Meyer Memorial Trust has officially hired D’Artagnan Bernard Caliman for their new director of Justice Oregon for Black Lives role – a five-year, $25 million investment in Black leadership, Black-serving organizations, and systemic-level change. Meyer partnered with Motus Recruiting and Staffing to assist in this momentous executive search.
As a sixth-generation Oregonian, Caliman offers a deep understanding of the communities in Oregon and extensive experience building and innovating across the Pacific Northwest and beyond. Caliman has over 20 years of experience in various social work leadership roles, including juvenile justice, gang prevention, homelessness, child welfare, philanthropy, advocacy, policy, and racial equity at all levels.
In his role as the director of Justice Oregon for Black Lives, Meyer has stated Caliman will be responsible for overseeing their initiative dedicated to deepening support for Black-centered organizations and uplifting a just system of community well-being for Black-led and Black-serving organizations that intersect with other communities of color.
According to Meyer’s announcement, “D’Artagnan’s personal story is interwoven with many moments and milestones in Oregon history that may ring familiar to people who were raised in historic Albina, a longtime home to Portland’s Black and Native communities. He earned a diploma from Catlin Gabel School, a sociology degree from Warner Pacific College and a master’s of social work from Portland State University. D’Artagnan’s first job was at Portland House of Umoja, where he created a culturally specific “Rites of Passage” program for young Black men. He also worked at Self Enhancement Inc. as a multi-systemic therapist working with youths who were involved in the juvenile justice system.”
“The search for our new director of Justice Oregon for Black Lives was a thorough one,” said Kaberi Banerjee Murthy, Director of Program & Strategy at Meyer Memorial Trust. “We are so excited to welcome D’Artagnan Bernard Caliman — and I am deeply grateful for the work of Motus Recruiting and Staffing, which helped Meyer sort through a sea of competitive candidates to ensure that our initiative is a success moving forward.”
“I am honored Motus was selected as the exclusive recruiting partner and am humbled by Meyer’s commitment to justice. This recruitment marks the intersection of our 20+ years of recruiting experience and our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion,” said Orlando Williams, CEO and Chief Equity Officer at Motus. “I am grateful this executive search opportunity lead to countless conversations with many exceptionally talented leaders in our region. I would like to congratulate D’Artagnan who will be an outstanding leader.”
In a news release published by The Skanner, Caliman shared his enthusiasm and motivation about joining Meyer: “I have dedicated my career to my friend’s memory and the uplifting of the Black community. With the civil unrest across the country and in our backyards across Oregon state, I am even more strongly motivated to partner with Black communities in the work of eliminating structural racism and moving toward Black liberation.”
Caliman will start at Meyer on January 6, 2021.
