The Free Spirits
Freeland Free Spirits program celebrates female-identifying, transgender, and gender-nonconforming Oregonians who are busting through the glass ceilings and soaring. These are people who think and act in an uninhibited way without worrying about rules and norms. We call them non-conformists, rule-benders, iconoclasts, mavericks, and bohemians. They march to their own beat, and their own muse. We appreciate them for their ability to help their community, create beauty, be original, blaze trails, and celebrate unabashedly.
Know a good candidate for our next Free Spirit? Nominate them today!
The Free Spirits

Chris Otis, Smart Reading
Cheers to our December Free Spirit, Chris Otis! Chris is the Executive Director of SMART, Start Making a Reader Today, which provides books and reading support to 12,000 low-income students...
Chris Otis, Smart Reading
Cheers to our December Free Spirit, Chris Otis! Chris is the Executive Director of SMART, Start Making a Reader Today, which provides books and reading support to 12,000 low-income students...

Katie Santora, Salud
Katie Santora is the winemaker at Chehalem Wines. Katie has a degree in enology and viticulture from UC Davis and has traveled the world, from Australia to Chile, learning how to...
Katie Santora, Salud
Katie Santora is the winemaker at Chehalem Wines. Katie has a degree in enology and viticulture from UC Davis and has traveled the world, from Australia to Chile, learning how to...

Eliza Canty-Jones, Oregon Historical Society
It’s been 100 years since the ratification of the 19th amendment, which gave women the right to vote. To honor this, and women everywhere, we honored Eliza Canty-Jones as a...
Eliza Canty-Jones, Oregon Historical Society
It’s been 100 years since the ratification of the 19th amendment, which gave women the right to vote. To honor this, and women everywhere, we honored Eliza Canty-Jones as a...

Alejandra Ferris, Centro Cultural de Washington...
Congratulations to Alejandra Ferris, our first virtual Free Spirit! Alejandra was nominated by someone in the community who noticed her dedication to the Latinx community. Alexandra is a 3rd Year...
Alejandra Ferris, Centro Cultural de Washington...
Congratulations to Alejandra Ferris, our first virtual Free Spirit! Alejandra was nominated by someone in the community who noticed her dedication to the Latinx community. Alexandra is a 3rd Year...

Grace Hennessey McMickens, Brown girl rise
Grace Hennessey McMickens is this month’s virtual Free Spirit! Grace is the Program Coordinator for @browngirlrise focusing on empowerment-based educational models for young femmes of color. She also volunteers time...
Grace Hennessey McMickens, Brown girl rise
Grace Hennessey McMickens is this month’s virtual Free Spirit! Grace is the Program Coordinator for @browngirlrise focusing on empowerment-based educational models for young femmes of color. She also volunteers time...

Maxine Dexter
Maxine Dexter is a critical care and pulmonary doc at Kaiser. She initiated and drafted a letter from 300 physicians to put pressure on the governor's office to act quickly...
Maxine Dexter
Maxine Dexter is a critical care and pulmonary doc at Kaiser. She initiated and drafted a letter from 300 physicians to put pressure on the governor's office to act quickly...