March 17, 2025
The 2026 Rural Caucus & Strategy Session is a little over a month away, and we are counting the days until we get to see you all on the weekend of April 24-26th in Florence, Oregon.
The early bird registration deadline has been extended to Friday, March 27th, so check out some of what the Caucus has to offer below, and register your group today!
Please note that we are offering scholarships, coordinating interpretation, carpools, childcare, community housing, and more, so please let us know how we can support you and your group coming to the Caucus!
4 reasons you want to be at this year’s Caucus (in no particular order):
#1: Building to 3.5% in ROP’s 35th year
ROP turns 35 this year, in a moment where lots of us are talking about how we build toward having 3.5% of Oregonians engaged in ongoing, coordinated action to defend democracy. What does that look like, county by county, town by town? We’ll discuss the ROP networks’ role in national strategy to stop and slow authoritarianism, and how that relates to our neighbor-to-neighbor organizing.
#2: Fire, ICE & Strike Readiness
The truth is, our communities are going to keep getting hit by hardships, whether that’s ICE raids or fire season. We’ll get concrete about what we need to be doing now to be prepared to build power while responding to disaster. Join folks from across the state to strategize about how we show up to improve the lives of our neighbors at a basic needs level in the short term, while building the infrastructure we need to transform the world we want to live in over the long haul.
#3: Grounding in coastal power (and beach time!)
Organizers on the coast, from Newport to Brookings to Astoria, have been building powerful coalitions and campaigns. Hear directly from organizers who have been resisting ICE’s attempts to build infrastructure in our communities and from folks who have been organizing Pride, multi-group summits, other events, and so much more. Plus, we’ll be just minutes from the beach and dunes!
#4: Recharge and rejuvenate!
Just like last year, we’re spending the full weekend together for this year’s Caucus because we’ve heard loud and clear from leaders like you around the state that not only do we have a lot to figure out, but we also need space and time to just be together, build relationships, fill our cups, and move at a pace that allows us to take care of one another and stay in this work for the long haul. We have been living in a constant storm of overlapping crises for years now. We strive to make this Caucus a shelter from that storm.
What are you hoping to get out of the Caucus this year? Let us know, and be sure to register here! We are offering scholarships, coordinating interpretation, carpools, childcare, community housing, and more, so please let us know how we can support you and your group coming to the Caucus!
