Friends, colleagues, dear allies, lend me your ears!
Gather ’round, you architects of change,
Whose work this year has covered quite a range
From mountain peaks to valleys dark and low
Let’s tell the tale of triumph mixed with woe,
Of joy, of learning, and of light that blazed
Through Oregon, though times left us amazed.
The Joys
Remember May? When nearly eleven hundred souls
Came to our NW Equity Summit’s halls?
What magic filled those conference rooms that day!
The finest moment work has sent our way.
I see them still—those faces shining bright,
Eyes full of hope, of purpose, and delight.
We built a space of safety, strong and true,
Where community could flourish, fresh as dew.
It’s humbling work, yet it’s our sacred art
This fuel of joy that powers every heart.
And what champions arose to take a stand!
Such partnership! What treasure we have found!
The Sorrows
But wait—what shadows fall across our stage?
What storms have marked this troubled, trying age?
Our partners—nonprofits, schools we hold so dear
Watched funding vanish, simply disappear.
Our partners in the fight, professionals of color bright,
Were laid off from their jobs and put to flight.
The raids bring fear that haunts our city streets,
Where racial profiling turns to dread in those it meets.
O Portland! Why must negative press
Paint our city in such dark distress?
And “Portland Nice”, those comfortable, kind words
That float away like wind, scattered birds
Words without action, promises not kept,
While fear and stress have through our region crept.
The Learning
Yet from these trials, what wisdom have we gained?
First: We can do the impossible, it’s true!
Eleven hundred people came on through!
But friends—just because we can doesn’t mean we should.
Let’s not burn out; pace ourselves for good.
Second: Though darkness reigns and headlines scream despair,
Allies and champions showed, they still care!
Oregonians hunger yet to learn and grow,
To lift each other up, to overthrow
The barriers between us, build the bridges wide,
Hope lives! It’s standing right here by our side.
Third: We cannot be all things to every face.
Our mission is our compass, our true place:
To serve our members, lift professionals high,
Support the allies standing by our side.
Boundaries aren’t failures; focus isn’t cold,
They help our river of impact flow bold.
The Toasting
So raise your glasses high, my colleagues true!
To all the impossible things we do!
To eleven hundred souls who showed their care,
To safety, community everywhere!
To partners who don’t just speak but act,
To those who lost jobs—and those gotten back!
To colleagues here who weather every storm,
Who keep our mission vital, bright, and warm!
To sorrows that we’ve carried, side by side,
They cannot break us; we’re a rising tide!
To lessons learned through struggle and through strife,
That guide us forward into brighter light!
And here’s to 2026, coming fast,
May we stay focused, strong, and unsurpassed!
Though “Portland Nice” may linger in the air,
We’ll show up, act, and prove how much we care!
To Partners in Diversity!
To equity, to action, and community!
To all we’ve built and all we’ve yet to do,
The future’s bright because we have YOU!
Cheers!
