Nonprofit Brown Hope hires a COO to help build internal operations to support growth.
FULL ARTICLE: [https://www.bizjournals.com/portland/news/2023/04/20/brown-hope-hires-marshawna-williams-as-coo.html](http://)


Portland Non-Profit Brown Hope Hires New COO

Portland Non-Profit Brown Hope Hires New COO, Marshawna Williams

PORTLAND Ore. (KPTV) - A local organization is rallying support for their Black Resilience Fund in honor of Juneteenth.

Dozens of businesses have committed to supporting a unique pilot program this holiday weekend - to help transform lives right here in the Portland metro area.

“Our mission is to inspire racial healing,” Cameron Whitten, Founder and CEO of Brown Hope, said.

Whitten said adjusting to life in Portland has had its challenges, but instead of losing hope, he decided to create it. He founded the non-profit organization Brown Hope in 2018.

[(http://)www.kptv.com/2023/06/20/dozens-local-businesses-support-pilot-program-during-juneteenth-weekend/]


Dozens of local businesses support pilot program during Juneteenth weekend

The Black Resilience Fund, dedicated to the healing and resilience of Black Portlanders, presents Juneteenth 2023, a campaign supported by Portland’s small business community to raise awareness and funds for BRF’s new income guarantee initiative.

Juneteenth is a holiday recognized in communities across the US to commemorate the emancipation of enslaved Black People. In Portland, businesses have joined forces for the Juneteenth PDX 2023 campaign, donating up to 100% of this weekend’s sales to support Black Resilience Fund’s mission to provide bureaucracy-free, direct financial assistance to Black Portlanders.

Participating businesses
Over 40 Portland-based businesses have signed up to participate so far, which includes restaurants and alcohol venues, and retail stores, including New Deal Distillery, Crafty Wonderland, Por Qué No, and Extracto Coffee Roasters.

“The COVID-19 pandemic created shockwaves that will take years to recover from, which is why Black Resilience Fund’s 3-year income guarantee initiative is focused on long term prosperity,” said cameron whitten, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Brown Hope. “We are grateful to all of the businesses who have joined us in this ambitious vision.”

FULL ARTICLE HERE:
[https://www.theskanner.com/news/newsbriefs/34785-portland-businesses-rally-to-support-black-resilience-fund-s-2023-juneteenth-campaign](http://)



Portland Businesses Rally to Support Black Resilience Fund’s 2023 Juneteenth Campaign

PORTLAND, Ore. — Twenty-five participants in the Black Resilience Fund's 3-year guaranteed income program met for orientation Tuesday night, after being selected from more than 11,000 original applicants. 

Through the program, families will get up to $2,000 a month for the next three years. Cameron Whitten, CEO of Brown Hope, the nonprofit running the program, called it a first-of-its-kind effort and investment in Black families living in Multnomah County. 


"Black Resilience Fund is so grateful to have been community funded since Day 1," he said. "We are both raising money from the community and giving money back into the community, and so that is why we care so much about direct-cash assistance. No bureaucracy, no red tape, full trust that Black families know what they need to do to accomplish their wildest dreams."

Octavia Johnson and Enoch McCoy are part of the first cohort. 

"Somebody's giving you a chance," Johnson said. "About four years ago, I was homeless, came from a dark place. I am a recovering addict. So coming from that place to the place that I am now means a lot. I am actually on my way to owning my own home with this program."

"It's not often that I get a chance to see Black people just come together to do something positive, and I'm actually really excited about where this program is going," McCoy said. "It feels absolutely amazing. I was in a place where I didn't really know where I was going to get to be able to be to the next level, and this just actually propelled me to where I believe I'm going to do great things."

Between December 2022 and December 2025, the Black Resilience Fund will be providing the monthly income guarantee to 25 families, with a total of 68 individuals being served through the program. Recipients will be eligible for up to $2,000 a month, depending on household income and size.

According to the nonprofit, over $350,000 has been raised this year for Black Resilience Fund’s inaugural cohort and they continue to actively seek donations with hopes to add new program participants in December 2023. Since its launch on June 1, 2020, BRF has raised more than $2.6 million for Black Portlanders. 

[ARTICLE LINK](http://)https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/portland-black-resilience-fund-guaranteed-income-program/283-8f905778-6a95-4bfe-a75d-6e35f12ecc58?utm_campaign=snd-autopilot


Portland Non-Profit Brown Hope Hires New COO, Marshawna Williams