350PDX Weekly Update – Every Day is Indigenous Peoples Day – Oct 14 2020

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Hi everyone,

This week, as every week, we’re writing to you from the traditional lands and village sites of the Multnomah, Wasco, Cowlitz, Kathlamet, Clackamas, Tualatin Kalapuya, Molalla, bands of Chinook, and many other Tribes and peoples that have made their homes along the Columbia and Willamette Rivers since time immemorial. Today, Indigenous folks from over 380 tribes live and thrive in the place we now call Portland; here, colonization and Indigenous resistance both persist into the present.

Every day is Indigenous People’s Day when we’re residing on and benefitting from stolen land. The climate justice movement in particular owes so much to Indigenous leaders and communities, who both live on the front lines of the climate crisis and lead the fight against its root causes. From Standing Rock to Wet’suwet’en Territory to the Klamath Tribes to O’Odham Jewed, Indigenous land and water defenders have long stood as the first line of defense against the greatest harms of the extractive economy.

Land defense doesn’t stop with pipelines. Around the world, when Indigenous communities manage land, forests, and resources, carbon sequestration and conservation outcomes improve. As we work to end the climate crisis, we can’t stop at keeping fossil fuels in the ground: we must be just as invested in keeping land in Indigenous hands, and in returning that which has already been stolen.

Wondering what you can do to take action in solidarity beyond Indigenous People’s Day? Here’s some places to start:

Here’s your 350PDX weekly update!

Actions

All these actions and more can be found on our website’s Take Action page – 350pdx.org/action

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

    350PDX is a 501c3 organization, which means we cannot endorse specific political candidates. But we also know that our democracy is at stake, with rampant voter suppression, voter intimidation, and attacks on USPS happening across the country. So we’re ensuring that as many people as possible are registered to vote – and then turning them out to the polls on Election Day on November 3rd. We’re 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!

  • Tell your Congressperson to Support the BREATHE Act

    Our nation is facing a turning point. We can either stand up and demand change, or we can continue watching as our Black and Brown neighbors choke on expired tear gas, disappear into unmarked vans, and bear the brunt of police brutality in this nation. The BREATHE Act is a 21st-century Federal civil rights bill that will help communities of color not just survive, but thrive, led by the Movement For Black Lives.

    They’re building support for the BREATHE Act from the ground up — and that starts with showing Congress that communities across the country demand change. Because it’s not enough to just say that Black Lives Matter — we need to live it. We need the BREATHE Act. Write your congressperson here.

  • DEQ and Climate Need Our Help

    DEQ is currently receiving public testimony concerning the cap-and-reduce program, which is part of the Oregon Climate Action Plan (OCAP) under Executive Order 20-04. The DEQ has set three hearings for October and we need Climate conscious Oregonians to show up and, if you can, testify!

    The Governors executive order directs state agencies to take actions to reduce and regulate greenhouse gas emissions. One major component of the OCAP is a directive for the state Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to set up a new program to “cap and reduce” the climate-harming pollution released by Oregon’s largest polluters. By no longer allowing these major polluters (like oil companies, fossil gas companies, and industrial manufacturers) to spew unlimited amounts of greenhouse gas emissions, this new policy can help transition Oregon to cleaner ways of powering our economy and communities.

    We need a large turn out for DEQ’s Town Hall meeting on October 14th.

    Click here to register to attend one or more of the Town Hall meetings, click here for talking points from our movement partners that you can use when you testify. You’ll receive information on how to participate in the Town Hall. Please show up to the Town Hall to show DEQ the breadth of support for ambitious climate action now!

Opportunities​​​​

  • Joint Town Hall with Reps Blumenauer and Ocasio-Cortez

    Thurs Oct 15, 4:00PM – Online

    Join Representatives Earl Blumenauer (OR-3) and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14) for a joint town hall on the ongoing fight for housing and environmental justice. The Members of Congress will provide an update on their respective legislation and their joint efforts to get Congress to take action on these critical issues. There will be the opportunity for constituents to ask the Members of Congress questions following the presentation.

  • Virtual Go Zero Tour 2020

    Wed Oct 14, 4:00PM – 6:00PM – Online
    Wed Oct 21, 4:00PM – 6:00PM – Online

    Residential buildings account for ​almost a quarter of all energy usage​ in the state of Oregon, and zero energy home design is an important strategy in climate adaptation. Join Solar Oregon for two premier virtual explorations of zero energy homes across the state: the Go Zero Tour 2020, presented by Energy Trust of Oregon. This event is part of Sustainable Building Week. Use code: 350PDX to get in for free!

  • PDX Women’s Unity March for Justice

    Sat Oct 17, 11:00AM – Portland City Hall

    BIPOC led Women’s march about the Supreme Court in PDX. “Continuing the tradition of marching for justice and equality, join PDX as we stand for Women’s rights and empower femininity! PDX Women’s March fully supports ALL Black Lives! This years event and March are hosted and led by BIPOC Women.” Facebook event here.

  • Workshop: Connecting Across Racial Difference

    Tues Oct 20, 5:30PM – 7:00PM – Online

    Building Bridges is a series of workshops meant to encourage an understanding of racism, racial identity, and how race impacts society. By bridging some of the divides that exist when it comes to talking about race, these workshops will encourage a deeper understanding of participant’s own experiences with racial identity.

    The topics explored will provide opportunities for participants to think critically, reflect, learn, internalize, and engage meaningfully with others in their community.

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

    Get more involved in BLM actions through our BLM Volunteer Form here. Here are some actions we’ve picked out this week:

    Justice for Patrick Kimmons Rally & March
    Thurs Oct 15, 10:00AM – 2:00PM
    North Precinct, 449 NE Emerson St (check Instagram here for changes)

    PDX Car Caravan Protest
    Sat Oct 17, 2:00PM – 5:00PM
    PCC Cascade Parking Lot, 705 N Killingsworth St

    JUSTICE: Virtual Hip Hop Benefit Show
    Sat Oct 17, 6:00PM – 8:30PM
    Livestreamed from Kelly’s Olympian

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

350PDX Weekly Update – Preparing for the Election – Oct 7 2020 We’re suing the Feds for their use of chemical weapons in Portland