December 1st, 2014
Dear ROPnet,
Like a lot of you, our Thanksgiving celebrations were filled with conversation, digesting what’s going on in Ferguson, what happened to Michael Brown, and how this relates to us and our communities. Ferguson has sparked a national conversation about race that doesn’t often make it into mainstream media or into the living rooms of white families.
With the wave of protests, rallies, demonstrations, and marches materializing across the country (and across Oregon!) in solidarity with Ferguson protesters seeking justice, it is clear that many of us feel compelled to action — to visibly stand up for justice and our shared value of human dignity, even if it’s to open up a conversation with our neighbors and our friends. Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ), a national network of white folks doing racial justice work, held a conference call about how white folks can lead action and conversation around Ferguson in their home communities that over 1,000 folks registered for and almost 500 folks participated, maxing out the call capacity.
It is clear that there is a hunger to dive in and figure out what our communities need to engage in this moment. Let’s dig in together to share what we ourselves are feeling and what we are seeing in our communities, and discuss what rural Oregon can do together.
How can rural and small town Oregonians be a voice for human dignity in this moment?
Join us for a strategy conference call this Thursday, December 4th at 5:30 PM!
Click here to RSVP and we will email you the call-in information!
This is a call for folks looking to organize and for folks looking for tools to engage in the hard but thoughtful conversations with friends and family.
In a moment that is so polarized and politicized, let us finds ways to talk through what’s happening in the headlines with each other and our communities. Human dignity groups have a long history of being the moral compass for our communities. Let us continue that tradition!
Warmly,
Jessica