There will be an Act for Democracy Kickoff Event on January 5th, 2025. See more details further down. If you want to learn and strategize before January, let's meet via Zoom and let us know HERE which dates suit you best.
We Refuse To Obey In Advance
We know that tyrants test the population to see what they can get away with. If they are allowed to, tyrants invariably follow up with something more ambitious. For example: if they can remove trans people from public existence - what will that encourage them to do next?Our collective response will determine their future actions. Lucky for us, there are many ways to stop them, block them, or slow them down. For every one of us, there will be one small thing that will contribute to that one big difference.
In 2025, Act for Democracy will focus exclusively on City, County, and local issues in the Portland Metro area. We believe that the City of Portland and its immediate ecosystem will be vital for providing a bulwark against authoritarian overreach in 2025. We form a necessary part of the chain of democracy that stretches from the federal government, through our state government, all the way down to our neighborhoods, ourselves, and our neighbors. Every link in this chain has its own unique power and we plan to exercise that power.
In this Issue
1. Target Issues for 2025
2. How we will hold our elected officials accountable
3. More about our Kickoff Event on January 5th
4. Our new Calendar of Events
5. What about State and Federal issues?
Target Issues for 2025
Act for Democracy has identified Twelve Target Issues for 2025. If this list seems like a long one, it's because most of these items are interconnected and overlap. Working on one, often means progress and sometimes requires work on another issue as well.
Public Safety: Law Enforcement, Civil Rights, Surveillance.
Protecting our immigrant & refugee communities: Oregon’s Sanctuary Act. How will our new Mayor comply with this Act? How will our County and Sheriff comply? Especially in the face of Tom Homan’s threats?
Protecting our Trans & LGBTQ+ community: especially in the face of U.S. v Skrmetti, and the Grants Pass Republican Rep, Dwyne Yunker’s attempt to draw down the Trump Administration’s attention onto Oregon’s healthcare system and its provision of gender affirming care. He’s clearly hoping for court cases that will end up in front of SCOTUS.
Protecting women’s right to bodily autonomy. We have reason to believe that the attack on gender affirming care for trans people is preparation for a broader attack on bodily autonomy for everyone. (Because authoritarians know that the best way to control people is to turn them against themselves. Get them to police themselves and each other. What better way than to come between you and your very sense of embodied self - the very foundation of your agency in the world?).
Homelessness, Affordable Housing & the Fentanyl Crisis.
Climate Issues: Portland Clean Energy Fund (PCEF), Zenith Energy, Earthquake Safety, etc.
Money in our local politics: There are quite a few goings-on where electeds need to know we are watching them.
Threats to our Public Schools from the Trump Administration.
Unions & Labor: The Trump Administration is gearing up for a big fight on this front as well.
Mutual Aid & Community Emergency Preparedness: Turns out that if you prepare for fires & earthquakes, you build community and prepare for a whole lot of other things at the same time.
Right Wing Watch: Any right-wing activity or disinformation campaigns we need to be aware of?
Constituent Education & Trust in Our Local Government: Fighting disinformation with good information.
Holding Portland's Elected Officials Accountable
We support our representatives with enthusiasm when they uphold justice and freedom for all, and we make our displeasure known in a variety of ways if they don't. To do this, we need volunteers who can monitor a leader or a public office, and let A4D know of anything that affects our 2025 Target Issues.
A volunteer monitor will scan media outlets and social media for articles (or videos or audio) and share them with us. It is also useful to sign up for their newsletter if they have one. If your schedule allows, you could attend a public meeting and report back any observations you may have.
You don't have to be an expert - just a willingness to share some links and notes with us. If you do not want to monitor a person or office, you could monitor media sources for information about your chosen Target Issue instead. We will provide you with a starter-list of online sources tailored to your choice, and there will be (short & easy) training with friendly support throughout.
They say democracy dies in darkness. Well, we are going to start by shining a light on all our officials! Your links and observations will help us decide how and when to act.
2025 In-Person Kickoff Event:
2pm, Sunday, January 5th, 2025
Mark Your Calendars!
Come and hear how Act for Democracy is planning to meet the challenges of another Trump administration right here in Portland!
Bring your own thoughts and ideas, and see how you fit into it all. For every one of us, there will be that one small thing that will make a big difference!
Calendar of Events
On the last Monday of every month in 2025, Act for Democracy will meet in-person at Migration Brewery, 2828 NE Glisan Street, Portland. Starting at 5pm and ending at 7pm we will connect, strategize, inform, educate and inspire each other.
When we secure speakers who need a formal presentation setup, we will arrange for that to happen at other times. There will also certainly be other events and actions, and all these will be placed on our new Calendar of Events which you can see
Federal Issues
Indivisible Oregon - although Portland based - has members from all over Oregon. It has been addressing Federal issues since it's founding and has developed a strong skillset in this regard. You can subscribe to their newsletter HERE. They often work in close partnership with Indivisible Cedar Mill.
Holding Oregon Accountable
COIN (Consolidated Oregon Indivisible Network) is best situated to cover state-level and state-wide issues. This includes but is not limited to: the Governor's office, the Attorney General, Treasurer, Secretary of State, Bureau of Labor & Industry (BOLI), Legislative Issues and more. To this end, COIN is asking volunteers to join one of their teams below. You can sign up for them by clicking HERE:
COIN CEE - Climate/Energy/EnvironmentThis team works to support policies and programs at the state, federal and local levels that promote environmental sustainability.
COIN State Legislative TeamThis team tracks legislation through the state legislative sessions, researching their impact and making recommendations for whether or not it deserves our support.
COIN Social and Economic JusticeThis team focuses on diversity, equity and inclusive issue
Other Groups
There will naturally be some overlap between these and many other groups, which is good because then we will lean on the expertise and capacity of our sister-groups and multiply each other’s influence. Right now, many new Indivisible and Progressive groups are forming in Oregon. It will be exciting to welcome them and work alongside them. Solidarity is the only way forward!
Holding Oregon Accountable
COIN (Consolidated Oregon Indivisible Network) is best situated to cover state-level and state-wide issues. This includes but is not limited to: the Governor's office, the Attorney General, Treasurer, Secretary of State, Bureau of Labor & Industry (BOLI), Legislative Issues and more. To this end, COIN is asking volunteers to join one of their teams below. You can sign up for them by clicking HERE:
COIN CEE - Climate/Energy/EnvironmentThis team works to support policies and programs at the state, federal and local levels that promote environmental sustainability.
COIN State Legislative TeamThis team tracks legislation through the state legislative sessions, researching their impact and making recommendations for whether or not it deserves our support.
COIN Social and Economic JusticeThis team focuses on diversity, equity and inclusive issuesand making sure that vulnerable populations in Oregon are protected from the Trump agenda.
COIN State Accountability Team (new)This team will determine if Oregon is ready for the threats Trump is voicing, holding our state officials accountable, and will advocate for new, more protective laws and policies if needed.
COIN Communications (new)This team will use social media, newsletters, website work, and other technology to create communications for COIN and support campaigns and promotions needed by other teams.COIN BAT/DRAT Accountability TeamsThe BAT team holds our sole GOP Congressman, Cliff Bentz in District 2, accountable. A sister-team, DRAT, which held former Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer accountable and helped replace her with Democrat Janelle Bynum, has been deactivated – for now. If DeRemer is installed as Labor Commissioner in the Trump administration, it may be re-activated
Other Groups
There will naturally be some overlap between these and many other groups, which is good because then we will lean on the expertise and capacity of our sister-groups and multiply each other’s influence. Right now, many new Indivisible and Progressive groups are forming in Oregon. It will be exciting to welcome them and work alongside them. Solidarity is the only way forward!
Indivisible groups draw their inspiration from the Indivisible Guide for strategy and ideas, and we will discuss how the principles in this guide translates to local governments - especially in the Portland Metro Area.
Thank you for saving democracy!
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