Page 4
July 26, 2017
Prodded Tech
Increases Diversity
Some job gains
made; more
progress needed
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A prodding of local tech com-
panies to hire a more diverse
workforce is gaining some trac-
tion.
The lastest “TechTown” report
by Prosper Portland, formerly the
Portland Development Commis-
sion, shows an increase in hiring
women and minorities in high
tech jobs, but also reveals there’s
still progress to be made. Since
TechTown’s 2015 launch, 21 Port-
land companies have joined the
pledge “to collectively advance
workplace diversity and inclu-
sion.”
The new report shows an in-
crease of women and minority
employees since last year. While
women and men of color have
made gains in hiring for higher-up
positions, the leadership and man-
agement jobs for women of color
have seen no growth.
75 to 90 percent of the survey
takers reported that their compa-
nies are fostering an inclusive en-
vironment.
Prosper Portland, which leads
Marcelino Alvarez
the diversity initiatives for Tech-
Town, has added an action council
and new trainings as ways to help
companies improve the way they
welcome new hires and recruit
and retain more people of color
and women in the industry
As Marcelino Alvarez, found-
er and CEO of Uncorked Studios
commented and a participant in
“TechTown,” commented, “The
positive results are gratifying, but
clearly we have more to do. I hope
more companies will join this ef-
fort to make our industry more
inclusive, welcoming and repre-
sentative of all Portland commu-
nities.”
Creating Positive Images
c ontinued froM P age 3
After completing the three-year
training program, Frison became
involved with the Albina Mural
Project, which was a public art
project featuring the works of
local black artists that was hung
from the walls of the Albina Hu-
man Resource Center.
“None of them had official
training,” Frison said. “While I
was going to art school, I learned
how to do stuff with graphic de-
sign, and drawing stuff on a large
scale. If it hadn’t been for me, the
project probably wouldn’t have
worked too well.”
Frison was responsible for the
creation and design of two of the
Albina Mural Projects signature
pieces, including one piece called
“Civil Rights,” which illustrated
marches led by Dr. Martin Luther
King Jr. and Ralph Abernathy. He
says that the other mural he de-
signed, “Black Cowboys,” was
inspired by his own upbringing
in the Southwest. He says “Black
Cowboys,” showcases the role
of African American ranchers in
Texas and New Mexico.
“A lot of people think that black
people didn’t do anything on the
farm except pull cotton,” Frison
explained. “But my family, we
were real cowboys.”
The Albina Mural Project only
lasted eight years before the par-
ticle board that it was painted on
degraded to a point where the
artwork was no longer recogniz-
able. Frison says that only one of
his three murals in Portland sur-
vives to this day, on the inside of a
church on North Dekum.
President Obama’s first na-
tional campaign inspired Frison
to return to his craft after a brief
hiatus. His work since the Obama
presidency began has focused
on civil rights leaders and other
prominent black figures, includ-
ing pop-culture icons such as
Prince and several portraits of the
Obama family.
“During the time that Obama
started running, I said to myself,
‘that’s going to be our next pres-
ident,” said Frison. “Ever since
then, I’ve been drawing a lot of
historical black people.”
Frison’s work will be displayed
at the GreenHAUS Boutique and
Gallery for the next several weeks,
starting with Saturday’s public re-
ception with the artist at the gal-
lery from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Prints
and original copies of his artwork
will be available for sale.