About Us
We don’t just host events.
We turn streets into safe spaces people come back to.
WE BUILD WHAT OTHERS WALK PAST
Dream Big City started by showing up.
What began as small skate events has grown into large, consistent community activations across Portland. We take underused and overlooked spaces and turn them into safe, alcohol and drug-free environments filled with skateboarding, music, art, food, and connection.
We focus on people and places others have given up on, and bring them back through community and presence.
This is more than events. It’s a new way to use public space.
BUILT WITH THE COMMUNITY
Everything we do is rooted in consistency and trust.
Our spaces are open to all, with a focus on youth and communities that don’t always have access to safe, creative environments.
We don’t drop in once and leave. We build places people return to.
Safety comes from positive activity, not enforcement. When spaces are activated with purpose, they change how people feel, how they interact, and how communities grow.
We work alongside local partners, artists, and organizations to make sure every space reflects the people it serves.
What This Looks Like
170+ Events
across Portland
300-1,100 people
per activation
Skateboarding, music, art,
food, connection
Free, all-ages, alcohol
& drug-free
Help Keep These Spaces Free
We keep every event free and open to all.
Your support makes it possible.
Board of Directors
Alex MurrelL
Founder & Executive Director
Ashley Jamison
Secretary & Director of Development
Karissa Dobrzanski
Treasurer & Director of Finance
Arsh Haque
Board Member
Public Relations & Fundraising
TORI RUSS
Board Member
Youth Education
Jimi Biron
Board Member
Music & Events
Randy Mallari
Board Member
Psychiatry & Family Medicine NP
Charlene “Cham” Murrell
CO-Founder & Youth Director
Andrew Dobrzanski
IT Director & Web Developer
Advisory Board
LuLu Dawson
Director of Marketing
Reiner “Teng” Bernabe
Educational Researcher,
Disability Advocate
Dom Lawson
Strategy Advisor
Alex Chiu
Art Director
Troy Douglass
Community & Basketball Advisor
Program Team
Deandre Woods
FamJam Program Support
