Thank You, and Onward

Hi, Team,

The most recent (and final or nearly final) ballots have been released. With that, we congratulate Candace Avalos, Loretta Smith, and Jamie Dunphy on their wins! I look forward to supporting their leadership as they represent District 1 in the new City Council.

This has been an incredible journey, and I am grateful to everyone who joined us:

• Our long list of endorsing organizations, elected officials, and community leaders;

• A star-studded campaign team;

• Over 1,250 unique Portland donors;

• Volunteers who collectively knocked on 8,000 doors; and

• More community events and conversations than I can reasonably count.

From the beginning of this campaign, we held the goals of building a bench of community organizers and engaging East Portlanders in meaningful ways that met the moment of this transformative time in Portland’s history. We did that, and I could not be prouder of all the ways our team showed up.

Folks who had never canvassed before ended up knocking on the doors of their entire neighborhoods. We heard from people who said they felt hopeful for the first time in ages because of our conversations. And thanks to the flyers we had translated into East Portland’s five most-spoken languages, we were able to engage with people who were surprised and delighted to be met at their door, in their language.

I’d like to give a special shout-out to our campaign manager, Christian Aguinaga. Christian took a chance on this campaign and poured his heart and smarts into it. Many volunteers have shared that this team fundamentally felt different—more joyful and passionate—than many campaigns they have been part of before. That is absolutely a result of this team’s culture, supported by Christian’s efforts.

We always intended for this campaign’s work to continue long after the election. After a little time to rest and debrief on what we have learned, we will be reaching out to you to talk about what is next. This is not an end, but rather a new phase. You may be feeling heartsick or numb from the national election results. I am too. What I can say with confidence is that local action will never be more important than in these times of adversity. I look forward to continuing to deepen our relationships in support of our communities.

More soon. Thank you. Remember to breathe.

With Gratitude,

Steph