Portland, OR. Portland Center Stage‘s annual gala, Metamorphosis, was held virtually on February 20th and raised over $315,000. 551 guests attended this online celebration of theater. Delphon “DJ” Curtis Jr. performed as Hedwig for a sing-a-long of “Wig in a Box” as seen above. (Video stills by Mikey Mann, courtesy of Portland Center Stage.)
The evening was emceed by Artistic Director Marissa Wolf, Associate Artistic Director Chip Miller, and auctioneer Johnna Wells. The event was also a celebration of the life of Diana Gerding, who died November 9th, 2020 and was one of PCS’s most ardent supporters. Below is a video about her life:
The program featured five performances, including a dance piece choreographed by Darrell Grand Moultrie and musical performances from Quinlan Shea Fitzgerald, Joe Kye, Edna Vázquez, Larry Owens, and Josh Kight.
Khalia Campbell performs a solo dance piece choreographed by Darrell Grand Moultrie set to Nina Simone’s “The Desperate Ones.” Video still by Mikey Mann, courtesy of Portland Center Stage.
Larry Owens performs Stephen Sondheim’s “Take Me to the World” for the 2021 PCS Gala. Video still by Mikey Mann, courtesy of Portland Center Stage.
Quinlan Shea Fitzgerald performs “Soar,” the song she composed for the 2021 PCS Gala, accompanied by Joe Kye. Video still by Mikey Mann, courtesy of Portland Center Stage.
Edna Vázquez performs the song “Lo que pasó, pasó” for the 2021 PCS Gala, with ASL interpretation by Sarika Mehta. Video stills by Mikey Mann, courtesy of Portland Center Stage.
From Portland Center Stage:
We were so thrilled and deeply grateful for the huge outpouring of support from our community. Thanks to the many supporters who bid on auction items, bought raffle tickets, and made donations — PCS raised a phenomenal $315,000!
The gala was the kickoff for Soaring Together, a fundraising campaign dedicated to making sure that PCS has the resources needed to soar back on stage as soon as it’s safe to gather for live theater. Donations of all sizes continue to be deeply meaningful to PCS right now. (The link to donate and the video we debuted for Soaring Together can be found at pcs.org/donate.)
Portland Center Stage is the largest theater company in Portland, and among the top 20 regional theaters in the country. Established in 1988 as a branch of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, the company became independent in 1994. Portland Center Stage’s home is at The Armory, a historic building originally constructed in 1891. After a major renovation, The Armory opened in 2006 as the first building on the National Register of Historic Places, and the first performing arts venue in the country, to achieve a LEED Platinum rating. An estimated 160,000 visitors attend The Armory annually to enjoy a mix of classical, contemporary and world premiere productions, along with the annual JAW: A Playwrights Festival, and a variety of high quality education and community programs.
Portland, OR. Nike and OHSU Doernbecher are putting their annual benefit auction on hold while they vet some bidders. The 17th annual event called Virtually Freestyle was online. At one point, a shoe collector’s site reported the pair shown above was selling for more than $2 million. The auction was quickly stopped and Doernbecher released a statement that explained, “Out of an abundance of caution, the OHSU Foundation proactively halted the bidding process of Thursday’s Virtually Freestyle auction and is actively working to verify the authenticity of uncharacteristically high bids. We took these steps as added measures to existing security protocols.”
Due to the impact of COVID-19 pandemic, instead of a range of shoes designed by children, Nike and Doernbecher settled on the “What The” themed Air Jordan 1. The special shoe was created using elements of Doernbecher Freestyle designs of the past. Unlike past years, this shoe isn’t being prepped for a wide release—instead, a very limited run of 17 pairs was produced.
In honor of the 17th year of the program, only 17 pairs of the Air Jordan I “What The” Doernbecher were created. The first Air Jordan I “What The” Doernbecher, with a custom lasered box, was supposed to kick off the auction. Then the remaining 16 pair were suposed to be auctioned on Feb. 26th, but all the bidding has been put on hold.
Nike Product Director, Lee Banks with Freestyle XIV designer, Brody Miller in 2014. Since 2003, Nike and OHSU Doernbecher have collaborated with young designers for Doernbecher Freestlye event. Children battling serious illnesses design some of Nike and Jordan Brand’s most popular sneakers.
Typically, a group of children ages 8 to 15 are selected to work with Nike designers on a range of footwear that’s eventually released to the public. Doernbecher Freestyle raises money and awareness for the hospital. Over the years, the event has raised more than $29 million for the hospital, including $1,898,525 from the 2019 collection.
The children’s hospital is investigating what happened during a kickoff auction on February 25th when bidding on the first pair hit the $2 million dollar mark. For some perspective, last May Michael Jordan’s game-worn, autographed, Nike Air Jordan 1S from 1985 sold for $560,000 at a Sotheby’s auction. That was a world record price.
Doernbecher officials explained what they plan to do going forward with the following statement:
Doernbecher Freestyle adapted to the COVID-19 pandemic by partnering with a reputable online auction vendor to coordinate Virtually Freestyle, the program’s first event, and auction to take place solely online.
The OHSU Foundation is committed to following best practices and ensuring a fair auction. Event attendees interested in submitting bids for Virtually Freestyle auction items, including a special Air Jordan 1 “What The” Doernbecher, were required to agree to a robust Terms and Conditions contract. Bidders were also required to register using a valid credit card number, as a part of the authentication process completed by the online auction vendor.
To allow us the necessary time to reaffirm the validity and security of this and future online bidding processes, we have postponed the online auction of the sixteen remaining pairs of the Air Jordan 1 “What The” Doernbecher previously scheduled to begin Friday, Feb. 26. We will share additional information regarding the status and availability of Virtually Freestyle auction items at a later date.
Doernbecher Freestyle fans, including those that joined us from across the globe for Thursday’s event, know how much the program means to the patients, families, and staff at OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital. We are grateful to Nike, our community members, donors, and sponsors for their support of OHSU Doernbecher, and the young patient-designers behind every Doernbecher Freestyle collection.
Designers call the shoes an unforgettable tribute to former patient-designers, seen through the vault of Air Jordan: an Air Jordan I “What The” Doernbecher, featuring elements from each of the program’s 14 Air Jordan designs.
Below are photos of the specific details of the shoes:
Sheridan, Air Jordan II Doernbecher (2007) A fan of paisley patterns, Sheridan came together with his Nike team to design and create a custom pattern just for him. Originally applied to the tip and quarter panel of his Air Jordan II, the iconic green paisley now makes a special appearance on the right shoe collar and upper of the AJ 1 “What The” Doernbecher. / Caden, Air Jordan VIII Doernbecher (2014) Caden’s reminder to “Be Brave” is prominently placed on the lateral collar overlay on the right Air Jordan I “What The” Doernbecher, and his flaming basketball graphic adorns the outsole.
Daniel, Air Jordan X Doernbecher (2013) Most prominent on Daniel’s original design was the camouflage pattern material that covers the shoe’s upper, and it shows up on the eyestay and under the shoelaces of this year’s shoe. /John, Air Jordan XIII Doernbecher (2015) John’s original design boasts a green and black color scheme inspired by the outfit he wore to OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital for the first time. His original vibrant green material makes a statement on the vamp of the right AJ I “What The” Doernbecher.
Donovon, Air Jordan XV Doernbecher (2018) A fan of Japanese anime, Donovon wanted his original Air Jordan XV design to represent him as a character in his own anime story. Suede dragon scales covered the shoe’s upper, while bright gold accents represented the hero’s armor. Both elements can be found on the AJ I “What The” Doernbecher’s right tip and shiny Swoosh. /Isaac, Air Jordan V Doernbecher (2012) Isaac’s Air Jordan V officially released on September 14, 2013, on what would have been his 14th birthday. The AJ I “What The” Doernbecher celebrates Isaac’s enduring spirit. The material from Isaac’s original design — which features glow-in-the-dark and black-light-activated elements inspired by his love of video games — is included on the quarter panel of the left AJ I.
Damien, Air Jordan VII Doernbecher (2016) Budding rock star Damien added a guitar pick patch on the foxing of his original design, inspired by his favorite guitar, and which includes his initials “DJP.” The patch appears on the left heel foxing of this year’s shoe. /Isaiah, Air Jordan IV Doernbecher (2011) The side quarter panel and cupsole of the right shoe features the green from Isaiah’s original design, which represents his perseverance through life’s ups and downs. /Jordan, Air Jordan VI Doernbecher (2009) This year’s AJ I “What The” Doernbecher right shoe features a metallic gold collar lining inspired by Jordan’s original design, and his icon “1” logo appears on the heel tab.
Cole, Air Jordan III Doernbecher (2010) Look closely at this year’s left shoe collar and outsole to find Cole’s favorite design element: a grid pattern which spells “C-O-L-E” in repetition. / Tony, Air Jordan I Doernbecher (2008) Tony’s original palm trees represent his favorite tropical place, while the angel wing pattern symbolizes everyone, including his family and the Doernbecher team, who supported him during his medical journey. These same angel wings are present on the heel foxing of the left AJ1 “What The” Doernbecher, and his bright yellow contrast stitching on the Swoosh represents the good times cutting through the bad.
Ethan, Air Jordan XIV Doernbecher (2019) The same vibrant, iridescent material on the quarter panel of Ethan’s original design appears on the vamp of this year’s left shoe. /Oswaldo, Air Jordan IX Doernbecher (2012) Leaning into Oswaldo’s “Little Chicken” nickname from his family, this year’s shoe brings his custom-etched, metallic gold and black feather pattern on the tip, eyestay and forefoot overlay.
Carissa, Air Jordan XII Doernbecher (2017) Carissa’s Air Jordan XII design was all spunk, loaded with references to food, pets and colors. That energy is reflected in her design’s wild, marbled pink outsole, which appears on the left outsole of the AJ I “What The” Doernbecher.
Sheridan, Air Jordan II Doernbecher (2007) A fan of paisley patterns, Sheridan came together with his Nike team to design and create a custom pattern just for him. Originally applied to the tip and quarter panel of his Air Jordan II, the iconic green paisley now makes a special appearance on the right shoe collar and upper of the AJ 1 “What The” Doernbecher. / Caden, Air Jordan VIII Doernbecher (2014) Caden’s reminder to “Be Brave” is prominently placed on the lateral collar overlay on the right Air Jordan I “What The” Doernbecher, and his flaming basketball graphic adorns the outsole.
Portland, OR. The University of Portland (UP) is the top producer of Fulbright U.S. Students in the nation among master’s level institutions, according to an annual study just released by the Chronicle of Higher Education. UP ranks first nationally in Fulbright U.S. awardees for the academic year 2020-2021, with 10 students receiving prestigious grants to study, conduct research, and/or teach English abroad. (Master’s Colleges and Universities are institutions that award at least 50 master’s degrees, but fewer than 20 doctorates.)
The University of Portland is located at 5000 N Willamette Blvd Portland.
“This honor reflects very positively on many members of the UP community – the students who went through multiple iterations of their application materials; faculty members who wrote letters of recommendation; and finally the Fulbright Campus Committee composed of many faculty members who read the student applications and offered feedback on how to improve their submissions. Being ranked Number 1 is a validation of the hard work that countless people contributed to the students’ success,” said John Orr, UP Assistant Provost for Undergraduate Scholarly Engagement and Professor of English.
The 2020 Fulbright finalists from UP, and their assigned countries, are Erick Berrelleza (Mexico), Travis Bigelow (Mexico), Joshua Bode (Mexico), Isabel Cortens (Argentina), Autumn Fluetsch (Luxembourg), Athena Hills (Germany), Surabhi Joglekar (Taiwan), Preston Korst (Bulgaria), Amanda Mosler (Colombia), and Joanne Tran (Taiwan).
“We are delighted to see that the colleges and universities we are honoring as 2020-2021 Fulbright Top Producing Institutions reflect the geographic and institutional diversity of higher education in the United States,” said Mary Kirk, Director of the Office of Academic Exchange Programs in the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. “In supporting their faculty advisors and administrators who guide their students through the Fulbright application process, these institutions benefit from having their students represent their campus overseas, often inspiring reciprocal exchanges from foreign ‘Fulbrighters.’ Fulbright U.S. Students enrich their educations, advance their careers, and make valuable contributions abroad and at home. They also expand their networks by joining the diverse and accomplished group of Fulbright alumni and receiving the professional recognition that comes with being named a Fulbright Student.”
About the Fullbright Program:
The Fulbright Program was created to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries. Fulbright is the world’s largest and most diverse international educational exchange program. The primary source of funding for the Fulbright Program is an annual appropriation made by the U.S. Congress to the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.
2021 marks the 75th Anniversary of the Fulbright Program. Celebrations throughout the year will highlight the impressive accomplishments and legacy of the program and its alumni over its first 75 years, both in the United States and around the world. A dedicated 75th anniversary website will be updated throughout 2021 to showcase Fulbright alumni, partner countries, and anniversary events.
Since its inception in 1946, over 400,000 people from all backgrounds—recent university graduates, teachers, scientists and researchers, artists, and more—have participated in the Fulbright Program and returned with an expanded worldview, a deep appreciation for their host country and its people, and a new network of colleagues and friends. Fulbright alumni have become heads of state, judges, ambassadors, cabinet ministers, CEOs, and university presidents, as well as leading journalists, artists, scientists, and teachers. They include 60 Nobel Laureates, 88 Pulitzer Prize winners, 75 MacArthur Fellows, and thousands of leaders across the private, public and non-profit sectors.
For more information on the University’s ranking, please go here. For further information about the Fulbright Program, please visit here.
From University of Portland:
The University of Portland is an independently governed Catholic university guided by the Congregation of Holy Cross; with a mission focusing on teaching and learning, faith and formation, and service and leadership. Multiple national media platforms consistently rank the University among the top institutions of higher education in the American West. It is the only school in Oregon to offer a College of Arts & Sciences, a graduate school, and nationally accredited programs in the schools of business, education, engineering and nursing. More information is available at www.up.edu.
Beaverton, OR. Nike co-founder Phil Knight and his wife Penny ranked 4th nationally in philanthropic giving for 2020. The couple donated $1.37 billion in charitable gifts, according to a new report from the Chronicle of Philanthropy. The Chronicle reports the Knights gave $465 million to the University of Oregon in 2020 and $900.7 million to the Knight Foundation, a private foundation the family formed in 1997. Additionally, the Knights supported the Oregon Community Foundation Recovery Fund, which is providing pandemic relief. They also gave Oregon Health & Science University a grant for Covid-19 testing, treatment, and containment, according to the Chronicle.
Every February, the Chronicle of Philanthropy reports on the 50 donors who made the biggest gifts during the previous calendar year. Overall, donors on the top-50 list gave big to address poverty, the ongoing Covid pandemic, and racial-justice issues.
The philanthropists in the 2020 rankings gave away $24.7 billion last year, but they’re not required to publicly disclose how much they give or which causes they support. Emily Haynes from the Chronicle of Philanthropy credits her colleague Maria Di Mento for compiling the list.
Jeff Bezos topped the list by donating $10 billion to launch the Bezos Earth Fund to mitigate climate change. On February 2nd, Bezos announced he was stepping down as Amazon CEO to devote more time to philanthropy and other projects. He also contributed $100 million to Feeding America, an organization that supplies more than 200 food banks.
Below is the Chronicle of Philanthropy list of the 50 donors who made the biggest gifts in 2020.
1. Jeff Bezos
$10,150,000,000
LOCATION: Medina, Wash.
WEALTH SOURCE: Technology
TOP CAUSE: Environmental Conservation
2. MacKenzie Scott
$5,734,000,000
LOCATION: Seattle, Wash.
WEALTH SOURCE: Technology
TOP CAUSE: Human Services
3. Michael Bloomberg
$1,600,000,000
LOCATION: New York, N.Y.
WEALTH SOURCE: Media
TOP CAUSE: Various
4. Philip and Penelope Knight
$1,365,667,500
LOCATION: Portland, Ore.
WEALTH SOURCE: Manufacturing and Retail
TOP CAUSE: Higher Education
5. Jack Dorsey
$1,099,237,116
LOCATION: San Francisco, Calif.
WEALTH SOURCE: Technology
TOP CAUSE: Pandemic Relief
6. John and Laura Arnold
$567,000,000
LOCATION: Houston, Tex.
WEALTH SOURCE: Energy; Finance
TOP CAUSE: Various
7. Eric and Wendy Schmidt
$469,600,000
LOCATION: Atherton, Calif.
WEALTH SOURCE: Technology
TOP CAUSE: Various
8. Pierre and Pam Omidyar
$441,000,000
LOCATION: Honolulu, Hawaii
WEALTH SOURCE: Technology
TOP CAUSE: Various
9. Frederick and June Kummer
$300,000,000
LOCATION: St. Louis, Mo.
WEALTH SOURCE: Construction
TOP CAUSE: Higher Education
10. Denny Sanford
$224,238,000
LOCATION: Sioux Falls, S.D.
WEALTH SOURCE: Finance
TOP CAUSE: Various
11. Stephen Ross
$179,500,000
LOCATION: New York, N.Y.
WEALTH SOURCE: Real estate
TOP CAUSE: Higher Education
12. John and Susan Sobrato
$176,750,000
LOCATION: Cupertino, Calif.
WEALTH SOURCE: Real estate
TOP CAUSE: Various
13. Bill and Melinda Gates
$157,000,000
LOCATION: Medina, Wash.
WEALTH SOURCE: Technology
TOP CAUSE: Various
14. Reed Hastings and Patty Quillin
$151,000,000
LOCATION: Los Gatos, Calif.
WEALTH SOURCE: Entertainment
TOP CAUSE: Financial Aid
15. Sheryl Sandberg
$122,803,653
LOCATION: Menlo Park, Calif.
WEALTH SOURCE: Technology
TOP CAUSE: Various
16. Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan
$120,000,000
LOCATION: Palo Alto, Calif.
WEALTH SOURCE: Technology
TOP CAUSE: Various
17. Craig Newmark
$100,000,000
LOCATION: San Francisco, Calif.
WEALTH SOURCE: Advertising
TOP CAUSE: Various
17. David and Barbara Roux
$100,000,000
LOCATION: Upperville, Va.
WEALTH SOURCE: Finance; Technology
TOP CAUSE: Higher Education
19. Phyllis Brissenden
$96,878,452
LOCATION: Springfield, Ill.
WEALTH SOURCE: Investments
TOP CAUSE: Performing Arts
20. Sergey Brin and Nicole Shanahan
$78,300,000
LOCATION: Mountain View, Calif.
WEALTH SOURCE: Technology
TOP CAUSE: Various
21. Irwin and Joan Jacobs
$66,414,006
LOCATION: La Jolla, Calif.
WEALTH SOURCE: Telecommunications
TOP CAUSE: Various
22. George and Renee Karfunkel
$66,400,000
LOCATION: Brooklyn, N.Y.
WEALTH SOURCE: Finance; Real Estate
TOP CAUSE: Religion
23. Arthur Blank
$65,700,000
LOCATION: Atlanta, Ga.
WEALTH SOURCE: Retail
TOP CAUSE: Various
24. Charles and Helen Schwab
$65,000,000
LOCATION: Atherton, Calif.
WEALTH SOURCE: Finance
TOP CAUSE: Homelessness
25. Hock Tan and Lisa Yang
$64,450,000
LOCATION: San Jose, Calif.
WEALTH SOURCE: Technology
TOP CAUSE: Neuroscience
26. Wilbur (Billy) and Ann Powers
$60,000,000
LOCATION: Florence, S.C.
WEALTH SOURCE: Construction
TOP CAUSE: Higher Education
27. David and Dana Dornsife
$59,000,000
LOCATION: Danville, Calif.
WEALTH SOURCE: Manufacturing
TOP CAUSE: Clean Water
28. Robert Smith
$54,997,551
LOCATION: Austin, Tex.
WEALTH SOURCE: Finance
TOP CAUSE: College-Loan Debt
29. Leon and Debra Black
$53,800,000
LOCATION: New York, N.Y.
WEALTH SOURCE: Finance
TOP CAUSE: Various
30. Gail Miller
$52,800,000
LOCATION: Sandy, Utah
WEALTH SOURCE: Entertainment; Retail
TOP CAUSE: Health Care
31. Michael Jordan
$52,000,000
LOCATION: Charlotte, N.C.
WEALTH SOURCE: Professional Sports
TOP CAUSE: Racial Justice
32. Richard and Mary Templeton
$51,000,000
LOCATION: Dallas, Tex.
WEALTH SOURCE: Technology
TOP CAUSE: Higher Education
33. Chris Malachowsky
$50,000,000
LOCATION: Santa Clara, Calif.
WEALTH SOURCE: Technology
TOP CAUSE: Artificial Intelligence
33. Gordon Rausser
$50,000,000
LOCATION: Berkeley, Calif.
WEALTH SOURCE: Investments
TOP CAUSE: Higher Education
33. Sheldon and Anne Vogel
$50,000,000
LOCATION: Colts Neck, N.J.
WEALTH SOURCE: Entertainment
TOP CAUSE: Health Care
36. Ronald and Eileen Weiser
$44,522,281
LOCATION: Ann Arbor, Mich.
WEALTH SOURCE: Real Estate
TOP CAUSE: Higher Education
37. Bob and JoAnn Glick
$42,350,000
LOCATION: Cleveland, Ohio
WEALTH SOURCE: Retail
TOP CAUSE: Health Care
38. Jim and Thomas Duff
$41,145,000
LOCATION: Columbia, Miss.
WEALTH SOURCE: Investments
TOP CAUSE: Higher Education
39. Richard and Nancy Kinder
$40,030,500
LOCATION: Houston, Tex.
WEALTH SOURCE: Energy
TOP CAUSE: Various
40. Marc and Lynne Benioff
$40,000,000
LOCATION: San Francisco, Calif.
WEALTH SOURCE: Technology
TOP CAUSE: Environmental Conservation
40. William and Joanne Conway
$40,000,000
LOCATION: McLean, Va.
WEALTH SOURCE: Finance
TOP CAUSE: Nursing
40. Haslam family
$40,000,000
LOCATION: Knoxville, Tenn.
WEALTH SOURCE: Retail
TOP CAUSE: Higher Education
40. Will and Cary Singleton
$40,000,000
LOCATION: Santa Monica, Calif.
WEALTH SOURCE: Agriculture; Family wealth
TOP CAUSE: Neuroscience
44. Irvin Kanthak
$33,700,000*
LOCATION: Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif.
WEALTH SOURCE: Real Estate
TOP CAUSE: Financial Aid
45. Bruce and Debra Grewcock
$30,000,000
LOCATION: Omaha, Neb.
WEALTH SOURCE: Construction
TOP CAUSE: Financial Aid
45. Daniel and Jennifer Hord
$30,000,000
LOCATION: Midland, Tex.
WEALTH SOURCE: Oil; Real Estate
TOP CAUSE: Financial Aid
47. Joseph Gebbia Jr.
$27,000,000
LOCATION: San Francisco, Calif.
WEALTH SOURCE: Technology
TOP CAUSE: Homelessness
48. Richard McVey
$25,900,000
LOCATION: New York, N.Y.
WEALTH SOURCE: Finance
TOP CAUSE: Higher Education
49. Warner and Debbie Lusardi
$25,050,000
LOCATION: Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.
WEALTH SOURCE: Construction
TOP CAUSE: Health Care
50. Steve and Jackie Bell
$25,000,000
LOCATION: Greensboro, N.C.
WEALTH SOURCE: Real Estate
TOP CAUSE: Higher Education
50. Christopher and Lisa Jeffries
$25,000,000
LOCATION: Miami, Fla.
WEALTH SOURCE: Real Estate
TOP CAUSE: Health Care
50. Brad and Alys Smith
$25,000,000
LOCATION: Mountain View, Calif.
WEALTH SOURCE: Technology
TOP CAUSE: Economic Development
50. Helena Theurer
$25,000,000
LOCATION: Park Ridge, N.J.
WEALTH SOURCE: Real estate
TOP CAUSE: Health Care
No. 2 on the list was Bezos’s ex-wife, MacKenzie Scott, who gave $5.7 billion in 2020 to 512 organizations by asking community leaders to help identify worthy groups for seven- and eight-figure gifts, including food banks, human-service organizations, and racial-justice charities.
Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey, who ranked No. 5, put $1.1 billion into a fund that by year’s end had distributed at least $330 million to more than 100 nonprofits. The financier Charles Schwab and his wife, Helen (No. 24), gave $65 million to address homelessness in San Francisco. Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings and wife, Patty Quillin (No. 14), gave $120 million for financial aid for students at historically Black colleges and universities. Michael Jordan, the basketball great (No. 31), pledged $50 million to racial and social-justice groups.
“When I look at the events of the last year, there was an awakening for the philanthropic sector,” says Nick Tedesco, president of the National Center for Family Philanthropy. “Donors supported community-led efforts of recovery and resiliency, particularly those led by people of color.”
Giving experts say they think the trend toward broader giving is likely to persist.
That’s significant given the immense sums top donors are able to contribute. The top five donors this year gave $1 billion-plus, matching last year’s record. No more than three donors gave $1 billion or more in any of the previous years.
Nearly a third of the donors on the list made their fortunes in technology. Tech billionaires’ wealth is compounding while many working people are still suffering from the pandemic’s fallout. Given that disparity, philanthropic expectations have never been higher. David Beasley, executive director of the United Nations World Food Program, highlighted the disparate effects of the pandemic in a January interview on the PBS NewsHour.
“During the pandemic, billionaires made $5.2 billion in increased wealth per day,” he said. “All we are asking for is $5 billion to avert famine around the world. I don’t think that’s too much to ask.”
Some of the ultrawealthy are nevertheless holding back on giving. Among them is Tesla chief executive Elon Musk, whose $180 billion fortune puts him neck-and-neck with Bezos for richest person in the world. Musk is not on the Philanthropy 50 and has faced criticism for his meager lifetime donations, estimated in a recent Vox article at just 0.05 percent of his current net worth.
“It’s unconscionable for someone like that to not give in a meaningful way,” says Phil Buchanan, president of the Center for Effective Philanthropy.
Many of those who did give big chose to support small and midsize charities. But popular causes like higher education still saw sizable contributions.
Benjamin Soskis, a research associate at the Center on Nonprofits and Philanthropy at the Urban Institute, says the most striking change in this year’s Philanthropy 50 list is that it presents a plurality of options for giving. Colleges and universities received $2.2 billion from Philanthropy 50 donors in 2020, but it’s notable that many of them were historically black colleges and universities, Soskis says.
“There’s a big difference between a hypothetical ‘Why didn’t you give to an HBCU instead of Harvard?’ and today’s list, where you can point to donors who actually did that.”
As in years past, the Philanthropy 50 list for 2020 is overwhelmingly white — but that’s no reason for major-gift officers to ignore potential donors of color. Roughly 14 percent of millionaires are people of color, and that number seems likely to grow as demographics keep changing. I put together a sampling of donors of color to watch. Many of them — such as financier Mellody Hobson, art collector Eileen Harris Norton, and biopharmaceutical entrepreneur Jie Du — gave to colleges and universities. Racial justice was another popular cause.
Ashland, OR. The Oregon Shakespeare Festival (OSF) announced the Festival’s 2021 season; it’s an array of programming with digital and live productions. The combination of multi-format programming is evidence of OSF’s continued commitment to presenting world-class theatre on stage and its recent foray into digital programming, which introduces fans, supporters, and new audiences worldwide to the company’s artistry. (Above is a photo from OSF’s 2020 production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Photo: Jenny Graham.) Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and uncertainties associated with it, OSF will hold off announcing specific dates and ticket sales for onstage productions until there is more clarity around reopening, gathering, and social distancing guidelines. All onstage events are subject to change.
Here’s a video about the announcement:
The Oregon Shakespeare Festival is a nonprofit professional theatre founded in 1935 and located in Ashland.
The Oregon Shakespeare Festival 2000 production of Macbeth. Photo: David Cooper.
The 2021 season features classics and new works streaming from the OSF archives, new works presented on OSF’s digital platform, O!, and a Fall 2021 live season on OSF’s campus in Ashland, Oregon, extending into January for the first time with OSF’s first winter special. All live performances will be subject to health department guidelines and government restrictions on large gatherings.
“2020 marked a paradigm shift in which OSF was catapulted into different ways of creating and supporting artists and art-making. In launching our digital platform, O!, nearly a year ago, the initial goal was to provide an exploratory space to intersect theatre with other forms of media,” said Nataki Garrett, OSF artistic director. “Now joined together with a compelling schedule of Fall and Winter onstage programming, O! has evolved into a marquee fourth stage, where new and innovative projects will play alongside some of OSF’s most beloved and well-known productions.”
“I could not be more excited and honored in partnering with Nataki to introduce this extraordinary combination of digital and onstage programming as the OSF 2021 season,” said David Schmitz, OSF executive director. “This unique first-ever multiformat season reflects OSF’s commitment to innovation, agility, and progress throughout the most extraordinary global circumstances we are all facing. And we are eager to get back to creating live performances when the health authority and governmental restrictions allow us to do so.”
The 2021 digital on-demand streaming season includes a limited-run schedule of favorites from the OSF archives beginning with Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare, directed by Shana Cooper; Manahatta by Mary Kathryn Nagle, directed by Laurie Woolery; and Snow in Midsummer by Frances Ya-Chu Cowhig, based on the classical Chinese drama The Injustice to Dou Yi That Moved Heaven and Earth and directed by Justin Audibert. Tickets are now available for all three productions. More streaming productions curated from OSF’s digital archives will be announced in the coming months.
“Along with our archival streaming shows, O! will continue to present exciting new programming—digital theatre, film, and immersive projects—throughout the year, bringing OSF’s celebrated artistry of OSF into homes around the world,” added Garrett.
OSF 2021 On Stage programming includes a repertory of four productions: August Wilson’s How I Learned What I Learned, featuring Steven Anthony Jones and directed by Tim Bond; the West Coast premiere of unseen by Mona Mansour, directed by Evren Odcikin; the American Revolutions world premiere of Confederates by Dominique Morisseau, directed by Nataki Garrett; and the season will culminate in OSF’s first winter special, It’s Christmas, Carol! by beloved OSF actors Mark Bedard, Brent Hinkley, and John Tufts.
OSF is known for its large-scale productions like this 2018 production of Romeo and Juliet directed by Dámaso Rodríguez. Emily Ota (Juliet) and William Thomas Hodgson (Romeo) joined a large cast in the timeless story of love as seen in the video below.
From OSF:
Our mission statement helps guide us in all of our endeavors here at OSF: Inspired by Shakespeare’s work and the cultural richness of the United States, we reveal our collective humanity through illuminating interpretations of new and classic plays, deepened by the kaleidoscope of rotating repertory.
A major theatre arts organization, OSF offers a diversity of plays as well as events and activities to enhance your overall experience.
The Oregon Shakespeare Festival is a not-for-profit professional theatre founded in 1935. Our eight-month season runs through the month of October, and we have three theatres: our two indoor stages—the Angus Bowmer Theatre and the Thomas Theatre—and our flagship outdoor Allen Elizabethan Theatre, which opens in early June and runs through mid-October. We offer up to 11 different plays that include works by Shakespeare as well as a mix of classics, musicals and world-premiere plays. When you visit you can see one or two plays or up to nine plays in one week!
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