Giving Back

19 Ways to Make a Difference in Portland

Volunteering opportunities across the city, from serving lunch to planting trees.

11/26/2025 By Isabel Lemus Kristensen

Q&A

Shari Dunn Says Now Is Not the Time to Give Up on DEI

The equity consultant’s new book, Qualified: How Competency Checking and Race Collide at Work, argues that we need to rethink how we hire, evaluate, and train employees.

03/18/2025 By Brooke Jackson-Glidden

Q&A

PhD in Pop? No-No Boy Weaves Asian American Tales on Postdoc Album

Singer-songwriter Julian Saporiti started No-No Boy as part of his dissertation at Brown University.

09/29/2023 By Matthew Trueherz Illustrations by Max-O-Matic

Sway

New Photo Book Excerpts: NBA Fashion Decoded, Blazers and All

Portland-born Mitchell S. Jackson leads a swashbuckling tour of NBA fashion.

09/18/2023 By Matthew Trueherz

Books

A Margaret Talks to Margarets about Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret

We check in with legislator Margaret Carter, writer Margaret Malone, and others, in anticipation of the movie version of the Judy Blume classic.

04/19/2023 By Margaret Seiler

Light a Fire 2022: Leveling the Field

Brown Girl Rise Makes a Safe Space for BIPOC Youth

The Portland nonprofit centers joy, fun, and radical sisterhood for girls and nonbinary kids.

12/30/2022 By Isabel Lemus Kristensen

Light a Fire 2022: Lifetime Achievement

Civil Rights Advocate Valerie Whittlesey Is Someone Who Says Yes

From her time as a civil rights volunteer in Arkansas to campaigning against anti-gay Measure 9 in Oregon, Whittlesey has worked for equality for decades.

12/30/2022 By Fiona McCann

Light a Fire 2022: Most with the Least

Our Legacy Harvested Brings More People of Color to the Wine World

The Willamette Valley wine country nonprofit sponsors internships to expose more people to all levels of the viticulture industry.

12/29/2022 By Julia Silverman

Justice System

Mike Schmidt Doesn’t Want to Be the Next Chesa Boudin

But after a rocky first half to his tenure, the Multnomah County DA has a lot of ground to make up.

12/08/2022 By Julia Silverman Photography by Thomas Teal

Juneteenth

Here’s Where to Celebrate Juneteenth in Portland

From a parade to a bike ride to a Black book festival, here’s where to go and what to do to commemorate the holiday in the Rose City.

06/16/2022 By Dalila Brent and Conner Reed

Visual Art

VIDEO: Portland Painter Arvie Smith Talks Racial Stereotype and Dialogue through Art

Vibrant colors and dark humor define the octogenarian painter’s work.

06/10/2022 With Monica Salazar & Rose Lee

Theater

A New Musical Brings a Lost History to the Portland Stage

Vanport the Musical opens at Northwest Children's Theater.

05/20/2022 By Shannon Daehnke

Fitness

This New Nonprofit Aims to Uplift BIPOC Fitness Instructors in the PNW

At some Portland boutique fitness studios, there’s a new focus on representation.

03/18/2022 By Julia Silverman

Community Service

Where to Help Out This MLK Day

Ideas for a day of service

01/14/2022 By Karly Quadros

Film

A New Documentary Traces MLK's Legacy in Portland

Keep Alive the Dream will premiere at the Hollywood Theatre on January 17.

01/14/2022 By Karly Quadros

Light a Fire

4 Organizations Fighting for Equity throughout Oregon

Unite Oregon, Equitable Giving Circle, Brown Hope, and Don't Shoot Portland are training leaders and providing direct aid, with racial justice at the forefront of their work.

11/30/2021 By Karly Quadros and Conner Reed

Education

Enrollment at the State's Biggest School District Is Down 4.1 Percent

Kindergarten enrollment stays flat, and the majority at the PPS Online Learning Academy are students of color.

11/15/2021 By Margaret Seiler

Real Estate

Will City Council's Vote on Historic Neighborhoods Help Address Our Housing Crisis?

Some supporters of change say the current historic preservation system has been shaped by and contributes to racial inequities.

11/05/2021 By Karly Quadros

Outdoors

Camp Yoshi Wants to Reclaim the Outdoors for Black and Brown Folks

The Portland-based outdoor adventure group curates multi-day adventures with fresh-cooked meals and healing in mind.

10/15/2021 By Gabriel Granillo