Support Jennifer’s Delegate Journey to the DNC Convention!!

Hi all,

My name is Jennifer Parrish Taylor and I just got elected as an at-large delegate to the DNC convention in Chicago and I need some help getting there. While I’m super excited, I am also currently a graduate student, and paying for my wedding in August do funds are a little tight. I believe that it is important that we have a delegation that is representative of all the diversity of Oregon. As the Director of Advocacy and Public Policy for the Urban League of Portland, I have dedicated my career to advancing equity and justice for Black communities (and by extension all communities) in Oregon and Southwest Washington. Since July 2021, I have meticulously organized support for policies that dismantle racial disparities and barriers in employment, education, healthcare, and economic development.

Before joining the Urban League, I served as the Northwest Regional Advocacy Manager for Compassion and Choices, where I advised on legislative campaigns and ballot strategies across several states, ensuring effective grassroots activism and strategic campaign planning. As the Integrated Voter Engagement Program Manager at Groundswell Fund, I managed annual work plans and budgets while developing grantees' capacity to meet long-term organizational goals. My political acumen was honed as the State Affiliate Political Organizer for the American Federation of Teachers, where I orchestrated statewide political campaigns and mobilized union members for political action. My commitment to worker rights continued with the Service Employees International Union and Working America, where I organized workers and mobilized members around key issues.

I began my political career as a volunteer coordinator with the Kerry/Edwards campaign in Cincinnati, OH and carried over to later in life when I held several positions including a pivotal role on the Obama for America campaign, where I managed volunteer operations and facilitated the delegate process for the 2008 Democratic National Convention; I then went on to work in the Obama administration as Special Assistant to the Chief of Staff at the Peace Corps. There, I collaborated on compliance and diversity initiatives, gaining valuable experience in data analysis and stakeholder engagement. I hold a Bachelor's degree in African-American Studies from Smith College and am pursuing a Master’s in Public Policy and Political Science at Portland State University. My career reflects an unwavering commitment to justice, equity, and community empowerment. I am passionate about creating transformative change through public policy and advocacy.

We stand at a critical juncture in our nation's history where we are not just deciding the path we will take for the next four years, but the very soul of our nation. Our values of equality, justice, and opportunity for all are under siege. Yet, in these challenging times, I see incredible opportunities to build a more inclusive America. If selected to fill this role, my dedication to electing Democrats up and down the ticket in November will be driven by a deeply personal commitment to service. My mother, a dedicated civil servant, instilled in me the values of hard work, integrity, and community. While planning her memorial, I sought a quote that encapsulated her values and found one by Marian Wright Edelman, then President and Founder of the Children’s Defense Fund: “Service is the rent we pay for being. It is the very purpose of life and not something you do in your spare time.” I keep her celebration of life program at my desk as a constant reminder that I am here to serve. I would appreciate any and all help, thanks!