In this issue:
- Diversity Awareness Month
- Upcoming Events
- Featured Jobs and Volunteer Opportunities
- News
- Community Events
- Partner Spotlights
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April is Diversity Month: A Celebration of What Makes Us, Us
Each April, Diversity Month gives us a moment to pause and recognize the many identities, experiences, and perspectives that shape our workplaces and our region. But for us, this work doesn’t live in a single month, it shows up in the everyday moments that define whether people feel valued, connected, and able to thrive.
Diversity is who is in the room.
Inclusion is how people are invited to participate.
Belonging is the outcome and the impact.
We see this every day through our community:
- At Say Hey!, where authentic connections open doors
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Through Professional Resource Groups, where shared experiences build support and leadership
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At Breakfast for Champions and Lunch & Learn, where we challenge and equip leaders to think differently
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And across our member employers committed to building workplaces where everyone can contribute and grow
Diversity Month invites us to go beyond awareness and into action:
- To listen more intentionally and learn perspectives different from our own
- To examine where gaps still exist
- To create opportunities where talent from all backgrounds can succeed
Because when people feel a true sense of belonging, organizations don’t just become more inclusive, they become stronger, more innovative, and more resilient.
This April, we invite you to join us in continuing the work.
Together, we are building workplaces and a region where everyone can thrive.
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Featured Jobs
Executive Director | Nonprofit Professionals Now | Portland, OR | $110,000-$120,000 annually
Accountant | Oregon Public Utilities Commission | Salem, OR - Hybrid | $6,900 monthly
Featured Internships and Volunteer Opportunities
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Meet Bryan Sanguino, our new intern!
My name is Bryan Sanguino, and I am a senior majoring in Business Administration and Digital Marketing at Warner Pacific University, with a strong passion for diversity, equity, and inclusion. I've lived in the PDX area for most of my life, and I have come to love this city and everything it has to offer. With a background in community advocacy and working with non-profits, I bring enthusiasm for community-building and collaborative problem-solving to this internship role. I am excited to bring fresh energy to Partners in Diversity's mission.
I'm thrilled to intern at Partners in Diversity because this organization is doing meaningful, tangible work to create more equitable workplaces and help professionals from underrepresented backgrounds thrive. I'm excited to learn from the community, contribute to programs that drive real change, and be a part of building a more inclusive future for Oregon and southwest Washington.
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2026 State of Women in the Portland Metro Economy
Portland Metro Chamber, with the support of Regence, published the 2026 analysis of women in the Portland Metro area. This critical report highlights the gains, setbacks, and pressure points experienced by women in our economy, especially women of color.
Key Highlights:
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Hispanic women in the Portland metro have the greatest wage gap when compared to every dollar all men earned in the Portland metro in 2023, at $0.61.
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Women of color have greater shares than white women in the occupations that pay least and are underrepresented in the ones that pay most.
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“Double burden” of occupational inequality for women of color: they face wage penalties within most occupations where they work, and they’re systematically excluded from the few high-paying fields.
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March 10 - API PRG: Authenticity without Assimilation
Thank you to everyone who joined us for our API PRG event: Authenticity without Assimilation. Thank you to our panelists for their insights! We heard from our amazing panel about what it truly means to show up as your most authentic self and how to push back effectively on stereotypes.
Thank you to Treebeerd's Taphouse for their support!
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March 17 - Breakfast for Champions: The Retention Economy
Thank you to everyone who joined us bright and early for Breakfast for Champions: The Retention Economy - Why Belonging Is a Business Strategy.
Thank you to our insightful panel!
Read some Key takeaways below:
- Belonging is not a “nice-to-have” culture initiative—it is a performance and business strategy.
- Organizations that prioritize belonging across the employee lifecycle are better positioned to retain talent and drive results.
- Belonging is not abstract—it shows up in everyday experiences.
- Belonging must be intentionally built across the entire employee journey.
- Organizations that operationalize belonging through accountability, listening, and leadership alignment will win in the retention economy.
- Belonging drives retention—and retention drives performance.
Thank you to our sponsor, Business Oregon.
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March 31 - Latino PRG: Leading the Way: Stories of Impact and Innovation
We brought together a powerful community for an evening rooted in connection, resilience, and growth. The energy in the room reflected a shared purpose: to celebrate and elevate Latinas making meaningful impact across industries.Speakers shared real, actionable insights on navigating leadership, building strong networks, advocating for equity, and embracing authentic leadership.
Thank you to our panelists and our mentors!
Thank you to Oregon State University Alumni Association for their support!
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Apr 4-5 | Holi Festival of Colors | Portland, OR
Apr 10-12 | Cherry Blossom Bazaar | Portland, OR
Apr 11-12 | Miss Happy, Señorita Feliz | Portland, OR
Apr 13 | Forest Pub: The Future of Forests and Society—60 Years of WFC | Portland, OR
Apr 14 | Urban League of Portland Job Fair | Portland, OR
Apr 16 | Sakura Festival | Vancouver, WA
May 21 | OSU - State of Black Affairs Summit 2026 | Portland, OR
BOLI and Business Oregon: Child Care for Construction
Calling all carpenters, plumbers, welders, electricians, roofers, painters, HVAC, machine operators...ALL TRADEWORKERS WITH FAMILIES:
BOLI and Business Oregon have partnered to provide financial assistance for our industry workers. Find out if you’re eligible for the Child Care for Construction Program and get registered at http://bit.ly/47OPpkH. For questions or more information: CCC@boli.oregon.gov
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Partners in Diversity provides an online space for nonprofits, public agencies and community-based organizations to share events and engagement opportunities that are relevant to communities of color. To view other community events or to post one, visit our Community page.
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Our monthly Partner Spotlight highlights a partner working diligently to foster equitable, diverse, and inclusive workplaces in our region. This month, we are highlighting the Women's Foundation of Oregon.
Picture a cotton field. A sea of white against the blue sky as far as the eye can see. Among the hundreds of enslaved laborers, a Black woman with a baby on her back, the heat beating down on them, dreaming of a Libra Forde.
She knew she may not live to see her dreams come to fruition, but she pushed past the limitations of her reality and dared to dream.
Thousands of miles away, that dream was sprouting its roots as the very first all-women’s volunteer organization in Oregon with a simple mission: “to forward and uphold the ideals and advancement of American womanhood.” The wives of prominent businessmen who could hold a select few titles, coming together to create the Portland Women’s Union in 1887.
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A special thank you to our members for their continued commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion:
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Follow Partners in Diversity on social media to stay connected and get the latest news.
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