The Marie Equi Center
Mission
To enrich the health of the trans, queer, intersex and gender-expansive community through trauma-informed care, culturally-affirming services and social justice advocacy.
Bottom Line for Portland
The Marie Equi Center is a vital resource for Portland’s trans, queer, and gender-diverse communities, offering peer-led support to navigate healthcare, housing resources, and harm reduction services. Our Day Center fosters community building, mutual aid, and a safe space for those who face systemic barriers. By centering the voices of marginalized individuals, we are reshaping how care and community are accessed, driving systemic change toward a more inclusive and just Portland where everyone belongs.
Quote
“People don’t see me as another staff or someone superior, they see me as one of their own. It helps me open the door to get to know them better to be able to help them in more specific ways. They build trust in me, they share more stuff with me, and that’s one of the biggest things we need is trust. And that way I can know exactly how to help” - Lupe Medina, Community Health Worker
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
At The Marie Equi Center, we recognize that true healing for our community must address the root causes of inequity and oppression. Our services are centered around the unique needs of unhoused and low-income trans, queer, and gender-diverse individuals, BIPOC communities, people who use drugs, disabled folks, and elders. We are committed to intersectional accessibility and transformative justice, ensuring that our staff are trained to approach care with cultural humility, trauma-informed practices, and anti-oppressive leadership. Through community advocacy, education, and systems change, we strive to create a world where everyone can thrive with dignity and belonging.
The Marie Equi Center is in the Human Services category which is sponsored by The Standard.
They're a medium-sized organization with activities in Clackamas Co., Multnomah Co., Washington Co. and beyond.