Young Black Professionals (YBP) Workforce Housing initiative
1 AIA LU|HSW Available
The Young Black Professionals (YBP) Workforce Housing initiative was born of a moment in time, the culmination of a history of systemic racism and inequality that burst forth onto the streets of America in the Spring of 2020.
Our collective witness to the devastating murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery–tragedies in a long line of death and disregard for human life—struck a chord like never before. As a nation, we were called to action, beyond protesting or issuing statements. We were called to make change with a true material impact.
The YBP Initiative is an answer to this call for action. Bora Architecture & Interiors and Andersen Construction, in partnership with Self Enhancement Inc. (SEI) and HMS Development, are working together to create a home for young Black professionals in Portland interested in a career in the AEC industry—a place where they can live together in community to support one another in a city where few share their lived experience as a person of color. Residents will participate in a three-year Professional Apprenticeship Program, an initiative that mentors high school and college graduates toward careers in construction management, architecture and engineering trade in Portland.
It is our intention that this project serve as an investment in the Black community, supporting the long-term health and prosperity of Black lives. In isolation, a building project does very little to address the issue of wealth disparity; the YBP Workforce Housing strives to do much more. It seeks to demonstrate what a building can empower beyond its walls, creating opportunities for young Black professionals to thrive. We envision an initiative that is achieved by the community, for the community, with generational wealth investment opportunity from the community.
Project Partners Joel Andersen of Andersen Construction; Anthony Deloney of SEI; and Amy Donohue of Bora Architecture & Interiors will join us to share information about this exciting initiative.
Series Collaborator:
Learning Objectives:
Learning Objective 1:
Attendees will learn how the YBP project will affect RACIAL JUSTICE in the architectural industry, and why that matters to a better balanced profession that protects the public more equitably.
Learning Objective 2:
Attendees will learn how the YBP project will influence ECONOMIC JUSTICE in the architectural industry for people of color, therefore producing professionals better able to serve the public.
Learning Objective 3:
Attendees will learn about the pathways to COMMUNITY RESILIENCE and how the YBP project contributes to the immediate improvement of quality of life issues for residents.
Learning Objective 4:
Attendees will learn about the theory of DESIGN JUSTICE and its potential positive impact on the way they deliver services to clients.
Amy Donohue, AIA, NOMA, LFA,
Principal, Bora Architecture & Interiors
Amy has over 25 years of experience designing spaces for education, collaborative work, and urban living. Her deep understanding of interdisciplinary and synergistic environments blends concepts from a broad range of sectors, resulting in a sophisticated body of work that enables people to create, learn, live and thrive together. Recent projects under her leadership include precedent-setting interdisciplinary learning environments for Oregon State University, Texas A&M University, and the University of Washington as well as transformative Portland-based projects including the new Workforce Training Center in the Cully Neighborhood for Portland Community College and the renovation of the beloved Meier & Frank Building.
Amy’s work has been awarded by AIA and IIDA, and she has presented on designing for innovative pedagogies at conferences across the country. She serves on the Board of Directors for Literary Arts and the Advisory Council for the University of Florida School of Architecture. Along with sitting on AIA design award juries in Colorado, Arizona, Nebraska, Ohio, the Gulf States, New England, and California, she is also dedicated to advancing gender equity in the profession. Amy’s tireless advocacy helped shepherd through Oregon’s paid family leave bill in 2019, and she embraces Design Justice in her process to ensure that all voices are heard in the creation of just and equitable spaces.
Anthony Deloney
Director, Self-Enhancement, Inc.
As a Northeast Portland native, Anthony Deloney has committed 25 years to the success of youth and families in his own community. Anthony started at Self Enhancement, Inc. (SEI) in 1996 as a Youth Service Coordinator and has since become a Program Manager and Youth Services Director, overseeing all in-school and after-school programming. He currently serves as SEI’s Director of Development.
Anthony's record of exceptional leadership plays a major role in his success at SEI. As a comprehensive, one-stop resource for children and families, SEI has become Portland’s leading multi-service organization, providing more than 17,000 children, families, and adults with a wide array of culturally-specific services each year. Anthony’s work as Youth Services Director helped shape the design and implementation of SEI's current service model that graduates 98% of students from high school and pushes 85% of them into post-secondary education.
With the evolution of post-secondary options, Anthony has become a pioneer in introducing students to careers in the Architecture, Construction, and Engineering trades and led SEI's first-ever trades fair in December 2018. Anthony played an integral role in the creation of SEI’s brand new Apprenticeship Program that placed its first two apprentices at Andersen Construction and awarded $20,000 in trades scholarships to SEI students in 2021. Anthony’s passion and dedication to creating positive contributing citizens drives his work to expand opportunities for young people and show them that Life Has Options.
Joel Anderson
CEO, Shoestring Valley Holdings
Joel Andersen is CEO of Shoestring Valley Holdings, a holding company over Andersen Construction as well as a real estate developer with a robust and diverse portfolio of projects throughout the Pacific Northwest. Joel is a 3rd-generation Oregonian with close ties to the area’s development community. Joel’s grandfather, HA ‘Andy’ Andersen, started their family construction business in 1950 and shortly thereafter started building and acquiring real estate.
Joel’s development leadership has resulted in several of the most dynamic, award-winning and creative projects in the Pacific Northwest. This includes everything from high-rise multi-family residential towers, to industrial office parks, to downtown office buildings.
Along with a passion and proven success for development, Joel leads Oregon’s largest family-owned General Contracting firm. Andersen Construction built upwards of $700 million of construction in 2020 and managed more construction in Portland, OR than any other General Contractor. With a staff of over 700 employees and Portland serving as the company headquarters, Andersen also has offices in Eugene, OR, Seattle, WA and Boise, ID. With a goal to earn each client’s designation as their “Builder of Choice”, Andersen excels in technically challenging projects, utilizing the latest technology and management trends in construction. This includes highly collaborative management approaches such as Integrated Project Delivery, Design-Build and CM/GC services. Andersen’s diverse portfolio includes healthcare, research, multi-family housing, educational, commercial offices, industrial, mission critical, retail, parking, institutional, places of worship and entertainment facilities.