Dear ROPnet, Rural Oregon needs a seat at every table where decisions are being made about us. Social distancing and divisive, anti-democratic rhetoric have made it harder to approach conversations with our neighbors about the issues that matter most. We know this will only get harder as election-time rhetoric ramps up. To meet this moment, […]
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Exhibit Host Guide
Bridging Divides, Defending Dignity How rural Oregonians have moved democracyforward since 1992! Welcome to the Exhibit Host Guide for Bridging Divides, Defending Dignity: How rural Oregonians have moved democracy forward since 1992! We are excited that your community wants to host the traveling exhibit celebrating 30 years of rural organizing with the Rural Organizing Project! […]
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KTA: Democracy Education for All
Background: Kitchen Table Activism (KTA) is a monthly activity by the Rural Organizing Project. The idea is that small actions can lead to powerful collective results when groups of people gather to complete the same action across the state of Oregon. ROP works to keep each KTA easily achievable so that groups with other projects […]
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Radio by and for the People
For generations, rural Oregonians have relied on community media to break isolation, share information about community happenings, survive crises, and celebrate art, music, and culture! As wealthy corporations buy up small-town papers and radio stations, human dignity leaders are working hard to support rural media makers. These partnerships allow us to amplify pro-democracy organizing, share […]
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Summer of Pride
All across the state, we are celebrating Juneteenth and Pride in living rooms, parks, and community art centers. Inclusion of all and equality for all is one of the four core pillars of a thriving democracy. In these times of culture war, public celebrations like these are a key way that organizers are holding space […]
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Native Youth Call for Dam Removal
You may have met the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) Youth Leadership Council at the Rural Caucus and Strategy Session, or read about them in last month’s ROPnet about Human Dignity Awards. In today’s ROPnet, we want to share with you the full story of their powerful campaign to remove the four […]
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Congresspeople are Home. Let’s Talk!
WHY THIS ACTIVITY? The August recess is prime time for human dignity group leaders to meet with their members of Congress since they are home in Oregon for the month. Currently, our two Senators have frequent, open, unscripted, in-person town halls. These “real town halls” are quite different from the sterile, “tele-town halls” that representatives […]
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A Caucus to Remember
This year’s Caucus was one for the books! On the weekend of May 20th, over 115 people from 23 counties and two tribal communities gathered in Albany for the Saturday Rural Caucus and Strategy Session. Many of us stuck around on Sunday for the Rural Organizing Intensive. We kicked off the weekend on Friday, where […]
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KTA: Building a Strong Leadership Team
WHY THIS ACTIVITY? Do you ever think: “Wow there are so many campaigns we could be working on, if only we had more people to share the load!” Many of us across the state have hosted public events in June, or are gearing up for summer fair booths and other ways to meet new people […]
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2023 Human Dignity Award Winners!
Each year at the Rural Caucus and Strategy Session, ROP gives Human Dignity Awards to several groups to lift up and celebrate the powerful organizing they have done over the past year in their communities. This year, we gathered for the Caucus on May 20th in Albany to swap stories, build community, and strategize for […]
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