I’m reaching out to invite you to a gathering of women and gender-expansive leaders who are committed to gender justice in Oregon and related Native Nations.

A small group of friends and colleagues who are currently or formerly affiliated with the Center for Women’s Leadership at PSU, Planned Parenthood Columbia Willamette, the Northwest Abortion Access Fund, the Northwest Health Foundation, the Women’s Foundation of Oregon, and the American Leadership Forum of Oregon have come together over the last several months to form an emergent statewide gender justice organization.

The new organization’s envisioned purpose is to strengthen the gender-focused field and gender-justice leadership in our region. We see ourselves as being a haven, a home, and a hub for values-aligned leaders and organizations to learn, connect, teach, recharge, and strategize together.

We hope you can join us for an evening of connecting, dreaming, and planning—fueled by a beautiful family-style meal and handcrafted beverages. We’re excited to share what we have envisioned and built so far. We’ll also have a series of structured but informal conversations, including identity-based affinity space to hear from you. The dreams and wisdom you share with us during these dinners will be stitched into the fabric of this new organization.

We hope you can join us!

WHAT: Gender Justice Community Dreaming Dinner

WHO’S INVITED: Women and gender-expansive leaders across sectors—government, business, philanthropy, nonprofit– who have a strong intersectional analysis, with a clear focus on leaders of color.

WHO’S HOSTING:

  • Sirius Bonner

  • Emily Evans

  • Jessica Mole Heilman

  • Vicki Reitenauer

  • Suk Rhee

  • Trina Stout

  • Lisa Watson

WHEN: 5:30pm - 8:00pm, April 13 or April 19 (please RSVP to one or the other)

WHERE: Inner SE Portland, address shared with RSVP

WHY: The past several years have been hard on Oregon’s gender-focused field. A majority of cornerstone groups have undergone leadership transitions. A handful of other organizations and/or programs have shut down altogether. Gender-specific direct service providers across the state are reporting high levels of burnout, turnover, and vacancies. In short, the field is threadbare and we’ve heard that folks feel under-supported and isolated. 

All of this is happening at a time of rising patriarchal white nationalism. Across the country, much of the momentum generated by the #MeToo movement, George Floyd’s murder, and the racialized and gendered impacts of the pandemic has faded. Every day we are experiencing unprecedented attacks on the trans community, the wider queer community, and reproductive rights. This has left gender-focused leaders in all fields with less fuel for intersectional justice at a time when it’s needed most. 

We believe gender justice champions in our region need space to gather and dream together. We need an organization dedicated to co-creating regular spaces where intersectional leaders can deepen their analyses and ideological alignment, make connections, craft strategies, and build power. Space to be in community. 

We can’t wait to dream together with you.