SMILE VALUES & BELIEFS

Mission: The Sellwood- Moreland Improvement League (SMILE) is a Portland neighborhood  association dedicated to the improvement of the neighborhoods of Sellwood and Westmoreland,  while maintaining their quality of life – and acting as a liaison between the neighborhood and the  city government of Portland, Oregon.

Values & Beliefs:

  • Inclusion and Representation:
    • At SMILE we believe a strong and healthy community requires a diversity of voices, particularly in  leadership roles.
    • At SMILE we believe in representing all voices in our community.
    • At SMILE we believe that, to be effective, welcoming and representative, we must use all means of communication to reach our neighbors.
  • Accountability:  
    • At SMILE we believe that our policies, practices and procedures should be consistent, transparent and align with our values.
    • At SMILE we commit to being flexible and adaptable to community needs.
    • At SMILE we pledge to be good stewards of our resources so they may serve our neighborhood for generations to come.
  • Equity: 
    • At SMILE we believe in and are committed to being anti-racist.
    • At SMILE we recognize that our practices may have resulted in excluding some members of our community, and pledge to learn from and correct our mistakes.
    • At SMILE we recognize that we have much to learn on our journey to fully embrace the practice of anti-racism, equity and inclusion and are committed to doing so with humility and honesty.
  • Connections:  
    • We believe SMILE is only as strong as the community we represent and the partnerships we nurture.
    • At SMILE we believe in prioritizing accessibility.
    • At SMILE we believe in fostering relationships, partnerships, etc. among all residents to help create a cohesive community.
    • At SMILE we provide opportunities for our community to hear from one another and from a variety of perspectives. We commit to facilitating a safe space for respectful dialogue.
  • Empowerment: 
    • We believe SMILE’s role is to actively serve and inform the neighborhood.
    • At SMILE we believe in amplifying voices of both the individual and the community to effect actions, activities and  community building.
  • Joy: 
    • At SMILE we use talents and resources, and collaborate with our community partners, to create opportunities for joy and celebration.