Philomath resident Rose Bricker has become a familiar face and voice around the community through her involvement with city committees and various activities.
A 37-year-old state employee with the Department of Human Services, Bricker’s city-level volunteer involvement includes the Park Advisory Board and Inclusivity Committee. Going on six years as a Philomath resident, she’s originally from the big island of Hawaii from what used to be a rural community in the Puna district.
Said Bricker, “I think what I love the most about Philomath is the similar small-town feel and the community vibes that remind me of where I grew up.”
Bricker accepted an invitation to participate in this week’s Inside Philomath feature and answered five questions.
Q: The Park Advisory Board’s Music in the Park has come a long way since its debut in 2016. What do you enjoy most about this summer concert series?
A: I really appreciate that the Park Advisory Board is intentionally making an effort to attract a diverse lineup of performers and that the bands are now being compensated for their time. I think it’s important that artists are being tangibly recognized for their efforts.
Another thing I enjoy is that the events offer a free and welcoming space for anyone to come listen to great music and connect with their neighbors. There are so few of those places left and it’s important to value those community building opportunities.
Q: You work a lot with youth through your professional life. What motivated you to want to work with young people?
A: I have had a passion for youth development for a large part of my life. I started out volunteering in the children’s nursery at church, babysitting as a teen and then spent 12 years at three different clubs with the Boys & Girls Club.
Whitney nailed it when she sang “teach them well and they will find the way.” It is so important for younger people to have trusted adults who they feel comfortable asking for guidance, sharing unique perspectives and creating a circle of support. As an elder millennial, I see the need for previous generations to not only provide advice, but to also be open to learning from those that came after them. The future adults deserve to be listened to and for their voices uplifted.
Q: In 2020, you were among those who challenged the City Council on its lack of response on racial injustice issues. What’s your perspective on the city’s efforts in the 2-1/2 years since?
A: This is a tough question for me to answer because I definitely don’t want to take away from the efforts the council has made to try to address these important issues. I felt encouraged that there was movement in a positive direction with the development of the Inclusivity Committee, but after 2-1/2 years, the progress has been slower than I’d initially expected. I feel the pace isn’t the quick and easy fix that some people might’ve hoped for. With these important and difficult issues, it is a mistake to try to rush things and “check boxes” just for the sake of saying something was done. I see the pace of the committee being reflective of the amount of work Philomath still has ahead.
Our city leaders are learning and growing on a very public stage, navigating very personal issues and challenging mindsets. There is a lot more work to be done and a lot more reparative actions needed from city leaders to continue the objective of a more inclusive Philomath. Change is hard, but we can do hard things.
Q: A few years ago, you shared your thoughts about the benefits of a local dog park. Is that something that you hope is still on the table here in Philomath?
A: I still see a dog park as being a great benefit to the community and a dog park was included in the most recent Park Master Plan. During my own efforts in trying to get a dog park developed, I had the opportunity to learn a lot more about the dangers and hazards of dog parks. I feel the city will need to ensure they’ve taken the proper steps to address those potentials during the planning. Like anything the city plans, there are so many small steps that need to occur that it’s sometimes hard for people to see the progress that is being made.
Q: Why did you feel it was important to help organize a Philomath Pride event last year and do you believe we’ll see more of those events in the future?
A: After the idea of a city-hosted Pride event was tabled last year due to a perception of lack of planning time, I felt inspired to tap into my circle to see if SOMETHING could be planned to celebrate Pride month in Philomath. I didn’t know what it would look like initially, but the immediate positive responses and offers of support showed to me that the community had been waiting for this launching point. In just under two months we had donations pouring in, word-of-mouth publicity and people reaching out who in the past had felt excluded by the community they lived in.
I haven’t seen a lot of representation of the queer community here in Philomath. I’m also aware of historical harm that has affected people who have grown up here. Many have had to seek a connection to the queer community outside of city limits. Our city leadership expresses a desire to be welcoming to all and attractive to newcomers, a Pride event is one of the ways to extend a hand to the queer community and its allies. I wanted to help to create a space where people felt celebrated for how they identify and where person-to-person connections could occur.
I went into organizing the Philomath Pride event slightly blind last year and didn’t have a lot of time to outreach and network. The community response was awesome and the small gathering I’d initially envisioned quickly took a life of its own, which I absolutely loved. I’ve already begun working on organizing for 2023 and my hope is the city, in collaboration with its Inclusivity Committee, will eventually take it on as an annual city event.
Anyone interested in getting involved should start attending the city’s Inclusivity Committee meetings. The meeting dates can be found on the city’s website. People can also email me at philomathpride@gmail.com.
Great feature, and thank you for profiling Rose. Her dedication and work for the betterment of our community is inspiring. I look forward to reading about other members of our town in this column.