Valentines to Rural Organizers

Want to send in a valentine to rural organizers? Read on for more details and submit it using the form below!

We have a long history at ROP of taking time on Valentine’s Day to remind each other that we’re united by love and hope and that we’ve got each other’s backs! Some of you may remember the ROPnet we sent out last year around this time or even have a Valentine postcard from ROP’s founder, Marcy Westerling, who used to send them out to Human Dignity Group leaders every year. 

We know we could all use a reminder that we’re connected as a network to thousands of organizers around the state who make up our movement for rural justice. Is there anything more loving than all of us working together for dignity and thriving communities? We’re excited to bring back Valentines to Rural Organizers, where we get to share love notes with each other, from Curry to Wallowa County and everywhere in between! 

The idea is that we’ll gather little notes, poems, or artwork from you and then share them back out over ROPnet like we did last year. We want to create a record of the creativity and care that flows through this web of organizers. We have brainstormed multiple ways to participate, and we’d love to hear your creative ideas! What else can we do with these Valentines? You can choose one or more of the ways below to join in. Here’s what we’re thinking: 

1. Reply to this email with a few words of encouragement for your fellow organizers. You can share a favorite poem or lyrics from a song that helps lift your spirits. We’ll turn it into a valentine like this: 

2. Make an actual Valentine (I know some of y’all have a stash of doilies lying around) or a piece of artwork and send us a photo! Here’s an example from last year to get the juices flowing:

3. Record yourself reading your Valentine and email it to us at emma@rop.org. There are plenty of free voice recorder apps available, but one we like is Rev. Let us know if you want to make a recording but need help figuring it out!

4. Folks in the ROP network have often used Valentine’s Day as an opportunity for some creative organizing, including sending Valentine’s to former Representative Greg Walden’s office that said “Have a heart, Walden!” This week, Redmond Collective Action is sending notes of appreciation to school staff, teachers, and students as part of a #ThanksSchools campaign to counter anti-mask rallies organized by local People’s Rights supporters. Get your group together, send some Valentines about the issues you care about, and let us know how it goes! 

We can’t wait to read your notes and see what other ideas you come up with. Thanks for being our Valentine!