Community Alliance Of Lane County

EDUCATING AND MOBILIZING FOR PEACE, HUMAN DIGNITY, AND SOCIAL, RACIAL AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE.

SPRINGFIELD ALLIANCE FOR EQUALITY AND RESPECT (SAFER) IS A GRASSROOTS SOCIAL JUSTICE GROUP BASED IN SPRINGFIELD, OREGON. SAFER WORKS FOR ACCOUNTABILITY FROM PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS FOR THE DIVERSE COMMUNITIES THEY SERVE, WHILE WE BUILD RELATIONSHIPS AND CAPACITY WITHIN SPRINGFIELD'S IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY. SAFER IS COMMITTED TO IMMIGRANT RIGHTS AND RACIAL JUSTICE, LGBTQ+ RIGHTS, AND THE RIGHT TO SHELTER. SAFER REGULARLY MEETS WITH LEADERS IN THE SPRINGFIELD SCHOOL DISTRICT, THE SPRINGFIELD CITY GOVERNMENT AND IN THE WILLAMALANE PARKS AND RECREATION DISTRICT TO GIVE VOICE TO EQUITY AND JUSTICE ISSUES INTHE COMMUNITY. MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN 2023: SAFER ACTIVISTS PROVIDED LEADERSHIP FOR THE ANNUAL MLK AND HUERTA-CHAVEZ EVENTS IN SPRINGFIELD. SAFER CONTINUES TO ORGANIZE FOR EDUCATIONAL EQUITY IN THE DISTRIC, INCLUDING ADEQUATE LANGUAGE ACCESS AND POLICIES THAT PROTECT STUDENTS FROM RACIAL HARASSMENT AND BULLYING. SAFER ORGANIZED A COMMUNITY-LED BILINGUAL SCHOOL BOARD CANDIDATE FORUM. SAFER'S PROGRAM DIRECTOR ACCOMPANIED MULTIPLE FAMILIES IN NAVIGATING SCHOOL SYSTEMS AND ACHIEVING VOICE AND AGENCY IN THE SPACES WHERE DECISIONS ARE MADE. SAFER AND OUR PARTNERS AT ESCUDO LATINO OFFERED QUARTERLY PARENT ORGANIZING MEETINGS. SAFER TEAMED UP WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO HOST A PARENT NIGHT FOR SPANISH-SPEAKING FAMILIES IN THE SPRINGFIELD SCHOOL DISTRICT AND WILLAMALANE PARK DISTRICT.OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH WILLAMALANE HELPED BRING ABOUT MORE BILINGUAL PARKS AND FACILITIES SIGNAGE AND A COMMUNITY-ENGAGED PARK DEVELOPMENT PROJECT. SAFER PRESENTED TWO SPRINGFIELD HUMAN RIGHTS LEADERSHIP AWARDS AND HOSTED A CITY COUNCIL CANDIDATE FORUM. SAFER MEINTAINED REGULAR MEETINGS TO DISCUSS CONCERNS AND NEXT STEPS IN EQUITY WORK WITHIN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, CITY AND PARK DISTRICT.

OTHER MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS: CALC MAINTAINED ITS ONE OF A KIND RESOURCE CENTER IN SPRINGFIELD, CASE DE LA UNIDAD/HOUSE OF UNITY. THE CENTER ALLOWS CALC TO OFFER A WELCOMING, SAFE SPACE FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE VULNERABLE AND IN NEED. ALONG WITH HOUSING CALC PROGRAMS, CALC SHARES CASA DE UNIDAD WITH LIKE-MINDED AND MISSION DRIVE GROUPS: CARRY IT FORWARD AND ESCUDO LATINO. CARRY IT FORWARD IS AN ORGANIZATION THAT PROVIDES SUPPORT AND RESOURCES TO THE UNHOUSED. ESCUDO LATINO, BASED IN SPRINGFIELD'S IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY, PROVIDES BILINGUAL INFORMATION AND ADCOVATES FOR EQUITABLE ACCESS TO SERVICES FOR THE SPANISH SPEAKING COMMUNITY. THESE UNIQUE PARTNERSHIPS EXPAND THE SERVICES, OUTREACH AND AWARENESS IN THE COMMUNITIES WE SERVE. CASA DE LA UNIDAD/HOUSE OF UNITY ALLOWS CALC TO HOST COMMUNITY MEETINGS AND EVENTS, LIKE OUR LATINE YOUTH LEADERSHIP WORKSHOP, SPANISH-LANGUAGE PARENT ORGANIZING MEETINGS, UNION DE ACTIVISTS MEETINGS, AND PLANNING MEETINGS WITH WILLAMALANCE PARKS AND RECREATION DISTRICT. CALC'S REIMAGINING NATIONAL SECURITY (RNS) INITIATIVE, A PROJECT GROUNDED IN THE ORGANIZATION'S ANTIMILITARIST LEGACY, COORDINATED AND SPONOSORED RESEARCH ON MILITARY INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX AND EXTRACTIVE INDUSTRIES IN LANE COUNTY. RNS PUBLISHED FACTS IN CALC'S WEEKLY COMMUNITY CALENDAR, SHARING INFORMATION ABOUT US MILITARY SPENDING AND ITS EFFECTS ON COMMUNITIES AND THE ENVIRONMENT.RNS COSPONOSORED THE 35TH ANNUAL HIROSHIMA-NAGASAKI COMMEMORATION. AT COMMUNITY EVENTS, THE RNS COMMITTEE SHARED INFORMATION ABOUT THE INTERSECTIONS OF MILITARISM, RACISM AND ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION. IN LINE WITH CALC'S DECADES LONG COMMITMENT TO IMMIGRANT RIGHTS, THE ORGANIZATION PARTICIPATED IN A LEGAL ACTION WITH OREGON LAW CENTER AND RURAL ORGANIZING PROJECT. THE SETTLEMENT HELD THE CITY OF COTTAGE GROVE ACCOUNTABLE FOR ITS FAILURE TO ABIDE BY THE SANCTUARY PROMISE ACT.

THE EDUCATION JUSTIC PROGRAM ADVOCATES FOR EQUITY IN THE POLICIES AND PRACTICES OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND COORDINATES CALC'S RESPONSE TO HATE ACTIVITY IN LANE COUNTY, ESPECIALLY WITHIN SCHOOLS. MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN 2023: THE EDUCATION JUSTICE ACTION TEAM (EJAT) ORGANIZED STUDENT AND PARENT-LED SCHOOL BOARD CANDIDATE FORUMS. EJAT MAINTAINED MONTHLY MEETINGS TO DISCUSS CONCERNS AND NEXT STEPS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE TEACHER'S UNION AND COMMUNITY ALLIES. EJAT CONTINUED MONITORING AND PARTICIPATION IN SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS, RELATIONSHIP BUILDING AND MEETINGS WITH DEI PERSONNEL. EDUCATION JUSTICE ORGANIZING CREATED NEW AVENUES FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO VOICE THEIR CONCERNS AND OPPOSITION REGARDING ANTI-LGBTQ COMMENTS AT SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS, AND LED AN EMAIL CAMPAIGN SUPPORTING QUEER EDUCATORS. EJ HOSTED A GET TOGETHER FOR FAMILIES, EDUCATORS AND ADVOCATES, TO MEET NEW SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS AND DISCUSS DISTRICT EQUITY CONCERNS. EJ MOBILIZED FOR MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORTS FOR STUDENTS AND STAFF AND A RELATIONAL APPROACH TO EDUCATION. THE PROGRAM COORDINATED AND SPONSORED A BILINGUAL RESTORATIVE JUSTICE TRAINING FOR EDUCATORS, PARENTS AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS. THE EDUCATION JUSTICE PROGRAM PARTNERED WITH WESTERN STATES CENTER TO HOST A COMMUNITY-BASED HATE AND BIAS RESPONSE TRAINING WITH 100+ ATTENDEES. BUILDING ON THE TRAINING, PARTICIPATING ORGANIZATIONS IN THE PUBLIC AND NONPROFIT SECTOR FORMED A HATE & BIAS COALITION FOCUSED PRINCIPALLY ON HATE AND BIAS PREVENTION AND REPORTING IN THE EDUCATION SECTOR. EDUCATION JUSTICE STARTED BUILDING ITS EDUCATION JUSTICE YOUTH ACTION TEAM,WHICH SEEKS TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE LIVED EXPERIENCES OF STUDENTS AND PROVIDE YOUTH WITH THE TOOLS AND COMMUNITY TO BE SOCIAL CHANGE LEADERS.THE EJ ORGANIZER GAVE SOCIAL JUSTICE LEADERSHIP PRESENTATIONS AT GANAS LATINE MIDDLE SCHOOL GROUP, ECCO ALTERNATIVE HIGH SCHOOL, UNIVERSITY OF OREGON M.E.CH.A. CHAPTER AND SOUTH EUGENE HIGH SCHOOL EQUITY YOUTH EDUCATORS GROUP. THE EDUCATION JUSTICE ORGANIZER DIRECTED TWO SIX-WEEK YOUTH RADIO "BIPOC HEROES" SESSIONS. YOUTH RADIO STUDENTS CONNECTED WITH COMMUNITY LEADERS, INTERVIEWING FIVE LOCAL BIPOC HEROES AND GAINING EXPERIENCE IN RESEARCH, EDITING, NETWORKING AND INTERVIEWING ETHICS.

UNION DE ACTIVISTAS PROVIDES LIFE AFFIRMING OPPORTUNITIES THAT INSPIRE AND BUILD CAPACITY FOR TEENS AT A CRUCIAL MOMENT IN THEIR LIVES. USING CURRICULUM BUILT ON THE VALUES OF COMMUNITY, CULTURAL PRIDE, AND COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS. UNION DE ACTIVISTAS FOSTERS SELF-ESTEEM, LEADERSHIP, CIVIC AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AMOUNT LATINE YOUTH. MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN 2023: UNION DE ACTIVISTAS WELCOMED A NEW COHORT OF STUDENTS. YOUTH ACTIVITIES INCLUDED: A RECRUITMENT/LAUNCH CELEBRATION YOUTH RADIO/RADIO JUVENTUD PRODUCTION, BILINGUAL YOGA CLASSES, DECOLONIZING COOKING CLASSES, FILM SCREENINGS AND DISCUSSIONS, STORYTELLING AND CREATIVE EXPRESSION WORKSHOPS.IN THE SUMMER, UNION DE ACTIVSTAS OFFERED A YOUTH LEADERSHIP WORKSHOP FOCUSED ON CULTURAL HERITAGE AND SELF-ESTEEM; A LATINE ARTIST TAUGHT YOUTH HOW TO SCREEN PRINT T-SHRTS. UNION DE ACTIVISTAS ORGANIZER PARTICIPATED IN A HIGH SCHOOL PANEL DISCUSSION ON LEADERSHIP AND COMMUNITY SERVICE.