Community Conversations: strengthening neighborhoods one discussion at a time
By Angee Pogosian, City of Auburn Multimedia Intern
What happens when a city listens? When monologue becomes dialogue and a conversation begins? When hearing is just the first step?
This October, the City of Auburn put those questions to the test. Partnering with the Auburn School District, staff invited residents to share their most pressing concerns about publics safety in Auburn as part of the Safe Auburn: Community Conversations series. It was time for real conversations, and the response was overwhelming. Across Auburn’s six policing districts, as well as a special city-wide session, neighbors gathered to speak out on youth violence, traffic concerns, and more. These meetings weren’t just about hearing from the community — they were about creating real, actionable plans for change.
“Local government should create unique opportunities to directly ask for feedback without barriers,” said Walker Nasser, the City’s Equity and Outreach Supervisor. “A system of accessibility, honesty, and transparency is paramount in pushing our community forward.”
The goal of the Community Conversations, says Walker, was to understand community needs, build trust through fostering direct communication, and empower people to elevate their voice for an impact. Walker and staff gathered community input alongside city leaders, police, and educators for the first phase of these conversations. Located at different school campuses with dinner provided, these meetings began with a Q&A between the audience and the Mayor and Police Chief. Then, participants split into small groups to discuss their public safety concerns and brainstorm potential solutions.
After participating in the community meeting at Chinook Elementary School, resident Molly Bradburry explained why she joined the conversation. “It seemed like a good idea to express my concern with the ongoing construction, accidents, and fatalities I’ve seen on the busy road outside my house,” she said. “I was able to express my concerns today, and I recommend these meetings to anybody in the community who can come.” Ruth, a retired teacher, also attended the same meeting: “I was born in Auburn 85 years ago and I’ve lived here all my life,” she shared. “The world has changed, we can’t do what we once did, so we need to come up with solutions to take care of these problems.” Standing next to Ruth was Jim, her husband of 63 years, who agreed. “These conversations will make us a stronger community,” he said.
After seven meetings across Auburn, city leaders gathered community concerns, solutions, and feedback on public safety and community preparedness. The conversations are documented at SpeakupAuburn.org, where summaries of previous meetings are posted. An online forum is also open to continue the dialogue, where anyone can post questions, feedback, and suggested solutions. Moving forward, city leaders are analyzing and prioritizing the issues raised, creating an action plan, and integrating the solutions shared by community members.
“It struck me how excited people were to meet their neighbors and community leaders,” expressed Grantley Martelly. As the host facilitating these meetings, he witnessed firsthand the reaction of participants. “People got to meet face to face and talk to each other across multiple ethnicities and generations.” During this phase’s focus on public safety, participants shared concerns about safe roads and streets, school lockdowns, gun violence, and healthy after-school activities. Proposed solutions included implementing neighborhood watch programs, increasing security presence, and communicating neighborhood-wide public safety updates like school lockdowns.
“The success of these community conversations proves that when a city truly listens, it sparks meaningful change,” said Keisha Taylor, Equity and Outreach Coordinator for the city. “The feedback gathered will guide future efforts to ensure that the city remains a place where everyone can thrive.” If you missed the chance to participate in the first phase, there will be plenty of opportunities ahead. Stay connected, share your ideas, and help shape the future of Auburn by visiting SpeakUpAuburn.org for updates and continued discussions. Though the first wave of these conversations may be over, this dialogue is just beginning.
“By showing up, people showed that they want to be a part of change,” Keisha said. “I believe this conversation series was an important step for the city to initiate dialogue with our community.”
