Celebrating Black Excellence
Celebrating Black Excellence
Black History Month is celebrated to honor the significant contributions and achievements of African Americans throughout history. It originated from the efforts of historian Carter G. Woodson and others to recognize the often overlooked accomplishments of Black individuals and the central role they played in shaping the fabric of society. This month-long observance provides an opportunity to highlight the struggles, triumphs, and ongoing journey toward equality for Black individuals. Through our Center for Black Student Excellence efforts, we aim to cultivate a lasting appreciation of Black creativity, culture, ingenuity, scholarship, resilience and community, to foster a culture of Black excellence, to unify and elevate the Black educational experience and to improve outcomes for our students.
Spotlighting history makers and shapers
Black History Made
Senator Avel Louise Gordly was the first Black woman elected to the Oregon State Senate, where she served for more than a decade. Senator Gordly was born and raised in Portland, and graduated from Girls Polytechnic High School (which later became James Monroe High School). She married and had a child at a young age, and worked at the Pacific Northwest Bell Telephone Company for five years before deciding to pursue a degree at Portland State University. There, she was exposed for the first time to African American Literature and spent time in a Nigerian Village through Operation Crossroads Africa. In 1974, she graduated from Portland State with a degree in the administration of justice. She then worked as a counselor in a work release facility with the State of Oregon Corrections Division.
She was appointed to the Oregon House of Representatives in 1991, and served three terms representing North and Northeast Portland before being elected to the Senate in 1997. In 2008, the Oregon Health & Science University opened the Avel Gordly Center for Healing, which provides mental and psychiatric services. Senator Gordly was the first woman in her family to graduate from high school, and the first person in her family to earn a college degree. Thank you, Senator Gordly, for paving the way!
Black History Making
Kendell Brown-Clay is a 16 year-old Junior. She attends Jefferson High school in Northeast Portland. She's on the mock trial team, dance team, human rights club, and Black Student Union. Kendell also serves as Jefferson's representative on the District Student Council and deputy student representative. She's passionate about many issue areas with a primary focus on issues related to youth empowerment. She plans to graduate from Jefferson and attend a 4 year university!
Updates:
Welcoming the new Center for Black Excellence Executive Director
Aryn A. Frazier is the newly appointed Executive Director of the Center for Black Excellence, a community-based nonprofit entity in partnership with PPS’s Center for Black Student Excellence. Prior to her move to Portland, Aryn was a Strategic Response Associate at WilmerHale, a Washington, D.C. law firm. Her practice consisted of racial equity reviews, internal investigations, and congressional investigations hearings preparation, as well as a range of pro bono advising and litigation matters. Her previous experience includes work on political campaigns, student organizing, and civil rights issues ranging from voting rights, to labor law, to police brutality and mass incarceration.
Aryn is a graduate of Stanford Law School, where she attended as a Knight Hennessy Scholar. She has two masters degrees from Oxford University, where she studied U.S. History and Comparative and International Education on a Rhodes Scholarship. As a Jefferson Scholar at the University of Virginia, Aryn earned her B.A. with Honors in Politics and African-American and African Studies. She has been published in The Washington Post, the New York Times, and Teen Vogue, and was a 2016 TEDx Charlottesville speaker. Aryn is originally from Silver Spring, Maryland. She grew up singing, strumming her guitar, playing basketball, and teaching martial arts.
Join us in welcoming Aryn to the Portland community!
Connect with us at an upcoming event:
Black Stars Screening & Community Discussion
- Date & Time: Friday, February 23rd
- Location: Martin Luther King School (5:30pm-8:00pm)
- Description: “The Black Stars: From the Rose City to the Gold Coast" is a compelling coming-of-age story that follows the journey of eight young Black men from Portland, Oregon. These individuals embark on a transformative two-week leadership expedition to Ghana, led by the non-profit organization Word is Bond. This expedition is an opportunity for them to reconnect with their ancestral roots for the very first time. At the heart of the documentary is the exploration of the often misunderstood experiences of young Black men growing up in the Pacific Northwest. "The Black Stars" is a powerful journey of hope, leadership, and brotherhood, inviting viewers to understand what it truly means to be a Black Star. Join us as we explore how these types of learning experiences might enrich the educational experience of Black students in Portland Public Schools.
Harriet Tubman Middle School (HTMS) Celebration of Black Student Excellence
- Date & Time: Wednesday, February 28th (6:00pm-7:30pm)
- Location: Harriet Tubman Middle School 2231 N Flint Ave, Portland, OR 97227
- Description: The Black Student Excellence Awards will recognize and amplify the achievements of Black students at Harriet Tubman Middle School. Awards will focus on attributes of Black student excellence tied to the CBSE vision such as knowledge of oneself, perseverance in the learning experience, connection to the community, accountability, and student leadership.