“SEI emphasizes that you need to give back..."

Harlem Globetrotter Michael Lee recently returned to Portland after a tour and took a drive through his old neighborhood. When he spotted the “Save Jefferson” signs he knew he had to do something.

Michael’s 12 years with SEI set the stage for his reaction. “SEI emphasizes that you need to give back. I knew I needed to perpetuate that cycle because I appreciated all those people who helped me so much—we’re all tied together.”

Back in 2000, Michael was part of the Jefferson Demos basketball team that won the state championship, “In some way, every player on our team had a connection to SEI. We were a team on and off the court. Everyone at SEI was expecting us to WIN that game.” The victory party was at SEI, and it became a celebration for the entire community.

So this summer Michael called his former SEI classmates Aaron Miles and Wendell Raiford to brainstorm a fundraising event to support programs at Jefferson. In early August they put on the Celebration Ball for the Jefferson Community.

“As Jeff goes, so goes the community. We’re at a point where through our resources and knowledge, we can help. We just want to get the love back in Jeff.”