2026 OCBA Regular Commission Meeting Schedule
Public invited to attend - Please register using the links below:
December 3, 2026 | 9:30 AM to 11:30 AM CLICK HERE
2027 OCBA Regular Commission Meeting Schedule - Webinar Links Coming Soon
February 4, 2027 | 9:30 AM to 11:30 AM
April 1, 2027 | 9:30 AM to 11:30 AM
June 3, 2027 | 9:30 AM to 11:30 AM
August 5, 2027 | 9:30 AM to 11:30 AM
October 7, 2027 | 9:30 AM to 11:30 AM
December 2, 2027 | 9:30 AM to 11:30 AM
The Governor is committed to ensuring that all Boards and Commissions represent the growing age, racial and gender diversity of the state. This is an amazing opportunity to pool our collective viewpoints, visions and hopes for Oregon - and all residents are welcome and encouraged to serve.
If you are interested in serving on this commission, please follow the link: OCBA - Commission Member Application
Our Vision:
We serve the people of Oregon to empower and support the African American and Black community through our special roles as policy advisors to Oregon state policy makers and leaders. The OCBA is a catalyst that empowers partnerships between state government and our community in rural and urban areas to ensure success for all African American and Black Oregonians by addressing longstanding and emerging issues at the policy level.
Our Mission:
The mission of the OCBA is to work for the implementation and establishment of economic, social, legal and political equality for Oregon's African American and Black communities.
Our Principles and Values:
- Equity for Oregon's African American and Black communities in jobs and the economy, education, health, safety, family stability, environment, and civic engagement.
- Equal treatment and protection against discrimination.
- Access to helpful information on services and available resources.
- Working in partnership on research and policy analysis of longstanding issues and barriers to success within the African American and Black communities statewide.
- Inclusion of viewpoints of the African American and Black communities in policy making at the state level.
- Celebration of and education about the contributions and achievements of Oregon's African American and Black communities.
Our Statutory Goals and Strategic Priorities
- Advocate for equitable policies assuring the success of Oregon's African American and Black communities at the state level.
- Engage community and state partners to promote equity for African American and Black communities statewide.
- Study and analyze issues affecting the African American and Black communities statewide and recommend policy remedies to state policy makers.
- Grow and develop leaders in the African American and Black communities at the state level in all branches.
- Increase the viability and visibility of the contributions and achievements of Oregon's African American and Black communities statewide.
OCBA is actively engaged in its statutory work focused on 7 Strategic Priorities each biennium:
- Education
- Jobs & the economy
- Healthcare
- Justice, safety & policing
- Stable families and housing
- Environmental Justice
- Civic engagement
Meet the Commissioners
Portland
Liz Fouther-Branch, BS, MS, is a retired educator turned Storyteller, cultural worker, and archivist who loves sharing stories about family, history, and the sense of place. Liz develops history panels with artist Bobby Fouther on a family archives project that includes 99 years of Black life and the arts in Oregon. Liz's work examines stories through pictures, interviews, and artifacts of her family migration, the intergenerational trauma of red-lining and displacement, and navigating the ins and outs of Black Life.
Liz's goal as a Culture Bearer is to share stories often erased from the typical historical and creative canon. She believes “Black" stories need to be preserved, championed, told, and retold. Her work includes exhibits, presentations, and sharing family photos that tell the history of Black people living, working, and memory-making across the Pacific Northwest. Liz and her brother gave visual presentations on “Juneteenth" for the Oregon Employment Department and “Crossing The Red Line" for the First Unitarian Portland joint with the Oregon Synod Lutherans and the Center for Equity and Inclusion. The creation of the history panels was part of a large exhibition called “Culture + Trauma" at Gallery 114, window exhibits at the Old Albina Art Center, and Red E Cafe.
Her current vision as one of the members of the Culture-Bearers Archive is to continue creating a digital archive showing the creativity, resilience, and persistence of Black life in the Pacific Northwest.
La Pine
Kenneth Adams is a dedicated father, filmmaker, writer, orator, and community advocate with over three decades of professional IT experience. As a passionate activist and the executive director of a Black-led non-profit, he is committed to empowering students and families in a community where the Black population makes up just over half a percent.
Kenneth's work focuses on bridging gaps in education, providing vital support to prioritized populations, and creating pathways for success. Through his advocacy, he champions equity, cultural enrichment, and access to resources that uplift individuals and families. With his wealth of experience in both technology and community engagement, Kenneth continues to drive positive change and inspire those around him.
Kenneth Adams resides in Central Oregon, where he serves as the executive director of The Father's Group, a community-driven organization dedicated to empowering Black youth and families. The Father’s Group focuses on education, cultural enrichment, and community-building initiatives, helping to create a more inclusive and equitable future. Kenneth’s leadership reflects his deep commitment to fostering opportunities for prioritized populations, ensuring their voices are heard and their contributions valued in the broader community.
Oregon City
Dr. Tory Blackwell is a biology instructor at Clackamas Community College. He grew up in East Saint Louis, Illinois and served in the United States Army from 1993 to 1997. He then went on to obtain his PhD in Molecular and Cellular Biology from the University of Illinois at Chicago and worked in academic research at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. In 2012, he and his family moved from Urbana, Illinois to Oregon City.
Since moving to Oregon, Tory has worked on a number of grant-funded projects to improve access to research opportunities for underserved student populations. Alongside that, he has had an active role in organizing numerous community events and activities, including helping organizing Oregon City's Juneteenth Celebration every year since 2020. He has also served on the Clackamas County Leaders for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Council, served as a steering committee member for the Coalition of Communities of Color research justice project in Clackamas County, and helped organize the Clackamas County Equity Coalition.
Tory spends his free time traveling. He is also an amateur photographer.
Portland
Commissioner Lakayana Drury (He/Him/His) is the founder and Executive Director of Word is Bond. His inspiration behind founding the organization is a combination of his lived experience and the obstacles he overcame to discover his life path. Lakayana Drury is an educator, social entrepreneur, community organizer, and storyteller, who utilizes community engagement and various mediums of art, including poetry and photography, to uplift hidden stories and inspire others to collective action.
Lakayana has been featured on numerous podcasts including Oregon Public Radio’s Think Out Loud podcast. He was recognized as part of the 2021 class of 40 Under 40, and the 2022 Executive of the Year by the Portland Business Journal, and the 2023 Community Leader of the Year at the 38th Annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Tribute by the World Arts Foundation.
Lakayana Drury was raised in Madison, Wisconsin by his hardworking mother and is the eldest of three children. He experienced adversity at an early age, most notably a learning disability diagnosis in sixth grade and his father’s absence for most of his adolescent years. He overcame these challenges and graduated from the University of Wisconsin Stout and went on to pursue a career as a teacher in both elementary and high school, which eventually brought him to Portland, OR.
Lakayana is of Sudanese and Irish ancestry and has done considerable work exploring his biracial identity. His lived experience drives his passion for culturally-grounded education, Hip-Hop pedagogy, mentorship, healthy masculinity, investment in Black communities, and reimagining community safety.
Lakayana’s leadership commitments include serving on Portland’s Local Public Safety Coordinating Committee (LPSCC) Executive Committee, the Center for Black Student Excellence (CBSE) Guiding Coalition with Portland Public Schools, and the Black Male Achievement Steering Committee. In 2023, Lakayana was appointed to the Oregon Commission on Black Affairs which works for the implementation and establishment of economic, social, legal, and political equality for Black Oregonians.
Lakayana is a visionary leader who believes in building a world based on compassion for all people, where every individual has the resources they need to thrive, and dismantling systems of oppression and replacing them with ecosystems that nurture the innate empathy of humanity.
Zaria Dukes has spent 7 years with the Department of Veterans Affairs, working within the Veterans Benefits Administration. Her experience spans claims adjudication, hearing oversight, and specialized casework, including support for survivors of Military Sexual Trauma and complex disability claims research.
She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from Avila University, where she represented the university at the UN Commission on the Status of Women and completed lobbying through Catholic Relief Services SALT Summit.
She has a strong interest in trauma-informed communication and inclusive workplace cultures.
Portland
Ben Duncan’s work has focused on equity and environmental justice for almost two decades in non-profit, government and consultancy practice.
He currently is a Sr. Director and Facilitator with Kearns & West, where he specializes in developing effective and inclusive processes in complex political and organizational environments and communities to develop collaborative solutions.
He was a founding appointee to the Oregon Environmental Justice Task Force and serves on the Oregon Commission for Black Affairs as the liaison to EJ Council.
Ben Duncan lives with his better half, Dr. Katherine Rodela and their son Rudolfo, in Southeast Portland.
Portland
Ahlam Osman is a community development practitioner, organizer, and communications professional based in Portland. She currently serves as Communications Associate at Albina Vision Trust, supporting communications and community engagement efforts advancing the restoration and redevelopment of Portland’s historic Lower Albina neighborhood.
Ahlam’s work sits at the intersection of community development, environmental justice, public policy, and civic engagement. Her environmental work has focused on environmental justice, climate resilience, waste prevention, and connecting environmental issues to housing, land use, public health, and racial equity.
Her civic and community involvement began as a teenager, including serving on the Multnomah Youth Commission and engaging with community organizations across the Portland region. Early in her career, Ahlam spent three years as an intern with Metro’s Waste Prevention and Environmental Services department, gaining experience in regional government, environmental policy, and community engagement. More recently, she led the Portland chapter of Women & Climate and serves on Verde’s C4 policy board.
Ahlam studied Community, Urban Studies & Planning at Portland State University. Across her work, she is committed to ensuring that Black Oregonians and historically underserved communities are empowered to shape the policies and decisions affecting their communities and futures.
Outside of her professional and community work, Ahlam enjoys traveling, exploring Portland’s food, arts, and cultural scenes, spending time in nature, and bringing people together through food and conversation. An avid coffee and tea enthusiast, she enjoys discovering new cafés and spending time with her cats and loved ones.
Beaverton
Harvest Trammell is an Administrative Coordinator in the Office of the President at the Urban League of Portland, supporting executive operations, community engagement, strategic initiatives, and partnerships. His career has centered on the intersection of community impact, sports, communications, and organizational leadership.
Prior to joining the Urban League of Portland, Harvest spent several years at Nike working across community impact, philanthropy, operations, employee engagement, and storytelling. He also served as an Operations Project Manager at SEI, supporting community-centered programs, organizational strategy, communications, and events.
Harvest was born and raised in Texas and moved to Oregon in 2021. Since then, Oregon has become home—not only professionally and personally, but as the place where he became a father. His experiences working alongside Black communities throughout Oregon have strengthened his commitment to creating greater access to opportunity, representation, and resources.
Harvest also serves as a varsity football coach at Parkrose High School, where he mentors young people and uses athletics as a vehicle for leadership, character development, and opportunity.
He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi. Outside of work and public service, Harvest enjoys spending time with his daughter, coaching, traveling, staying active, and telling stories that celebrate the people and communities that make Oregon special.
Harvest serves on the Oregon Commission on Black Affairs and is passionate about listening to community, building bridges, and helping create a stronger future for Black Oregonians.
Portland
Travis Nelson was appointed to the House of Representatives on January 27, 2022 representing House District 44. He was sworn in on the first day of the 2022 Legislative Session. He is proud to join the legislature as the first ever Black LGBTQIA+ member.
The grandson of Louisiana sharecroppers, his parents moved his family to the Pacific Northwest before he entered grade school. He put himself through community college and then Washington State University School of Nursing by working food service, landscaping, and janitorial positions. It is this strong work ethic that has carried him to where he is today.
Throughout his career as a Registered Nurse he saved lives by practicing constant attentiveness along with being a strong advocate. He specialized in Emergency Nursing, Critical Care Nursing, Medical-Surgical Nursing and Rehabilitation Nursing. Serving as a union representative honed his advocacy skills and allowed him to begin tackling the many problems inherent in our healthcare system. He is a member of the Sierra Club, American Nurses Association, Oregon Coalition of Black Trade Unionists, the NAACP and a former Vice President of the Oregon Nurses Association. He knows healthcare is intersectional and is entwined with our environment, housing policy, racial justice, and so many other social determinants of health. It is this intersectionality that initially drove him to run for office.