BARBIE’S VILLAGE
MULTNOMAH COUNTY
Through participation in a Reckoning with Racism Cohort, Westminster Presbyterian Church sought to tell a more whole narrative of the land they currently own and steward, unveiling often hidden histories related to the indigenous community in their neighborhood. Simultaneously, they were participating in the Multnomah County Land & Housing Cohort, seeking to steward their collective power and resources toward ending the housing crisis in Oregon and bringing all people home. Through these efforts and relationships, Westminster leaders were introduced to Jillene Joseph, the convener of the Future Generations Collaborative and director of the Native Wellness Institute, and encountered the story of Barbie.
Barbie Shields passed away five years ago from a brain aneurysm. She served as a Natural Helper with Future Generations Collaborative, and herself dealt with houselessness. She left behind four children and a husband and was deeply committed to uplifting the Native community, especially Native people experiencing homelessness on their own lands. When she passed, we wanted to keep her vision and legacy alive. And that’s how the vision for Barbie’s Village came to be. The lasting impact of colonization that sought to erase Native culture continues to impact the community today, which is why specifically Native spaces in Portland are a major need.
After learning about this vision, the Westminster Presbyterian team discerned a call to participate in actively supporting and organizing toward the realization of this vision on the land of the former Presbyterian Church of Laurelhurst as acts of mutual healing and repair, through restitution. They got to work in their neighborhood to confront potential “not-in-my-backyard-ism” (NIMBY) from neighbors in the area. They did relational outreach by knocking on doors and hosting house meetings to build relationships and trust with the families who live in the neighborhood. As a result of their organizing and relationship with the Presbytery, a decision by the Presbytery Leadership Commission (PLC) on October 27, 2021, was made to enter into a relationship with the Future Generations Collaborative, Leaven Land and Housing Coalition, and Westminster Presbyterian Church to develop Barbie’s Village on the land of the former Presbyterian Church of Laurelhurst. On Indigenous People’s Day, alongside FGC, they hosted a “horizon action,” where over 400 people from both the neighborhood and indigenous community gathered to point towards a horizon of repair and relationship for the neighborhood.
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