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Hamid Shibata Bennett Named Milwaukie's Volunteer of the Year for 2020
City Council has selected Hamid Shibata Bennett as the 2020 Volunteer of the Year. Donating his time and talents for multiple organizations in the area, a difficult year filled with uncertainty didn’t diminish his passion to help the Milwaukie community—in fact, it motivated him to do even more.
Bennett has been an active member of the Milwaukie Arts Committee since 2016 and served as its chair for more than a year. He happily stepped up to lead the group during a critical transition phase in membership in 2020, and helped keep its momentum going while assisting new members get up to speed. During this time, Bennett was instrumental in bringing the Arts Committee’s Porchfest events to life. Working closely with the city’s Neighborhood District Associations leaders and committee volunteers, he assisted in finding performers, secured donations and sponsorships, and carried out many event logistics.
In fall 2020, Bennett helped orchestrate the unveiling event for the public mural on the water reservoir tank at SE 40th Avenue and Harvey Street that brought the community together (with social distancing in place) to celebrate both the new artwork and the mural’s important theme, which highlights Milwaukie’s historic people of color.
In winter 2020, Hamid and the Arts Committee created Light Up Milwaukie, a holiday decorating contest that became quite popular in December 2020.
“No one deserves the title of Volunteer of the Year more than Hamid,” said Samantha Swindler, Arts Committee member. “Through his leadership, the Milwaukie Arts Committee has seen projects that started as just hopeful ‘what if’ conversations become reality. The city now has a beautiful ‘Welcome to Milwaukie’ mural adjacent to Water Tower Park, and we’ve held two Porchfest series, bringing music and performance to our neighbors when they need it most.”
While volunteering for the Arts Committee’s events, Bennett began assisting the city manager, police chief and equity program manager with their efforts to create better relationships and engage with Milwaukie’s BIPOC community members. This work included taking part in the Police Contract and Policy Review Group, as well as a series of listening sessions between the city, police and BIPOC community members.
“He’s been a passionate advocate for equity and inclusion in our arts programs. His laid-back personality and positive attitude make him a joy to work with. We’re always talking about ways we can do something, not reasons we can’t – and those are the kinds of volunteers Milwaukie needs.”
In addition to volunteering for the City of Milwaukie, Bennett frequently donates his time to other community organizations and events, often taking photos to help with their outreach efforts or finding partnerships to share resources.
“It’s been amazing to see people come together in this community,” said Bennett. “We have this great collection of skills and talents here, and I’ve found when people begin volunteering, others join in to share those abilities with each other.”
Bennett hopes other community members are aware how easy it is to get started volunteering.
“If you’ve ever felt like getting involved, just go to the city website and find something you’re passionate about or interested in,” said Swindler. “There’s lots of opportunities and you might be surprised to find your skill sets apply to many things.”
Bennett will be honored at a special event later this year and have his name engraved on a permanent plaque at City Hall. City Council created the Volunteer of the Year program in 2012 to recognize community members for their outstanding service. Nominees can include anyone who resides in Milwaukie or is a member of a non-profit organization or business that serves the Milwaukie community.
For more information about the Volunteer of the Year award, contact Jason Wachs at wachsj@milwaukieoregon.gov or visit www.milwaukieoregon.gov/volunteering.
