TASTE for Equity

I am still giddy with excitement over last week's TASTE for Equity gala. The event celebrated many of my favorite things: nonprofits, equity heroes, food, and wine! So many of the people I love working with and beside were in attendance - how could I not have the best time? This event reminded me that we are still allowed to experience joy (and dance!) and there are many of us ready to keep fighting alongside and for those who have been systematically oppressed and left out. I am proud to have been part of this year's Steering Committee, which allowed me the opportunity to get to know an amazing group of people. Cheers to all of you! Sending a huge thank you to my employer Craft3 for being a 2024 event sponsor.

Construct the Present had an unforgettable night at TASTE for Equity last week! Huge thanks to everyone who made the evening so magical, including our amazing Alexis BralyJames~ Let's keep making space for joy! ? Cinthia Manuel, MBA Tia Nettles Alexa Cid Carrera Nikotris L. New Seasons Market

To this incredible community: thank you for showing up and showing out at the 2024 Taste for Equity Gala! We are still riding the waves of Friday night ?? The Gala was a powerful reminder that HOPE is a verb—an action we must take together every day and a conscious choice to center equity in every ripple we create. Hope requires commitment, courage, and community, and you all exemplify that beautifully. We couldn’t enjoy such success without our sponsors, but we would be hollow without the efforts of countless people who contribute time as volunteers and partner with us as vendors. We are filled with gratitude and pride, holding close the laughter, the hugs, the happy tears, and the profound sense of unity we shared. Each moment was a testament to the power of showing up for one another and advancing a vision of equity that inspires lasting change. Thank you for being part of this movement ? #tasteforequity #tastegala2024 #ubuntu #iambecauseweare #community #oregonchefs #oregonwineries #bestoforegon #pdxeats #portlandevents *LinkedIn has a tag limit, but you know who you are!!

TASTE for Equity was such a blast! Amazing food, wine, entertainment and great outfits! Mark Holloway Ryan Buchanan (Thesis)

The Portland Business Journal was proud to support another inspiring TASTE for Equity event. The city of Portland showed up and came together for a meaningful celebration supporting equity in Oregon's food and wine industry. From the wine and food makers to the honorees, entertainment, and nonprofit beneficiaries, this event was top-notch. Congrats to Kali Thorne Ladd for another amazing experience and gathering. Want to support this organization? Check them out at the link below. https://lnkd.in/gfkyZeAb

We had an absolutely BLAST at the TASTE for Equity gala last week! This was my first ever gala and the bar is now pretty high. Incredible evening of food, fun, friends, and impact. Huge shoutout to everyone who made this evening possible. The evening featured 10 BIPOC and/or LGBTQ+ chefs and winemakers and was held to benefit Adelante Mujeres, APANO Communities United Fund (CUF), and ELSO Inc. Being in community with changemakers and impact driven people both electrified and galvanized me for the continued work to come. Learn more about the beneficiaries: https://lnkd.in/d2cc8frH Learn more about the featured chefs: https://lnkd.in/d9fkMf7P Learn more about the featured winemakers: https://lnkd.in/dR8DyD6n

Another stellar year for TASTE for Equity, which raised needed dollars for local nonprofits and honored the contributions of LGBTQIA2S+ and BIPOC chefs, winemakers, local equity heroes and community members. Thanks to my dear friend and event Committee Chair Mark Holloway for his leadership around this amazing evening. And thank you to Krista Tappan and Portland Business Journal for supporting this important cause and inviting me to join your table.

The TASTE for Equity continues to impress and drive incredible engagement year after year. We were all given the wonderful reminder on Friday night that hope is a choice and that hope is about who you choose to be and what actions you’re going to take. This was a deep, timely reminder. The opportunity behind this convening and the group of people who make this celebration of communities of color and queer communities possible is this really fun and unique way to showcase representation and celebration. So much joy is created and shared when we come together. So much joy. Shout out to the incredible human Mark Holloway and all of the amazing people on the planning team that make this event what it is. I’m inspired and back to work!

What a night at the TASTE for Equity Gala—more than just fancy food and wine, it’s a celebration of love, action, and fighting for equity in Oregon’s incredible community with Kim Allchurch-Flick MIM MBA CNE, Wesley Griffin ,Sarah Holdeman, Ronesha Hayes , Angel Reyes (él/He/Him) , Dr. Robin R. Beavers, Steven Phan . ???? Proud that our Dtocs Products palm leaf tableware was the eco-chic choice for the chefs’ bite menu again! ???? Supporting local BIPOC and LGBTQ+ chefs, winemakers, poets, and community heroes while using our plates? Talk about a win-win! ?? Huge shoutout to the organizers and sponsors OnPoint Community Credit Union for showing us how to lean into love without fear—and for helping us all make ripples of change, one bite at a time. Plus, every dollar raised goes straight to support local equity-based nonprofits. ???? #TasteForEquity #EcoChic #RippleMaker #EatWithImpact #SupportLocal

TASTE for Equity believes that every voice holds value, that celebrating our differences unites us, and that every story deserves a spotlight. Craft3 was a sponsor last week which ended my work week with a blast. We gathered at the Portland Art Musuem to celebrate chefs, wine makers, and nonprofit organizations who are all breaking barriers and supporting the progress of equity. I loved that TASTE also hired BIPOC/LGBTIA+ Vendors and shared about them in the program. This felt like a high school reunion. So many old friends and colleagues to reconnect with. Food was served family style and was delicious. The night ended with a dance party and the vibes were immaculate as always.