May 2, 2013
Dear Friends of ROP in Multnomah County,
Join us for the Rural Caucus & Strategy Session! Saturday, June 8th in Woodburn. Register here!
20 Years of the ROP Caucus!
Each Spring, the Rural Organizing Project convenes over 125 rural and small town organizers, justice seekers, and community members for a day-long Rural Caucus & Strategy Session. We reflect on the work we’ve done over the last year; we reflect our moment in time; and we shape strategies for the work in our communities and across rural Oregon for the year to come. 2013 marks 20 years of the ROP Rural Caucus & Strategy Session!
The 2013 ROP Caucus will focus on Envisioning Community… 2033. We’ll be tackling some of the big issues of today and tomorrow. Join us for strategy sessions on:
* Race in the Next 20 Years: immigration reform today, Welcoming Communities throughout, and a shift to a new majority profile
* Economic Refugees: debt, corporate dominance, and the ongoing recession are forcing people out of their homes, schools, and communities. What are the innovative strategies we need to keep our communities afloat?
* Aspirational Vision of the Small Town Commons in 2033: from post offices to public infrastructure: what does small town Oregon need to be strong, healthy, and vibrant? How do we begin to make the communities we want to live in?
* Extraction Economy, Multinational Corporations, and Climate Change: What are the entry points for environmental justice work and connecting that dots in small town communities?
Be a part of strategy workshops like:
Do It Then Defend It: Direct Action and Civil Disobedience
Rural Latino Organizing Think Tank (En Espanol)
I Can’t Say That in My Town! Talking about Race & Immigration
Hear inspiring remarks from Kathleen Saadat, an African American lesbian feminist who has spent decades sharing her critical thinking genius throughout Oregon. Her varied resume has allowed her to sample and impact all levels of Oregon decision making while her commitment to grassroots social change stayed a constant. Our work is ever stronger for the input of Kathleen Saadat.
All of this and more at the 2013 Rural Caucus & Strategy Session, held this year at rural Oregon’s new leadership center, the CAPACES Leadership Institute in Woodburn.
Register your human dignity group’s team today. Join us all day on Saturday, stay Saturday evening for a BBQ, music, and dancing to celebrate 20 years of the ROP Caucus! Hear more about ROP’s Rural Organizing Cookbook by ROP Founder Marcy Westerling and ROP Roots & Wings Coordinator Sarah Loose. Spend the night (let us know if you are interested in getting a campground!) and spend some quality campfire time with friends old and new.
For those that can stay on Sunday morning, join us from 9am-12noon for “Breaking It Down! Understanding Racism & Oppression” workshop. Space is limited.
Register your group today – if you register by May 6th you get an early bird discount.