Shaping Aurora through Equitable Engagement

Meet Martha, a Community Liaison with the Department of Neighborhoods, connecting Spanish-speakers to the North Aurora community action planning process. Community Liaisons are community leaders that connect communities with city government. She supports the Office of Planning and Community Development in equitable, on-the-ground outreach along Aurora Corridor.

My calling has always been to help people find their voice, especially those who feel intimidated by government processes or unsure of how to navigate systems that weren’t built for them in mind. I have seen how easily perspectives get lost when decisions rely solely on data or technical expertise. I live close to Aurora, so I have my own experience of what it is like to be a neighbor here.

Being a community liaison means acting as a bridge. I listen deeply to communities, especially Spanish-speaking residents. With the North Aurora Initiative team, I supported residents through Spanish-translated surveys and spent time talking about their connection to the area. My role is to bring lived realities forward, so our Aurora communities’ experience is included in the community vision.  

This work can be heavy. During outreach at a recent event at Robert Eagle Staff Middle School, parents told me about the anxiety they carry about their environment around not being safe. They shared worries about their kids walking to school and traveling to see friends.  

During outreach in shelters and permanent supportive housing buildings on Aurora, I learned that even my neighbors experiencing homelessness have a deep desire for a cleaner and safer future of Aurora. I also heard about things that communities enjoy on the corridor such as access to affordable food and efficient transit along Aurora.  

In every location, I experienced how relieved people were to be asked about their experience living here. I hold onto the hope that by sharing these voices, I can help build a future where a teenager can walk down Aurora without fear. Where all members of my community feel welcome and can continue to access things like affordable groceries and quick transit.  

As the City moves into the next phase of the North Aurora Community Action Plan, I hope we carry one lesson with us: engagement cannot be a one-time step. Communities evolve, projects evolve, and listening must continue throughout the entire process.  

I am grateful that the City chose to go to places where there is traditionally low representation and I am honored to help elevate the perspective of my community.   

Do you have an idea for the future of Aurora? The City of Seattle has released a draft Vision Framework for the North Aurora Community Action Plan. It builds on what you and your neighbors have told community engagers such as Martha and is guiding the next phase of planning. To learn more about past engagement, view our Summer 2026 Engagement Summary. Provide feedback by reading the Vision Framework and sharing what you’d like to see.

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