What Grows When We Invest in Vision: The KairosPDX Journey

The story of partnership between KairosPDX and SVP Portland started more than a decade ago. SVP was among the early supporters of KairosPDX’s vision to transform education for Black children. Through a customized capacity-building accelerator, SVP worked closely with KairosPDX’s team to strengthen their strategy, infrastructure, and operations - helping lay the groundwork for an organization that would evolve into a leader of culturally-sustaining education.

During that early collaboration, a seed was planted - one that would later grow into a groundbreaking workforce development model. As SVP Executive Director Lauren Johnson recalls, “I met with Kali, one of the co-founders, back in 2012. She said, ‘I have the seedling of an idea,’ and I knew if anyone could realize the vision for what KairosPDX has become today - fundamentally changing the narrative around what’s possible in education - it was Kali and her team.”

Today, that idea continues to flourish through SVP and KairosPDX’s joint focus on cultivating the next generation of early childhood educators. “The biggest piece for us is figuring out the workforce,” says Marsha Williams, Executive Director of KairosPDX. “That means having providers who are trained and educated - and that’s really what our goal is.”

One of the ways KairosPDX is advancing this goal is through its Black Excellence in Early Learning Certificate Program, accredited by Portland State University and supported by Preschool for All. The program’s second cohort includes 24 students, five of whom are returning for a second-year seminar to deepen their Action Research Projects. As these educators grow, their influence extends beyond their classrooms, shaping the broader landscape of early learning in our community.

SVP’s Director of Community Impact, Carolina Castañeda del Rio, notes that the partnership exemplifies SVP’s commitment to investing in both ideas and leaders. “When we see visionary leadership tackling systemic challenges - like building a pipeline of culturally responsive early educators - we know it’s time to lean in,” she said. “KairosPDX is addressing a community-wide need and creating a model that can ripple across the ecosystem.”

Looking ahead, SVP - led by Investor Partner Diane Haughton - is exploring new ways to scale KairosPDX’s impact, including innovative funding strategies that not only strengthen workforce development efforts, but also enhance the organization’s long-term sustainability. By investing in this vital work, SVP is investing in a future where all children have access to high-quality, culturally relevant early education - and KairosPDX sees that future coming into view.

“We actually have an opportunity here that’s really unique,” Marsha added. “We can reach every Black child in the state of Oregon. We can do it - and it could be a model, a pretty powerful one too.”

Find out more about KairosPDX here. 

And if you’d like to support KairosPDX’s next chapter, consider joining their annual fundraising gala. It’s a powerful way to invest in their vision - click here for more information.