Jennifer Parrish Taylor

Policy and Legal Advocacy Director

Jennifer Parrish Taylor is a seasoned policy and advocacy leader with over 15 years of experience advancing social equity and driving systemic change. As a daughter of a teacher and a public civil servant, her commitment to service runs deep. For her, Audre Lorde’s words, “The master’s tools will not dismantle the master’s house,” are a clarion call to action – that the old ways and systems of how we currently do things will not get us to liberation, they must be remixed or pulled down all together.

Hailing from Portland, OR, Jennifer has spent the past ten years in her hometown, leading initiatives to advance racial equity in Oregon. Jennifer designed and implemented policy campaigns aimed at eliminating barriers to employment, education, health, and economic opportunity for Black communities. Her expertise in coalition building and grassroots mobilization has earned her recognition as a trusted leader in social justice.

A graduate of Smith College with a degree in African-American Studies, Jennifer is pursuing a dual master’s in Public Policy and Political Science at Portland State University. Her work reflects a lifelong commitment to empowering marginalized communities and advancing justice through data-driven policy solutions. Currently, she lives with her husband and their gaggle of animals, and when she’s not rabble rousing, she’s making art in all forms.