Party With a Purpose
How °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±Ö±²¥ is partnering with the community to address root causes of inequity in education.
The Portland nonprofit All Hands Raised held its annual Party with a Purpose on Thursday, February 16, and °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±Ö±²¥ College administrators were on hand to support the group’s mission to support equity in education.
With a focus on racial equity, All Hands Raised works with seven school districts in Multnomah County to collect data and then identify and remove barriers schoolchildren encounter. °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±Ö±²¥ President Audrey Bilger is a member of the nonprofit’s Partnership Council, which consists of executive-level leaders from business, education, government, and community-based organizations and provides strategic guidance and directs the data analysis and reporting."
“Ensuring students from historically disadvantaged backgrounds have the opportunity to succeed in their education is something I am passionate about, and I’m grateful to be part of this wonderful community of people working to make systemic changes for the better,” Bilger said.
°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±Ö±²¥ 600 people attended the event, which included hearing from K-12 students, a paddle raise, and entertainment from comedian Gina Brillon. In attendance from °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±Ö±²¥ were Bilger and her wife, Cheryl Pawelski; Dean of the Faculty Kathy Oleson and her husband Gordon Buffonge; Dean of Students Tawana Parks and her husband, Leetonio Parks; and Executive Director of Public Affairs and Communications Sheena McFarland and her husband, James Houchins.