Building Community in Portland, One Dinner at a Time
Reflections from Latitude Change Agent Nathan Reimer
I’ve always loved gathering around a table. Growing up, the dinner table was where the day's noise paused, and my family—and often friends and neighbors—came together for an hour of connection. It was the steady heartbeat of our home.
Nathan Reimer, far right, and fellow community builders gather at Deep Waters in Portland, OR. All photos captured by Chloe Miller.
About a year and a half ago, I wanted to recreate that sense of connection in my own life and work. That’s how The Building Community Dinner began at my house—with a simple premise: bring together values-aligned people working in and around real estate, share a meal, ask a few meaningful questions, and see what grows from there.
From the beginning, I wanted perspectives that extended beyond the traditional real-estate roster. So alongside builders, lenders, architects, and designers, I invited permaculturists, wellness practitioners, restaurateurs, and small-business owners—the people who ultimately steward the spaces we imagine and create.
During the seventh or eighth dinner, Ralph DiNola joined us and posed a question that shifted everything:
What would happen if each person invited three more people to the next gathering?
I didn’t know. But I wanted to find out.
I sent the invitation. Jocelyn and Robert—who were transforming their building (formerly Beam & Anchor, now Deep Waters) into a community gathering space—offered to host. My next-door neighbor and close friend, chef Seth Lorinczi, agreed to cook. Ralph offered to co-host. It felt like the perfect team.
Since then, we’ve hosted three quarterly dinners at Deep Waters, exploring themes ranging from bioregionalism to specific regenerative projects—such as No Vacancy’s work in Old Town and Alexis Sanal’s conversion of 831 SE MLK into a youth-centered community hub. At our most recent dinner in November, we began shaping a plan for the year ahead: resource mapping, deeper collaboration, and opportunities for coordinated action.
The group continues to evolve. Each dinner draws a growing mix of Portland place-makers and change agents: real estate investors, builders, community activists, nonprofit leaders, ecologists, architects, artists, designers, healthcare practitioners, and more.
As these gatherings expand, I’m reminded of the power of coming together with intention. The conversations, connections, and collaborations—both expected and surprising—feel like early signals of what becomes possible when people from different backgrounds share a meal and imagine a better future together.
The next Building Community Dinner will take place at Deep Waters in Portland, Oregon, on February 19, 2026. Email us at team@chooselatitude.com for registration details.
Change Agent, Nathan Reimer
Chef Seth Lorinczi
