The Red Door Project

Mission

The Red Door Project’s mission is to use the power of stories to bring difference into the spotlight, illuminate our shared humanity, and create opportunities for new thinking. Our bold intention is that our work will help bring about systemic changes so that race, gender, nationality, religion, income or other differences are not significant factors in how people are treated. Currently, we are focused on the conflict between our justice systems and the communities they serve, which results in racial profiling, disparities in sentencing, and other undue harms which disproportionately impact low income communities of color, particularly Black and Native communities.

Bottom Line for Portland

Our core program, the Evolve Experience, centers around performances of true stories from police officers, judges, and Black community members’ experiences at the intersection of race, policing, and the wider justice sector. Evolve’s story-based curriculum teaches skills that are crucial for overcoming polarization and connecting across difference, such as self-awareness, flexibility, curiosity, and a willingness to grapple with complexity, and empowers participants to develop and practice thoughtful strategies for engaging in conflict productively. Through Evolve we are changing the way justice sector professionals interact with community members, and how those communities understand the institutions and individuals who have sworn to protect and serve them. Evolve creates opportunities for transformation at the individual, community, and institutional levels.

Quote

“The Red Door Project, through its Evolve Experience program, gives us an opportunity to learn about how others experience the world, and to develop empathy.  The monologues provide a glimpse into what can be charged issues that can generate profound disagreement and, through art, allow us to see our common humanity across differences, discover shared values, consider alternative views, see multiple truths and understand what it might feel like to be someone else.”

Chief Justice Martha Walters, OR Supreme Court

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

The Red Door is built on a foundation of diversity, equity, and inclusion. It's at the core of everything we do! We are guided by the adage “Nothing About Me Without Me” therefore we engage both people of color and justice sector professionals in the ongoing assessment and development of our work.

Incentives

All donors $10 and above will receive a free taco from Por Que No Taqueria

10 donors $100 or above will receive 2 tickets to see True Story at Artists Repertory Theatre in May 2023

Por Que No will match donations of $200 or above up to $2,500

All donors will receive exclusive access to Red Door Project content, to be announced throughout the campaign. Sign up for our newsletter to stay informed!

Business Partner(s)

¿Por Qué No? Taqueria is a Portland mainstay and long-term partner of the Red Door Project. Treat yourself to a taco on their patio, and feel free to bring your dog!

NW Printed Solutions is our long-term printing partner, and they will be supporting our campaign with discounted printing services.

The Red Door Project is an Artists Repertory Theatre ArtsHub member. We have shared space, mutual support, and creative team members with them, and the other ArtsHub members, for many years!