Who We Are

“We were concerned that many conversations about the Black community and policing lacked the voices of those with the most to gain – or the most to lose – young Black leaders.”

– Justin Fogarty,
Co-founder, Talk A Mile

As a bi-racial family living in Portland, we founded Talk A Mile to improve the community one conversation and one mile at a time.

Talk A Mile facilitates conversations to build a better, safer community to live, work, and thrive.

We hear a lot these days about the need for more conversations, empathy, and understanding regarding the challenges we face in the United States. And we certainly hear that about Portland.

But who should have those conversations that lead to positive change? Elected officials? Community leaders? Advocates? Voters?

Sure.

But if we had to pick who should have those conversations, whose faces are seen, whose voices are heard, and most importantly, who will take words and turn them into action…we are betting on young people.

That’s why Talk A Mile facilitates conversations between young Black leaders and local police trainees – each of whom is at pivotal junctures in their lives as they prepare to lead and serve our community for decades to come.

What better time for them to walk, talk, listen, and learn than now?

Meet the Team

  • Co-Founder and Board Chair

    Erika's career demonstrates her passion for causes and brand engagement. Her experience includes leading marketing campaigns at the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, Issuu, Virgin America, and ChargePoint. Her work in philanthropy and for non-profits also includes Planned Parenthood, The Clayman Institute at Stanford University, and KIPP (The Knowledge is Power Program). Erika is a proud alumnus of the University of California, Berkeley, and the London School of Economics and Political Science.

  • Co-Founder, Board Member and Executive Director

    Justin has spent his career in communications. Before focusing full-time on Talk A Mile, Justin led the marketing and production teams for a non-profit in elementary math education. Prior to that, he worked for a number of Silicon Valley start-ups and tech companies, including BloomReach, Ariba, and Wipro. The common thread in all of Justin's roles is his natural curiosity and desire to understand people. Justin earned a BA from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and a master's from the University College London.

  • Co-Founder, Board Member and Student Affairs Leader

    Liam is a sophomore at the University of Oregon where he is studying business. He previously attended Central Catholic High School and served as Treasurer for Black Students United.

    He also volunteered for ESTCAP.org, an organization that helps students and foster youth in Los Angeles achieve their dreams of going to college as they navigate challenges such as having stable homes and financial security. He previously worked as a tutor and mentor at Woodmere Elementary School for at-risk youth in fifth grade and was a kids' basketball league referee.

  • Board Member

    Melissa Lowery is a wife and mother who lives in Hillsboro, Oregon. She is an Equity and Liberation Strategist, and Director/Producer of the Documentary film, Black Girl In Suburbia. Melissa seeks to create better and equitable environments that honor the human dignity of each person through storytelling and dialogue. Melissa currently works at Central Catholic High School in Portland as the Director of Equity and Community Engagement.

  • Co-Founder and Public Safety Liaison

    Sean is a Fire Lieutenant / Paramedic with over two decades of emergency services experience. He led the development of a Crisis Intervention for Firefighters course, a new training for city firefighters to learn crisis communication and de-escalation concepts and techniques for use in the field. He has also served in many volunteer roles, currently as a Trustee for the local firefighter memorial board and as a founding member of the Portland Fire Fighters Pipes and Drums. Sean has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Peace and Conflict Studies from the University of California, Berkeley.