CENTER FOR INTERCULTURAL ORGANIZING

COMMUNITY ORGANIZING IN 2023, UNITE OREGON HOSTED MULTIPLE COMMUNITY EVENTS, INCLUDING TENANT RIGHTS WORKSHOPS, THE POWER OF TESTIMONY & STORYTELLING TRAINING SESSIONS, DISCUSSION EVENTS SUCH AS THE 82ND AVENUE COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS EVENT, OUR CLIMATE JUSTICE LISTENING TOUR COMMUNITY FORUMS, OUR REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EVENT, AND THE TUALATIN VALLEY HIGHWAY COMMUNITY WORKSHOP SERIES. ALL OF THESE EVENTS WERE DESIGNED TO PROVIDE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WITH EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AND TO GATHER FEEDBACK, IDEAS, AND DETAILS ON NEEDS FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS. THE OUTREACH AND CONTENT FOR THESE EVENTS FOCUSED ON MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES AND THEIR NEEDS. WE SAW NEARLY 900 PARTICIPANTS FROM OUR BASE COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE 25 COMMUNITY ORGANIZING EVENTS THAT UNITE OREGON PROVIDED STATEWIDE. THE MAJOR PRIORITY AREAS TOUCHED ON IN THESE EVENTS WERE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, HEALTH EQUITY, ECONOMIC PROSPERITY, TRANSPORTATION/CLIMATE, AND EDUCATION. THE EVENTS AND DISCUSSIONS ALSO GATHERED INFORMATION AND FEEDBACK FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS ABOUT THE INTERSECTIONALITY OF THESE ISSUES, ESPECIALLY HOW THE DISPARITIES IN ONE AREA INCREASE OR DIRECTLY CONTRIBUTE TO THOSE IN OTHER AREAS.

LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT BUILD - UNITE OREGONS BUILDING UNDERGRADUATES THROUGH INCLUSIVE LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT (BUILD) PROGRAM EXTENDS TO ROOSEVELT, FRANKLIN, AND GRANT HIGH SCHOOLS. THE PROGRAM WORKS TO FOSTER LEADERSHIP SKILLS AND IS A COLLABORATIVE INITIATIVE THAT WORKS TO DISMANTLE SYSTEMIC BARRIERS HINDERING EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT AMONG STUDENTS OF COLOR. YIELD - FOR THE 2023-2024 SCHOOL YEAR, UNITE OREGON ENGAGED WITH 49 STUDENTS THROUGH THE YOUTH-LED INVOLVEMENT THROUGH ENGAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT (YIELD) PROGRAM. THIS LAST YEARS YIELD PROGRAM WAS FOCUSED ON ENHANCING BIPOC STUDENT ENGAGEMENT AND LEARNING OUTCOMES THROUGH A SERIES OF STRUCTURED ACTIVITIES AND LESSONS FOCUSED ON LEADERSHIP BUILDING, ADVOCACY, AND NAVIGATING SOCIAL CHALLENGES. BOLD - UNITE OREGON GRADUATED 14 NEW COMMUNITY LEADERS THROUGH ITS 11TH COHORT OF BEAVERTON ORGANIZING & LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT (BOLD) PROGRAM, ADDING TO A NETWORK OF OVER 200 BOLD ALUMNI. THE EDUCATIONAL TOPICS IN 2023 INCLUDED YOUR CITY COUNCIL, BEAVERTON 101, MEMBER SPOTLIGHT, POLITICAL EDUCATION & CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, HOW TO GIVE PUBLIC TESTIMONY, MEET CITY COUNCILORS, AND TESTIMONY PRACTICE & FEEDBACK. BELT - UNITE OREGONS BLACK EXCELLENCE LEADERSHIP TABLE (BELT) PROGRAM GRADUATED NINE COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN 2023. THIS PROGRAM IS COMMITTED TO BUILDING LEADERSHIP SKILLS WITHIN THE BLACK COMMUNITY WITH LONG-TERM EFFECTS. THE PROGRAM PROVIDED TWO WEEKENDS OF TRAINING SESSIONS, LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES, AND POLITICAL EDUCATION.