Mayor Wilson proclaims September 15 - October 15, 2025, to be Latinx Heritage Month

In accordance with this acknowledgement, we recognize:

WHEREAS, Portland is home to over 70,000 residents who proudly identify as Latine, Latinx, Latino/a, Hispanic, Native, Indigenous, Afro-Latino/a, Blacktino/a, Chicano/a, Mestizo/a, or with their country of origin, each of whom enrich our cultural, social, and economic life; and

WHEREAS, under the City's new form of government, the Portland City Council reflects broader representation from diverse communities, helping the voices of historically underrepresented groups-including the Latine community-be included in civic decision-making; and

WHEREAS, the Latine community contributes immeasurably to Portland's strength and resilience-not only as the backbone of agricultural and service industries, but as educators, artists, environmentalists, health care providers, engineers, entrepreneurs, organizers, lawmakers, faith leaders, parents, children, and visionaries who shape the future of our city; and

WHEREAS, Portland is a sanctuary city that is committed to protecting and supporting families and individuals seeking refuge, peace, and a better future-not out of privilege or leisure, but out of necessity, hope, and survival; and

WHEREAS, the city of Portland, as part of its core values, reaffirms its commitment to stand firmly against racial injustices, and any attempt to antagonize, harass, or displace community members based on the color of their skin, language spoken, or country of origin; and

WHEREAS, across the nation, members of the Latine community are facing unprecedented levels of racial profiling, violence, and unjust detainment, sometimes being forced into prisons or detention centers under inhumane conditions, separated from loved ones, and stripped of the right to live in the places they call home; and

WHEREAS, the Latinx PDX Employee Resource Group stands in solidarity with Black, Indigenous, Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, immigrant, refugee, and other marginalized communities who continue to face systemic discrimination, erasure, and underrepresentation both locally and globally; and

WHEREAS, the Latinx PDX Employee Resource Group also stands with victims of genocide, forced displacement, famine, war, and rising authoritarianism worldwide, recognizing that global struggles for justice are interconnected with local commitments to equity; and

WHEREAS, the Latinx PDX Employee Resource Group remains committed to working alongside City bureaus, community partners, and civic leaders to dismantle systems of oppression, expand access to representation, and ensure that all communities can engage fully and meaningfully in Portland's civic life

Now, therefore, I, Keith Wilson, Mayor of the City of Portland, Oregon, the "City of Roses," do hereby proclaim September 15 - October 15, 2025, to be

Latinx Heritage Month

in Portland and do further declare Portland to be a community that welcomes all.