Annual Report 2016-2017

OCCV ANNUAL REPORT: July 2016-June 2017

LEGISLATIVE ACTIVITIES

OCCV board members and volunteers were a powerful and persistent voice in the Capitol during the 2017 session, speaking to the moral and spiritual imperative for legislation to meet the needs of those most at risk in our state.  We advocated for bills related to housing, health care, environmental justice, criminal justice reform, wage theft, children’s education and child care, and for major corporate tax reform.  We attended numerous legislative hearings, rallies and town halls, testifying in writing and in person.  A summary of bills and outcomes is attached to this report.  

Each board member took responsibility to track bills in their assigned category, and to coordinate our advocacy with other groups and volunteers.  OCCV continues to collaborate with faith-based and other organizations actively working to pass legislation that reflects our values.  We were pleased that our combined voices resulted in some important legislation being passed, but were disappointed that legislation in two critical areas, corporate tax reform and affordable housing, did not pass. 

OCCV was one of the co-sponsors for the Interfaith Advocacy Day held on February 7, participated in the planning committee for the event, and helped to generate the largest turn-out so far for this bi-annual event.  We participated in the day’s activities, speaking from our faith perspective to our various legislators about the critical issues before them during the session.

EVENTS

Legislative Forum:  

OCCV held its third Legislative Forum on January 21, just prior to the beginning of the 2017 legislative session.  The purpose of the forum is to hear from legislators and advocates about the bills to be considered during the session, to guide OCCV in choosing which bills to endorse, and to give attendees an opportunity to engage in advocacy.  We invited two other faith-based organizations, Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon, and Interfaith Alliance against Poverty, to co-sponsor the forum.  John Calhoun again took the lead on the format for the forum, arranging for thirteen legislators and leaders from various non-profits to address eight categories of proposed bills.  Even though the forum was the same day as the Women’s March in downtown Portland, over 60 people attended, with many signing up to volunteer during the legislative session.

Faith and Why Unions Matter Forum:

As an active member of the Faith Labor Committee of Jobs For Justice, OCCV was instrumental in promoting the idea of a forum where the nexus between faith and worker rights could be explored.  We were co-sponsors, and were active in planning the forum.  The forum was well-received, and will be repeated in the fall.  As a result of our increased awareness about workers’ rights to dignity and fair wages, OCCV has written a position paper stating why our faith compels us to advocate for workers’ rights, including the right to organize.  

In our collaborations with other groups, OCCV has had an active role in planning and coordinating the annual Faith Labor Breakfast, sponsored by the Faith Labor Committee, and as noted above, was active in planning and participating in the Interfaith Advocacy Day at the legislature. 

One of the classes at Warner Pacific chose homelessness as their focus, and asked OCCV to speak on the issue. Heidi Cao and Tom Wherley did a presentation of OCCV’s work and led a discussion on housing and homelessness.         

COLLABORATIONS

During the legislative session, OCCV collaborated with a number of organizations working on the same issues we endorsed.  Those organizations included A Better Oregon; Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon; Interfaith Alliance against Poverty; Children First for Oregon;  General Assistance Coalition; Wage Theft Coalition; Partnership for Safety and Justice, Tax Fairness Oregon; Housing Alliance; Causa; Unitarian Universalist Voices for Justice.  We coordinated our activities with these groups, signed joint letters to legislators, attended rallies together as a faith presence, and provided testimony that spoke to the moral and spiritual imperative of the various bills. 

On an ongoing basis, we either are actively involved in, and/or endorsing the following groups:  Children First for Oregon, Faith Labor Committee, Wage Theft Coalition, Health Care for All Oregon, Human Services Coalition of Oregon, Oregon Housing Alliance.  

ADMINSTRATIVE FUNCTIONS

Budget and donor support:

OCCV has a faithful group of monthly donors who, along with those who give occasionally, provide sufficient funds to sustain our current level of activity, and to maintain a healthy balance each month.  We held a fund-raising campaign in the fall of 2016, asking people to support us by becoming an OCCV Sustaining Voice, and had a modest response to the appeal.  While we will continue seeking to increase our donor base, we are able to accomplish much with little because of our dedicated and activist board, and because we leverage our influence through our collaborations with other groups. 

Staff and board:

We continue to employ an office manager, Amanda Larriva, for 10 hours a week.  Her competency and range of skills contribute significantly to our ability to maintain a smooth-functioning organization.  Our board still consists of five members, all of whom give of their time as they are able, and who remain committed to the vision and work of OCCV.

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE

In the previous annual report, we identified the need to stay relevant, saying, “As outside circumstances change, as they do, our effectiveness as an organization will depend on our discernment and flexibility in responding to them.”  Over the last year the changing political scene has presented challenges and a sense of urgency for people of faith to speak prophetically and boldly against movements that threaten the well-being of our communities, and particularly some of our most marginalized neighbors.  We need to discern how and where to speak, with whom to align ourselves, and seek even more to join with other groups and individuals who share our concern and desire to stand up for righteousness and justice.  We will seek to form more strategic alliances with other faith groups to be a more powerful witness in our advocacy and in standing against hate and violence.      

OCCV recognizes our need to take a stand against racism, and will develop a position statement in the future.  But, we believe we first need to seek ways to listen and learn from those affected by the racism that is endemic in our society.  We will avail ourselves of the resources available in our community, such as Race Talks, and will endorse and participate in events focused on racism as they become available.  We will be proactive in seeking opportunities to learn from and connect with groups affected by racism.  

We’ve had limited success in establishing a reliable social media presence, due to our limited resources and time.  We need to be realistic about what we can accomplish, but given the importance of a social media presence, should consider ways to staff it, including actively recruiting a volunteer.  

Finally, the urgency of the times and the magnitude of the needs call for an even deeper awareness of our dependency on God and the movement of the Spirit.  “Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord.”   We bring our commitment, discernment and skills to the work.  We must also bring  listening hearts to hear each other, and most importantly to hear how the Spirit seeks to guide us.