2005 E-News - First Edition

Organizers Attend "Radical Sabbatical" Western States Center's 15th Annual Community Strategic Training Initiative (CSTI), held July 29th - 31st, 2005 at Reed College campus in Portland, was a great success. Nearly 400 people attended, including over 70 women of color who came one day early for the Third Annual Women of Color Gathering. This year's program brought together some of the best minds in the U.S.A. and two from outside the United States to share skills, strategies and visions of a just world.

Women of Color Gathering
Nearly 70 women of diverse cultural, ethnic, political, social, economic, sexual orientation and geographical backgrounds participated in the Third Annual Women of Color Gathering held on July 28th of 2005. The Gathering was designed to foster a safe space for women of color to share their collective experiences of struggle in confronting the many barriers they face--and to explore the values necessary to create a just and equal society at home and abroad. Under the theme of "Building Leadership for Power" the women began creating a common political framework intended to help strengthen the leadership of women of color in our region. In closing the gathering, participants collectively wrote a Poem of Justice. Click here to read the poem.

Gender Justice: It's a Family Affair Western States Center kicked off its new Family, Community and Sexuality Project at CSTI 2005 with a roundtable discussion, It's a Family Affair. Bringing together leaders from around the region, It's a Family Affair featured panelists from youth organizations, low-income advocacy groups, people of color led organizations, LGTB organizations, immigrant rights groups and many others, who explored the ways in which policies deny resources to their constituencies. Approximately 100 audience members listened to the conversation between ten community organizers/leaders who work in diverse communities affected by a variety of policies governing marriage, family and sexuality. Read More.

Voter Organizing Training and Empowerment (VOTE) Project II
Western States Center is launching the second round of its VOTE Project with a select number of organizations committed to doing civic participation work in 2005-2006. The project focuses on organizations working with communities that have traditionally lower voter participation rates. This work is critical; we believe that groups involved in voter registration, education, and mobilization work are building power for their communities that continue beyond what happens in any given electoral cycle. Read lessons learned from our first VOTE Project.

Base-Building Project
The Center has developed a new project to support building progressive power in our region. The Base Building Project is specifically designed for community-based organizations led by and for people of color that will provide training and technical assistance to advance the organization's membership, leadership and ability to run successful campaigns. More members, stronger leaders, campaign victories. . . That's what we are talking about!

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