From Linda McKim Bell

First Unitarian Portland has led the founding of many civic institutions in Portland from its very beginnings. Thanks to the leadership of the Rev. Thomas Lamb Eliot, our city has public schools, libraries, the Boys and Girls AIDS Society, and much more. We are a downtown church serving this city in many ways for over 150 years.

I am challenging our members to step up today to reclaim our beloved downtown, which needs us so much now. We need our citizens to be part of the revival. Contribute to your favorite civic organization or homeless helping non-profit. We have the power and can revive downtown simply with our presence. The constant drumbeat of negativity from national, local, and social media no longer reflects the reality on the ground downtown. We are allowing the Culture Wars to shape our attitude about downtown and keep us away. This will hurt all of us in the end. Are these negative perceptions of downtown real? Or are they part of a campaign to damage a liberal city? My husband and I have been walking downtown these past three years to enjoy the restaurants, stores, and cultural events. We find that downtown is cleaner with new plantings and events, and we enjoy talking with the merchants who have bravely hung on and are waiting for you to come back. Portland State University, the Art Museum, and the Oregon Historical Society host many exciting events. New businesses are opening up, and old ones are coming back.

We could revive those UU Downtown Tours. We can live up to the legacy of Rev. Eliot and our church’s service history. We can help downtown and houseless neighbors. We helped make this a great city and can do it again. Remember, the motto on Skidmore Fountain says: “Good Citizens are the Riches of a City.” I am calling on all good citizens to personally participate in our city’s economic recovery and shared civic life. We can strengthen our beloved city with our very presence. It is time to take back out downtown and help it thrive.