Join a Community Devoted to Tech Culture Change

Technology Association of Oregon (TAO) and Prosper Portland are working in partnership to continue the work of TechTown by providing additional resources through TAO and continued support through Portland Means Progress.

The TechTown Community of Action is now a part of Portland Means Progress, which provides Portland-area businesses with access to DEI training, accountability support, and resources to advance culture change goals. Please consider joining Portland Means Progress and the TechTown Community of Action for collaboration, training and resources.

TechTown members have several excellent opportunities for learning coming right up!

• Thursday, October 20, 2:30-4:00 pmFresh Consulting, 811 SE Stark St, #300

Leadership Exchange focused on relationship building, needs assessments, and Portland Means Progress commitments

• Wednesday, November 16, 9-10:30 am, at Field Day, 319 SW Washington, Suite 800 –

Community Session, for diversity champions, focused on relationship building, developing policy for racial justice, and managing up

• Thursday, December 15, 2:30-4:00 pm, at 52 Ltd, 135 NE 9th Ave –

For leaders and champions, focused on relationship building, current assessments of DEI stage of inclusion, and DEI and culture in hybrid working conditions

Subsequent sessions will take place in January and February. Action Path LLC, with expertise in racial equity strategies to dismantle racism and resources to improve inclusive company culture, will guide some of these discussions.

To join TechTown, please register on the website.

Since its inception in 2015, TechTown has shifted from a public Diversity Pledge created by and for Portland Tech companies into a support-based program centered around the unique needs of tech professionals leading DEI work within their company. TechTown Portland is an industry-specific initiative to connect, empower and support the collective action of Portland Tech professionals to hire and retain a more diverse and inclusive workforce. TechTown provides the structure, process, and accountability to put DEI work front and center. They meet leaders and employees in their diversity and equity journey and provide them with ongoing encouragement to take action toward progress every day.

Enable Action Through Connections and Community

TechTown provides individuals with a supportive community to share lessons, develop shared programming, find encouragement, and keep each other accountable to help eliminate the isolation that comes from being a team of one, and lead the effort within their company. TechTown is a facilitator of connections, ---identifying opportunities to unite across company silos and incite change within them that would not otherwise occur.

Retention and Recruitment of Underestimated and Disadvantaged Populations

Driving cultural change to achieve more equitable hiring, retention and career advancement is central to our work. Currently, Black and Brown individuals continue to be underrepresented at all levels within TechTown companies. Their sense of inclusion is lagging compared to their white and male counterparts at all levels within TechTown companies. Inequity is even more significant in the management and leadership ranks.

Shifting workplace culture

In order to shift workplace culture, everyone in the organization needs to have a shared understanding of the issues and the work required every day. TechTown provides a variety of community-based support and resources that have been proven to help in setting the intention for the necessary DEI work.

Member Benefits

As TechTown members, companies coach through key resources, providing expert and community-guided support to integrate these lessons into the workplace.

TechTown members are provided with structure, community, and accountability through the following components:

- Dedicated facilitators

- Membership requirements

- Consistent meetings

- Slack channel

- Advisory bodies

- Community-driven programming

- Training

- Transparency & accountability

About Prosper Portland

Prosper Portland builds an equitable economy, based on these cornerstones: growing family-wage jobs, advancing opportunities for prosperity, collaborating with partners for an equitable city, and creating vibrant neighborhoods and communities. To support that work, we seek to maintain an equitable, innovative, financially sustainable agency. Prosper Portland invests financial and human capital to serve the city and its residents.

About TAO

The Technology Association of Oregon unites the region's technology industry and is a recognized leader in shaping and growing technology and business communities. They empower businesses and entrepreneurs through networks, events, resources, and more.