March 14. 2012
Çnrtlanh (Bbaeruer
Page II
Mississippi
Alberta
North Portland
Vancouver
East County
Beaverton
Obama Honors Youth Leader
Parks employee
a ‘Let’s Move’
Change Agent
A sports management supervisor for Port
land Parks and Recreation has been named a
‘Let’s Move ! Physical Activity Champion of
Change as part of President Obama’s “W in
ning the Future” initiative.
André Ashley is scheduled to attend a
Cham pion of Change cerem ony in W ash
ington, D.C. on March 22 in the Eisenhower
Executive Office Building at the W hite
H ouse.
The initiative honors leaders like Ashley
“who are doing great work to increase access
to physical activity for youth in their commu
nity,” according to the White House.
PP&R zone manager Doug Brenner nomi
nated Ashley in January.
“Anytime a field, court, or gym is in play
in Portland, André and his team are behind it
in some way,” says Brenner.
Parks C om m issioner Nick Fish adds,
“André tirelessly provides the program s,
partnerships, and places that keep ath
letes o f all ages at play in Portland. His
leadership guarantees that Portland Parks
& R ecreation offers many ways to stay
active and healthy.”
“I ’m truly hum bled,” says Ashley. “It’s
not me, but rather the entire staff who
m akes our sports program s with PP&R so
great. This is an am azing, once-in-a-life-
tim e honor, but I so m uch need to give the
credit to everyone I work with. It’s they
who truly deserve the recognition.”
A shley will participate in a discussion
of the work he and his team are doing. H e’ 11
m eet and speak with agency representa
tives and W hite House staff. Ashley,
André Ashley o f Portland will be recognized for his work to increase access by local youth to physical activities during a White
House ceremony on March 22. Ashley is a sports management supervisor for Portland Parks and Recreation.
w ho’s been at the helm of PP& R ’s sports
program s for more than a decade, will also
be featured on the W hite House website.
According to the White House Office of
Public Engagement, the award recognizes
Ashley as one who is “Winning the Future”
by empowering and inspiring the youth in
their communities to lead active, healthy
lifestyles.
PP&R’s sports programs benefit from the
generosity o f friends and partners like
Beaverton-based Nike.
The global sportsw ear company has
worked with Portland Parks & Recreation on
several initiatives, including most recently
the Positive Coaching Alliance ’ s coach train
ing program to promote good sportsman
ship. Nike has also been instrumental in
other youth development programs; the
company has paid for jerseys and other
equipment associated with Portland Parks
and Recreation’s sports programs.
Formore information, call 503-823-5300or
visit portlandparks.org.
Shame
and Rage
Two lawyers, one black, one white,
take on a case that gets under their
skin and exposes a minefield o f deep
divisions in ‘Race,' now playing
through April 8 at Artists Repertory
Theatre, downtown. Pictured are Todd
Van Voris (from left), Reginald
Jackson and Ayanna Berkshire. For
tickets, call 503-241-1278.
photo by
O wen C arey