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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 1, 2012)
February I. 2012_____________________ The portlanJ Observer B lack H ¡Story Month Page 23 Ethos Taps Successful Director c o n t i n u e d f r o m page 13 but until E thos, I w as never able to m arry my background in non profit adm inistration w ith my passion for arts e d u catio n .” he said. Prior to his tenure w ith the m usic non-profit, C havez w orked as the m arketing and m ajor gifts officer for Equity Foundation, w here he m an aged a portfolio o f donor advised funds and oversaw the fo u n d atio n ’s m edia relations departm ent. He also co o rd in ated the Safe S chools Initiative, a statew ide e f fort to reduce bullying and harass m ent in O re g o n p u blic sch o o ls through collaboration w ith g o v ern m ent agencies, school districts and stak eh o ld ers. H e said he is proud to be a part o f the non-profit E thos, w hich o p e r ates three facilities w ithin Portland a n d c o n d u c ts a p le th o r a o f afterschool program s in 32 urban elem entary and m iddle grade public sch o o ls. C havez said he recognizes how valuable the role o f m usic was in his life, w hich has allow ed hi m to under stand the im pact o f the program s offered to the com m unity through E thos from his ow n first-hand ex p e riences. “ I am able to see the m agic o f m usic,” he said. "Y ou know it w hen Alberta • Missi “ U nfortunately w e have lim ited resources,” he said. "T h is is really a crisis in Portland public schools; they ju st d o n 't have access to e n richm ent opportunity that I think m ost o f us grew up w ith.” D espite challenges, w hich exist for the non-profit organization, Pe ter van d er M eulen. president o f E th o s' board o f directors, said the organization is confident in their selection o f C havez to lead their way into the future. "Jedidiah possesses a w ealth o f nonprofit experience and passion for arts education. He brings strong, proven leadership skills to the e x ecutive director p o sitio n .” he said. "W e are confident that he will help . PHOTO BY M A R K W ASHINGTON/THE PORTLAND OBSERVER Jedidiah Chavez, the new executive director at Ethos, not only increased revenue for the non-profit by Ethos prosper and continue to be the vibrant, dynam ic nonprofit o r 30 percent in his prior position as development director, but he also helped successfully secure ganization that it has grow n to be $1.5 million for capital improvements to Ethos ’ north Portland headquarters. w ithin o u r region.” you see it— w hen a kid is totally T h e span o f E th o s' se rv ic e s, in m ental in the form ation o f a partner “ It is a rem arkable privilege to invested in the act o f learning.” a d d itio n to p ro g ram s fo r in n e r city ship with the C orporation for N a assum e the role o f E th o s' executive As the largest com m unity m usic y o u th , a lso re a c h e s ru ral y o u th tional and C om m unity Service to d irecto r,” said C havez, w ho said he school w ithin O regon, the program th ro u g h q u a lity m u sic e d u c a tio n . place 10 A m eriC orps m em bers in has high hopes for the future, in en su res th o u san d s o f kids, w ho “ W h a t w e a r e s e e i n g a re sm all tow ns across O regon, a p ro addition to his personal goal to learn otherw ise w ould not have access to s c h o o ls, e s p e c ia lly in ru ral O r gram he said he is especially proud how to play the ukulele. m usic education, have the o p p o rtu e g o n , that are e x p e rie n c in g the of. "W e exist to m eet com m unity nity to take part in classes, w o rk b ig g e st c u ts ,” he said . “ In som e A lthough the organization re needs," he said. "A nd it is o u r hope shops, presentations and artist-in c a s e s , sc h o o ls are on a fo u r day ceiv es support from various co m that ev en tu ally m usic ed u catio n residence program s. “ I n m ost cases, sch o o l w eek and e lim in a te d art, m unity partners, C havez said, fund w ould be offered in schools, and we in m any o f the P ortland schools, m u sic an d P E .” ing rem ains a challenge, despite the w ould not have to fill the gap .” kids only have access to m usic after As a m em ber o f E th o s’ m an ag e constant and grow ing com m unity For m ore inform ation about the sch o o l,” he said. non-profit, visit eth o s.o rg . m ent team . C havez was also in stru dem and. ,h Portland ' ‘ Tir-J “ * I- Ih* '1 lit- M l .2 Community Media Serving the Portland Metropolitan Area 'h'» light F in n in , ¿"«He, Commited to Cultural Diversity 4747 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Email: ads@portlandobserver.com Web: www.portlandobserver.com Phone: 503.288.0033 Fax: 503 288-0015 « City of Roses
