Our Philosophy

The Walk of the Heroines is a collaboration between Portland State University and the city of Portland, and its philosophy is reflected in its inclusive process as well as in the creation of the park as a final product. The Walk board has sought to ensure diverse community participation involving individuals from varied cultural traditions at every stage of the design process. As the Walk moves to fundraising, construction, and beyond, our project will continue to be grounded in the people and traditions of this city and its region.

Statement of Philosophy

The Walk of the Heroines honors the everyday contributions of women, living and deceased. Heroines are women of public achievement and women whose accomplishments are only known to those close to them. The Walk is open to all individuals and groups who want to honor a woman who is significant to them.

We value all women’s contributions and will do everything in our power to ensure that a broad range of communities are included in the planning, development, and implementation phases of the project.

We want to recognize women in a democratic spirit, while also acknowledging different levels of financial contributions of donors. Names of women honored by larger contributions will be displayed in a way that is in scale with the entire project.

The paved walkway will not include engraved names of women “under foot.”

We aim to create a vibrant cultural space that reflects the diversity of women’s accomplishments.