Celebrating a Portland Native

KairosPDX Gala Honors Tony Hopson Sr.

KairosPDX will present the Annual 2025 Leadership Award to Tony Hopson Sr. at its Spread the Love Gala on Friday, February 7, 2025 at 6 pm. Renowned Chef Kiara Hardy of Kitchen Killa Culinary Solutions will provide food and drink for this night of celebration and local vocalist Alonzo Chadwick & Zoulfus Muzic will perform.

Tony Hopson Sr. is the founder and former CEO of Self Enhancement, Inc. (SEI), a nationally recognized youth development organization. A Portland native and graduate of Willamette University, he launched SEI in 1981 as a summer camp to support African- American teens facing gang violence and poverty. By 1989, SEI expanded into a year- round program offering academic and family support services. Under his leadership, the Tony Hopson Sr. Center for Self Enhancement opened in 1997 and now serves over 17,000 youth and families annually.

A passionate advocate for education and underserved youth, Tony has spoken at institutions like Harvard and Boston College and participated in Senate hearings on youth issues. He has received numerous awards, including the Urban League’s Equal Opportunity Award, Willamette University’s Living Legend Award, and the Oregon Ethics in Business Award. Tony remains active in the community, securing a $400 million gift from Phil Knight for the Black community and serving on several boards, including the Center for Black Excellence and the Ballmer Institute.

KairosPDX’s own BG Goldberg and Chandra Ramaswamy will receive Ambassador Service Awards for their dedication