Center For Intercultural Organizing

Leadership development programs: we provided formal leadership training and development to empower individuals from bipoc, immigrant, refugee, and working-class communities. We graduated over 100 leaders through our cornerstone programs, including the pan-immigrant leadership organizing training (pilot), the building undergraduates in leadership development (build) program for parents, and the beaverton organizing and leadership development (bold) program. Curriculum topics included public testimony, power mapping, local government structures, and advocacy skills. A key outcome is that nearly 30 graduates now serve as community ambassadors, directly leading projects in partnership with government agencies. Additionally, we guided over 50 participants in launching or expanding childcare businesses, providing them with training in financial literacy and regulatory compliance to become leaders in economic stability.

Public policy our public policy work included educating community members on public policy issues and governmental processes. We provided training on how to participate in public meetings and offer testimony. Our efforts focused on informing the public and policymakers about community needs, which contributed to broader public awareness and discussion. A student-led project educated school officials on water quality data, leading to the district's independent decision to complete a water station rollout. We also provided analysis and information on housing stability issues, which helps to inform the public debate on matters of housing affordability. Our priority bills for 2024 addressed issues on access to healthcare information, housing affordability, and investment in mental and physical healthcare systems. We prioritized senate bill 1578: support health care interpreters and measure 110: oregonians for safety & recovery in 2024.

Public policy unite oregon continued its advocacy for policy changes to reduce the disparities experienced by bipoc communities and people experiencing poverty. Our priority bills included the following: community resilience hubs (hb 3409, formerly hb 2990) - establishes centralized locations for people and resources to gather before, during, and after natural disasters. Status - passed emergency housing for all (hb 3462). Summary - ensure emergency housing meets fair housing standards. Status - passed stable homes for oregon families (sb611). Summary - provides tenant rent stabilization protections. Status - passed food for all oregonians (sb610). Summary - creates a state-funded food assistance program for people who currently meet the income threshold to qualify for snap but are excluded solely based on their immigration status. Status - died. Guaranteeing the right to vote (sb579). Summary - restore voting rights / allow incarcerated oregonians to register to vote, update voter registration, and participate in elections based on where they resided before incarceration. Status - died. Housing minimum wage (hb2699). Summary - this was our first session working with rep. Gamba on this housing bill. This groundbreaking policy would connect the minimum wage formula to the cost of housing - a working person's wage would be required to equal that of ? The cost of a 1 br apartment in the region. Status - hb 2699 died in its initial house committee.