Member Profile: Joe Sixta

Photo by Cheryl Juetten

“I volunteer at City Club because it is the most impressive and dynamic organization serving Portland.”

When he’s not working as an Americorps volunteer or volunteering at City Club, Member of the Year Joe Sixta enjoys canning and has won first prize for two of his jams at a county fair.

What led to your initial involvement in City Club of Portland?
During college, I attended a Friday Forum about a topic I was studying in class. There, I learned that the Forum the following week was on something that also interested me. I quickly became a regular at Friday Forums because they were always about something I was studying
or reading in the paper. I began attending evening discussions and neighborhood tours that focused on more specific issues. A few months later I joined City Club and have continued to be active on both the New Leaders Council and the Friday Forum Committee.

What inspires you about City Club?
I am inspired by City Club because it includes people from various political persuasions and backgrounds who work to find the best solutions for Portland. City Club pursues a deliberative process to identify problems and outline solutions that help to make Portland such a great place. Civic organizations, exemplified by City Club, that pursue democratic solutions in a non-partisan way are what truly make for a successful democracy and great communities.

How has participation in City Club changed your perspective or opinion on local issues?
During the candidate debates last fall, I was very persuaded by a handful of candidates whom I had not previously considered voting for. City Club debates further my knowledge about issues affecting Portland and Oregon, but it is most often individuals who are present at the events who help me think more critically about the policy options being considered by elected officials.