Each Day Is More and More Like Home with Priscilla Mensah

PDX People

Originally from Houston, Texas, Priscilla Melanie Mensah, in her mid-twenties during the summer of 2014, found herself moving to Portland. It’s a story told by so many, one resented by old-timers, but appreciated by newer residents.

Priscilla, precisely, came here for a job as an insurance risk control consultant, and ever since, each day has felt more and more like home to her. When you live in a region with low unemployment, these things start to happen.

As much as native Portlanders like to blame the people who have moved here in the past 5 – 10 years for all the city’s ills, the fact is Portland retains its charm, and people are moving here because of it, as Priscilla, and so many before her, have aptly pointed out.

“Portland is a beautiful city and I love the abundance of hiking trails, waterfalls, and coastline in the Pacific Northwest overall,” she says.

“Living in Portland is a unique experience. The city is very active and I like that the community supports local business enterprises. Portlanders are extremely friendly. My mother and I were walking down the street in the Pearl one afternoon and nearly everyone greeted us on the street! Portland is like a big small town. I most love that this city is walkable and that public transportation is abundant so I am not reliant on a car,” she finishes.

Certainly, not having to rely on a car is a huge advantage in a city like Portland, especially for someone who is a freelance web developer with an independent workload and separate safety consultant.

This is all part of a broader picture unfolding within Priscilla’s mind. She is part of a group called Women Who Code, a WordPress community, and she has a passion for helping others succeed in business, no matter their focus or particular area of expertise.

“I love helping business owners translate their passions to the web. I am equally passionate about ergonomics and workplace safety! I love empowering business owners to take control of their workstations and purposefully adjust things like their desks, keyboards, and monitors to fit their body mechanics. This type of work leads to larger systems analyses that I enjoy working on,” she concludes.

It appears as though Priscilla has found her calling, helping employees find real, actual, physical comfort in their work. Considering the clear majority of those who work in an office environment work in these types of spaces, the work Priscilla does is quite important.

But, really, let’s get back to the part she loves the most. Certainly, it is a rewarding, yet freedom-filled career option. Here’s to Priscilla making a real good go of it and continuing to shine her light as a PDX Person in our fair city.

“I started my freelance career in May of 2017 and am enjoying it so far,” she expresses gleefully, before continuing, “I tend to focus on the positive news of women and men in the community standing up for their fellow Portlander’s right. There are so many more people who support inclusive policies and practices than oppose them.”

Portland, indeed, the World, could really use more people like Priscillla Mensah, could they not? We’re proud to welcome her as one of our PDX People.

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William Bessette – PDX People Contributor

William Bessette is a journalist and freelance writer who has been covering politics, entertainment, culture and travel for over thirteen years. When he’s not profiling Portland-area restaurants and residents, you can find him reporting on national and international travel and eco-tourism through his travel brand, Floppy Hat Adventures.