All That You Change Changes You: Message From the Outgoing Executive Director

“All that you touch
You Change.

All that you Change
Changes you. The only lasting truth
is Change…”

–Octavia Butler
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Dear IPRC Community,

When I joined the IPRC as the Executive Director in March 2018, I knew that my role would be to help usher the organization into its next chapter. I saw myself as one of the stewards of the space, as someone to identify sparks of creativity and community and to amplify them. I was greatly inspired by IPRC stewards of the past – in particular Rebecca Gilbert and Justin Hocking, but also SO many others – who took a unique and special idea and made it a reality for Portlanders. My main goal was to build a solid base that could make IPRC sustainable for another 20 years. I didn’t know we’d also need to survive a pandemic, but it was a faith in that original brilliant idea of community built on shared access and collective power that has eased us over the waves.

I’m leaving the role of the Executive Director at IPRC to join the visionary leadership team at Open Signal, but I’m not leaving the IPRC community. I look forward to being an artist, a collaborator, and a supporter at IPRC long into the future. I’m excited to see what IPRC grows into next, and THRILLED to share that the Board has voted to promote our incredible and brilliant staff members Emmeline Eao and Harper Quinn to Interim Co-Directors. Keep your eyes peeled for more information from IPRC Staff and Board about the upcoming transition.

The team that I have been grateful to work with over this time (Emmeline Eao, Erika Rier, Harper Quinn, Jakelen Diaz, and John Akira Harrold), along with all of the wonderful IPRC volunteers & stewards, has worked to cultivate a space where you, your art, and your writing are respected and taken seriously. Whether you were walking into the center for the first time, or were a longtime volunteer; whether you were a published author or a 5 year-old printmaker: we wanted you to feel that your experience and your creative practice was important to us. Being in a community with each other is rich and it’s also often hard. We’re coming together with many needs, with many backgrounds and experiences, unified primarily by our desire to bring what’s in our heads into the world. I hope the IPRC has and will continue to help make that process easier for all of you.Before getting on to IPRC’s bright future, let’s take a moment to reflect on some of what we’ve accomplished in the past three and a half years.

We’ve:

  • Expanded our zine library and classroom space in the Main Street location and signed a 5-year lease this summer!
  • Celebrated our 20th anniversary with a reading at City Hall, 20x20x20 Print Show, and a special open studios event.
  • Started the BIPOC Artists & Writers Residence Program that has invested in 25 Portland-based artists of color so far.
  • Conducted six months of community surveys that resulted in the IPRC’s 2019-2021 Strategic Plan.
  • Transitioned the Certificate Program to the Portfolio Program, envisioned by Program Director Harper and re-brand Art Director John.
  • Expanded youth programming to include printmaking, comics, and zines for elementary and middle school aged youth.
  • Increased our partnerships and outreach efforts with recent collaborators C3PO Villages, Brown Girl Rise, Portland Parks & Recreation Free Lunch & Play, Alder Commons, Portland Sunday Parkways, Portland Street Art Alliance and many others.
  • Doubled teaching artist hourly rates and increased the lowest staff wage by 50%. Fully valuing our team and the artists we work with will continue to be a huge area of growth at IPRC.
  • Increased IPRC’s financial reserves, and adopted a new CRM (constituent relationship management) system – NeonCRM, which is where this new newsletter is coming to you from!
  • Transitioned our studio services to allow for access during the pandemic.
  • Worked with an incredible Board – thank you from the bottom of my heart to Carrie Clore, Rebecca Boraz, Kawana Bullock Clayton, Stacey Daley, Melissa Favara, Alleson Goldfinger, Charles Valle, and Lauren Mariko Waude for your leadership and guidance!

I have been so inspired by each of you in the IPRC community and your deep care for each other. I’ve honestly met the best people over the last three years and I hope to continue to know and make art with you.

With so much love and solidarity,

Alley Pezanoski-Browne