This month’s Kitchen Table Activity is to decide who will represent your group and your community at the Rural Caucus & Strategy Session on Saturday, May 20th in the Linn/Benton county area!
WHAT IS THE ACTIVITY?
For 30 years, rural organizers and community leaders from across rural Oregon have come together for the Rural Caucus & Strategy Session to reflect on the last year and to plan for the year ahead. Join us to share what your community has been working on and connect with other human dignity groups from around the state. Together in strategy sessions, skill-building workshops, and conversations throughout the course of Saturday, we’ll set ROP’s priorities for the year to come. Register by April 1st to reserve your seats at the early bird discounted price!
After the Supreme Court decision got in the way of our party last Caucus, we will close out Saturday celebrating our 30th Anniversary with a dance party, complete with live music, dance lessons, and plenty of opportunities to connect with folks we haven’t seen in person since last June!
WHY THIS ACTIVITY?
The Caucus is an important touch point 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 each other and grow by sharing our experiences and knowledge. A moment to sing and dance and remember how strong and connected we are. It’s one of hopefully many more opportunities to literally 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.
HOW TO COMPLETE THE ACTIVITY:
1. Gather your leadership team, fellow organizers, and friends. Pull out your calendars and mark Saturday, May 20th for a trip to the Linn/Benton county area!
2. 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 at least 3-5 people in order to bring home more of the lessons from the many strategy sessions and workshops that will be offered!
Please note: COVID safety is a priority for ROP. Find details on the Frequently Asked Questions page of the safety procedures we are observing to make an in-person Caucus safe for as many folks as possible this year.
3. Make your carpool plans and let us know how we can support you on the registration form! 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?
Please note: We have funds set aside to help cover the costs for folks to participate, including scholarships, gas money, bus tickets, and motel rooms. ROP also 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!
4. Register your group! You can register online or download, fill out, and mail this printable registration form.
Check out the Frequently Asked Questions page for more details, including COVID safety plans.
5. Email (or mail) a photo of the vaccination cards for each person who is registering to caucus@rop.org. For everyone’s safety, we are requiring proof of vaccination for everyone participating in the Caucus this year. We will be following up with a friendly reminder if we don’t receive proof of vaccination with your registration!
6. Pay your registration fees by April 1st to 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.
7. Let us know what you’re most excited to talk and strategize about! Do you have a community conundrum you’re eager to connect with other community 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!
ROP is committed to making participation in the Rural Caucus & Strategy Session as accessible as possible! The pandemic has only increased economic inequality in rural Oregon, and we offer scholarships to rural organizers who need support with registration costs, transportation, and housing to make participation possible. 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! Reach out to us at emma@rop.org with any questions!
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.