We are a proud sanctuary city in a sanctuary state, meaning that local police do not assist the federal government in immigration enforcement. And we are participating in lawsuits against the Trump administration’s unlawful executive orders that penalize sanctuary jurisdictions and attempt to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion work. We will fight, and we will win.
Thank you for standing with Portland during this challenging time. We have always been stronger together.
With gratitude,
Mayor Keith Wilson
Learn more about how Portland's evolving partnership with the federal government: