Registration Open for A4D October Meeting
Preparing for the Arrival of Afghan Evacuees
Our October meeting will focus on the imminent arrival of as many as 200 Afghan refugees in the Portland area. Speakers from Lutheran Community Services Northwest (LCSNW) will give us an overview of the situation and help us learn how we can help.
Salah Ansary fled Afghanistan in 1978. He is the Senior District Director of Multicultural Community Services at LCSNW. For the past 36 years, he has helped develop transformative programs and services for refugees to rebuild their lives throughout the Pacific Northwest.
Jennica Stephenson is the Development Manager of the Multicultural Community Services program at LCSNW. She previously served as Director of Development at Kakenya’s Dream, a nonprofit promoting girls’ education and empowerment in rural Kenya. As always, we will meet on the fourth Tuesday of the month, October 26, from 5:00 to 6:30pm via Zoom. Please register here. You will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. Two More Weeks to Double Your Impact Donate to A4D! All donations to A4D received before October 31 will be matched up to a total of $500 by Indivisible National when you contribute through ActBlue. Let’s take full advantage of this generous offer! Please consider donating now. We so appreciate all you do with and for Act for Democracy! Events Tomorrow I - The third Tuesday of the month is tomorrow, which means Indivisible Oregon meets with Senator Merkley’s staff. The event begins at 11:30am with the meeting with staffers starting at 12:00pm noon. To participate, go here. II - Tomorrow’s COINversation on pandemic politics will be a deep dive into the full spectrum of local politics around the pandemic. The panelists, who represent urban and rural areas and areas that are deep red and deep blue, are Marcus LeGrand, Bend-La Pine School Board Director; Dr. Trevor Phillips, Salem City Councilor; Dr. Maxine Dexter, State Representative (HD-33); Kathy Schwartz, RN and Wasco County Commissioner; and Dr. David Gilmour, former Jackson County Commissioner Register now to submit questions.
Advocate for a Strong Climate Protection Program in Oregon This Week! A4D’s Climate/Energy/ Environment action team has made it easy for you to submit a comment about the pending Climate Protection Program, which sadly is falling far short of its lofty name and has serious flaws. The comment period has been extended until October 25, so time is of the essence. This is the opportunity to make sure that the DEQ and the Environmental Quality Commission hear loud and clear that we support bold and courageous action on behalf of Oregon's climate future. Here is a link to a convenient template that you can personalize to submit a comment. Pease share it with family, friends, and members of your community! If you would like to know more about how to write an effective comment, listen to this recording of a recent comment-writing workshop. To write your comment with others, join a live letter writing party for public comments tomorrow, October 19, from 5:30-6:30pm. Register here to receive the Zoom link. This is your chance to ensure that the voice of the people is louder than the voice of fossil fuel corporations. In Portland WE CARE This evening, Monday, October 18, at 6:00pm In Portland WE CARE volunteers will deliver the first batch of gift baskets to Providence St. Vincent Medical Center. If you would like to join in, meet in the courtyard between the main entrances of the West Pavilion and the hospital (see map). Parking is available in the east or west visitors lots. A second batch of gift baskets will be delivered Friday to Providence Portland Medical Center. We are still seeking in-kind donations. If you or someone you know is willing to help, we’re looking for the following items: protein bars, Gatorade, lip balm, hand cream, breath mints, small packets of dried fruit snacks, and small packets of chocolates or luxury treats. Please contact Melinda Fleming at rural@coinoregon.org with details. COIN Squads Start One Today A4D's steering committee formed a COIN Squad, named, appropriately, Connect for Democracy. Soon, you’ll be able to see weekly statistics on the A4D website. Why not get a few of your activist friends together and record the activities you’re doing? You’ll be pleasantly surprised by how much you get done! A COIN Squad is like a regular call squad, but with letter writing, emailing, texting, phone banking, LTE’s, and social media engagement added in. To record your group's activity, go here.