Western States Center Blog
Get the latest news, opinions and thoughts from the Center staff and guest bloggers. Subscribe to our blog RSS.
Get the latest news, opinions and thoughts from the Center staff and guest bloggers. Subscribe to our blog RSS.
Singing the SisterSong
The beauty of reproductive justice, both the term and the framework, was manifested for participants in Western States Center’s Groundwork cohort recently when they had the privilege of sitting down with Loretta Ross, one of the founders of the group SisterSong and a visionary behind the reproductive justice movement.
Making Families Count in Idaho
Recently, the Idaho Department of Health & Welfare released their most recent numbers on Idaho's marriages and divorces; live births and abortions; and suicides among men and women. But do the numbers say about Idahoan families and their welfare?
A “Uniting” Movement
In November 2010, The Center brought together 22 organizations based in communities of color and immigrants & refugees communities from across the country to examine LGBTQ equality within their organizations and their work. Queer people of color have struggled with bringing their whole self to advance racial justice because there has not been much work done in tandem between the LGBTQ community and communities of color.
An Electoral Bright Spot in Montana
Although the election results in Montana were sobering for progressives, there was a progressive policy victory to celebrate.
Staying Optimistic After a Tough Election
Marcy Bowers, Membership and Communications Coordinator of Statewide Poverty Action Network in Washington writes about the importance of on-going organizing beyond election seasons.
GOP landslide in Wyoming no surprise, but…
Dan Neal, Executive Director of Equality State Policy Center, writes about the consequences of the Wyoming election results and the opportunity to test reality against rhetoric.
Elections and Criminal Justice Reform – Keeping Perspective
David Rogers, Executive Director of Partnership and Justice, gives us a larger picture view of criminal justice reform despite the passing of Measure 73.
Saving Babies, Building Community
The Urban League of Portland hosted a Reproductive Health Policymakers Roundtable, to find community-based solutions to the alarming disparity in black birth outcomes, both here in Portland and across the nation.
CSTI's Got Talent!
Since 2007, we've hosted a talent show at CSTI. 2010 is the first karaoke only talent show. Read about our very own CSTI Idols!
Heartbreaking
In the past month five young men have committed suicide after being bullied or harassed for being gay. Kalpana Krishnamurthy offers some reflections and questions after learning that one of the harassers was South Asian.
Reflections on Facing Race
Kelley Weigel reflects on the Applied Research Center's Facing Race conference and the politics of hope.
A Path Forward Together
We launched our second Uniting Communities: Oregon Cohort at the 2010 CSTI (Community Strategic Training Initiative). Read Walidah's reflection on the first gathering that brought together six groups in Oregon.
An Artist's Response to a Call for Vision
How do we not just fight the right but create a vision for the world we are striving for? Some ideas about person to person organizing and breaking out of ideological segregation.
Space to Breath: Uniting Communities Workshop at USSF
Western States Center's workshop at the US Social Forum provided a space for LGBTQ people of color and allies to come together, to reflect, to share experiences, and to make connections to continue the work of LGBTQ equality in communities of color.
A New Detroit is Happening: US Social Forum
The US Social Forum began Tuesday, June 22nd, with a march that filled the streets of Detroit and signaled a coming together of politics and action.
Are Organizations Raising Money Online?
Millions of dollars have been raised for Haiti via text messages. Are grassroots groups get some of that? Andy Robinson examines the costs, benefits, opportunities, and challenges of embracing online fundraising.
Outlawing Shackling of Women Inmates in Washington
Guest blogger, Sara Ainsworth, writes about outlawing shackling of female inmates and the "new poor"
Don't Mess with Texas (and Arizona)
Content in public schools is a front line for the culture wars. Read on to learn more about Texas and Arizona's recent decisions to change white-wash their curriculum.
May Day - Change is Possible
May Day 2010 was a day of global action and solidarity - in the US and around the world.
A Valentine for Being in the Moment, and the Moment
We did not solve the world’s economic crisis, but we shared our ideas about how to create common ground as the extremist right tries to push the dialogue further and further away from community and into isolation.
