SALEM, Ore. — The City of Salem’s Human Rights Commission, in partnership with Western Oregon University, has launched its annual Community Belonging Survey and is encouraging residents and those who regularly spend time in the city to participate.
The survey, open now through May 12, 2026, gathers input on experiences with discrimination, feelings of belonging, and perceptions of how welcoming the community is within the Salem, Oregon area.
“Everyone deserves the opportunity to be heard, especially when it comes to decisions that shape their community,” said Robert Marshall, chair of the Salem Human Rights Commission. “This survey helps ensure that people across Salem, including those whose voices are often underrepresented, can share their experiences concerning belonging to and in this community.”
Since 2020, the Salem Human Rights Commission has partnered with graduate students in Western Oregon University’s Organizational Leadership program to collect and analyze survey data. The findings are used as an additional tool to help city officials better understand community needs and to inform recommendations to the Salem City Council.
About the survey
The anonymous survey takes approximately five to ten minutes to complete and is available to anyone who lives in or regularly spends time in Salem. It is offered in multiple languages, including English, Spanish, Chuukese, and Marshallese. Outreach efforts are also being made to ensure participation from communities often underrepresented in traditional surveys, including individuals experiencing homelessness.
Officials say broad community participation is essential to ensure results reflect the full diversity of Salem’s population, with a particular focus on voices that are frequently underrepresented.
The survey can be accessed at: bit.ly/hrcbelonging
For more information about the City of Salem’s Human Rights Commission and its work, visit: https://www.cityofsalem.net/government/boards-commissions/salem-human-rights-commission
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