July/August 2018 Newsletter: Cheering on the Portland Thorns!
Women's Foundation members and staff cheered on the Portland Thorns at Providence Park this summer!
NOTE FROM AMI
This summer we wrapped up the pilot year of our Immediate Impact Fund, and I’m constantly reminded of how important it is for us as funders to continue listening to and learning from those we serve. Launched last fall, the Immediate Impact Fund came out of conversations with service providers across the state. We heard on numerous occasions that grants for general purposes and quick turnaround times are immensely helpful to organizations that have immediate unmet needs that can’t be planned for in a traditional grant cycle.
Since last October, we’ve funded seven $5,000 grants, wrapping up the pilot cycle this past June.
As we’ve mentioned before, women’s and girls’ initiatives account for only 5-7 percent of all foundational giving with the majority of these funding streams tied to very specific projects or outcomes. Service providers serving women and girls remain in a vulnerable position. What are they to do when the funding received does not offer the flexibility to meet the real needs of their constituents?
This fund takes these real needs and challenges to heart, and remains necessary as ever.
As the Program Manager interfacing with Immediate Impact Fund applicants and grantees, I learned that our Fund is responding to a very clear need, especially for organizations operating outside of Portland. Many of our Immediate Impact Fund grantees are providing services for the most impacted communities for hundreds of miles around. Without their organization, or shelter, or support group, women and girls in counties would be left without much needed resources.
Applications for the Immediate Impact Fund are now open for this quarter until September 30, 2018. Help us maximize our impact by sharing this opportunity with service providers who could benefit from a grant and encouraging them to contact me.
Forward together,
Ami Patel
Program Manager
STAT OF THE MONTH
In its pilot year, five of the seven Immediate Impact Fund grantees are non-Portland metro area organizations, and one is a culturally specific organization.
FOUNDATION UPDATES
IMMEDIATE IMPACT FUND
The Harbor, located in Clatsop County, received the last grant awarded in our pilot year. Their mission is to provide advocacy, prevention, and support to promote self-determination and hope for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking.
The organization will utilize this grant to repair the rot in the exterior siding of their confidential shelter. As a result, the shelter can finally be repaired and opened, keeping resources in the Harbor's reserve for critical survivors' needs, such as legal aid and counseling.
MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
Name: Laura Rodriguez
Age: 38
Occupation: Social Worker and Ph.D. Student (dissertation on improving organizations ability to serve youth with special health needs and other intersectional marginalized identities)
Member of the Women’s Foundation since… 2015
Gender pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Why are you a member of the Women’s Foundation? I’m a member because I believe in creating a society where ALL women, regardless of race, ability, gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religion or socioeconomic status can participate, lead and live in our communities without fear and succeed to their fullest potential.
What’s your favorite spot in Oregon? I have several favorite spots in Oregon, but one of my most favorite spots is on the coast in the town of Yachats.
What quality do you most admire in others? I admire kindness, compassion and a willingness to fail and try again.
What’s the best place to eat in our great state? My wife and I enjoy Laurelhurst Market or Tusk for special occasions.
Which woman (living or dead) do you most admire?The woman I most admire is my mother. My mother has shown me that I should ignore societal expectations and pursue my dreams fearlessly. She does not conform to the notion of what a “typical” Latina woman from her era is, or “should be”, and yet she has achieved every goal she set for herself.
My mother was fourteen when she arrived in New York City after fleeing Cuba during the Communist revolution. She came from a small rural farm town in southwestern Cuba and did not speak a word of English. Despite being torn away from everything she had ever known, being thrust into a new culture, and having to learn and use an entirely new language as a teenager, she persevered and became the first and only member of her family to attend and graduate college. She then went on to obtain a Master’s degree and in 2008, she obtained her Ph.D.
What’s your most treasured possession? My most treasured possession are my childhood memories. I had the privilege of growing up in a tight-knit, supportive family who lifted each other up through good and bad times.
What is your personal motto? My current personal motto is, “remember to feed the good wolf”. This motto is taken from a Native American parable of The Two Wolves. ‘A grandfather is talking with his grandson and he says there are two wolves inside of us which are always at battle. One is a good wolf which represents things like kindness, bravery, and love. The other is a bad wolf, which represents things like greed, hatred, and fear. The grandson stops and thinks about it for a second then he looks up at his grandfather and says, “Grandfather, which one wins?” The grandfather quietly replies, “The one you feed.”’
Thanks so much, Laura!
MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Multnomah County takes a collaborative approach to addressing the complex issue of human trafficking and relies on the support of community partnerships and volunteers to educate the public and enact change in policies and practices. Multnomah County Department of Community Justice has volunteer opportunities to assist staff in promoting education, prevention, and civic engagement to address Sex Trafficking.
For more information contact Natalie Weaver at natalie.weaver@multco.us.
COMMUNITY EVENTS
Jul 20 - Oct 14: BETWEEN., Portland Art Museum
This exhibition highlights artists working within the queer and trans diaspora, and the unique voices coming from between or beyond the binary.
Aug 29: We/Us/Ours: A Trans/Gender Diverse Happy Hour, Eugene
Come hang out, meet new people, connect with old friends, and help build a better sense of community in Eugene. The HIV Alliance will be there providing FREE needle exchange. No cover, all ages, and all identities welcome (that includes allies too!).
Sept 3: (deadline) Our Power/Poder QTPOC Leadership Development Cohort Applications
Our Power | Poder is a QTPOC leadership development cohort for queer and trans people of color. This is a year-long program with 4 weekend retreats where cohort members will be able to select and develop their own community leadership projects while acquiring the skills necessary to execute them successfully.
Sept 5: (3:00pm-5:00pm) Intersectionality, Gender and the #MeToo Conversation, Multicultural Service Center, Portland
A facilitated discussion around #MeToo and gender inequity in notions of consent. An opportunity to reflect on, listen and share about the current cultural approach to the objectification of different genders.
Sept 7: (8:30am-4:30pm) 2018 Latina Health Symposium, Hillsboro
The Latina Health Symposium provides information and tools for public health professionals, community health educators, and social service professionals to use in working with Hispanic/Latina women around health issues. Speakers will provide an overview of Latina health and policy issues in Oregon.
Sept 25 (5:30pm-8:00pm): LGBTQIA+ Themes in the Workplace, Multicultural Service Center, Portland
Participants will learn about historical context, terminology, vocabulary and the distinction between gender and sexuality; address questions that participants have surrounding how the address gender in the workplace or in schools or other institutions.
Sept 25: National Voter Registration Day, Various Locations
National Voter Registration Day is a holiday celebrated on the fourth Tuesday of every September around the nation. It's goal is to focus attention on the importance of registering to vote. Find an Oregon event near you!
Sept 28: (8am-4:30pm) Grit & Grace: Multicultural Women’s Mental Health Conference, Double Tree Lloyd Center, Portland
This 1-day innovative program will inspire, educate and empower women to take charge of their mental health and cultivate resilience and well-being.
Oct 3-5: 35th Annual Oregon Rural Health Conference, Riverhouse on the Deschutes, Bend
The annual Oregon Rural Health Conference is the largest gathering in Oregon dedicated to sharing information and showcasing innovative approaches to health and the delivery of health care in rural Oregon.
NEWS TO KNOW
Road Trip: Listen To America (Video) Tiny Homes For A Growing Epidemic
For homeless people in Eugene, Oregon, these tiny homes can be the difference between life and death.
Bust Magazine: How Racism Split The Suffrage Movement
When African-American women demanded the right to vote, they faced resistance from racists, from sexists, and even from other suffragists.
The Muse: How Queer Comics are Confronting Rape Culture
Their performances are critical because they expose not only the frequency of sexual trauma, but the power structures, cultural norms, and apologists that allow its perpetrators to thrive.
Women in the World: Olympic gold medalists become 1st same-sex couple to make cover of ESPN’s Body Issue
A landmark magazine cover for this year's ESPN Body Issue.
Women’s Media Center: Media representation of Native women: invisibility, stereotypes, whitewashing
The United States may one day see its first television series starring a Native woman. And in 2018, it’s about time.
CNN: Report highlights gender discrimination, lack of female representation in Justice Department
A report from from the inspector general for the Justice Department highlighted a "concerning" level of gender discrimination and fear of retaliation, potentially leading to unreported incidents.
The Cut: There is a Kind of Feminist Revolution Happening Right Now in Appalachia
The notion that health care is a human right isn’t new in Appalachia; it’s part of a longstanding tradition of grassroots women speaking — and singing — of their own experiences to call for change.
NPR: U.S. Suicides Rates Are Rising Faster Among Women Than Men
A study published Thursday by the National Center for Health Statistics finds that the number of girls and women taking their own lives is rising.
The New Yorker: William Barber Takes on Poverty and Race in the Age of Trump
After the success of the Moral Monday protests, the pastor is attempting to revive Martin Luther King, Jr.,’s final—and most radical—campaign.
MEMBERSHIP MATTERS
Support women, girls, and femmes in Oregon. Suggested membership for the Women’s Foundation of Oregon starts at just $10 a month or $120 a year. Or contribute an amount that is meaningful to you. Our Give What You Can Membership is recommended for those who believe in our vision, but for whom membership would otherwise be a barrier.