EDUCATION & COMMUNITY
PCC YOU BELONG HERE
In Portland, and in communities across the nation, there exists a resource specifically engineered to empower people to reach their life goals: community college. And what’s more -- community college is the engine that can lift communities of color.
The benefits of education are many, both personally and professionally. Acquiring an education can reduce poverty and boost income; promote equality in the workplace and in the wider society; improve one’s health; make one a more aware and engaged citizen; and help contribute to the overall economic growth and health of one’s community. But first, you have to go to college; and once you’re there, you need to succeed. Community college makes the first part easy – it’s the section of the higher educational system with the fewest, and lowest, barriers to entry. The second part, success, is trickier. Many students of color can feel like a fish out of water on a college campus. The atmosphere can be alienating, the processes and procedures can be confusing, and the expectations can be intimidating. For African American students, who feel the weight of history -- and the present -- perhaps more than anyone else, community colleges offer specific programs to support academic and life success. For a range of reasons, many black students can feel as if they don’t belong on campus. At PCC Cascade, students can receive guidance and mentorship from people who look like them, who have shared similar experiences, who understand
their burdens, who have heard that little voice inside whisper, “You don’t belong here.” They can study alongside fellow students who are struggling with the same issues in an atmosphere of mutual support. This culturally responsive support has been proven to instill a sense of belonging, remove barriers to academic attainment, and make the difference between success and failure for literally thousands of students. It is also the key to breaking the cycle of intergenerational poverty and building generational wealth. Community college can give you the marketable skills you need to be your own boss by preparing students to develop a plan for getting a small business off the ground, improving efficiency, getting connected with sources of startup capital, and marketing your product or service in an effective way. If you’re interested in being a welder or a medical assistant, a web designer or a lab technician, or any other of a range of good-paying jobs, community college can help you get there in two years or less. For African Americans and other people of color, perhaps more than anyone else, the bridge to a better future is education -- and no part of the higher education spectrum is more affordable, accessible, supportive, or close to home than community college.
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