350PDX Weekly Update – All protest is valid protest – Sept 2 2020

Hi everyone,

Many want to equate property damage by those with home-made shields and newspapers to hundreds of years of  state-sanctioned physical violence. They are not the same, and there are no good and bad protesters in the fight for justice. There are no protesters who deserve violence, yet history has shown that violence always exists when the oppressed rise up. We must not forget the violence that took place at Stonewall, during the Civil Rights Movement, and on the frontlines at Standing Rock.

Aaron “Jay” Danielson, a member of Patriot Prayer, was shot and killed near a protest in downtown Portland this weekend. Sierra Boyne, a Black street medic, attempted to deliver care on the scene, but was shoved and baton-ed by police when they arrived. 20 minutes later, Danielson had passed away. White nationalists and far-right groups across the country are claiming his death was a targeted killing by “ANTIFA” and are threatening revenge on the people of Portland. Radical right-wing groups are planning larger and more frequent visits to our city through September, putting Black, Brown, and Indigenous people at an even higher risk of violence. It’s more important than ever that we stand in solidarity with all of our neighbors, on our blocks and in the streets, and show that the Portland climate justice movement will not stand for fascism and racism.

Governor Brown announced this week that her plan to “protect free speech and end violence in Portland” will involve the federal deputization of Oregon State Police officers. This is effectively Kate Brown collaborating with the Trump administration to punish protestors rather than heed the democratic mandate that swept Multnomah County DA Mike Schmidt into office. We can’t make Trump’s job easier by dividing movements, sanctioning police violence, inflating charges against protesters, and feeding the far-right narrative that anti-fascists are a violent gang rather than ordinary people doing their best to protect their community. Dividing us ensures there is no collective resistance to the death of democracy and its replacement with an authoritarian, fascist country. There is no gentle way to deliver this news.

As we get into having more and more contentious divisions along political lines and escalated situations on the ground, we must prepare ourselves to engage in difficult conversations with our peers, neighbors, and unlikely allies.

If we learn our history and creatively organize against oppressive systems, we can get through the rest of 2020 (it’s true, we swear!) to build a better future for the next generation. Engaging with some of the resources below, could be your first steps to doing just that.

You might also consider forwarding this email to 5 friends, family or coworkers who could use more resources or to get them involved in the climate fight!

With all that said… Here’s your 350PDX weekly update!

Actions

• 61 days until the election – join 350PDX’s Get Out the Vote Elections Team

  We’re building a team to ensure that as many people as possible are registered to vote – and then turn them out to the polls on Election Day on November 3rd.

  We’ll be partnering with other 350 local groups in key swing states, and together we’ll reach as many voters as we can, calling and texting them with important information on voter registration and vote by mail – then reminding them to cast their ballots when it counts. But it will only work with volunteers like you.

  After you sign up, we’ll send you a weekly email with phonebanking events happening with our 350 partners every day of the week – so you can engage when it works best for you. Sound good? Sign up here!

• 350 Climate Vote Project – Training for Trainers

  Want to help turn our climate voters in the upcoming election? Get trained to lead phonebanks for 350’s Climate Voter Project using the Environmental Voter Projects online platform.

  TODAY Sept 3 5pm – sign up here.

  In the coming weeks, the hope is to build a team of trained volunteers who can lead phonebanks so we can support and train even more new folks who want to get active in this election – but don’t worry, we’ll learn and practice together and be there with you every step of the way.

  The 350.org organizing team is working with the Environmental Voter Project to identify voters who need the latest information on how to vote-by-mail in states affected by both climate chaos and voter suppression. We have 40,000 such voters in North Carolina who need to be contacted as soon as possible in the next two weeks!

• Petition: Stop the Federal Grab of County DA’s Power

  We demand that U.S. Attorney of Oregon Billy J. Williams drop the felony charges against Edward Schinzing for arson, restoring the power that the Multnomah County’s District Attorney should rightfully have in prosecuting county-level crimes.

• Give testimony on changes to the police

  Tomorrow the Joint Committee On Transparent Policing and Use of Force Reform will meet to discuss 4 police reform bills likely to move if Oregon Legislature holds September special session. Sign up here to give testimony or call 833-588-4500 for assistance. Deadline 11am Thursday 9/3.

  OR send written testimony by 3pm 9/4: JTPUFR.exhibits@oregonlegislature.gov

  Details on 4 bills here with the official language as currently drafted here.

Updates

• Video: Black National Convention section on climate

  Last week the Movement for Black Lives hosted a mutli-hour broadcast to outline a vision for Black lives ahead of the election. You should watch all of it, and especially interesting might be the section on climate and race, which starts at exactly 3 hours in. There’s also a panel called Free The Land that talks about the land injustices inflicted on indigenous and Black folks and why the movement to win that land back is central to liberation. That panel is at 2hr45 and immediately precedes the climate section.

• Remembering Kahler Martinson

  Kahler was co-lead of the Northwest Neighborhood Team before stepping back because of illness. He passed away in August. Our deepest condolences go out to Kahler’s partner, Linda Craig, and his entire family. See this piece about his life.

• Welcome To The Anti-Racism Movement — Here’s What You’ve Missed

  Have the recent murders, police brutality, and authoritarian overreach made you just now feel the urgency of fighting systemic racism? Then you need to read this.

Opportunities​​​​

• Portland Black Lives Matter Protests
  Every day @ across the city – details here
  Click here for our advice for showing up to protest

  There are events all day every day, in a whole range of different neighborhoods and at a whole range of different levels of risks – from standing on street corners waving signs in the middle of the day, to COVID-safe car caravans slowly parading around the city, to facing off with federal troops at midnight outside the (in)justice center downtown. Much of the direct action stuff is only being released less than 24 hours in advance, so if you want to be in the loop, join our Signal chat (by filling in the Volunteer Form here!) The Signal chat and the Volunteer form is also good if you want to find a buddy to go protest with! Here are a few picks in the coming days:

Justice for Patrick Kimmons TODAY
Every Thurs, 10:00AM – 12:00PMMore info.https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HbjsnwGpW-f0m5ucMTZDk0RTwNCZGeeUy4airO2_29E/edit?pli=1
Portland City Hall. Please wear black

Know Your Rights for Street Protesters TODAY
Thurs Sept 3, 3:00PM – 5:00PM
As you organize for racial justice, knowing your constitutional rights is fundamental. Join CLDC lawyers to learn more. Register at: bit.ly/kyr-street

PDX Sit-ins – 100 days | 100 nights
Sat Sept 5, 12PM- 6PM
Various locations inc. Lents Park, King School, and more here

Labor Day March
Mon Sept 7, 3:00PM – 7:00PM
East End Hawthorne Bridge

Nightly Protest at the (In)Justice Center
Every night, 7:30PM – Late
Police have consistently been violent at these and extremest have been seen with weapons. Go with a group. Educate yourself and others on your rights and protest safety before participating or entering the area. There will be an upcoming training on protest safety on Sept. 15th! RSVP Below!

SW PDX Black Lives Matter Vigil
Every Weds, 4:30PM – 5:30PM
SW 35th and Multnomah Blvd
Southwest PDX family-friendly sign waving in Solidarity with Black Lives with masks and physical spacing, ongoing until further notice. Plenty of extra signs to borrow. Co-sponsored by 350PDX SW Team, SW Action Group for Social Justice (SWAG) and Stand on Every Corner.

Car Caravan Protest
Wednesdays and Fridays Meet at 5:30PM depart 6:00PM
PCC Cascade parking lot behind Student Services. Albina near Killingsworth.

• Keeping Health and Safe at Protest
  Tues Sept 15, 5:00PM – Online

This is the first of four trainings in the next couple of months that can to help prepare new protestors to face the increasingly chaotic election season with resiliency and power. Each two-hour session will be led by an experienced trainer from a local 350 group, in coordination with 350.org US. 350PDX is set to lead one as these continue on into 2021, stay tuned. More info.

REGISTER HERE! Sign up for one or all!

• Tuesday, Sept. 15: Keeping Healthy and Safe at Protest (5-7pm PT / 8-10pm ET): Learn how to be mentally and physically prepared for being on the streets protesting (led by 350 Seattle).
•  Saturday, Sept. 26: Remote Organizing and Volunteer Engagement 101 (11am – 1 pm PT / 2-4 pm ET): Learn how to maximize remote organizing and engage new volunteers now and following the election (led by 350 Colorado).
• Saturday, Oct. 10: Digital Organizing 101 (11am-1pm PT / 2-4pm ET): Learn digital organizing basics, best practices, tools, and get tips on email and social media strategy (led by 350 Massachusetts).
•  Nov 21-22: Grassroots / Year End Fundraising (date and time TBD): Learn how to plan your group’s end of year fundraising campaign. Get tips, templates and info on crowdsourcing (led by 350Vermont).

 

• Racial Justice is Climate Justice Learning Series
  Thurs Sept 10, 6:00PM – Online

  Join our friends at 350 Seattle next Thursday (9/10) at 6pm for the first of their Climate Justice is Racial Justice webinars — a learning series on the ways racial inequities intersect with the threats of climate change. These fights are deeply interconnected, and the way to build a healthy, resilient future is to learn, understand, and support one another in the fight against the systems of oppression that we’ve all been enmeshed in.

  Each week for four weeks, a 350 Seattle team will host a guest speaker who will draw connections between racial justice issues and the work we do in the climate movement. Attendees will have the chance to ask questions, and be offered a clear way to learn more and support each issue.

  REGISTER HERE! Sign up for one or all!

  “Without a focus on correcting injustice, work on climate change addresses only symptoms, and not root causes.”—grassroots advocacy group Bronx Climate Justice North.

  Webinar Schedule:

• September 10^th — Speaker Dean Spade (Seattle University School of Law) on Prison Abolition
• September 17^th — Speaker Nikkita Oliver (Decriminalize Seattle) on Defund Police
• September 24^th — Speaker Maya Garfinkel (Be: Seattle) on Affordable Housing
• October 1^st — Speakers from Tacoma LNG Resistance on Environmental Injustice

  Follow the link to sign up so you don’t miss any of the series. For each webinar we will offer closed captioning and will be recording each one to have available afterwards. Please contact Shemona for any further accessibility needs or questions. There is no climate justice without racial justice

Thank you all for the work that you do, stay safe, we’re all in this together,
Ashley, Chris, Chuck, Dineen, Indi, Lucy – the 350PDX staff

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