How might we reduce the cost and shorten the timeline for affordable housing options while achieving similar or better outcomes?
Learn more about the Multnomah Idea Lab (MIL) origins and staff.
How might DCHS create racially just economic opportunities for every person, particularly those who have been disadvantaged by the governmental practice of white supremacy, to thrive?
How might we create a comprehensive advice structure that centers the lived expertise of survivors of domestic and sexual violence, feeds engagement, maximizes resources, and creates accountability?
Can the County identify individuals with special vulnerabilities to the effects of climate change, and provide them with services to prevent or mitigate harm?
“How can the Multnomah County Department of County Human Services become sustainable, now and into the future?”
Can the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) be automatically provided to those who are eligible?
How might we address racial wealth gaps, asset building and economic stability, while also addressing white supremacy culture in Multnomah County’s current policies?
Here are some examples of MIL projects focused on Future Visioning.
Can we develop a clear organizational communication that supports and deepens our employees’ understanding of the County’s intersectional approach to workforce equity, also known as Leading with Race?
How might we heal ourselves in order to show up better for our Black colleagues at the County?
What is the feasibility of drawing down Medicaid match funds to support supportive housing services?
The purpose of the MIL and our staff is to intentionally work within the government to eliminate the structure of white supremacy in order to redesign our collective future.
How might we plan for a future that is not simply 10% better, but 10 times better, and create an accurate narrative about who lives in poverty, and the role of government in social change work?
How might we directly impact the Black community in ways that address the systemic harm that has been done to perpetuate the wealth gap between white and Black Americans?
Here are some examples of MIL projects focused on Organizational Culture & Structure.
How might the Department of County Human Services help community members in need easily identify and fully utilize all the resources available to them through DCHS?
Here are some examples of MIL projects focused on Racial & Economic Justice.
How might DCHS create tools for restorative practices to address acts of harm experienced by systematically excluded employees and create pathways to healing our relationships?
The MIL's work focuses on three areas
The MIL's Work falls into three main categories: Organizational Culture & Structure; Future Visioning; and Racial & Economic Justice.
How might we address the harms of systemic racism and poverty in a way that allows affected households to retain their agency around meeting their most pressing financial needs?
The MIL’s goal for the workshop was to align messaging to create excitement and buy-in from key stakeholders for the group’s work moving forward.