BIPOC PARAMEDICS OF PORTLAND

​Nicholas started his health care career as an EMT at the beginning of COVID19. Nicholas has worked in BLS transport services, including wheel chair transport, ambulance transport, and with Legacy Kid’s Team. This is a specialty team that provides care and transportation for critical pediatric patients from all over, commonly in Oregon and Washington. Currently, Nicholas works as a Paramedic in 911 within Multnomah County.

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Having paid for his EMT and Paramedic education entirely on his own, Nicholas knows just how hard it is to maintain good school performance while working full time. This experience has driven him to help create BIPoC Paramedics of Portland, to provide support to future BIPoC Paramedics and EMTs.

When he is not working, Nicholas spends time with his family, plays DnD and video games, teaches classes, and practices guitar.

Tamia Deary (she/they) is a public health leader and breast cancer survivor who brings both expertise and lived experience to her work. In 2017, she founded a nonprofit committed to improving access through community organizing and outreach, emergency response management, program development, and coalition building for BIPoC, LGBTQIA+, houseless, disabled, & neurodiverse communities. Tamia is a passionate advocate for healthcare access and racial justice, committed to improving health outcomes for Black women, femmes, and birth parents. 

Her work responding to the pandemic, protests, and wildfires in 2020 connected her with a vast community of first responders, healthcare practitioners, humanitarian aid providers, and activists. She also became acutely aware of the need to develop more first responders who reflect the communities they serve. She is most proud of her work mentoring students and helping them reach their educational goals, so she is honored by the opportunity to support the critical work of BIPoC Paramedics.

Tamia is currently the Board Chair of Multnomah County Community Health Center, Oregon’s largest Federally Qualified Health Center, and also sits on the Board of Seeding Justice. She has served on the boards of Black Men's Wellness, NAACP Portland, Campus Compact of Oregon, and OHSU Community Health Center and brings 20+ years of bookkeeping and accounting experience to her Board Treasurer role.

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Tamia was recently awarded the Robin M. Johnson by Imagine Black in June 2024. The Robin M. Johnson Award honors an individual who has displayed remarkable leadership as a member of a Board of Directors within Oregon's Black-led and/or Black-serving nonprofit sector. Recipients of this prestigious award demonstrate an unwavering dedication to enhancing the welfare and empowerment of Black communities through their innovative leadership, strategic foresight, and impactful initiatives.

Matthew Stowers is a dedicated grassroots organizer and activist whose passion lies in advocating for racial justice. Born and raised in Portland Oregon, Matthew developed a deep understanding of the systemic challenges faced by marginalized groups from an early age. His journey into activism began during his college years, where he engaged in various community organizing initiatives and discovered his calling to fight for equity and equality. With a relentless drive to effect meaningful change, Matthew has since dedicated his career to amplifying the voices of those often silenced by systemic oppression. Through his grassroots efforts, he strives to create inclusive spaces, foster dialogue, provide crucial education, and mobilize communities toward tangible social justice outcomes.