A New Phase for Rosewood: Farewell, Sabrina Wilson

A Message from the Board of Directors of The Rosewood Initiative

The Board of Directors extends our deepest gratitude to Sabrina Wilson as she concludes her tenure as Executive Director of The Rosewood Initiative. Sabrina’s leadership has shaped the organization in profound and lasting ways, and we are immensely thankful for her years of dedication, vision, and service.

During one of the most challenging periods in recent memory, Sabrina guided Rosewood through the COVID‑19 pandemic with steadiness and heart. Under her leadership, the organization not only continued to serve East Portlanders — it expanded its reach, adapted its programs, and found new, meaningful ways to support community members when they needed it most.

Sabrina also led Rosewood through a transformational milestone: the transition from a rented space to the purchase of a permanent building that will serve as a vibrant community hub. This achievement reflects her commitment to long‑term stability, community ownership, and creating a welcoming place where East Portland residents can gather, connect, and thrive.

Sabrina leaves Rosewood stronger, more resilient, and better positioned for the future. We are grateful for her unwavering belief in this community and for the countless hours she invested to ensure Rosewood continues to be a place of belonging and opportunity.

 Please join us in thanking Sabrina Wilson for her extraordinary service and in wishing her every success in her next chapter.

— The Board of Directors, The Rosewood Initiative

A Message From Sabrina

Dear Rosewood Family, Neighbors, Partners, and Friends,

After nearly six valuable years, I have decided to transition out of my role as Executive Director of The Rosewood Initiative. This has been one of the most meaningful chapters of my life, beginning at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic when I was just one month postpartum with my first daughter. Now, with my three beautiful, spirited daughters at the center of my world, I am stepping into a new season, confident that I’ve guided the organization through significant maturity and growth and laid a strong, stable foundation for its future chapters.

I first got involved as a neighbor living on 174th, seeking connection and helping our community have a voice. When I was selected to lead during a time of profound global uncertainty, my focus turned to securing immediate resources for families while ensuring external institutions understood the urgent need to invest in Outer East Portland. The data always told the story we lived daily: we are beautifully diverse, yet historically underserved in the essentials for a thriving neighborhood.

Together with our dedicated staff, board, volunteers, donors, and partners like you, we built something far more resilient. The accomplishments have been more than I ever envisioned when I began, and I am especially proud of what we achieved together.

A most momentous accomplishment, one I am profoundly proud of, is leading the acquisition of our permanent Rosewood Community Hub. This includes three buildings and over an acre of green space, strategically located at the intersection of four school districts. It required extraordinary collaboration from our board, local elected leaders, private philanthropy, government partners, and dedicated professionals. With development well underway, the Hub is already home to Bike Works by p:ear, a budding community garden built through regenerative agriculture practices, and expanded programming that brings fresh local produce, education, arts, and resilience directly to families. This legacy will outlast us all and stands as a powerful anchor for our neighborhood.

A key priority for me was establishing critical foundational systems that achieved significant organizational maturity. I spearheaded the development of a 5-year strategic plan, enacted our first 2-week organizational break which enabled the creation and funding of our first cash reserve, completed our first audit (and successful federal follow-up), and development of employee, board, and volunteer handbooks, internal controls, and an HRIS system.

I had the privilege of launching key programs after leading a robust COVID-19 response of distributing over $650,000 in direct community and small business aid. These include the Small Business Enhancement Grant program, the workforce navigation program, Small Business Hub, and our collaborative Oregon Black Worker Center predevelopment work. Throughout, we delivered intersecting direct resources such as free diapers, fresh local produce, transit passes, and legal support for families. We also created vibrant resource events like health & wellness fairs, Saturday makers markets featuring Rosewood Bucks (what I called our neighborhood’s version of UBI), and resilience trainings. In addition, we expanded our partnership with Portland Parks & Recreation by becoming a satellite site for Multnomah Arts Center classes and by serving as a Summer Lunch & Play site this year, all designed to support family self-determination and economic opportunity right here in East Portland.

These efforts, community-driven and organizationally sound, have transformed Rosewood into a stable, adaptable force for good. Your support, whether through time, talent, collaboration, or resources, amplified our external advocacy work and helped shine a brighter spotlight on the needs and strengths of Outer East Portland. None of this progress would have been possible without your dedication, creativity, and belief in our community. I am endlessly grateful for the trust we’ve built and for the many ways you’ve shown up for our neighbors.

This transition is bittersweet, but I’m so proud of what we’ve accomplished together and excited for the next chapter under strong board leadership. Rosewood is well-positioned to continue thriving and delivering meaningful impact in the community we all care about deeply so I hope you continue to stay engaged as they enter this new phase of their journey. 

With deepest gratitude and continued hope for our neighborhood,

Sabrina Wilson

Our team is thankful for Sabrina's leadership and the support from the community during this time of change. The Rosewood Initiative's Board of Directors will be sending out an additional message shortly about what's next for Rosewood as we look ahead. Our community hub continues to be open for drop in hours, supporting the community and providing resources. As always, feel free to contact info@rosewoodinitiative.org with any questions.