Community

The Black Educational Achievement Movement (BEAM) operates as a “Sankofa Village” model. Where a collective of Black educational service providers and Black professionals in both the public and private sectors are committed to reaching back to help our youth, by challenging the insistent disregard of the hopes, dreams and achievements of Black students in the public and private classrooms. Hence, BEAM unites an intergenerational cross section of culturally-proficient community-based organizations that have bridged their years of expertise to elevate and acknowledge youth of African descent who are in pursuit of middle school, high school and post-secondary educational attainment that will prepare them for the globe marketplace.

Honoring the neighborhood’s past by transforming what exists today into a socially and economically inclusive community of residents, businesses, artists, makers, and visitors. This vibrantly diverse community is anchored by intentionally conceived parks, plazas, combined with civic and cultural event spaces of different size and use, and is seamlessly connected to the river and its surrounding neighborhoods.

COVID-19 created immense economic hardship throughout all communities on a national scale. In particular, BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) communities were hit hardest as a result of generations of discrimination-based social destabilization and lack of access to equitable resources. 

Income instability very often leads to food insecurity. Our approach to addressing this issue is two fold:

• Purchase CSA shares from Portland’s BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) farming community to support revenue in a time when restaurant clients are no longer buying.
• Gift CSA shares to BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) families experiencing food insecurity who are not currently being served by the social services networks.