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 or groups with limited immediate energy can still manage to complete the KTA each month.
Register here to join us for the 2021 Virtual Caucus and Strategy Session!
WHAT IS THE ACTIVITY?
Every year rural and small-town organizers come together for the Rural Caucus & Strategy Session, a day to share incredible organizing from across the state, reflect on our last year and make plans for our rural human dignity movement in the year ahead.
This month’s KTA is to decide who will represent your group and your community at the 2021 Virtual Rural Caucus and Strategy Session, on Saturday, May 15th, starting at 9 am PST! We’ll be gathering on Zoom, so you can call in from your phone or join us on your laptop or another device. While we can’t be together in person yet, we will still celebrate powerful organizing from across the network, create opportunities to meet organizers from around the state and learn about their work, as well as laugh and even sing together on Zoom!
We will begin at 9 am PST with a morning session to reflect on the work rural Oregonians have done for human dignity and democracy over the last year and plan for the year of community organizing to come! In the afternoon we will hold strategy sessions focusing on building our rural organizing toolboxes. We will close out the Caucus with a performance and a conversation with the phenomenal OUT Dance Project, which will perform rural, queer Oregonians’ stories, including stories from folks in the ROP network. You can come for the whole day or just join us for the morning session! You can register and find a more detailed agenda here.
WHY THIS ACTIVITY?
This has been a year of unimaginable challenges, courage, and creativity. From the pandemic to the presidential election, catastrophic wildfires to a struggle for democracy across the country, we’ve been hit with a lot this year! Despite the many challenges, human dignity groups continued to take to the streets demanding dignity for Black lives, plan election engagement over Zoom, and fight with compassion and love for our communities.
The Rural Caucus and Strategy Session is an important touchpoint for all of us who are a part of ROP. It is an opportunity to build each other up when we feel overwhelmed or discouraged. A time to challenge and stretch each other by sharing our experiences and knowledge. A moment to sing and dance and remember how strong and connected we are.
We know the magic of being together in person and the little conversations you have over lunch that spark big ideas can’t be replaced. Stay tuned as we are exploring the possibility of an in-person Caucus this Fall! We can’t wait to see you, both on-screen and in person.
HOW TO COMPLETE THE ACTIVITY:
- Gather your leadership team, fellow organizers, and friends. Pull out your calendars and mark Saturday, May 15th!
- Decide who will be a part of your group’s Caucus team this year! Groups say they get the most out of the Caucus when they send a team of 3-5 people.
- Register! You can register online here! Or email me at emma@rop.org and we can mail or email you a printable registration form. Registrants will receive a confirmation email immediately after registering, and the ROP staff team will send you an email a few days before the Caucus with the Zoom details!
- See you there!
ROP is committed to making participation in the Rural Caucus & Strategy Session as accessible as possible! We will be using closed captioning, and providing Spanish and American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation if requested by May 3rd. We are also offering scholarships for long-distance phone calling, making sure to include regular and generous breaks throughout the day, and doing our best to meet other needs to ensure rural organizers can fully participate. Reach out to us at emma@rop.org with any questions!