MHCC was selected based on their recent work in:

• Creating a Student Basic Needs Resource Team
• Establishing a Multicultural Diversity Resource Center
• Adding African-American Cultural Courses
• Creating an Equity Lens tool
• Beginning work on a strategic equity plan
• Increased recruiting of employees from underrepresented or underserved populations across all employee groups and the Board of Education.
  • The most significant gains were seen in MHCC’s Board and management staff, where Board diversity quadrupled, and management diversity nearly doubled.
• Implementing a yearlong Equity Minded Leadership series with the Board of Education, President’s Cabinet, and MHCC Equity Leadership Team
• Facilitating Foundations of Critical Race Theory sessions broadly with employees
• Increasing use of Open Educational Resources (OERs).
  • It is estimated these OERs have saved students $3,118,975 in textbook costs.
• Partnering with community organizations to increase services and resources. Partnerships include:
  • Multnomah County Health Authority to offer COVID-19 vaccination clinics to BIPOC communities
  • Rosewood Initiative to provide job search and unemployment assistance to address community concerns around the concentrated poverty and lack of services in East County.
  • Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization (IRCO) to offer vocational English-as-a-Second Language career pathway programs, translation services, and other initiatives in serving the needs of the immigrant and refugee communities in the district.
  • Area school districts to engage youth identifying as first-generation, from low-income households, or having a disability and offer them peer mentoring
    • Mentors attend DEI training and workshops, such as a Becoming Anti-Racist series, and work with students to navigate school, career, and college related topics.

The ACCT equity award recipients recognized at the regional level are nominated for national-level recognition of several additional ACCT Association Awards. One award winner in each category will be recognized during the Annual ACCT Association Awards presentation on October 15.

To learn more about this award, visit www.acct.org/article/acct-regional-awards