Hi everyone,
This week, we invite you to continue standing in solidarity with those defending the Weelaunee Forest and Atlanta community from the Atlanta Police Foundation, who are preparing to build “Cop City” — a $90 million police-military compound — on stolen Muscogee land.
Resources on how you can support the Forest Defenders, as well as the family of Forest Defender Manuel “Tortuguita” Páez Terán, who was killed by the Atlanta Police:
- Make a donation to support Tortuguita’s family
- Donate to the Atlanta Solidarity Fund, which bails out activists who are arrested for participating in social justice movements, and helps them get access to lawyers
- Follow and support the ongoing organizing to Stop Cop City and Defend the Atlanta Forest
- Follow @atlantajusticealliance and @stopcopcity on Instagram
- Learn more, and find more ways to take action @ linktr.ee/stopcopcitylinks
Next week, there will also be several in-person actions you can take to show up in solidarity here in Portland:
Show up in solidarity with the Weelaunee Forest Defenders for a Stop Cop City picnic at Colonel Summers Park! Come by Mon, Feb 20, from 1:00-4:00pm. Bring food to share, bring your doggos, family & friends! There will be games, arts & crafts, and letter writing, as well as a raffle to raise funds for forest defenders who are currently facing charges in Atlanta.
Come to the Stop Cop City Vegan Chili Cookout on Saturday, Feb 25, at Laurelhurst Park (12-3pm). There will be live music, an open mic, and free zines. Bring food, friends, and your band/talent!
Fights for abolition, Indigenous sovereignty, and environmental justice are deeply connected, and we must keep showing up for folks on the frontlines. Read on for more opportunities to take action, and stay tuned for more updates on Weelaunee Forest Defender solidarity actions next week.
In solidarity,
350PDX Staff & Community
Take Action
For quick actions like petitions, check out our Take Action Page. Take the Pledge of Action for more updates.
Take action to stop the GTN XPress pipeline expansion
For years, communities in the Pacific Northwest have been standing up to fossil fuel corporations. Now, TC Energy (the company behind Keystone XL) is trying to quietly expand the GTN pipeline. This proposed expansion project is called GTN XPress, and would result in more than 3.24 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions per year.
Ways you can take action:
- Now, it’s important that we make our voices heard to FERC, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Submit an official comment to FERC in opposition to the GTN XPress project.
- Watch this new video about the GTN XPress project and share our posts about the video on facebook, instagram, and twitter
- Check out this video of the People’s Hearing to Stop GTN XPress last Monday
Tell your OR Senators and Representatives to Support Climate Justice in the 2023 Legislative Session
The urgency of the climate crisis requires bold and meaningful action at every level of government. Right now, we have an opportunity to create important change across all of Oregon in the 2023 Legislative Session, which runs from January to June. 350PDX enters the 2023 State Legislative session ready to support and advocate for bills that nurture the type of changes we need for a more climate-stable future. Please join us in contacting your Oregon State Senator and Representative to highlight these important bills and ask that they are made a priority this session.
Take Action to Stop the Mountain Valley Pipeline – by Feb 21
The Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) company has spent years endangering communities throughout Appalachia and damaging the region’s water with their destructive gas pipeline project. But there is still time to stop them. Last year, federal courts found that the United States Forest Service (USFS) and other agencies improperly granted the MVP approvals to cross the Jefferson National Forest for a second time and asked the agency to again review the MVP’s threats to water resources in the forest.
USFS is accepting public comments on its updated analysis of Mountain Valley Pipeline’s environmental impacts through February 6th. Tell Biden and the United States Forest Service to reject any new approvals for the Mountain Valley Pipeline!
Sign the Petition & Write to Congress: Restore Federal Recognition for the Chinook Indian Nation
In 2001, the Chinook Nation obtained federal recognition from the U.S. government. However, celebration turned into heartbreak when the U.S. government rescinded this recognition eighteen months later. The Chinook Indian Nation was essentially declared nonexistent in the eyes of the government. The nation has been unable to access programs and resources to which federally recognized tribes are entitled. Congress has both the power and authority to recognize tribes. We are calling on our elected officials to do what’s right and end this humanitarian crisis: Stop the genocide and federally recognize the Chinook Indian Nation.
Events & Opportunities
Public Listening Session on PCEF funding of equitable urban forests
Thurs, Feb 23, 5:00-6:00pm — virtual (learn more and sign up here)
Training: Facilitating Effective Meetings & Events
**POSTPONED ONE WEEK TO FEB 23** Thurs, Feb 23, 6pm-7:30pm — on zoom (register here)
The Pacific Northwest Forest Climate Aliance is hosting an activist training series over the coming months to support deepening skills in facilitation & running meetings, helping resolve conflicts, making organizing spaces more accessible, and navigating burnout & building collective resilience. Each month from February through May, they’ll take a deep dive with experienced trainers into these important but often unrecognized skills. Register here for the first training on Feb 16, where you’ll learn about how to facilitate effective meetings.
350PDX New Volunteer Evening
Tues, March 7, 6:00-7:30pm — at the 350PDX office (3625 N Mississippi Ave) — Learn more and RSVP here!
Come and hear more of what 350PDX is all about, meet some staff and volunteers, see our office space, and explore more how to get involved! We’ll start at 6pm with some pizza and wine/beer/soft drinks, and then have an intro training that covers what we’re all about. We’ll then do some sort of action (maybe letter-writing, phoning our representatives, etc.). We’ll finish with some time to chat one on one about getting more involved or get your remaining questions answered. This will be an indoor event with masks encouraged but not required. See full accessibility information here, and let us know any accessibility needs on the RSVP form. — Learn more and RSVP here!
350PDX March Action Night
Wed, March 15, 6:00-8:00pm — at the 350PDX office (3625 N Mississippi Ave) — Learn more and RSVP here!
Join us for our monthly 350PDX Action Night, a monthly in-person gathering at our offices where we’ll be leaning into all the stuff we can’t do on Zoom! There will be food, drink, team tabling, action stations, and more. We are located in the Rebuilding Center offices. This is the building next door to the main Rebuilding Center store, on the same block but just north on Mississippi Ave. We have a red door that says 350PDX, directly opposite Stormbreaker Brewing and Black Book Guitars. Look for a 350PDX sandwich board outside the door. Learn more and RSVP here!
Actions with Don’t Shoot PDX
Throughout the week, across the city – details here
Worker Solidarity Actions
Throughout the week, across the city – visit the Portland Jobs with Justice page for more info (PJWJ is a coalition of over 100 labor, faith, community and student organizations and individual activists taking action for workers rights and economic justice). Also see their list of solidarity actions.
News & Updates
350PDX requests to the community:
Do you want to become our Business Partner as part of Earth Day Oregon?
Earth Day Oregon, a statewide giving and action campaign, facilitates donations from Business Partners to Nonprofit Partners throughout the month of April. Can you become an Earth Day Oregon Business Partner and make a contribution to 350PDX? As a Business Partner, you would be part of collective action that showcases your commitment to a sustainable Oregon and climate justice. A donation can be writing us a check, giving us a percent of your sales (for Earth Day, week or month), or something else. Let’s talk about what works for you – we’re open to creative ideas! Deadline to sign up to be our Business Partner is March 7th – learn more here. Please reach out to info@350pdx.org if you’re interested.
Do you have IT or software engineer experience?
We’re looking for a volunteer to help us manage the more technical aspects of our website. This volunteer role would involve ongoing projects (i.e. helping us keep on top of general website upkeep) as well as being available for more rapid-response assistance with technical difficulties. We use WordPress, fyi. Reach out to Julia at julia@350pdx.org if you’re interested, or have questions!
Do you have a staple gun you can donate to us?
Reach out to Chris at chris@350pdx.org.
If you missed it, check out our Shade Equity Social blog post!
On Monday, the Forest Defense Team hosted a Shade Equity Social to bring together tree, ecology and climate people from across our city, and it was a great success! More than 70 folks mixed and mingled, shared and strategized, and enjoyed presentations from the Portland Fruit Tree Project, Trees for Life Oregon, East Portland Resilience Coalition, Friends of Trees, and Commissioner Dan Ryan, the newly minted commissioner for Urban Forestry. We were thrilled to have folks from Urban Forestry, the Bureau of Environmental Services, and the Portland Clean Energy Fund (PCEF) in attendance. All three city agencies have a role in supporting Portland’s urban forest, and it was great to have them in the same room, alongside advocates from across the city. Read our full blog post here, with opportunities to take action!
Check out Don’t Shoot Portland’s Liberated Archives installation at the University of Oregon – now through April
Installation has been completed for the Archives for Black Lives: A Liberated Archives Exhibition series at University of Oregon in Portland’s White Stag Block! In addition to archival research on display, the exhibit also features fine art by inventive artists Julian Gaines and Jacob Lawrence. Visits are open to the public Monday through Friday from 9am to 5pm and 10am to 3pm on Saturdays. Group visits to the multimedia installation can be scheduled by contacting pdxlib@uoregon.edu.
In love and gratitude,
The 350PDX staff