March 2017 Newsletter: Reproductive Health in Oregon
Hi everyone,
This month, we're focusing on the landscape for reproductive health in Oregon. It's so much more than a health issue. Whether a woman can determine if and when to have children not only affects every area of her life, it also affects her family and her community. Access to reproductive health is an economic issue, a workforce issue, a racial equity issue, an education issue, and more. It touches each of the other Eight That Can't Wait.
At the national level, and in many other states, we're seeing the widespread rollback of reproductive rights. Here in Oregon, on our statewide Listening Tour last year, a staggering 50% of the women we heard from faced obstacles to accessing reproductive healthcare. We also learned that rights don't always mean access, and access doesn't always mean utilization.
Oregon's Gaps in Reproductive Health Access were the focus in our latest Eight That Can't Wait discussion, held on International Women's Day. If you missed it, you can watch the video here. As always, the discussion centered on both systemic change and the things each of us can do to make a difference. Check out these 5 Things Every Oregonian Can Do and read our Gaps in Reproductive Health Access brief.
Forward together,
Emily Evans
Executive Director
Women’s Foundation of Oregon
STAT OF THE MONTH
Hundreds of thousands of women in Oregon lack access to the information and services they need to decide if and when they want to have children.
CALL FOR STORIES
Have you faced barriers to reproductive health? Your story can help show Oregon's leaders why it's important to take action on the "Eight That Can't Wait" set of urgent issues facing Oregon's women and girls. Share your story with the Women's Foundation.
FOUNDATION UPDATES
WE'RE HIRING
The Women's Foundation is growing! We're looking for an Associate Director.
Location: Portland, OR
Reports to: Executive Director
Starting at: $65,000; Great benefits package
Status: Full-time, Exempt
THIS OPENING IS NO LONGER ACTIVE.
Please share this opportunity with your friends and networks!
INVESTMENT UPDATE
A big thank you to everyone who attended our #CountHerIn Celebration on March 2! The sold-out event was a huge success. We raised $226,000—nearly double our goal for the evening. We also premiered a video about our where we've been and where we're going. Click to watch.
"Oregon Celebrity Quiz Show" participants Judge Adrienne Nelson, U.S. Bank Market President Stacey Dodson, Artist Marie Watt, and Commissioner Jessica Vega Pederson at the Count Her In Celebration
MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
Name: Ana del Rocío Valderrama
Age: 30
Occupation: Policy Director
Member of the Women's Foundation since: Since before the Listening Tour!
What’s your favorite spot in Oregon?
Anywhere there is a McMenamins.
What quality do you most admire in others?
The spirit of collaboration rather than competition.
Which talent would you most like to have?
Photographic memory.
What was your first volunteer experience?
The Children's Hospital in Oakland, CA.
What’s the best place to eat in our great state?
My mom's house.
What do you consider your greatest achievement?
My fierce mothering -- which involves making sure that my two sons are able to see me thrive in multiple roles: parent; professional; active community member; and currently, candidate for election to the David Douglas School Board in May!
Which woman (living or dead) do you most admire?
Assata Shakur.
What’s your most treasured possession?
A butterfly fashioned out of a coffee filter that my son made for me last summer. The day he gave it to me, I hastily grabbed for it to wipe up a spill in the car, and I will never forget the look of devastation on his face. It was one of my worst moments of failing to consider the importance of his work and his voice. When the "butterfly" dried, I put it back together as best I could and set it on my altar. It now lives there permanently as a reminder of the fragility, innocence, and importance of my son's love.
What is your personal motto?
"If you stay ready, you ain't gotta get ready."
What’s your idea of perfect happiness?
Knowing that I'm doing everything in my power to leave behind a better world for my kids, and that my best is enough.
What makes you laugh uncontrollably?
Dave Chappelle. And playing pranks on my sisters.
Why are you a member of the Women’s Foundation?
Being a woman, and especially a woman of color, in Oregon is not easy. The Women's Foundation gets that, and works to elevate the status of women and girls while recognizing that we are our own best advocates.
Thanks, Ana, and thank you for being our special guest at the March 2 Count Her In Celebration!
MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Ask Oregon's leaders to use our Gender Lens for Policymakers when they make decisions this session. Opportunities to speak with lawmakers in-person include Salem Lobby Days throughout March.
COMMUNITY EVENTS
March 31: Muslim Women in Male America, Portland
Two Muslim women will discuss experiences, concerns, and expectations about their future in a changing and possibly hostile social landscape.
April 3: Eight That Can't Wait Discussion: Wealth/Wage Gap, Portland & Facebook Live
Join the Women's Foundation for a community discussion on the wage and wealth gaps in Oregon and what can be done to address them. Free registration; refreshments provided.
Now through April 5: Giving Back: The Soul of Philanthropy, Reframed and Exhibited, Portland
MRG Foundation presents stories of generosity among Americans of African descent.
Apr. 6-10: Earth Seasoned Screening, AIFF, Ashland
Indie documentary: Diagnosed with attention deficit disorder (ADD), dyslexia, and short-term memory problems, Tori finds her greatest teacher in nature, spending a “gap year” living with four other women in the Oregon Cascade Mountains.
If you would like your event added to our calendar, please email info@w-for.org.
OREGON NEWS TO KNOW
University of Oregon: The Impact on Oregonians of the Rise of Irregular Scheduling
A new study reveals that Oregon low-wage workers lack the predictability and control over work schedules needed to juggle caregiving responsibilities, make ends meet, and further their education.
The Oregonian: A Look at Women in Oregon and America to Celebrate Women's History Month
Did you know a woman was Oregon's acting governor for a few days in 1909? She said, "I expect to show that a woman can conduct office as well as a man."
Phys.org: Women In Oregon Fishing Industry Have Important, But Sometimes Invisible Role
"Women have always played an important role in Oregon's commercial fishing industry. A new study indicates their roles are changing."
Statesman Journal: Oregon Faces Skyrocketing Female Prison Population
"The number of [Oregon] women imprisoned has nearly tripled over the past 20 years even though women are not committing more frequent or serious crimes."
App Developer Magazine: App Camp For Girls Looks To Train The Next Generation
The nonprofit aimed at correcting software's gender imbalance is now registering for July 2017 sessions in Portland, Phoenix, Seattle, and Chicago.
