On July 14th, 2018, Portland, Oregon officially became the home to the 6th local Windrose chapter to date. On that Saturday afternoon, more than 160 parents and students from across the region gathered at the North Clackamas Milwaukie Center for a fantastic launch! The event marks the beginning of a new kind of community in Portland, not based on race or class, but instead on ideas that have the potential to unify our nation.
The launch weekend kicked off on Friday when the Portland officers organized a first class airport greeting committee for Windrose Directors Spencer and Bailey Amaral. Felipe Alcaraz sported an enormous welcome sign while Wendy Zapien, Joaquín Zapien, and Andrea Avendano completed the crew. Their faces were the most beautiful sight, especially since it had been more than 3 months since our last meeting. Group hugs continued, when the whole team reunited over dinner, with the excitement building. This over-achieving leadership council truly set the bar high!
The leadership council filled the next 24 hours with team-building activities, clearly demonstrating that the team that sweats together, stays together. After previewing the venue and the launch program, we jumped into a game of intense ultimate frisbee. The Portland Leadership team are leaders both on and off the field.
Six of these young men and women have boldly stepped up to serve as the Windrose Project Portland Officer for the 2018-2019 term:
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- President: Fernando Bravo
- Vice President: Joaquín Zapien
- Secretary: Wendy Zapien
- Philanthropy Chair: Andrea Avendano
- Historian: Zuleima Lopez
- Chaplain: Kendra Bravo
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At the launch event, Spencer Amaral proclaimed the powerful message of our nation’s creed that all men are created equal, with purpose and value. He affirmed that everyone needs a place to belong and a core set of principles to follow…You might say that we need a creed to live by or a compass to follow. However, young people today are lost. In fact, more young Americans suffer from loneliness, anxiety, and depression than ever before, despite the fact that we live in relative prosperity compared to generations past. Our generation desperately needs to know that life has intrinsic purpose and value, and Windrose Portland is here to proclaim this message loud and clear.
Unfortunately, Portland has repeatedly made the national news in the past 2 years thanks to angry protests and even violent mobs. Here is one recent example. Given that general incivility has become frighteningly common, it is all the more important that a group of responsible young Portlanders take the initiative to reunite their peers around our nation’s creed.
For more than two years, Fernando Bravo and Carlos Garcia faithfully prepared for the day that they would launch their new chapter in their home town. They wanted to bring hope, build bridges and show their friends that your skin color does not determine your politics. Today, that dream is a reality! We are incredibly proud of our brand new Portland chapter, and we are beyond excited to watch it grow!