Rural Oregon Solidarity with Palestine
We know that many of you are closely following the news beyond Oregon, including the terrible devastation from Hurricane Helene and the ongoing violence in the Middle East.
On September 26, FEMA announced a $9 billion shortfall for Hurricane Helene recovery, meaning they are out of funds to reimburse communities for projects responding to the suffering caused by the hurricane. The same day, the US gave a $8.7 billion weapons package to Israel, paid for by American taxpayers. Rural Oregonians have always connected the dots between issues beyond our communities and how they relate to our lives. Many of us are tired of seeing our tax dollars fund death and destruction overseas while Americans face increasing natural disasters and suffer from a lack of investment in the real needs of their communities. In the coming days and weeks, we’ll be amplifying Palestine solidarity organizing going on around the state to commemorate the beginning of violence in the region one year ago.
Stay tuned on ROP’s Instagram and Facebook for that content. Are you organizing solidarity actions and want support, or for ROP to share them on social media? Tag us, or reach out to your county organizer or sidra@rop.org!
October 4, 2024
Dear ROPnet,
In case you missed our video the other day, we have exciting news! The 2024 STAND (Small Town Actions for a New Democracy) Election Guides are here! You likely already received a guide in the mail but it’s also available online! Visit our website for more information about the 2024 STAND Election Guide Election Guide, including downloadable PDFs, election organizing tips, radio public service announcements, and the English Web Guide and Spanish Web Guide! Keep reading to see the forwardable STAND Guide below!
With just 31 days until Election Day, groups across the state are having conversations with their neighbors about what’s at stake this year and how we can use the power of our votes to advance democracy and human dignity! Already, more than 25,000 guides have been distributed across the state. And don’t worry—you haven’t missed your opportunity to order paper STAND guides! Email office@rop.org or call 503-543-8417, and we’ll set you up with guides for your election organizing.
The STAND Election Guide is made by and for rural Oregonians each election year to help fill out our ballots and start conversations about shared values with our neighbors. The guide breaks down who can vote and how, lays out what this year’s ballot measures would do if approved by voters, and includes suggested questions to ask candidates to determine if they share our communities’ values and priorities.
Over the coming weeks, we’ll share resources that cut through election-time disinformation about who can vote, how to vote by mail, and more, including social media graphics and more bilingual radio public service announcements. Keep an eye on ROPnet and follow us on Instagram (@ruralorganizingproject), English Facebook (Rural Organizing Project), and Spanish Facebook (@Hood River Latino Network) to get those updates! Are you making social media content about the elections? Send it our way so we can amplify it!
What is your group doing this election season to talk to neighbors about our values and rebuilding democracy in rural Oregon? Let us know by emailing your county organizer or office@rop.org!
Warmly,
Sidra and the ROP Team
