Dear The Dalles Main Street Program and Northwest MuralFest this response leaves a lot to be desired as it contains the same gaslighting and gatekeeping that you have used for the last two years to prevent community feedback.
You state, and I quote:
"All are welcome to join in our open, upcoming meetings which are held every other Wednesday from 3:30-4:30 at Meadow Outdoor Advertising. We are always looking for more volunteers. The next meeting date is October 27th. Or, request a zoom link if your are unable to attend in person. We also encourage people to check out our website, www.northwestmuralfest.com if they would like to find out more. "
This is frankly not true. All are not welcome.
Why? Because you are determining the exact times and terms in which community members can engage with you. Whether you are aware of it or not, this approach towards community engagement is a form of gatekeeping in that you are setting your meeting time during business hours. In the middle of the week. Therefore the only people who can engage with you are people of means and ability. In addition you are stating that there is only one opportunity for people to vote, which is again at a time and place of your choosing.
In addition to this, you state in your statement that there are three murals to pick from? And yet you are doing more murals than three? Can you explain that?
Can you also please address the question that the community has had at your door since October 14th, 2020 that lists 25 questions that were presented to you regarding many professional, ethical, and equity issues that have been raised by local community members?
Even though I can provide ample evidence of your gatekeeping beyond this point, I will refrain. However your statement that we can participate if we want, on your terms is not an offer for collaboration. It is a setting the terms of how we can participate in a way as to make it extremely problematic for the majority of people.
That is a form of gate keeping that I encourage you all to abandon. You are the people claiming you want to represent our community, that means it is your obligation, not ours to meet us on our terms.
Why are you not going to the communities that were addressed in Cole Goodwin's article and asking for meetings with them? That's your job. It is not the job of the community to come to you and beg for a voice, it is your job as the people claiming to be doing something for us, to reach out to all of us. And if you don't know where to start, Cole and Columbia Community Connection gave you a great list of where to start.
The ball is in your court, you do not get to try and pass it back onto the community and then blame them for not engaging on your extremely limited terms.
There is a reason that meetings for public entities happen outside of banking hours.
Have a great night everyone, and I hope that the importance of getting this project right has hit home with this recent article. There are many engaged, amazing, active, responsive, caring, compassionate, and under represented people in this community who would love to have a voice. As community leaders it's your job to seek them out and have the appropriate conversations in order to not create artwork that is harmful to the community you are trying to empower.
Sincerely,
Dylan T. McManus
Fine Artist
