September 2013 Oregon Coalition for Humanity Meeting Notes

Meeting notes this month are a bit different as we have had a few new members join both in person and via Skype, so this meeting was much more of a discussion as to our vision for the future.

First a reminder our next meeting is October 29th, 6:00pm at coalition co-founder Alysha Atma's home (downtown Portland). If you cannot attend in person, you can SKYPE in alysha.atma! If you plan to attend, please message us via Facebook or email us for an address.

The last several months have seen us working on the same projects, CFCI Portland and trying to move H.Res131 from Committee to the floor - unfortunately there are not any new updates this month. So in saying this here is the continued plan for these two projects, details and consistent information can be found on our Facebook page, Oregon Coalition for Humanity. If you are not on Facebook, please do not hesitate to call or email with questions.

 CONFLICT FREE CITY INITIATIVE

CFCI Portland will continue to work with the procurement office and push Portland through the various channels - your support is as always necessary. Please continue to send your letters of support and if you have time, come to the Commissioner meetings. Amanda Ulrich will keep us all updated!

POLICY

H.Res131 will not move forward until January, we want to be respectful of your time as well as the feedback we have received from our colleagues within the Congressional offices. At that time we will begin discussing our options and actions - your help and support will be key. Alysha Atma will keep you all updated!

MEMBER OUTREACH

Robert Hadley will begin outreaching to you personally via phone and email, it is you that makes the coalition successful so we want your input.

• How are we doing communicating?
• How are you utilizing the information coming across?
• How can we better support your projects?
• How can we better network together and collaborate?
• As our projects go through a lull in activity, what are some ideas as to other projects that could use our energy?

The future of OCH is in constant flux, however it is our mission and vision that continue to guide us, we would like to hear your thoughts and ideas on that shape.

Join the conversation on our Facebook page, we need your input!

July/August 2013 Oregon Coalition for Humanity Meeting Minutes

Good day Oregon Coalition for Humanity supporters!

You all are amazing people, your persistence and support are incredible and make this work so effective and empowering! We combined July and August notes because we all understand how busy summer can be and we worked on the below points throughout. We have highlighted our work, however please see our Facebook page or blog for more details as well as consistent updates (thank you Amanda).  Below you will also find two programs that can always use your support financially as well as two upcoming events. If you would like your events or campaign pushed forward always let us know, we are here to support one another!

Join us @ our September 17th meeting!

We look forward to seeing you at the next meeting:

September 17, 2013

6:00 - 7:00 pm

Thomas, Swanson, Coon & Newton conference room (2nd & Yamhill - downtown Portland)

If you cannot be there in person you can SKYPE in (alysha.atma) - see you then!!

UPDATES: 

1) Conflict Free City Initiative (CFCI) Updates: Amanda Ulrich, CFCI Campaign Director

     A) Portland - getting closer
Coalition members met with Portland's Commissioner Dan Saltzman to discuss our Conflict Free City Initiative. We are happy to report that Commissioner Saltzman will support our CFCI Resolution IF the resolution meets with the approval of Portland's Procurement Dept. We are also working with the Procurement Dept. to ensure that this happens. Please continue to let our Commissioners know that CFCI is important to you.

We are excited to announce that ONCE our Portland CFCI Resolution is in its FINAL form that the Multnomah Human Rights Commission will send their endorsement to Portland's City Council & Mayor! Our next step is to finalize our resolution after we conclude our discussions with Portland's Procurement Department.

As we move along this process it's important to keep our constituent support for our CFCI Resolution visible and so please make sure to send in your letters of support.  Read more here.

     B) Beaverton - we are still awaiting a meeting with the city commissioners via the Mayor, we are getting closer!!

2)  Policy Updates: Alysha Atma, Policy Director

     A) House Resolution 131 - pending presentation before the House Floor (Video re: HR 131 is here).

We are working with both Rep. Blumenauer's and Bonamici's offices to present and find a few options to help push this forward onto the floor -we will keep you updated, your support is as always the most important ACTION!!

     B) We were busy this summer making the rep circuit, we are truly lucky here in Oregon to have fantastic representatives. We spent time thanking them for their consistent outreach and actions for DRC as well as updating them on current events and were we will continue to need their push and voices. They thanked all of you for your voices and the strong resolve you show for peace and justice - we are very proud of our amazing team of people. 

June Meeting with Rep. Schrader (OR), July Meeting with Rep. Blumenauer (OR) as well as July Meeting with Rep. Bonamici (OR)

3) On the Ground Updates: #NorthKivu

4) Pamper for a Purpose Recap (it was awesome!)

#Pamper4Purpose was a great success because of all of you!! Thank you so very much for donating, volunteering, getting pampered and showing up = #awareness!! We are so proud of the amazing outreach = over 800 people came to the park - that is YOU!! Our final tally should be over $3000 toward #empowering families in #DRC and #Sudan. We are so proud of you all and can't wait to get started again for YEAR 4!! See you all there!!

5) Website -Coming soon!

SUPPORT:

Here a couple of ways you can support Women in eastern Congo to achieve economic independence:

1) Donate to the Atma Foundation's Hand in Hand program.

2) Donate to Women for Women International's Congo program.

Together we can ensure economically independent women around the world!

EVENTS:

Robert Hadley, Outreach Director

1) Join us this coming September 15th for the third annual Congo Kids 5K! Runners and walkers of all ages and abilities are invited to participate in the event. Prizes will be awarded to the top three finishers in each group. All participants will be eligible for random prize drawings on race day.

• Date: Sunday, September 15, 2013
• Time: 3 pm
• Location: Dorris Ranch, Springfield, OR (2 miles east of Interstate 5, intersection of South 2nd & Dorris St)
• Entry Fees Before September 15: Adults - $20, Students 12 & over - $15, Students 11 & under - $10
• Race Day Registration: Adults - $25, Students 12 & over - $20, Students 11 & under - $15
• Optional t-shirts available: Adult shirt $10, Youth shirt $10
• Registration: Please click here to register online for the Congo Kids 5K run/walk.You may also register in person at Eugene Running Company, 116 Oakway Center, or on race day from 1-2:30pm in the Dorris Ranch Barn.

2) Portland Sisters/Misters - if you have a pair of shoes, can walk or run, and want to support Run for Congo Women, Join OCH Co-founder Amanda Ulrich's Cause + Event Team on 11.16.13. For more inspiration, read more here.

Click here to join Amanda's Team!

As always let us know if you have any questions, updates or just want to chat!

Join the conversation on our Facebook page, we need your input.

Uniting Voices

As advocates, it is important that we periodically check to see that our efforts line-up with the needs of those for whom we so tirelessly advocate on behalf of.  

Click here to read the memo in its entirety

Last week one of our member organizations (Atma Foundation) circulated a memo which was recently sent to President Obama by the North Kivu Civil Society (a democratically elected political group whose leader is the equivalent to a U.S. Mayor) urging for continued U.S. diplomatic intervention in eastern Congo, and outlining the reasons why.

It warms our hearts to know that there are Congolese citizens willing to help implement peace in eastern Congo, and so as advocates we must continue to call for U.S. diplomatic support in the region. We must continue to unite our voices. 

In fact, just today the United Nations Special Envoy to the Great Lakes Region arrived in Congo, and this past June Russ Feingold was named U.S. Special Envoy to Africa's Great Lakes Region (Feingold will tour the region this week with Robinson). Both signs that our advocacy efforts are paying off.

With recent fighting this past week in Goma, these diplomatic efforts are critical, and we must keep eastern Congo on the agenda.