Do Downtowns Still Matter?
Nov 30, 2023
America’s downtowns are at a crossroads.
Many urban economic centers are struggling to get back to pre-pandemic norms. In addition to an increasingly hybrid workforce, many downtowns are confronting a lack of affordable housing, rising crime, and recent policy reforms that have made it difficult to combat a...
Bridging the Divide
May 15, 2023
It often feels like the Portland-Vancouver metro region has become bogged down in a culture of political stagnation. We have big ideas. We seek to solve big problems like climate change and social justice.
But we have lost our ability to work across our divisions to make big things happen.
The I-5 bridge between Oregon...
Rethinking Free Speech in the Era of Cancel Culture
Nov 16, 2022
The term “cancel culture” is a buzzword these days. Nevertheless, it deserves thoughtful analysis.
Nowhere is cancel culture more apparent than on college and university campuses. According to a 2021 survey, more than 80% of American college students reported censoring themselves at least some of the time.
This...
Farming Through Uncertainty
Jul 15, 2020
The COVID crisis has had far reaching impacts on Oregon's economy from closed restaurants to work from home practices. But a story that has largely gone untold is the impact this crisis is having on Oregon's food producers.
What happens when restaurants are forced to close overnight and shoppers panic buy supermarket...
The Better Communities Podcast Trailer
Jul 9, 2020
Our mission has always been focused on building better communities through the power of storytelling. And as communications professionals, we believe it’s fundamental to hear different perspectives. This helps us all understand how the decisions we make in our communities impact the people who call the Pacific...