Date: Saturday, September 12, 2026
Reception: 5:00 PM
Dinner & Program: 6:00 PM
Location: Portland Art Museum
1219 SW Park Ave., Portland, OR 97205
Attire: Formal / Black Tie
Tickets: $350 per person
Table of 8: $3,000
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As we planned this year's Equal Opportunity Day — our signature fundraising event — our staff and volunteers felt uneasy about hosting a gala at a time when equal opportunity is under direct assault.
African Americans, other communities of color, and the values of equity more broadly, are under open attack from the highest levels of civic and corporate leadership. Housing funds are being slashed. Healthcare dollars for the most vulnerable are being cut. Education funding is being eliminated. Our right to vote and elect leaders of our choosing is being whittled away. Meanwhile, economic policies are producing a level of inequality we haven't seen since the Gilded Age.
So, guided by our values, we've made a decision: we are cancelling this year's gala. Instead, we're pivoting the funds, energy, and impact into a Day of Service by our staff, volunteers, and sponsors. We're committing to stretch your generosity further than a single evening could.
We are reminded of Urban League champion Whitney M. Young, Jr.’s words at the 1964 Equal Opportunity Day. He said, “The danger is that people may mistake what is basically a change in vocabulary for a change in behavior, practices, and attitudes. While practically all Americans have learned to talk inoffensively not enough have learned to think differently, nor act positively.”
We invite you to act positively—put your dollars and time to work with us across Greater Portland, Mid-Willamette Valley, and Southwest Washington for Equal Opportunity Day of Service. Help us provide meals to families whose grocery bills outpace their paychecks. Work with us to put the finishing touches on our brand-new day center. Support our team as we ensure our elders, veterans, and disabled neighbors remain safe despite state and local cuts to services.
Thank you to our generous sponsors and community partners who continue to stand with us in advancing equal opportunity. Your support of Equal Opportunity Day will help turn this Day of Service into meaningful action across the communities we serve. We invite you to join us—make a gift today and help us put resources directly where they are needed most.
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