RACE & ETHNICITY

UTOPIA PDX staff is full of diverse backgrounds. Some of the backgrounds include Indigenous peoples hailing from various Pacific Islands such as Guam, Saipan, Hawaii, and American Samoa.

​​4 staff members identify as two or more races and 3 identify as biracial. 2 identify as Indigenous.

4 staff members identify as Asian or Asian-American. 3 identify as Black or African-American.  

7 identify as Polynesian and 2 identify as Micronesian.

GENDER IDENTITY

UTOPIA PDX is an organization ran by QTPIs, for QTPIs. Our lived experiences help us connect with our community to make a positive impact.

3 staff members identify as Gender Non-conforming and 4 identify as Non-binary. 

2 staff members identify as Transgender and 3 identify as Genderqueer. 

4 staff members identify as Male and 2 identify as Female.

1 identifies as Two-Spirit.

POLITICAL ALIGNMENT

Part of the UTOPIA PDX mission is to engage with political stewardship. Though we set our goals on advocating for Queer & Trans Pacific Islanders, our staff also has a diverse political alignment.

7 staff members identify as Democrats. 2 staff identify as Socialist. 

3 identify as Unidentified. 1 staff member wishes to not disclose. 

language

Our staff communicates in various ways, including through spoken language. In our office you’ll notice multiple languages used in our daily operations.

All 10 staff members are fluent in English. 3 are fluent in two or more languages. 1 is fluent in three or more languages. 

3 staff are fluent in Samoan. 1 staff is fluent in Hawaiian, and 2 are growing their proficiency of ‘Oleo Hawai’i.

disabilities

As we learn more about our communities, we also continue to grow and learn more about ourselves. Every day our team views the world the lens of various physical disabilities, nuerodivergencies, or mental health disorders we must navigate.

6 staff members have Anxiety/Stress & Anxiety. 3 staff members have Major Depressive Disorder. 1 staff member has Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

1 staff has ADHD. 1 staff has Autism. 2 staff members have Mobility Disabilities such as the use of a wheelchair, walker, or cane. 

1 staff member has Fibro. 2 staff members have Diabetes, and 1 staff member is Pre-Diabetic. 1 staff member has Blindness/Low Vision.

2 staff members wish to not disclose. 2 staff members listed Other.

Sexual orientation

Many reasons and experiences have led our staff to become leaders at UTOPIA PDX, including their sexual orientation.

7 staff members identify as Queer. 4 staff members identify as Gay. 

3 staff members identify as Pansexual. 1 staff member identifies as Fin-Sexual. 1 staff member identifies as Lesbian. 1 staff member identifies as Polyamorous or Ethically Non-Monogamous.

Highest Level of Education

We believe that despite your level of education, your lived experiences bring value to the impact you can on your community. Our staff members have diverse educational backgrounds.

4 staff members hold Bachelor Degrees. 1 staff member holds a Graduate Degree. 

4 staff members completed Some College. 3 staff members completed High School. 1 holds multiple Certificates.

Religious Affiliation

Our staff comes to engage in religion in diverse ways best suited for uplifting and feeding their spirituality. As they grow, so do their beliefs.

3 staff members identify as Unaffiliated. 2 staff members identify as Christian. 

1 staff member identifies as Mormon. 1 staff member identifies as Agnostic. 

2 staff members identify as Atheists. 1 staff member identifies as Other.

Household

An important aspect of our staff is that they have various support systems and ways they support themselves. We share intimate moments with people, places, and things daily.

9 staff members Drive. 2 staff members Do Drive but Prefer to Use Public Assistance (public transport, carpool, etc.). 1 staff member Does Not Drive. 

5 staff members Rent Their Place. 4 staff members Own Their Place. 

6 staff members Live with Their Partners. 5 staff members Live with Their Kids.  

4 staff members Live with Pets.

Age

Age is a number that is full of yearly experiences that have influenced who our staff has become together. We have a range of ages of people on our staff that give insight to how we serve our communities.

2 staff members are in their 20s. 3 staff members are in their 30s. 5 staff members are in their 40s.

GEOGRAPHY

UTOPIA PDX has seen many walks of life, including where staff were born, grew up, and where they reside. 

UTOPIA PDX staff were born in Dallas, TX; Indigenous American lands; American Samoa; Kailua, HI; Seattle, WA; Inglewood, CA; Portland, OR; Bangor, WA (Suquamish land controlled by the US Military); Colorado Springs, CO; and Moto’otua, Samoa.

UTOPIA PDX has grown up in areas such as 'Ili'ili, American Samoa; South King County, WA; NE Portland, OR; Point Mugu (Chumash land controlled by the US Military); Oak Harbor, WA, or Tulalip land; and in Hawaiian islands of Moloka’i and Oahu.

All of our staff reside in Portland, OR or SW Washington, also known to be Cayuse, Umatilla, Walla Walla, Clackamas, and Cowlitz land.

Other Identities

Beyond what we have listed, there are other identities that our staff proudly claims. 

1 staff member is a child of immigrants from places like Japan and the Philippines. 1 staff member is the first in their family to move off the islands. 1 staff member is the first person in their family to be born and raised off of the island. 1 staff member is a U.S. National but not a citizen, having grown up in American Samoa. 

1 staff member is a first generation college graduate, and 1 staff member is a second generation college graduate. 

1 staff member began UTOPIA PDX with four other co-founders for the purpose of having a safe haven for our QTPI community.