The Magic 25: Michelle Harper, Our Constant Champion

”Michelle Harper, Citywide Collaborative Services Manager for Portland’s Bureau of Parks and Recreation, brings a beautiful spirit, a sense of humor, and all the energy she can muster to everything she does. If she’s a little short, on energy, she knows how to cajole it out of others. Luckily, IFCC is among the many organizations benefitting from Michelle’s energetic and lifelong commitment to making Portland a great place to live.

Michelle’s career of public service and community involvement, especially around issues related to youth and livability, has evolved and made an impact on the community, under the administration of two City Commissioners and three Portland Parks Directors. Her work with former City Commissioner and Parks Director Charles Jordan, included the establishment of the IFCC as a resource for encouraging and presenting the artistic contributions of underserved and underrepresented communities in Portland.

Along the way Michelle has made time to pour some of her energy into several national Parks and Recreation organizations, Girl Scouts, Bridge Builders, the Urban League, the Lowenstein Trust, the United Negro College Fund, the National Forum for Black Public Administrators, and several other non-profits.

Michelle’s work and positive attitude has made an impression on a lot of people, as evidenced by a list of awards she might be embarrassed to have us list here, but we will mention the President Clinton Whitney Young Award, the UNCF Outstanding Community Service Award, the Housing Our Families Award.

If you were to ask her what she’s proudest of Michelle might not mention any of the above. Most likely she’d talk about having raised a son to be a strong, positive, contributing member of the community. She’d talk about the support and inspiration she derives from her community of faith. She’d talk about being a mentor to young people, especially young African-American women.

She helped bring IFCC into existence, so we especially celebrate having Michelle Harper, as a family member continues to make, a tremendous contribution to keeping IFCC running and serving the North/Northeast community and the entire City of Portland.

Oh, we almost forgot to mention, when she has a minute or two to spare, Michelle sings beautifully.”

by Art Alexander
IFCC Board Member, 2005-present

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