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Writer's pictureJulie Hoy

A Letter for Hope in Salem and Keizer

Updated: Nov 14

Residents of Salem and Keizer - 


Today is November 6 and we are at an inflection point for our nation. We, the undersigned, believe and choose the following, and we hope that others will join us.    


We believe Salem and Keizer are home to people who want the best for their families, their neighbors, and their community. We choose to see one another as community members with whom we can rise together.   


We believe that everyone deserves to feel a sense of belonging. We choose to build belonging through our everyday actions: seeing one another as fellow community members and treating everyone with dignity and respect in all our interactions.    

We believe that understanding requires relationships and dialogue. We choose to share our stories and welcome others’ stories into our lives. Through that sharing, we will all have a more complete understanding of our community.    


We believe that our language has the power to create a sense of belonging for others. We choose to speak in ways that affirm our community and choose not to use language that demeans or devalues others.   


Yes, the United States of America’s future is shaped by elections. But it is also shaped by our everyday choices. In choosing to live in Salem and Keizer, we choose belonging over division. We choose hope over despair.    


We choose our community.   



Faith Leaders 

  • Rob Bashioum, Pastor, Salem Alliance Church 

  • Rev. Dr. Greg Bolt, Salem First Presbyterian Church  

  • Jerry Braza, Unified Buddhist Church 

  • Josè Luis Dominguez, La Luz Del Valle Sam Dompier, Church at the Park 

  • Josh Erickson, Church at the Park 

  • Rev. Brandon L. Filbert, St. Timothy's Episcopal Church 

  • Rabbi Eli Herb, Temple Beth Sholom 

  • Rev. Mat Hollen, St. Thomas Church 

  • Glen Hossler, Oak Park Church of God, Pastor Emeritus Abbey and Matt Ingalls, Oak Park Church of God 

  • Pastor Jon Lemmond, Trinity Covenant Church 

  • Rev. Robin Lunn, First Congregational Church UCC Salem 

  • DJ Vincent, Church At The Park 

  • Rev. Kelly Wadsworth, PhD, Westminster Presbyterian Church   


Elected Officials 

  • State Representative Tom Andersen, Oregon House of Representatives, House District 19 

  • Dr. Irvin M, Brown, Salem City Councilor-Elect 

  • Kevin Cameron, Marion County Commissioner 

  • Cathy Clark, Mayor, City of Keizer 

  • State Representative Paul L. Evans, Oregon House of Representatives 

  • Sheriff Mark Garton, Polk County Sheriff's Office 

  • Jose Gonzalez, Salem City Councilor 

  • Ken Hector, Chemeketa Community College Board of Education Chair 

  • Chris Hoy, Mayor,  City of Salem 

  • Julie Hoy, Salem City Councilor, Ward 6 & Mayor Elect 

  • Nick Hunter, Marion County Sheriff 

  • Kevin L. Mannix, Oregon State House of Representatives, House District 21 

  • Linda Nishioka, Salem City Councilor Vanessa Nordyke, Salem City Councilor Senator Deb Patterson, Oregon State Senate 

  • Cynthia Richardson, Salem-Keizer Public Schools Board of Education Chair 

  • Virginia Stapleton, Salem City Councilor  Shaney Starr, MS, Keizer City Council President   


Community Leaders 

  • Patrice Altenhofen, Family Building Blocks Jerry Ambris, Mid-Willamette Valley Habitat for Humanity 

  • Jaime Arredondo, Capaces Leadership Institute 

  • Linda Bednarz, Salem Leadership Foundation Board 

  • Sue Bloom, Boys & Girls Club of Salem, Marion & Polk Counties 

  • Collin Box, Capital FC 

  • Tim Buckley, Community Business and Education Leaders (CBEL) 

  • Mark Bulgin, Isaac’s Room 

  • Tiffany Bulgin, Isaac’s Room 

  • Isaiah Burrell, Salem Leadership Foundation 

  • Andrea Castañeda, Superintendent, Salem-Keizer Public Schools 

  • Satya Chandragiri MD, Co-Chair Braver Angels of Salem 

  • Paige E. Clarkson, Marion County District Attorney 

  • Olga Cobb, Salem-Keizer Public Schools Andrew Copeland, Chief of Police, Keizer Police Department 

  • Kyle Dickinson, Salem Leadership Foundation 

  • Aaron Felton, Polk County District Attorney 

  • Ormond Fredericks, Oregon Department of Human Services Ganta, INDUS 

  • Robert L. Garcia, West Salem Rotary 

  • Rick Gaupo, Marion Polk Food Share Christine Karch Gilman, Compassionate Listening Project 

  • Tim Gilman, Vote Common Good 

  • Luke Glaze, Salem For Refugees 

  • Cathy Grimes, Rotary Club of Salem 

  • Lisa Harnisch, Marion & Polk Early Learning Hub 

  • Levi Herrera-Lopez, Mano a Mano Family Center 

  • Dwayne Hilty, Salem Leadership Foundation 

  • Tom Hoffert, Salem Area Chamber of Commerce 

  • Andrew Holbert, Courtney Place Veterans Housing 

  • Dr. Jessica Howard, President, Chemeketa Community College 

  • Yadira Juarez, Salem Keizer Coalition for Equality 

  • Burt Kanner, Co-Chair Braver Angels of Salem 

  • Josh Kay, Kay LLC. 

  • Lillian Kay, Kay LLC. 

  • Alison Kelley, Liberty House 

  • Alvin Klausen, Courtney Place Veterans Housing 

  • Jackie Leung, Micronesian Islander Community  

  • Reyna Lopez, PCUN 

  • Nancy MacMorris-Adix, Family Building Blocks Board of Directors 

  • Nancy Marshall, Marshall HR Consulting David Matz, Oregon Department of Human Services 

  • Barry Nelson, Capital Financial Planners Salam A Noor, Mountain West Center for Community Excellence 

  • Jesse Peters, President, Western Oregon University 

  • Bryce Petersen, Community First Solutions 

  • Greggery Peterson, BE-BLAC Foundation Matthew Reynolds, Salem Leadership Foundation Board 

  • Tim Sinatra, The Family YMCA of Marion and Polk Counties 

  • Sam Skillern, Salem Leadership Foundation 

  • Stephen E. Thorsett, President, Willamette University 

  • Larry Tokarski, Mountain West Investment Corporation 

  • Michael von Haenel, Braver Angels of Salem 

  • Raymond D. White,  Raymond D. White, LLC 

  • Dr. Marilyn A. Williams, YouLead Oregon Trevor Womack, Salem Chief of Police Bob Zielinski, Scenic Valley Farms 



Note: Julie Hoy is a signer of this community letter, not the original author. It's published publicly on this website for ease of access for the community.

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