Pride in Numbers, a statewide Two-Spirit and LGBTQIA+ research project, has launched a new community-led survey documenting lived experiences across Oregon. The launch comes amid rising misinformation and growing concerns about safety, visibility, and trust, as communities face increased online harassment, disinformation, and persistent barriers to inclusion. Responses will be kept confidential.
While the project seeks participation from across the state, it places particular care in reaching rural communities and Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities who have historically been underrepresented in data.
“Oregon is home to a large and growing Two-Spirit and LGBTQIA+ community,” said Bianca “Fox” Ballara, Co-Founder of NativeWomanshare and member of the Pride in Numbers Community Leadership Team. “ This is a moment to show our power in numbers by coming together to tell the story of who we are and what we need as a community.
Pride in Numbers is led by and for Two-Spirit and LGBTQIA+ people. The project grew out of an initial planning and listening process that began in January 2022 and unfolded over several years, with dozens of community leaders and community-based organizations across Oregon shaping its design, values, and approach.
The survey centers lived experiences related to health care, housing, safety, connection, and belonging. In addition to quantitative data collection, Pride in Numbers includes storytelling sessions, interviews, and a community art project that ensure the research is grounded in lived experience and community context.“For queer and Two-Spirit people, being represented and heard matters,” said JD Hermann, LCSW, an Iraq War veteran, Klamath Tribal member, rural queer advocate, and member of the Pride in Numbers Community Leadership Team. “Pride in Numbers is a powerful opportunity to show that we exist, especially in rural and frontier communities. We’re business owners, coaches, and teachers. We’re deeply immersed in our communities and helping them thrive.”
Throughout history, Two-Spirit and LGBTQIA+ people have been misrepresented, undercounted, or erased in institutional data. A feasibility study commissioned by the City of Portland’s Office of Equity and Human Rights found that existing Two-Spirit and LGBTQIA+ data in Oregon is incomplete and often excludes those navigating multiple overlapping identities.
Pride in Numbers is designed to help address long-standing data gaps proven to have real consequences. When communities are missing or misrepresented in data, their outcomes go unmeasured, limiting visibility, access to resources, and how their needs are understood, especially where multiple forms of exclusion overlap.
“Across the region, we see firsthand how gaps in understanding show up in funding, services, and policy,” said Katie Carter, CEO of Pride Foundation, the fiscal sponsor of Pride in Numbers. “Having our full lives represented and understood is essential for programs, mutual aid, and advocacy to reflect the realities of Two-Spirit and LGBTQIA+ communities.”
Organizers say Pride in Numbers was intentionally designed to avoid the harms of extractive research by centering consent, transparency, and community ownership. Rather than collecting information for institutional use, the project is designed to return data and stories to community to strengthen community-defined priorities.
Who Can Participate
The survey is open to all Two-Spirit and LGBTQIA+ adults (18+) living in Oregon, including people who are closeted. Participation is voluntary, and respondents may skip any questions or stop the survey at any time.
The survey takes approximately 20 minutes to complete and is available in English and Spanish.
What the Data Makes Possible
Pride in Numbers supports communities and organizations with accessible data they can use to strengthen, improve, and expand their own programs. Public reports will be available for anyone to use. The data collected through the survey could help support:
- Community-based programs and services
- Funding and grant applications grounded in lived experience
- Increased visibility for rural and Indigenous Two-Spirit and LGBTQIA+ communities
- Advocacy, organizing, and policy efforts
- Mutual aid, safety, and community connection
The Pride in Numbers survey is now live statewide
To learn more or participate, visit the Pride in Numbers website.
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