About

I have learned in life that each moment is a moment in the bigger picture of our journey

Mary Anne is a socially engaged multimedia storyteller based out of Portland, Oregon. She received her B.S. from Idaho State University in Mass Communications with a minor in Anthropology. She received a Masters of Science in Multimedia Journalism from the University of Oregon. Mary Anne is an instructor at Portland Community College in the Multimedia Department and in the Community of Education Department.

Personal Message

My passion is about getting to the heart of who someone is, understanding why we end up where we do and documenting the human condition and perseverance with an understanding that we are more than just a single moment in time. It is in every piece of work that I do.

My core focus is on documenting the lived experience of individuals living in poverty, housing insecurity and living with chronic illness.

Every story has been told from the individual’s lived experience and a collaboration between myself as a storyteller/ethnographer and the individuals and organizations sharing their story.

I feel that my personal life experiences have lead me down this path and provided a trust and bond with everyone who has shared their story with me.

I was born and raised in Upstate NY with the majority of my childhood life growing up in foster-care and poverty. My mother suffered from severe depression that often left her incapable of caring for us. My mother also suffered from multiple heath issues.