What is the Activity?
For over 30 years, rural organizers and community leaders from across the state have come together for the Rural Caucus & Strategy Session to reflect on the last year and plan for the year to come. Join us to share what you and your group have been working on, connect with other human dignity groups from around the state, and strategize about the issues affecting us most! Together in strategy sessions, skill-building workshops, and conversations, we’ll assess what we’ve learned 100 days into Trump’s second term and set ROP’s priorities for the coming year so that we can strengthen our movement for the long haul! Register your group by March 14th to receive the early bird discounted price! Please register early to help ROP staff have an early head count for meals, chairs, printed materials, and more!
The weekend will include music, dancing, delicious food, and plenty of opportunities to connect with folks we haven’t seen in person since last spring!
Why this Activity?
The Rural Caucus and Strategy Session is an important touchpoint for all who are a part of ROP. It is an opportunity to build each other up when we feel overwhelmed or discouraged. A chance to challenge each other and grow by sharing our experiences and knowledge. A moment to break isolation, to sing and dance, and to remember how strong and connected we are together. It’s a time to show up for each other and to deepen our relationships across rural Oregon as we connect the dots between the issues that matter most to our communities.
We know we’ll need a Caucus, whatever happens between now and then. With our conditions as a country changing so rapidly, we are prioritizing this year’s Caucus as a weekend retreat space. This will allow us to go deep where we need to, deepen relationships with one another, and fill our cups.
How to Complete the Activity:
Planning the meeting: Gather folks together for a prep meeting to make a plan!
- Gather your leadership team, fellow organizers, and friends. Pull out your calendars and mark Saturday, April 26th for a trip to Baker County! And if you can join us for the whole weekend, even better!
- 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 to bring home more of the lessons from the many strategy sessions and workshops that will be offered!
- Let us know how else we can support you! Does anyone in your group need translation or interpretation? Do you need a ride? Child care? How about a room at a fellow organizer’s house to sleep the night before and/or after the Caucus? Do you have a large van that we could borrow to pick folks up? There will be places to note your logistical needs and offerings on the registration form, and you can always email Sidra at sidra@rop.org with any questions and to talk through the weekend!
Please note: ROP coordinates carpools and community housing so everyone who needs it has somewhere to stay overnight. Please make your needs known on the registration form and we will follow up! - Register your group! You can register online or download, fill out, and mail this printable registration form.
- Register early to help us plan accordingly to meet your group’s needs! Pay your registration fees by March 14th and you’ll get the early bird discount! You can mail a check to ROP at PO Box 664 Cottage Grove, OR 97424 (preferred) or pay online here.
- Let us know what you’re most excited to talk and strategize about! Do you have a campaign you’re eager to connect with other organizers about? Are you hoping to build certain skills? All of your input shapes the plan for the weekend! The more groups we hear from, the better the Caucus will be! Please tell your friendly ROP organizer or sidra@rop.org.
ROP is committed to making participation in the Rural Caucus & Strategy Session as accessible as possible! We offer scholarships to rural organizers who need support with registration costs, transportation, housing, and wage replacements to make participation possible. Please note that preference for scholarships is given to rural organizers traveling over 100 miles. ROP coordinates carpools with leaders from neighboring communities and works with the human dignity groups in the community hosting the Caucus to make sure there’s enough community housing for everyone who needs a place to crash overnight. We will also provide childcare, interpretation, and lots of good food! Register today and we will follow up to ensure your group has the support you need to fully participate! If you would like to contribute to our scholarship fund, please donate here. Reach out to us at sidra@rop.org with any questions!
See you soon!
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 complete the KTA each month.
