BOLD Program Celebrates the 2023 Cohort
We are excited to announce the 2023 BOLD program participants have graduated! The Beaverton Organizing and Leadership Development (BOLD) program is an important leadership development and civic engagement training for emerging immigrant and refugee leaders and leaders of color in Beaverton.
Each year, the program offers training in civic engagement and as a result, gives a class the knowledge and empowerment to be more directly involved with local government. The City of Beaverton and Unite Oregon have partnered in offering this program for 12 years now. This year, 14 participants took part and completed the program. We congratulate the 2023 BOLD cohort and can’t wait to see their impact on our community!
Programs like BOLD are instrumental to ensuring underserved communities have a voice. “I consider myself a community leader because I am passionate about growing my skills to engage the people and community of Beaverton to grow in a positive direction”, said one of the 2023 participants, Nadia Ben Ahmed. By engaging directly with community members in a program like BOLD, we ensure an effective process that empowers the community. Equipping underserved community members with the skills necessary, they are able to become community organizers and leaders.
With their honed skill set, these graduates are then able to effectively make their voice heard and advocate for the changes and improvements they need. “There are many ways that one can define community leadership”, said participant Maribel De Leon. “It means being an active member of society, supporting the community with compassion, and advocating for public policy to allow all people to live healthy and sustainably”. The BOLD program allows for its participants to apply their own understanding of community leadership and serve as a starting point for their own personal and professional trajectories. In the end, everyone benefits from having a local government that reflects the needs and hopes of each and every member of the community.
Unite Oregon looks forward to continuing to strengthen our partnership with the City of Beaverton as we uplift underserved communities. With our collaboration, Beaverton is a city where everyone can thrive, regardless of their background.
Congratulations!
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