LOOKING EVER UPWARD... REACHING EVER BACKWARD... MARCHING EVER FORWARD
Welcome to the Bridge Builders
The Bridge Builders is a community of volunteers who remove destructive
barriers from a child’s development and replaces them with constructive tools
to build a strong community. Through African-centered rites of passage,
The Bridge Builders organization has assisted hundreds of Portland (Oregon)
area adolescents of African descent since 1996 to transform, internally,
into Gentlemen and Oshun. Participants in The Bridge Builders rites
of passage program are guided through a personal journey of transformation
that takes them over troubled waters that have destroyed so many of our
young people’s dreams. Instead of drowning in hopelessness,
under achievement, ignorance, apathy, and selfish ambition, the youth in
this program cross a bridge that is anchored by four incredibly strong pillars: spirituality,
scholarship, entrepreneurship and community building. More about "The Bridge Builders" Program ...
Upcoming Events
THE BRIDGE BUILDERS CELEBRATE ITS
AFRICAN ANCESTORS AND HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES
The public is warmly invited to join The Bridge Builders at the Maafa Commemoration and Announcement program on Saturday, June 16, 2007 at 8 p.m. at The University of Portland, Buckley Hall - Rm. 163, 5000 N. Willamette Blvd., Portland, 97203.
Maafa is a Swahili word that means, "great catastrophe." So this special event marks the great catastrophe of centuries ago when 50 million Africans died as they were transported during the middle passage from Africa to slave-trading countries including America.
On Saturday The Bridge Builders will first recognize its senior graduates who are participating in the organization's African-centered rights of passage program through the Prospective Gents and Imminent Ladies of Virtue clubs at the Announcement program. More than 15 passage candidates from schools including Benson, Central Catholic, Grant, Aloha, David Douglas, Roosevelt, and Jesuit will take part in the ceremony and give awe-inspiring speeches that they have spent months preparing.
After the Announcement the students, their families and guests will gather at the knoll on the University of Portland campus where the Ben York statue is located for the Maafa to release white helium-filled balloons commemorating the millions of lives lost and sing Negro spirituals.
Because this is a special ceremony all attendees are asked to where white in accordance, and bring several of their own white helium balloons.
Events
The 2007 "The Call" for students on May 14 at the University of Portland was a wonderful showing of students and families who want to improve their lives and communities by participating in the Bridge Builders' rites of passage programs and Prospective Gents and Imminent Ladies of Virtue clubs. More than 150 people attended the event to learn about the process, requirements of them, and the many ways the program has enriched the lives of Prospective Gents and ILOVs and why the program is unique.
This year a special focus was put on recruiting current 8th grade students, but all high school grade levels are welcome to apply. Dozens of 8th grade students responded by attending from as far as Beaverton and Vancouver and inviting their friends along.
The Bridge Builders are excited about these potential new applicants and are eager to get the rigorous process underway!
