The PCSBFSA will host its fourth annual State of Black Affairs Summit in Portland on May 21, with registration open until May 4. Summit organizers Shalece Rains, executive assistant in the Division of Academic Affairs, and Tenisha Tevis, associate professor in the College of Education, share some of the goals and history of the commission and summit.
How did the PCSBFSA come to be?
TT: The PCSBFSA was formally established in 2021, following the death of George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter protests, as longstanding systemic inequities — further intensified by the COVID-19 pandemic — became increasingly visible across Oregon. The PCSBFSA was only the second commission to be formed at OSU, almost 50 years after the President’s Commission on the Status of Women in 1972. Several have been formed since. The path to this point was both a grassroots effort and an institutional commitment to address the specific experiences, challenges and contributions of Black employees. It involved diligent organizing, key campus partnerships and dialogue with university leadership, specifically in 2020, during a time when institutions across the country were being called on to acknowledge and address systemic inequality. The founding of the PCSBFSA was not a symbolic or performative gesture but a formal structure to ensure accountability, ongoing advocacy and sustained attention to Black faculty and staff experiences at OSU.
What is the commission’s role, and why is it important to have a Black commission at OSU?
TT: Broadly, it is an ethical responsibility to have a Black commission because institutions do not transform without intentional effort. The commission creates a space for advocacy, visibility and accountability, while also serving as a hub for community, leadership development and change. Further, advancing this work is not the sole responsibility of Black communities, but a collective responsibility that calls on all of us to recognize and respond to injustice and strive for meaningful change.
SR: I feel strongly about the importance of employee support systems such as commissions. The PCSBFSA specifically has done concrete work for the university in building and reinforcing the professional network among employees and providing professional development opportunities and funding to members. We engage in sustained conversations with University Human Resources leadership, Vice President for Mission and Impact Scott Vignos and President Jayathi Murthy about how OSU recruits and retains Black talent. And, of course, we brought the Black Affairs Summit to the state.
What are the commission’s goals with the State of Black Affairs Summit?
SR: The State of Black Affairs Summit is an annual, one-day event held in May at OSU’s Portland Center. With the PCSBFSA and OSU as hosts, educators, community leaders, business leaders, policymakers and others across Oregon are invited to engage with the most salient issues (highs and lows) facing Black communities in Oregon for the year. It is both a space to center Black thought and to build capacity in all communities.
TT: Beyond discussions and networking, this event is about alignment and action. We bring together multiple sectors from across the state to think collectively about how to move Oregon forward equitably and sustainably. The range of topics and sessions, from education to health care to public safety to technology, reflects the interconnectedness of these issues and of Oregon communities more broadly.
How did you arrive at this year’s theme, “The state we’re in: Black education, policy and possibility in Oregon”?
SR: OSU is fortunate to have very caring and dedicated talent in Dorian Smith, director of the Educational Opportunities Program and PCSBFSA parliamentarian. The original idea for a summit was Dorian’s, and he has been part of every planning committee since we started. This year, when the planning committee was considering a theme, Dorian suggested that we align our focus with issues identified in “Forward Together: The Black Policy Playbook for An Equitable America,” published by the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation. We found that the topics such as voting rights and civic engagement, workforce, economic opportunity, education, health care and technology absolutely rose to the top of the list for communities in Oregon as well. This is a time for strategically planned actions, so we wanted to base the summit on solidly informed issues.
TT: This theme reflects both urgency and possibility. The summit creates space to examine where we are, and at the same time, explore and identify actionable pathways toward thriving communities.
Who should attend this event, and what do you hope they gain from it?
SR: Any professional in the state, particularly in higher education, but also the community leaders and policymakers who understand the importance of having thriving Black colleagues and neighbors.
TT: We also strongly encourage K-12 educators and nonprofit leaders to attend. Really anyone invested in Oregon’s future has a stake in these critical conversations. We have observed and continue to believe that attendees will leave the summit having gained a deeper understanding of the issues germane to Black communities in Oregon, new connections and partnerships across sectors, ideas and/or steps for action within respective organizations and communities and a renewed sense of responsibility and possibility.
What are some standout moments from previous summits?
SR: A deeply soulful keynote by Chanale Propst at the 2025 Summit, a panel of Black presidents of Oregon universities in 2023 and a powerful fireside chat on policing, also in 2023.
TT: I would say the event itself. We made history with the first summit. What is most consistent has been the power of bringing people into the same space who might not otherwise engage with one another. Such cross-sectional conversations spark new partnerships and shift how people understand problems and how to work together for solutions.
What might surprise people about PCSBFSA?
TT: What might be surprising is how action-oriented the commission and the summit are. Our events and engagements are responsive and proactive, grounded in a deep commitment to serve. While our work centers Black experiences, it is designed to benefit and engage all communities, recognizing that advancing equity efforts ultimately benefits everyone.
