["Applied Psychology, Volume 75, Issue 4, August 2026. ", "\nAbstract\nIn parts of the United States, there is a paradox: communities cultivate strong reputations for being progressive and welcoming, yet professionals of color may nevertheless experience those same places as exclusionary. Taking a mixed‐methods approach, we examine this paradox in Portland, OR and the surrounding region. In Study 1, we conducted interviews with professionals of color who had lived and worked in the Portland metro area to understand how they experienced a predominantly White community widely known for its progressive ideals. Their narratives revealed what we term “progressive community expectation violations” (mismatches between expectations that the community would be inclusive and progressive and lived experiences of racism and exclusion). Participants described these violations in relation to Portland's broader image, everyday interactions, comparisons with other locations, and contrasts between racial inclusion and the inclusion afforded to other marginalized groups. They further linked these experiences to diminished belonging in the community, everyday and work‐related strain, and multiple forms of withdrawal‐related responses. In Study 2, we surveyed professionals of color with experience working in the Portland region and found support for a model in which progressive community expectation violations were associated with lower community belonging and, through belonging, greater work‐related strain. Organizational inclusion climate and perceived organizational support buffered the relationship between community belonging and work‐related strain. Together, our findings highlight how community reputations, community experiences, and organizational contexts jointly shape the lived experiences and retention‐related concerns of professionals of color in predominantly White, ostensibly progressive regions.\n"]