Our Board of Directors was confirmed for the current term by our Members, April 2021.
Dominique Price, MSW, QMHP, UPRISE Board Member, Treasurer
Dominique Price (she/her/hers). First-generation college degree earner (Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Master’s Degree in Social Work), Chicana/Latina, poet on a spiritual path. Originating from Nevada and New Mexico, experiences of domestic violence, sexual abuse, homelessness/transience, and mental health challenges are part of a personal history which inspire a parallel path of supporting others. Career includes years of environmental work and direct social service work in community mental health and drug treatment settings with youth, young adults, older adults and justice involved women. Volunteer work includes mentoring youth, working with houseless community members, and supporting a non-profit camp on the Oregon Coast. Particular interests include radical mental health/anti-psychiatry, anti-capitalism, anti-imperialism, feminist, criminal justice, reform and social justice/social change practice. Time spent in the luscious company of friends, family and co-workers traveling, enjoying food, movies, music, deep conversations and being outside are sustenance for the soul.
Israa Hasan, UPRISE Board Member, Storykeeper
Israa Hasani (she/her/hers) Israa Hasani was born in Baghdad, Iraq and immigrated to the United States in 1996. She identifies as an Arab immigrant Muslim woman. She is a survivor of war herself and has experienced dictatorship and militarization, all of which has affected her beliefs in peace, justice, and equity. Israa earned a B.S. in psychology and a master’s degree in social work from Portland State University.
Israa served the greater community of Portland through working to narrow the gap of misunderstanding between cultures, increase diversity, and improve inclusivity through education, the art, and intercultural/ interfaith relations. She worked as a cultural consultant to several theaters in Oregon including the Portland Center Stage Center at the Armory. In her role as a cultural consultant, she challenges the gaze of the western orientalists representation of Middle Eastern women in general and Iraqi women in particular. Israa tells the story of her home country through the eyes of the women, she applies a complex scope of political, historical, sociological, and spiritual knowledge to ensure a wide representation of Iraqi women and to establish the knowledge of their important but, forgotten role during war and peace.
Israa works through the lens of decolonization using Releationality as a model to create safe and inclusive spaces that do not center itself around heteronormativity, white supremacy, imperialist values.
Israa has served for nine years as a mental health provider for immigrants, refugees and survivors of torture. She currently resides in the Portland metro area and works at Cascadia Behavioral Healthcare serving people living with sever and persistent mental health experiences.
Israa served the greater community of Portland through working to narrow the gap of misunderstanding between cultures, increase diversity, and improve inclusivity through education, the art, and intercultural/ interfaith relations. She worked as a cultural consultant to several theaters in Oregon including the Portland Center Stage Center at the Armory. In her role as a cultural consultant, she challenges the gaze of the western orientalists representation of Middle Eastern women in general and Iraqi women in particular. Israa tells the story of her home country through the eyes of the women, she applies a complex scope of political, historical, sociological, and spiritual knowledge to ensure a wide representation of Iraqi women and to establish the knowledge of their important but, forgotten role during war and peace.
Israa works through the lens of decolonization using Releationality as a model to create safe and inclusive spaces that do not center itself around heteronormativity, white supremacy, imperialist values.
Israa has served for nine years as a mental health provider for immigrants, refugees and survivors of torture. She currently resides in the Portland metro area and works at Cascadia Behavioral Healthcare serving people living with sever and persistent mental health experiences.
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Dustina Haase-Lanier, MSW, UPRISE Board Member, Facilitator
Dustina Haase-Lanier, MSW has been a social justice warrior for 20 years. She started as a volunteer at the domestic violence shelter where she once sought refuge and became an advocate. She was the LGBTQ domestic and sexual violence specialist at the Clark County YWCA and the Technical Coordinator at the Oregon Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence, leading trainings and workshops all over the state of Oregon and at national conferences. She is committed to social justice work, particularly focusing on Native American and other women of color.
Abdul Fofanah, MSW, QMHP, UPRISE Board Member
Abdul Fofanah, MSW, QMHP (he/him/his) Born in Sierra Leone, Abdul Fofanah is a community organizer and social change agent. He is passionate about uplifting human capacity across socioeconomic and cultural divides. He has worked in various non-profits and governmental organizations providing culturally responsive supports in building capacity for underserved communities to thrive. He currently works as a mental health clinician for Cascadia Behavioral Healthcare.
Asa Wright, MFA, UPRISE Board Member (former Treasurer)
Asa Wright, MFA
Klamath/Modoc
Pronouns: he/him/his
Artist | Designer | Activist
Asa is an enrolled member of the Klamath Tribes from Chiloquin, Oregon though he has called Portland home for the last 20 years. He is an artist of many mediums. Asa has a Bachelors degree in Public Health from Portland State University and a Masters degree in Collaborative Design from Pacific NW College of Art. He is a proud pa to daughter Yukpa and spoiled pup Wasu.
Asa blends his backgrounds in public health and art/design to work on cultural revitalization, decolonization and positive social change. Asa also creates art for action, art that brings about awareness of social justice issues that motivate communities, people and organizations to mobilize for direct change.
Coordinator for IP3-Indigenous Peoples Power Project,
Owner of Thesebraids Art & Design
Director Sa'aMaqs Studio
Founder of Portland Two Spirit Society
Hopper magazine article
Klamath/Modoc
Pronouns: he/him/his
Artist | Designer | Activist
Asa is an enrolled member of the Klamath Tribes from Chiloquin, Oregon though he has called Portland home for the last 20 years. He is an artist of many mediums. Asa has a Bachelors degree in Public Health from Portland State University and a Masters degree in Collaborative Design from Pacific NW College of Art. He is a proud pa to daughter Yukpa and spoiled pup Wasu.
Asa blends his backgrounds in public health and art/design to work on cultural revitalization, decolonization and positive social change. Asa also creates art for action, art that brings about awareness of social justice issues that motivate communities, people and organizations to mobilize for direct change.
Coordinator for IP3-Indigenous Peoples Power Project,
Owner of Thesebraids Art & Design
Director Sa'aMaqs Studio
Founder of Portland Two Spirit Society
Hopper magazine article
Magdalena Ruiz, UPRISE Board Member
Magdalena Ruiz (she/her/hers) worked in a non-profit organization in Portland for more than 16 years, leading a team to create partnerships with immigrant families from diverse countries in the world, focusing on family well-being, health, parent-child relationships, and parenting education. Her family is made up of her partner, two wonderful children, and a grandchild. In her time off, she enjoys spending time reading, listening to music, and doing yoga.
Past Board Members
Marina Barcelo, MSW, MA, Former UPRISE Story Keeper
Marina Barcelo, MSW, MA, (she/her/hers) is the Student Inclusion Coordinator at Portland State University’s School of Social Work, where she provides ongoing student and faculty support in the areas of recruitment and retention, with a specific focus on students of color and first generation students. Marina provides direct clinical support, as well as leadership around institutional change. In addition to her service on the UPRISE Collective Board, Marina serves as the Board Vice President of the ACLU of Oregon. She also serves as a board member of Momentum Alliance, a youth led organization that mentors social justice leaders. Marina is a reproductive justice advocate and member of We Are BRAVE, a people of color led coalition working at the intersections of reproductive justice, immigrant rights, youth movements, health equity, and tribal sovereignty. Lastly, Marina is a member of the Oregon Community Foundation’s Latino Partnership Program Advisory Council, where she helps strengthen Latino engagement in and influence on social and economic issues that affect their lives and communities. Marina holds a Master’s of Social Work, a Master’s in Women’s & Gender Studies, and a Certificate in Nonprofit Management & Philanthropy from Loyola University Chicago. In her “free time,” Marina serves her communities through movement. She is a NASM Certified Personal Trainer and owner of Dude Girl PDX, providing body-positive fitness instruction for all levels, body shapes and sizes, and abilities.
Dr. Gita Mehrotra, Former UPRISE Board Member
Gita Mehrotra (she/her/hers) is currently on the faculty at Portland State University, School of Social Work. Prior to entering academia Gita did domestic violence work for over a decade years in a variety of capacities including: direct service, education/training, and program and organizational development, with a focus on API communities and LGBTQ communities of color. Gita has also been involved with community building within queer and trans communities of color for over 20 years in the Midwest and West Coast. Gita’s current research and teaching interests include: racial equity and social justice within social work education and in organizational contexts, intimate violence in minoritized communities, & queer people of color identities & wellness. gita is also currently a member of the community advisory committee for Bradley Angle's LGBTQ program in Portland, OR and also serves on the board for Social Justice Fund Northwest.