Enjoy a collection of thoughtful, inspiring recorded conversations with professionals from Portland and other communities who represent diverse disciplines and perspectives but who all are finding ways to respond with curiosity and compassion to the ever-changing needs of our world.
Maggie Clack Executive Director, L'Arche Portland
"I’m someone who is not afraid of change at all. I welcome it wholeheartedly. But let’s make sure that we’re doing things going forward with intention and as lovingly and kindly and as inclusively as humanly possible."
Joe DiCarlo Global Ambassador, Medical Teams International
"If we don’t give ourselves permission in order to take care of ourselves, then we’re going to burn out, and be depleted, and dry. So instead of being like a canal, where water just goes in and flows out, we want to be like a reservoir, where we’re filling ourselves up and overflowing in order to give our access and excess to other people."
Katherine Kirchner Social Studies Teacher, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic School
"It’s always important just to keep that vulnerability mindset, that vulnerability is how you grow. It’s how you learn. It’s how you gain confidence…So just recognizing, even if it wasn’t your best day, you grew—and how did you grow?"
Brian Lockard Co-Founder, BALA Footwear
"There’s a real meaningful difference between telling someone you trust them and showing them that you respect them. And so we set out to build a company that, one, creates the best healthcare footwear in the world…but also a company that demonstrates respect at every interaction."
Derrick Olsen President, WorldOregon
"I do take hope in the future, and the way that younger generations, both I think have clarity about some of the challenges facing us like climate change, and also their acceptance of people for who they are and support of people going through challenges…That is very inspiring, and I think it leads up as an organization to want to be able to do what we can to help leave the world in a better place for that generation."
Felesia Otis Clinical Director, Volunteers of America Oregon
"…It’s a wonderful opportunity to see that all people, no matter where they come from, if given the opportunity, can be transformed…My takeaway is to never give up on people—to ever, ever think that they’ve done so much wrong that they can’t be redeemed. ‘Cause all people are worthy of redemption."
Jocelyn Rice Director of Design Thought Leadership, Design Museum Everywhere; Founder, Black Earth United
"I’m grateful to be in this skin and this body and this time. And just knowing all of the things that have come before me or will come after—those things are hopeful. And we’ve gotten this far and there’s so much more to go. It’s all around. You can see it as the grass grows and changes every year. It’s the outdoors. Having the blessing of being alive and being able to freely think. That’s hope to me."
Sue Romas Education researcher and practitioner
"We are here to serve students…We definitely keep those ideas of equity and all the related concepts there at the heart of what we do. It’s all about improving student experience for students in our local community."
Melody Routley RN Program Manager, Kaiser Permanente
"We learned very quickly to pay attention to access to care and what services we’re offering to who, when. The other thing that we learned is the importance of hearing from our patients…to understand and collaborate with them, what their needs are. So instead of doing for them, we do with them."
University of Portland
5000 N. Willamette Blvd.,
Portland, Oregon 97203-5798
503.943.8000
