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(she/they) councilor.morillo@portlandoregon.gov

Bluesky @councilormorillo.bsky.social Instagram @councilorangelitamorillo

Dear friend,

In this month’s newsletter, I’ve got a ton of updates about policy, projects, and community events. Because honestly, it’s been a hell of a year already. Between our new Council President, implementation of our Detention Facility Nuisance Fee, budget preparations and community events – all against the backdrop of rising fascism – I have been working hard to make Portland the greatest city on earth.

Community Events 🏘️

Possibly my favorite part about serving as your City Councilor is getting out in the community and connecting with the beautiful people that make District 3 so special. Join me!

District 3 Community Resource Fair

I’m thrilled to announce our first annual District 3 Resource Fair happening Saturday, March 21^st at the Mt. Scott Community Center in SE Portland from 11:00 to 2:00.

I really am so proud to represent a district where our neighbors show up for each other. To celebrate that community spirit that District 3 is famous for, I’m hosting our upcoming Resource Fair with the goal of bringing art, culture, and services to the families of Southeast Portland. We will have community organizations, a video game truck, and a local food truck on site.

Come grab some food, play some games, and get access from everything from legal services to household energy efficiency supplies.

Want to help out? We need a handful of volunteers to make sure the event runs smoothly. If you think that’s you, sign up to volunteer here.

March Constituent Conversation

March has certainly snuck up on me fast. Another month means another constituent coffee, and this time I’m hosting a happy hour. Join me Sunday, March 15^th for a drink at Double Barrel Tavern in the Seven Corners neighborhood.

I’ll be in the parlor from 3:00-4:30 answering your questions and listening to your feedback about what’s happening in City Hall. Can’t wait to see you there!

Community Bulletin Board

Here are some of my favorite upcoming community events I want to share with you. It’s a great time of year to get out of the house and into District 3!

• Join the Portland Immigrant Rights Coalition for their Migra Watch Trainings. These trainings will teach you how to be a good neighbor by looking out for ICE. You’ll learn who to call, what to report, and other steps you can take to keep our community safe.
  • Virtual: Wednesday, March 11 register here.
  • In person: Saturday, March 28 (more info to come here)
• Now until March 14, 7:00 pm: McDaniel High School Theatre Department presents The Addams Family – come support a local arts program and enjoy a perfectly Portland-weird classic.
• Saturday, March 14 from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm: The 36^th Annual Buckman Art Show + Sell returns, bringing together creativity, community, and celebration in the heart of Southeast Portland. Browse and shop work from 100+ local Portland artists, discover original student artwork available for purchase, and enjoy a fun, family-friendly atmosphere. The day will also feature food trucks, face-painting, and fairy hair, making it a perfect outing for all ages – all at Buckman Elementary (320 SE 16^th Ave). More information here.
• Saturday, March 14, 12:30 and 2:30 pm: Portland Youth String Ensemble invites families to their Cushion Concert at OMSI– a relaxed, joyful introduction to live classical music, created especially for children ages 3-8. This 45-minute Cushion Concert is the perfect “first concert” experience: fun, interactive, and performed by talented young musicians who are often not much older than the kids in the audience. Get tickets here.
• Tuesday, March 17, 7:00 pm: Celebrate your St. Patrick’s Day with an Irish Set Dancing lesson at The Showdown Saloon (1195 SE Powell). And stick around for the Pub Sing – a time honored tradition that brings our community together through song. Tickets here.
• Sunday, March 22, 7:30 pm: Powell’s presents author Ibram X. Kendi at Revolution Hall. The National Book Award-winning historian of Stamped from the Beginning charts how “great replacement theory” has moved from the margins to become the most dominant political theory of our time — and what we can do to safeguard democracy from this insidious threat. Tickets here.
• Sunday, March 29: Trans Town PDX is Portland’s biggest Trans Day of Visibility celebration at 831 SE Salmon St– a full day of trans joy, trans talent, and trans economic power. The celebration will feature a marketplace and mutual aid fair, live music and comedy, and a Trans Futures afterparty at White Owl Social Club. More info here.

PBOT Seeking Input for Planned Updates

The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) is seeking input on the SE César E Chávez Boulevard Safety Project (from Lafayette Court just south of Powell Boulevard to Schiller Street just south of Holgate Boulevard).

This project, funded by a grant from the Oregon Department of Transportation, aims to make two major changes: road reorganization and signal changes, both with the goal of improving pedestrian safety on SE César E Chávez Boulevard. 

Click here to learn more about the project and offer your feedback to PBOT.

City Hall Updates 🏛️

Things are moving fast here in City Hall, so I’ll do my best to catch you up to speed on what I’ve been working on in the past month.

One major thing you’ve probably heard about is the newly discovered funds in the Portland Housing Bureau. I am proud to have worked with Councilor Green to pass a resolution that opened an investigation into what happened, because Portlanders deserve to know how their dollars are being spent and managed. Not all of that $106M is eligible to be spent in our upcoming budget, but I'm working hard to make sure that our City uses what we can to prioritize affordable housing solutions that actually work for our houseless neighbors, not options that kick the can down the road.

Another major win we’ve been celebrating on our team is the creation of the City Data and Privacy Office. As we face rising threats from the federal government and evolving AI technologies, it’s critical that our City has a unified roadmap of how we collect, store, and use data. I worked with Councilor Novick to author this ordinance, which passed with broad community support.

The resolution that accompanies this ordinance also directs the City to centralize our data policies and procedures, rather than having to rely on an inconsistent patchwork of rules. It also directs the City to create strong protections for sensitive data, publish reports on how automated license plate readers are used, and develop ways to regulate data brokers and other groups that could be misusing the data of Portland residents.

Finally, I’m excited to share with you that, here in a few weeks, I’ll be serving on new committees. I’ll now be serving as a member of the City Life Committee and as Vice Chair of Community and Public Safety Committee.

 You may have heard that, for the 2026 year, we did a bit of a committee structure shuffle. We moved from 8 committees to 4, plus one at-large committee that every Councilor serves on (Committee of the Whole). That’s why City Life is a brand new committee – it combines policy matters previously taken up by Arts and Economy, Labor and Workforce, and parts of the Climate and Land Use Committee.

I’m excited to jump into my new roles with enthusiasm and focus. My work may look a little different going forward, but one thing hasn’t changed: I’m still fighting for working class Portlanders and those who haven’t had a seat at the table.

Budget season is right around the corner, which means that I want to hear from you! We will have plenty of ways to offer input on what you want funded (or not funded) in our City budget this year, and I do hope you take advantage of those opportunities.

To start, you can always submit your comments to the City Budget Office online at this link. These comments will be shared with City Council members and leadership, and will be included in the public record.

Or, join us in person for a Budget Town Hall. We are still in the process of scheduling listening sessions for March, April and May, but rest assured that I will send out alerts to this email list as soon as I have dates for those.

I want to hear from you. What are your great aspirations for Portland? What would you be comfortable cutting from our budget to get there? Feel free to reply to this email to share your thoughts.

Special Announcement 📣

As we approach budget season, I remain committed to getting direct feedback from District 3 residents about their priorities. That’s why I’m investing in deep community connection by hiring a Community Service Aide.

I’m looking for someone with a real heart for District 3 – who knows our vibe and understands our unique challenges. This person will interface directly with constituents and serve our people. I’d love to find someone who has a strategic approach to communications and constituent work, a clear communication style, and strong values of justice and access for working class Portlanders.

Learn more about the position and how to apply here.

Every day, I'm grateful for the opportunity to serve the best district in the best city. Thank you for showing up, and thank you for your brilliance. I couldn't do this without you. Let's chat soon!

Sincerely,

Councilor Angelita Morillo