Thank you to those who’ve taken action to get environmental justice in the City Charter! This month, we made huge progress in this campaign. The Portland Charter Commissioners unanimously agreed to move forward with key reforms to the city’s elections and governance structure. These kinds of changes can spur systemic transformation in our city’s democratic process, amplifying voters’ voices and our collective power.
If you missed it — see our latest update on the Charter Review process, what these reforms would mean for our city, and how you can take action this spring. Stay tuned for public hearings in April and May, when we’ll call on you to give public testimony on these reforms and win a new government for Portland!
Read on for opportunities to take action for racial and climate justice as well as events, news, and resources.
Take Action
For quick actions like petitions, check out our Take Action Page. See here for our broader Volunteer Opportunities.
Defend the Portland Clean Energy Fund!
Portland’s communities of color have fought for years for the Portland Clean Energy Fund (PCEF) because it’s a key step in repairing the racial wealth disparities in our city and preparing Portland for the climate crisis. 65% of Portlanders voted for the PCEF ballot measure three years ago, and since then the fund has been used to diversify the green workforce, correct environmental inequities, and transition Portland to clean energy.
That’s why it’s infuriating that the Portland Business Alliance has spun constructive feedback in a recent audit into yet another attempt to dismantle PCEF and maximize the billion-dollar corporate profits of their wealthiest members. The Portland Business Alliance (PBA)’s recent attacks on PCEF show how far they’ll go to uphold the interests of CEOs and corporate shareholders – even if it means undermining lifesaving programs intended to support Portland’s Black, Brown, and Indigenous communities as they face the climate crisis. The PBA’s attack on PCEF goes against voter intent, against the low-income communities of color who’ve spent years organizing and calling for clean energy funds, and against a healthy future for Portland. Read the full response to PBA’s actions from the Coalition of Communities of Color.
Help us defend PCEF! Check out this action toolkit for ways you can help protect the PCEF program by sharing social media posts, write letters to the editor, and more.
350PDX Endorses 3000 Challenge PDX – you should too!
Housing justice is key to building a resilient community in the face of the climate crisis. That is why 350PDX endorsed 3000 Challenge PDX — a collective of advocates, service providers, people with lived experience of homelessness, and neighbors who support true solutions that help instead of harm. This campaign calls for the city to house 3,000 people in 2022 who are currently unhoused. Equitable housing solutions must quickly create safe, healing spaces for people that meet their diverse needs and honor their dignity and autonomy. Sign on to the campaign to show support for bold action for housing justice.
Keep up the heat on OPB! Our public radio shouldn’t air fossil fuel ads
Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB) is still running advertisement and sponsorship ads for NW Natural – a fossil fuel company trying to sell the public greenwashed fracked gas. When OPB promotes the use of fracked gas through ads that ignore harms to our communities, they lose our trust as listeners. OPB already refuses to air ads from tobacco and weapons companies — why are fossil fuels getting a free pass? Call on OPB to stop airing fossil fuel ads.
Events & Opportunities
350PDX Earth Day Action Night (in person)
Fri April 22, 6:00PM – 8:00PM at our office in the Rebuilding Center (3625 N Mississippi Ave, Portland, 97227) – RSVP and more info here.
Join us for our second 350PDX Action Night, a monthly in-person gathering at our office. Take action, meet the staff and team leads, and hang out with others in the climate justice community! We’ll provide some food and drink, but feel free to bring your own to share. The event will be at the 350PDX office, which is ADA accessible and has an ADA bathroom. COVID NOTE: this will be a masked indoor event, but with eating and drinking.
Hear from Melanie Plaut on the Myths and Dangers of Natural Gas
Mon April 18 from 10-11AM – tune into Locus Focus (KBOO FM)
Listen to Melanie Plaut with Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility’s Healthy Climate Action Team discuss the dangers of gas appliances on Locus Focus (KBOO FM). Tune in on Monday, April 18 at 10:00 – 11:00 AM, on KBOO-FM 90.7 Portland; 91.9 Hood River; 104.3 Corvallis. Live stream here, podcast of the show here.
Rally at new Chase Bank Location
Tues April 19 from 12-1pm – 10301 SE Stark St (Portland)
Chase Bank is opening up a new branch at 10301 SE Stark St, Portland on April 19th. Chase Bank is one of the biggest funders of the fossil fuel industry and Climate Chaos. Join climate justice activists from 12:00pm to 1:00pm for a rally at the new Chase Bank location calling for divestment from fossil fuels.
Launch of new Divest Oregon Report!
Wed April 20th from 2-3 pm – Join on zoom here!
Just how much $$$ is the Oregon Treasury investing in Fossil Fuels? Why does divesting make economic and climate sense? Find out Wednesday, April 20th at the launch of the Divest Oregon report we’ve all been waiting for: “Risky Business: Oregon Treasury’s Fossil Fuel Problem.” Check out the report’s never-before-published analysis of the state’s fossil fuel holdings, and check out the launch event for a panel discussion of top-line findings, a deep dive of analysis, and a Q&A session.
Necessity: Climate Resistance & the Thin Green Line
Sun April 24 – Movie at 1pm, Panel Discussion at 2pm – In-person at Eliot Chapel, First Unitarian Portland (1211 SW Main St)
Necessity: Climate Justice & the Thin Green Line continues the story of activists enlisting the necessity defense, this time in a precedent-setting jury trial in Oregon after a direct action at Zenith Energy in Portland. This story of climate resistance in the Pacific Northwest brings into view a historical landscape of tribal leaders, Indigenous activists and white allies as they resist oil trains and terminals in the transport of highly toxic products through critical waterways and treaty lands.
On Sunday, April 24 at 1pm, watch Necessity and hear from a panel of speakers including filmmaker Janice Haaken and Cathy Sampson-Kruse from the Waluulapum Band of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation. Register for this event here.
You can also watch the Oregon premier of the film on Sun April 17th at 3pm at Portland’s historic Hollywood Theatre. Tickets are available at this link
PORTLAND YOUTH CLIMATE SUMMIT
Sat April 23, 10am-4:30pm — at OMSI (1945 SE Water Ave, Portland)
Led by students and BIPOC, the Portland Youth Climate Summit is a space for youth to learn and create a stronger climate justice collective. The summit will include a variety of hands-on workshops, lectures, and Q and A’s by organizations like YEJA (OPAL), Youth vs ODOT, Sunrise Oregon and more. More info here.
Peace Meditation Gathering with Living Earth
Tues April 26, 7PM — at Portland Insight Meditation Community (6536 SE Duke St, Portland)
Living Earth is hosting a peace meditation gathering on April 26, the anniversary of the Chernobyl meltdown. The program is funded by donation, and proceeds will go to four Portland area organizations: Oregon PSR, IRCO, Adelante Mujeres, and 350 PDX. Learn more and register here.
Portland Climate Strike
Fri, May 20, follow @portlandclimatestrike on Instagram for more info
“In a little over 2 months, Portland teens and adults will gather together to FIGHT FOR OUR FUTURE! With chants, speakers, ways to get involved, and SO MUCH MORE, our spring Climate Strike will be unlike anything before. Stay tuned to hear more about this upcoming event.” – Portland Climate Strike
Portland Black Lives Matter Protests
Throughout the week @ across the city – details here
News & Updates
Update from our Solidarity Team:
HEADLINES:
- Candace Avalos column: Portland’s Clean Energy Fund is winning for communities of color
- Documents show how polluting industries mobilized to block climate action
- In ‘Scientist Rebellion,’ Researchers Face Arrest for Climate Action
- Historically redlined neighborhoods have twice the number of oil and gas wells
- Amazon Labor Union builds community coalition to organize retail giant in Staten Island
- California plan would give $100m to Indigenous leaders to buy ancestral lands
Resources
Resources for learning and building people power to win a just and fossil free world.
Democracy School
This May, the Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund (CELDF) is offering Democracy School – Igniting a Rights Movement for Communities and Nature. Learn about the limits of conventional regulatory organizing and a new organizing model. The Democracy School will meet on Zoom during four weekend sessions in May, and there is no fee for participation. Learn more and register here.
Green Workforce Academy
The Academy is a 5-week, paid workforce readiness program for Black and Native adults 18+ who have completed high school. Half the time is spent in a classroom where students learn about the environment and sustainable systems. The other half is spent getting hands-on experience at various green jobs. The program is created by and for Black and Native people, but other POC are welcome to apply. Learn more here.
In love and gratitude,
Anissa, Brenna, Chris, Dineen, Indi, Julia – the 350PDX staff