Harry Olsen is the founder of PHOENIX Rising Transitions and has been a Department of Corrections volunteer since 2001, receiving the DOC’s Outstanding Citizen of the Year award in 2003.
After meeting Dick Harmon of the Industrial Areas Foundation in 2001, Harry became involved in community organizing, eventually aligning PHOENIX with the other 20+ community-, union-, and faith-based organizations that joined together to comprise the Metropolitan Alliance for Common Good. He completed the MACG’s basic training in 2001, the advanced training in 2002, and the National 8-Day training offered by the Industrial Areas Foundation in 2005.
Harry received an Associate Degree in General Studies from Mt. Hood Community College in 2000 and while there met Joseph Millar the instructor of a poetry workshop. Under Joseph’s tutelage, Harry honed his skills and was motivated to write about personal experiences. "The Final Sentence" was the first of a series of 'prison poems', dedicated to Joseph Millar
After meeting Dick Harmon of the Industrial Areas Foundation in 2001, Harry became involved in community organizing, eventually aligning PHOENIX with the other 20+ community-, union-, and faith-based organizations that joined together to comprise the Metropolitan Alliance for Common Good. He completed the MACG’s basic training in 2001, the advanced training in 2002, and the National 8-Day training offered by the Industrial Areas Foundation in 2005.
Harry received an Associate Degree in General Studies from Mt. Hood Community College in 2000 and while there met Joseph Millar the instructor of a poetry workshop. Under Joseph’s tutelage, Harry honed his skills and was motivated to write about personal experiences. "The Final Sentence" was the first of a series of 'prison poems', dedicated to Joseph Millar
