Joey Pope Award for Parks Leadership
2026 Honorees
The Joey Pope Award for Parks Leadership was established in 2022 to recognize an emerging leader, organization, or initiative promoting greater innovation and accessibility in Portland’s system of parks and open spaces. Learn more here.
Talietha Mathis
Better Chances Inc.
Talietha Mathis is the Executive Director of Better Chances Inc. (BCI) which is a 100% volunteer-run nonprofit activating parks and recreation spaces in North and Northeast Portland as structured environments for youth leadership, mentorship, and growth. During Talietha’s leadership, BCI has established itself in just a few years as a reliable and respected presence within Portland’s park system, demonstrating what disciplined, volunteer-led leadership can accomplish. Whether on the court, in the garden, or in the community, each experience reinforces responsibility and positive youth development.
Advancing Equity, Access & Cultural Understanding
Talietha’s commitment to advancing equity and cultural understanding within the parks system is evident in her programs aimed at historically excluded groups. Through the “Future Leaders” initiative, she creates an inclusive environment where youth from diverse backgrounds can engage in discussions about cultural identity and community issues. This initiative not only empowers participants to embrace their cultural heritage but also fosters a sense of belonging and shared responsibility. By prioritizing accessibility in all her programs, Talietha actively works to dismantle barriers that have historically marginalized certain groups, ensuring that every youth has the chance to thrive.
Learn more about their work here: betterchances.net
Eca-Etabo “Waso” Wasongolo
Our Village Gardens
Eca-Etabo Wasongolo, known to everyone in New Columbia as “Waso,” has spent twenty years showing up for one of North Portland’s most under-resourced neighborhoods, but has deepened his work in the past 4 years to great impact to this international neighborhood. He works as Garden Program Manager at Our Village Gardens (OSV), a community-led nonprofit rooted in New Columbia, Oregon’s largest affordable housing neighborhood. OSV operates the Seeds of Harmony Community Garden, with 83 free plots where immigrant and refugee families grow lemongrass, bitter melon, chilacayote, and dozens of other crops rarely available at any nearby store.
Building Coalitions & Partnerships
Waso’s approach is not programmatic. He does not run a model. He listens to people’s stories, identifies what is missing, and builds something to fill it. When families needed more than just a food box, Waso helped develop educational workshops so they understood what they were growing and why it mattered. To make the work more accessible, Waso designs and facilitates multilingual workshops on composting, irrigation, seasonal planting, and seed saving. He runs garden registration with multiple time slots so that neighbors who work different schedules can participate. He personally recruits gardeners from communities with no prior relationship to Portland’s parks infrastructure, and he stays in relationship with them across seasons.
Learn more about their work here: villagegardens.org
2026 Nominees
Andra Vltavín, Regenerate Northern Willamette Valley
Ashley Murray, Sellwood Community House
Beth Kracum, Portland Children’s Garden
Bo Lyons & Marti Clemmons, Birdhers
Community Orchard Care Program, Portland Fruit Tree Project
Corey Pierson, Rosewood Initiative
Curbside Serenade
Dieter Waiblinger, Sail2Change
Eca-Etabo “Waso” Wasongolo, Our Village Gardens
Eric Carlson AKA “Seymore Gulls”, Birding For The People
Full Count: Play Ball Everywhere, Friends of Baseball
Jen Armbruster, Adaptive Sports Northwest
Latino Outdoors, Portland Chapter
Ryan Al-Schamma, Stay ON the Grass (SOTG)
Talietha Mathis, Better Chances Inc.
Tammy Jo Wilson, TERRAIN: a land art exhibition