Take Our Charter Review Survey by Jan. 24

The Coalition of Communities of Color’s Charter Review Community Priorities Survey is now live! Make your voice heard by taking the survey by Monday, January 24.

The Portland Charter Commission is considering recommending changes to Portland’s form of government and voting system. Changes approved by the Charter Commission will be referred to the ballot for Portland voters to decide on.

Take our survey about Community Priorities for the Portland Charter Review Process to make your voice heard in this important process and help shape the future of our city. The survey is available in English, Spanish, Russian, Chinese, and Vietnamese.

The purpose of this survey is to help us understand how community members would like to be served by our city government and how they would like to be represented by our city’s elected leaders. Your perspective will help inform the Charter Commission about your priorities on the topics they are reviewing.

If you would like more information, the CCC has created a webpage to educate and engage Portlanders in the Charter Review process. Check it out to learn more about why this process matters and ways you can take action.

Visit bit.ly/charter-survey by Monday, January 24, 2022. One lucky participant will win a $250 gift card! Thank you for engaging with this important process.

Farewell & Congratulations to Elona Wilson

Last week, we shared our gratitude and best wishes to our Advocacy Director, Elona J Wilson, as she left the Coalition of Communities of Color to become the Executive Director of Next Up, an organization working to amplify the voice and leadership of diverse young people to achieve a more just and equitable Oregon.

Elona joined CCC in late 2020 and immediately brought her energy and vision, launching right into preparations for the 2021 legislative session. During her time at CCC, she led our lobbying efforts at the Oregon Capitol and played an integral role in deepening CCC’s engagement in a number of areas, particularly criminal legal reform and education.

Reflecting on her achievements at CCC, Elona shared, “Some of my proudest work is within the criminal justice sphere working to make Oregon the second state in the nation to eliminate fees for post-prison supervision, probation, and parole, helping tens of thousands of folks impacted by the criminal legal system achieve financial stability so they can care for their families. The steps made this legislative session were nowhere near enough for our communities, but I am going to continue to be in this fight until we finally achieve justice.”

“My time at the Coalition of Communities of Color has been incredible,” Elona continued. “The work that we did, uniting communities of color to fight for a more just and equitable Oregon, was impactful and intentional. I am excited to see what the future holds for this outstanding organization and folks served.”

Marcus Mundy, CCC’s Executive Director, said, “While Elona will be missed, as she brought a passion and enthusiasm to the powerful advocacy work CCC leads, and her own contributions to that work, we are pleased that she will continue to fight for the things that matter to all Oregonians at Next Up. We are doubly pleased that we will continue to be able to collaborate with her and tap into her expertise and innovative thinking. Her CCC colleagues will universally feel her absence, but are assured she will continue to lead.”

Next Up has been a strong partner of CCC, in particular on work around democracy reform and potential changes to the City of Portland’s charter. Read about Elona’s new role as Next Up’s Executive Director on their website here. Elona, thank you, congratulations, and we look forward to our continued work together!

2021 Legislative Recap

A Historic Legislative Session for Racial Justice

Our Victories, and the Work Ahead

The Oregon State Legislature adjourned Saturday, June 26. Over the course of the session, we moved from some of the most acute COVID-related public health impacts toward an equitable recovery marked by meaningful action for racial justice. 

2020 made the conversation on racial justice more salient than ever at the legislature, and CCC was positioned to help pass groundbreaking racial equity legislation. Read the original priority agenda we set in January, and learn more about how CCC develops its legislative agenda here.

Amidst the challenges of an all-remote session, CCC had a more robust legislative advocacy program than ever under the leadership of our new Advocacy Director, Elona J. Wilson. We regularly testified at hearings and informational briefings, submitted written testimony, met with legislators, supported coalition and grassroots organizing, and spoke with the media to advance our racial justice agenda. Beyond our direct lobbying, we also were invited to speak at informational briefings including the structural racism of our tax system, improving community access to the legislature, and making legislative service more accessible for all Oregonians who want to hold office.

Our member organizations and partners came together and built powerful coalitions to achieve these wins. The BIPOC Caucus—representing the largest class of Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) legislators ever—demonstrated the power of collective action and led the way toward racial justice. Three of these legislators have strong ties to CCC. Sen. Kayse Jama, former executive director of our member Unite Oregon, Rep. Khanh Pham, former Manager of Immigrant Organizing at our member APANO, and Rep. Andrea Valderrama, CCC’s former Advocacy Director, all played critical leadership roles. We thank all of the members of the caucus for their leadership, and to their allies who joined them in this effort.

In addition to CCC’s agenda, our members saw significant wins on items like $80 million in safety investments on 82nd Avenue, Cover All People (health care for all eligible low-income Oregonians, regardless of immigration status), increasing access to mental health care for BIPOC Oregonians, and many more. We celebrate their leadership and the victories they won to strengthen their communities.

Our 2021 Agenda

• Oregon Clean Energy Opportunity

• Immigrant and Refugee Justice

• Economic opportunity

• Education Justice

• Stable Homes for All

• Strengthening Democracy

• Justice Denied And Looking Ahead

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Oregon Clean Energy Opportunity

The Oregon Clean Energy Opportunity campaign’s three bills all passed with broad support, positioning us toward a more equitable climate future. This statewide campaign brought together an unprecedented coalition of frontline advocates from rural, coastal, BIPOC, and low income communities who worked tirelessly to take action for climate justice.

• Energy Affordability (HB 2475) will help Oregon families afford their energy bills through lower energy rates for residential ratepayers with lower incomes who most need the relief. 

• 100% Clean Energy for All (HB 2021) will transition Oregon’s electricity to 100% clean energy by 2040—the fastest timeline in the nation. It centers benefits for the communities and workers most impacted by climate change and extractive industries.

• Healthy Homes (HB 2842) invests $20 million in fixes to make homes safer to live in and more affordable to heat and cool while providing living wage jobs through home repairs work.

Our environmental justice team played a critical role in this coalition. Nikita Daryanani, CCC’s Climate & Energy Policy Manager, said, “Oregonians in every part of the state are going to see major benefits from more clean energy, such as good-quality jobs, community ownership of disaster-resilient solar projects, and less air pollution,” with the entire package helping low-income families afford their utilities and essential home repairs.

Immigrant and Refugee Justice

Welcoming Refugees and Office of Immigrant and Refugee Advancement

Immigrant Oregonians are part of our families, communities, workplace, classmates and faith communities. We all deserve the opportunity to thrive, which includes providing the support our immigrant and refugee communities need, and ensuring they are safe from unfair harassment and profiling.

Sen. Kayse Jama, the first former refugee elected to the Oregon State Senate and former executive director of CCC member organization Unite, led the passage of legislation to create a state Office of Immigrant and Refugee Advancement (SB 778), and allocated resources as part of Welcoming Refugees (SB 718 and ultimately passed in the budget bill) so that our state can better support our community members who make Oregon their home.

Sanctuary Promise Act 

Immigrant Oregonians deserve safety, fairness, and dignity. Voters and legislators have expressed their commitment to these values, but in practice, we are failing to meet them. Just like other Oregonians, they should be free from racial profiling and threats to their safety The Sanctuary Promise Act (HB 3265) strengthens and clarifies Oregon law to live up to these values of safety and fairness for immigrant communities. It draws a clear line between our local institutions and federal immigration enforcement and allows those unjustly harmed to enforce their rights in court.

Economic Opportunity

Oregon IDA Initiative

Matched savings accounts (Individual Development Accounts, known as IDAs), are a critical asset-building tool for BIPOC Oregonians to help them achieve their financial goals such as entrepreneurship, higher education, or buying a home. A number of CCC’s members participate in this program. This year, the initiative emerged even stronger, with the passage of the coalition’s entire legislative package, including full funding and changes that will benefit participants by making it easier to save and better meet their needs. 

Child Care for Oregon

Our child care system has long failed to meet the needs of working families. Like other inequities, this burden falls heaviest on BIPOC families in Oregon. With the COVID pandemic devastating the system, the need for sustained public investment has never been clearer. A strong, racially equitable child care system is essential to the wellbeing of our children and economic opportunity of our families. HB 3073 is a step toward building a child care system that works for all Oregonians. The passage of this bill will allow for better coordination of services and funding; help rebuild the child care sector after the pandemic; and provide immediate relief to our most vulnerable families trying to access child care during the recession by reforming the Employment Related Day Care program to better serve children, parents, and providers.

Education Justice

CCC was an active member in a new coalition, Oregon Partners for Education Justice. Together, we worked to build a legislative agenda to invest in a more inclusive, equitable and racially just public education system through policy and investments in the success of students of color. This year, we also worked to pass HB 2001, a critical strategy to maintain a racially, ethnically, and linguistically diverse educator workforce that supports student success, especially for BIPOC students.

Stable Homes for All

With Oregon’s eviction moratorium set to expire on June 30, we worked as part of the Stable Homes coalition to pass SB 282, which would give tenants until February 2022 to repay their back rent and provided other protections. While not ideal for tenants, the infusion of federal rent assistance and hard work of service providers would help Oregonians stay in their homes. When it became clear that rent assistance would not be disbursed in time, the Legislature passed SB 278 to ensure renters who were waiting on assistance would not be evicted. Given the challenges with getting rent assistance to those in urgent need, we are seriously concerned that stronger action is needed to ensure no one loses their home due to the pandemic.

Strengthening Democracy

Missed Opportunities

Ranked choice voting (SB 791), a voting method that allows every voter’s voice to count, and improved voter demographic data collection (HB 2745) did not pass this session. We look forward to returning next session. While our priority bills did not pass, other major improvements for our electoral system passed, including language access for the voter pamphlet and counting ballots postmarked by election day, did make it through. 

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Justice Denied 

A Missed Opportunity to Transform Criminal Justice

After the murder of George Floyd and the uprisings for Black lives, CCC took up community safety and transforming the legal system as a top priority with renewed urgency. This legislative session, HB 2002 was our top priority in that effort. The bill would have limited unnecessary police stops and arrests, transformed community supervision with approaches that promote public safety and success, and invested $8 million to community-based, culturally specific services.

Despite the legislature’s stated commitment to racial equity, and the recognition of the profound harm that the criminal legal system does to Black and brown Oregonians, a small number of legislators blocked this legislation in the final stages. Our coalition accepted many amendments that pared down the bill, but we know the final version would have been a meaningful step toward justice that would benefit the Oregonians who have been—and those we know will be—devastated by our criminal legal system.

While this was a painful missed opportunity for major change, we are heartened that some important policies in HB 2002 ultimately passed in other bills. Through SB 620, Oregon became the second state in the nation to eliminate fees for post-prison supervision, probation, and parole, helping tens of thousands of folks impacted by the criminal legal system achieve financial stability so they can care for their families. HB 2172 also expanded earned leave for Oregonians on post-prison supervision, allowing a greater reduction in time on supervision so folks can focus on rebuilding their lives and connecting with their community after incarceration. 

A number of important investments also came out of this advocacy, including new grant-supported Restorative Justice programs (HB 2204); the Reimagine Safety Fund, Black community-led workgroup that will develop community safety alternatives, and funding for the Criminal Justice Commission to support a Transforming Justice Initiative that invests in communities of color with practices that equitably reshape Oregon’s public safety system.

CCC also worked to secure resources for our members to provide community-based, culturally-specific responses to gun violence through American Rescue Plan funds, but we know that this is ultimately just filling a gap. We also credit the BIPOC Caucus leading the way toward police reforms. But real change is needed more urgently than ever.

As a member of the Transforming Justice Coalition that fought to pass HB 2002, our Advocacy Director Elona J. Wilson said, “‘We’re deeply disappointed that Senate leadership didn’t step up, but we’re not going to stop fighting for the policies our communities need.” We call upon the legislature to pass these reforms in the short session next year, we will put in our full effort, and we will accept nothing less.

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Looking Ahead

The road toward systemic change is long, but we reached a number of new milestones this year. All of the bills passed will improve the lives of BIPOC Oregonians and make our state stronger. These were only possible thanks to the years of organizing by community advocates. Their work laid the groundwork for real change amidst the ongoing crisis of the pandemic. As we celebrate our wins, we know we have much work to do to continue building our coalitions for racial justice. This session was historic in many ways, but like every session, we leave with much more to do. Over the coming months, we will develop our priorities that will build on our wins and continue to fight for the change our communities need, preparing for the 2022 legislative session, the elections, and beyond. We know that the power of community is transformative, and we will continue to build this power through the collective action of our members and many partners who share our vision for racial justice in Oregon. We hope you will join us in this journey.

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Support Our Work

Our legislative advocacy work is only possible through the support of our donors. Systemic change relies on individual supporters who believe in our mission for racial justice. Please consider celebrating our victories and preparing for the work ahead by making a contribution today. Thank you.

Press Release: Oregon Passes Groundbreaking 100% Clean Electricity Requirement

Oregon Passes Groundbreaking Legislation Requiring 100% Clean Electricity by 2040

Haga clic aquí para español

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 

Saturday, June 26, 2021

CONTACT: 

Damon Motz-Storey, damon@oregonpsr.org, 303-913-5634 (text, Signal, call)

Oregon Passes Groundbreaking Legislation Requiring 100% Clean Electricity by 2040

Rural and community of color-led environmental justice organizations bring labor, clean energy developers, climate and environmental groups, and regulated utilities together to pass historic legislation propelling responsible clean energy development, job creation, and climate action.

[SALEM, OR] -- On Oregon’s hottest day in recorded history, the Oregon Senate passed an ambitious bill to transition the state’s electricity to 100% clean energy by 2040 while centering benefits for communities of color and rural, coastal, and low-income communities and workers. The 100% Clean Energy for All bill (House Bill 2021) passed with 16-12 votes. With the passage of this bill, Oregon will have the fastest timeline to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions from the electric sector in the United States.

"100% Clean Energy for All is an exciting, ambitious, and achievable policy grounded in justice for communities who have been historically harmed the most by our energy systems," said Nikita Daryanani, Climate & Energy Policy Manager at the Coalition of Communities of Color in Portland. "We were proud to be a part of convening key stakeholders from so many sectors to reach consensus on this bill. Now, as a result, Oregonians in every part of the state can see major benefits from more clean energy, such as good-quality jobs, community ownership of disaster-resilient solar projects, and less air pollution. We have adopted the fastest clean electricity timeline of any U.S. state with standard-setting opportunities and benefits for workers and the nation’s first ban on new or expanded fossil fuel power plants."

The bill, which was chief-sponsored by Representative Pam Marsh (D-Ashland) Representative Khanh Pham (D-Portland) and sponsored by a long list of state representatives and senators, will invest $50 million into community-based renewable energy projects to boost community-owned and developed clean energy projects across Oregon, including disaster-resilient solar plus battery and microgrid projects to sustain access to electricity during extreme weather events. HB 2021 was run as a package with the successful Energy Affordability Act (HB 2475) which creates a low-income rate for energy consumers in Oregon passed earlier this session and the Healthy Homes Act (HB 2842) which invests $10 million for low-income home upgrades that reduce energy and improve health outcomes and is expected to pass later today.

The 100% Clean Energy for All bill requires the utilities to establish community benefits and impacts advisory panels, ensures clean energy job training opportunities are maximized for communities of color, rural communities, and low-income communities in Oregon, caps any energy cost increases to ratepayers at no more than 6%, and requires consultation with Federally-Recognized Tribes for clean energy development that could impact their cultural and natural resources.

"100% Clean Energy for All is a huge step forward for environmental justice in Oregon," said Candace Avalos, Executive Director of Verde, an environmental justice nonprofit based in the Cully neighborhood of Northeast Portland. "Verde works to build environmental wealth and opportunities for Black, Indigenous, people of color, and low-income communities in Portland. With this bill, we're seeding clean energy opportunities statewide for Oregonians on the front lines of the climate crisis."

“We hustled side by side with Oregonians from all across the state and made sure their voices were heard. Unity gave us the strength to get this environmental justice victory.” said Joel Iboa, Executive Director of the Oregon Just Transition Alliance, a coalition of environmental justice organizations who launched the campaign to pass HB 2021. “Our communities across Oregon told us the truth in the middle of the pandemic. Our energy policies currently do not serve the needs of Black, Indigenous, people of color, rural, low-income communities, and people with disabilities. When we organize as a collective, when we let our community speak for themselves, we win.”

"The Affiliated Tribes of the Northwest Indians is thrilled to see the passage of House Bill 2021, the 100% Clean Energy for All bill," said Don Sampson, Climate Change Project Director for the Affiliated Tribes of the Northwest Indians and Chief of the Walla Walla Tribe (Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation). "Oregon is leading the way by ensuring Tribes receive the benefits of clean energy projects and including requirements for Tribal consultation on clean energy projects that could impact sites of archeological, traditional, cultural and religious importance. This legislation is significant because it helps safeguard our land and water even as we take action to prevent climate change." 

HB 2021 also requires that new jobs in clean energy projects greater than 10 megawatts in power output be held to comprehensive responsible workforce and contractor standards. 

"Oregon's essential farmworkers and our communities are still recovering from the impacts of COVID-19 and last summer's wildfires, and already drought and heat waves fueled by climate change are here," said Reyna Lopez, Executive Director of PCUN (Pineros y Campesinos Unidos del Noreste), a farmworker union in Woodburn, Oregon. "This 100% Clean Energy for All bill will invest in disaster-resilient community energy projects, support apprenticeships for women, BIPOC, veterans, and people with disabilities, and ensure good wages, benefits, and job training opportunities as Oregon transitions to clean energy. We are thrilled to see HB 2021 head to Governor Brown's desk and are proud to have organized alongside our partners in the Oregon Just Transition Alliance to achieve this victory."

"House Bill 2021 is going to help Lake County build upon our growing renewable industry, create good-quality job opportunities, and expand resources for self-contained, locally-owned energy projects," said Nick Johnson, Executive Director of Lake County Resources Initiative, a Lakeview, OR-based non-profit that supports renewable energy development. "This bill has been well-constructed to support taking full advantage of Oregon's ample renewable energy resources. We know from experience how transformative these energy projects can be, especially for rural Oregon." 

Along with one of the fastest timelines for emissions free energy in the country, the bill also makes Oregon the first U.S. state to ban new development or expansions of fossil fuel power plants in the state.

"100% Clean Energy for All is an essential piece of environmental justice policy for Oregon," said Ana Molina, the Statewide Environmental Justice Manager for Beyond Toxics. "Not only will this bill support members of our community who most need jobs and disaster-resilient energy projects, it will also reduce the burden of pollution in communities living near fossil fuel power plants. We are looking forward to continuing to work with our coalition partners to ensure that the needs of rural, coastal, low-income, and Black, Indigenous, and people of color communities are kept central as we make this transition."

“So many people from all parts of Oregon worked incredibly hard to make 100% Clean Energy for All happen,” said Alessandra de la Torre, who works as an Energy Justice Organizer with Rogue Climate in Southern Oregon. “Last year, Rogue Climate held community meetings in Coos, Klamath, and Jackson Counties to learn what our rural communities want to see in a transition to clean energy. We heard people want community-based energy projects that create good local jobs and affordable energy. HB 2021 is a strong step forward in that direction. In Southern Oregon, we are still rebuilding from last year’s destructive, climate-fueled fires while also bracing for an extremely hot and dry summer, so our communities also know that the clean energy transition has to happen with the urgency that the climate crisis demands.”

"We know that climate change and pollution are disproportionately impacting our Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Asian, and Pacific Islander communities. Therefore, the best solutions are the ones led by our communities, for our communities," said Eric Richardson, President of the NAACP Eugene-Springfield (Unit #1119). "That's why we are celebrating a 100% clean electricity standard that tackles climate change and fossil fuel pollution while uplifting Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) communities to receive the benefits of clean energy and jobs. It's thanks to the organizing of BIPOC Oregonians across the state that this justice-based bill has succeeded." 

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House Bill 2021 (100% Clean Energy for All) was one of three bills supported by the Oregon Clean Energy Opportunity campaign, whose leadership consists of rural- and BIPOC-led environmental justice groups convened by the Oregon Just Transition Alliance and its members.

Organizations who support HB 2021 include:

• Organizations Representing Environmental Justice Communities:

  • The Coalition of Communities of Color

  • The Oregon Just Transition Alliance

  • Rogue Climate

  • Verde

  • The Native American Youth and Family Center (NAYA)

  • Beyond Toxics

  • PCUN (Pineros y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste)

  • Euvalcree

  • The Affiliated Tribes of the Northwest Indians

  • Causa Oregon

  • Adelante Mujeres

  • The Asian Pacific American Network of Oregon (APANO)

  • Consejo Hispano

  • Comunidades

  • Latino Network

  • OPAL Environmental Justice Oregon

  • NAACP Eugene-Springfield Branch

  • Oregon Health Equity Alliance

  • Portland Harbor Community Coalition

• Utilities

  • Pacific Power

  • Portland General Electric

• Labor:

  • Blue Green Alliance

• Grassroots Climate & Environmental Groups:

  • 350 PDX

  • Sunrise PDX

  • The Sierra Club

  • Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility

  • Columbia Riverkeeper

• Renewable Energy, Energy Efficiency, and Ratepayer Advocates:

  • Lake County Resources Initiative

  • Community Energy Project

  • Oregon Citizens’ Utility Board (CUB)

  • Renewable Northwest

  • Solar Oregon

  • Northwest Energy Coalition

  • Northwest Energy Efficiency Council

  • New Buildings Institute

• Climate, Environmental, and Conservation Organizations:

  • Climate Solutions

  • Oregon Environmental Council

  • Oregon League of Conservation Voters

  • Oregon Conservation Network

  • Green Energy Institute (Lewis & Clark Law School)

  • The Environmental Center - Bend

  • Union of Concerned Scientists

  • National Resources Defense Council (NRDC)

  • Environment Oregon

• Community-Based Groups:

  • League of Women Voters Oregon

  • Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon

  • Next Up Action Fund

• Cities and Counties:

  • City of Portland

  • City of Bend

  • City of Milwaukie

  • City of Lake Oswego

  • City of Beaverton

  • Metropolitan Mayors’ Consortium

  • Multnomah County

• Businesses:

  • Oregon Business for Climate

  • Neil Kelly

  • Ceres

  • Metropolitan Group

  • EC Electric

  • E2

OREGÓN APRUEBA LEGISLACIÓN INNOVADORA QUE REQUIERE ELECTRICIDAD 100% LIMPIA PARA 2040

PARA LA PUBLICACIÓN INMEDIATA: 

Sábado 26 de junio 2021

CONTACTO: 

Damon Motz-Storey, damon@oregonpsr.org, 303-913-5634 (mensajes de texto, Signal, llamada)

Oregón aprueba legislación innovadora que  requiere electricidad 100% limpia para 2040

Las organizaciones de justicia ambiental lideradas por comunidades rurales y de color reúnen el sector laboral, las empresas, los grupos climáticos y ambientales, y las empresas de servicios públicos regulados para aprobar una legislación histórica que impulsa el desarrollo responsable de energía limpia, la creación de empleos y la acción climática.

[SALEM, OR] - En el día más caluroso  en la historia registrada de Oregón, el Senado de Oregón aprobó un ambicioso proyecto de ley para hacer la transición de la electricidad del estado a energía 100% limpia para el año 2040, al tiempo que centra los beneficios para las comunidades de color y las comunidades y trabajadores rurales, costeros y de bajos ingresos. El proyecto de ley Energía 100% Limpia para Todxs (Proyecto de la Cámara 2021) fue aprobado con 16-11 votos. Con la aprobación de este proyecto de ley, Oregón tendrá el cronograma más rápido para eliminar las emisiones de gases de efecto invernadero del sector eléctrico en los Estados Unidos. 

"Energía 100% Limpia para Todxs es una política emocionante, ambiciosa y alcanzable basada en la justicia para las comunidades que históricamente han sido las más dañadas por nuestros sistemas de energía", dijo Nikita Daryanani, gerente de políticas de clima y energía de la Coalición de Comunidades de Color en Portland. "Estamos orgullosxs de ser parte de la convocatoria de partes interesadas claves de tantos sectores para llegar a un consenso sobre este proyecto de ley. Ahora, como resultado, lxs habitantes de Oregón en todas las partes del estado pueden ver grandes beneficios de más energía limpia, como empleos, propiedad comunitaria de proyectos solares resistentes a desastres y menos contaminación del aire."

El proyecto de ley, cuyos patrocinadores principales fueron la representante Pam Marsh (D-Ashland), el representante Khanh Pham (D-Portland) con una larga lista de representantes estatales y senadores patrocinadores, invertirá $50 millones en proyectos comunitarios de energía renovable para impulsar proyectos de energía limpia desarrollados por y de propiedad de las comunidades en todo Oregón, incluidos proyectos de microredes y baterías solares resistentes a desastres para mantener el acceso a la electricidad durante eventos climáticos extremos. HB 2021 se promovió como un paquete con la exitosa Ley de Asequibilidad Energética (HB 2475) que crea una tasa de bajos ingresos para los consumidores de energía en Oregon aprobada anteriormente en esta sesión y la Ley de Hogares Saludables (HB 2842) que invierte $10 millones para mejoras en hogares de bajos ingresos que reducen el uso la energía y mejoran los resultados de salud y se espera que se aprueben más tarde hoy.

El proyecto de ley Energía 100% Limpia para Todxs requiere que las empresas de servicios públicos establezcan paneles de asesoramiento sobre beneficios e impactos para la comunidad, garantiza que las oportunidades de capacitación laboral en energía limpia se maximicen para las comunidades de color, comunidades rurales y comunidades de bajos ingresos en Oregon, limita cualquier aumento en el costo de la energía para contribuyentes a no más del 6%, y requiere consulta con tribus reconocidas federalmente para el desarrollo de energía limpia que podría afectar sus recursos culturales y naturales.

"Energía 100% Limpia para Todxs es un gran paso adelante para la justicia ambiental en Oregón", dijo Candace Avalos, directora ejecutiva de Verde, una organización sin fines de lucro de justicia ambiental con sede en el vecindario de Cully en el noreste de Portland. "Verde trabaja para generar riqueza ambiental y oportunidades para las comunidades BIPOC y de bajos ingresos en Portland. Con este proyecto de ley, estamos sembrando oportunidades de energía limpia en todo el estado para lxs habitantes de Oregón que se encuentran en primera línea de la crisis climática".

“Nos metimos de lleno a la par de oregonianxs de todo el estado y nos aseguramos de que sus voces fueran escuchadas. La unidad nos dio la fuerza para lograr esta victoria en la justicia ambiental”. dijo Joel Iboa, director ejecutivo de la Alianza por una Transición Justa en Oregón, una coalición de organizaciones de justicia ambiental que lanzaron la campaña para aprobar la HB 2021. “Nuestras comunidades en Oregón nos dijeron la verdad en medio de la pandemia. Nuestras políticas energéticas actualmente no satisfacen las necesidades de las comunidades de personas negras, indígenas, y personas de color, rurales, de bajos ingresos y personas con discapacidades. Cuando nos organizamos como colectivo, cuando dejamos que nuestra comunidad hable por sí misma, ganamos ”

"Las tribus afiliadas de las indígenas del noroeste están encantadas de ver la aprobación del Proyecto de Ley de la Cámara 2021, el proyecto de ley Energía 100% Limpia para Todxs", dijo Don Sampson, director del proyecto de cambio climático para las tribus afiliadas de los pueblos indígenas del noroeste y jefe del tribu Walla Walla (Tribus Confederadas de la Reserva Indígena Umatilla). "Oregón está liderando el camino al garantizar que las tribus reciban los beneficios de los proyectos de energía limpia e incluye requisitos para la consulta tribal sobre proyectos de energía limpia que podrían afectar sitios de importancia arqueológica, tradicional, cultural y religiosa. Esta legislación es importante porque ayuda a proteger nuestra tierra y agua incluso cuando tomamos acciones para prevenir el cambio climático". 

HB 2021 también requiere que los nuevos empleos en proyectos de energía limpia con una producción energética superior a 10 megavatios se sometan a estándares de fuerza laboral y contratistas integrales y responsables. 

"Lxs trabajadores agrícolas esenciales de Oregón y nuestras comunidades aún se están recuperando de los impactos del COVID-19 y los incendios incontrolados del verano pasado, y ya están aquí la sequía y las olas de calor alimentadas por el cambio climático", dijo Reyna López, Directora Ejecutiva de PCUN (Pineros y Campesinos Unidos del Noreste), un sindicato de trabajadores agrícolas en Woodburn, Oregón. "Este proyecto de ley Energía 100% Limpia para Todxs invertirá en proyectos de energía comunitaria resistentes a los desastres, apoyará el aprendizaje de mujeres, BIPOC, veteranxs y personas con discapacidades, y garantizará buenos salarios, beneficios y oportunidades de capacitación laboral a medida que Oregón transiciona a energía limpia.  Estamos encantadxs de ver a HB 2021 dirigirse al escritorio de la gobernadora Brown y estamos orgullosxs de habernos organizado junto con nuestrxs socixs en la Alianza por una Transición Justa en Oregón para lograr esta victoria".

"El Proyecto de Ley 2021 de la Cámara de Representantes ayudará al condado de Lake a aprovechar nuestra creciente industria de energías renovables, crear oportunidades de empleo de buena calidad y ampliar los recursos para proyectos de energía autónomos de propiedad local", dijo Nick Johnson, director ejecutivo de la Iniciativa de Recursos del Condado de Lake, una organización sin fines de lucro con sede en Lakeview, Oregón, que apoya el desarrollo de energía renovable. "Este proyecto de ley ha sido bien elaborado para apoyar el aprovechamiento completo de los amplios recursos de energía renovable de Oregón. Sabemos por experiencia lo transformadores que pueden ser estos proyectos de energía, especialmente para las zonas rurales de Oregón". 

Junto con uno de los plazos más rápidos para la energía libre de emisiones en el país, el proyecto de ley también convierte a Oregón en el primer estado de EE. UU. en prohibir nuevos desarrollos o expansiones de plantas de energía de combustibles fósiles en el estado.

"Energía 100% Limpia para Todxs es una pieza esencial de la política de justicia ambiental para Oregón", dijo Ana Molina, gerente estatal de justicia ambiental de Beyond Toxics (Más Allá de los Tóxicos). "Este proyecto de ley no solo apoyará a lxs miembrxs de nuestra comunidad que más necesitan trabajos y proyectos de energía resistentes a los desastres, sino que también reducirá la carga de la contaminación en las comunidades que viven cerca de las plantas de energía de combustibles fósiles. Esperamos seguir trabajando con nuestrxs socixs en la coalición para garantizar que las necesidades de las comunidades rurales, costeras, de bajos ingresos y BIPOC se mantengan en el centro mientras hacemos esta transición".

“Tantas personas de todas partes de Oregon trabajaron increíblemente duro para hacer que suceda el 100% de Energía Limpia para Todxs”, dijo Alessandra de la Torre, quien trabaja como Organizadora de Justicia Energética con Rogue Climate en el sur de Oregon. “El año pasado, Rogue Climate llevó a cabo reuniones comunitarias en los condados de Coos, Klamath y Jackson para conocer lo que nuestras comunidades rurales quieren ver en una transición hacia la energía limpia. Escuchamos que la gente quiere proyectos de energía basados en la comunidad que creen buenos empleos locales y energía asequible. HB 2021 es un gran paso adelante en esa dirección. En el sur de Oregón, todavía estamos reconstruyendo de los incendios destructivos provocados por el clima del año pasado mientras nos preparamos para un verano extremadamente caluroso y seco, por lo que nuestras comunidades también saben que la transición a la energía limpia tiene que suceder con la urgencia que exige la crisis climática. "

"Sabemos que el cambio climático y la contaminación están afectando de manera desproporcionada a nuestras comunidades negras, indígenas, latinas, asiáticas e isleñas del Pacífico. Por lo tanto, las mejores soluciones son las lideradas por nuestras comunidades, para nuestras comunidades", dijo Eric Richardson, presidente de la NAACP Eugene-Springfield (Unidad # 1119). "Es por eso que estamos celebrando un estándar de electricidad 100% limpia que aborda el cambio climático y la contaminación por combustibles fósiles al tiempo que eleva a las comunidades de personas BIPOC para que reciban los beneficios de la energía limpia y los empleos. Es gracias a la organización de lxs oregonianxs BIPOC en todo el estado que este proyecto de ley basado en la justicia ha tenido éxito". 

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Proyecto de ley de la Cámara 2021 (Energía 100% Limpia para Todxs) fue uno de los tres proyectos de ley respaldados por la campaña Oportunidades de Energía Limpia de Oregón, cuyo liderazgo consiste en grupos de justicia ambiental lideradas por personas BIPOC y de áreas rurales convocados por la Alianza por una Transición Justa en Oregón.

Las organizaciones que apoyan la HB 2021 incluyen:

• Organizaciones que representan a las comunidades de justicia ambiental:

  • The Coalition of Communities of Color (La Coalición de Comunidades de Color)

  • Oregon Just Transition Alliance /La Alianza para una Transición Justa en Oregón

  • Rogue Climate (Clima de Rogue)

  • Verde

  • The Native American Youth and Family Center (NAYA) El Centro de Jóvenes y Familias Nativas Americanas (NAYA)

  • Beyond Toxics (Más Allá de los Tóxicos)

  • PCUN (Pineros y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste)

  • Euvalcree

  •  The Affiliated Tribes of the Northwest Indians (Tribus afiliadas de los pueblos indígenas del noroeste)

  • Causa Oregon

  • Adelante Mujeres

  • Asian Pacific American Network of Oregon (APANO) Red Asiático Pacífico Americano de Oregón (APANO)

  • Consejo Hispano

  • Comunidades

  • Latino Network

  • OPAL Environmental Justice Oregon (OPAL Justicia Ambiental de Oregón)

  • NAACP Eugene-Springfield Branch

  • Oregon Health Equity Alliance (Alianza para la equidad de la salud en Oregón)

  • Portland Harbor Community Coalition (Coalición Comunitario del Puerto de Portland)

• Servicios públicos

  • Pacific Power

  • Portland General Electric

• Sector Laboral:

  • Blue Green Alliance (Alianza Azúl Verde) 

• Grupos de base para el clima y el medio ambiente:

  • 350 PDX

  • Sunrise PDX (Amanecer PDX)

  • The Sierra Club (El Club Sierra)

  • Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility (Médicos por la Responsabilidad Social de Oregón)

  • Columbia Riverkeeper (Cuidadores del Río Columbia)

• Energía Renovable, Eficiencia Energética, y Defensores de lxs Consumidores:

  • Lake County Resources Initiative (Iniciativa de Recursos del Condado Lake)

  • Community Energy Project (Proyecto de Energía Comunitaria)

  • Oregon Citizens 'Utility Board ( CUB) (Junta de Servicios Públicos de Ciudadanxs de Oregón)

  • Renewables Northwest (Renovables del Noroeste)

  • Solar Oregon 

  • Northwest Energy Coalition (Coalición de Energía del Noroeste) 

  • Northwest Energy Efficiency Council (Consejo de eficiencia energética del noroeste)

  • New Buildings Institute (Instituto de edificios nuevos)

• Organizaciones climáticas, medioambientales y de conservación:

  • Climate Solutions (Soluciones climáticas)

  • Oregon Environmental Council (Consejo medioambiental de Oregón)

  • Oregon League of Conservation Voters  (Liga de votantes por la conservación de Oregón)

  • Oregon Conservation Network (Red de conservación de Oregón

  • Green Energy Institute (Lewis & Clark Law School) [Instituto de energía verde (Facultad de derecho de Lewis & Clark)]

  • The Environmental Center - Bend (Centro medioambiental - Bend)

  • Union of Concerned Scientists (Unión de scientistas preocupadxs)

  • National Resource Defense Fund (NRDC)  (Centro nacional de defensa de recursos)

  • Environment Oregon (Medio Ambiente Oregón)

• Grupos comunitarios:

  • League of Women Voters (Liga de Mujeres Votantes)

  • Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon (Ministerios Ecuménicos de Oregónde Oregón)

  • Next Up Action Fund (Fondo de acción siguiente paso)

  • Oregon Fellowship of Reconciliation (Conmandad de Reconciliación de Oregón)

• Ciudades y condados:

  • Ciudad de Portland

  • Ciudad de Bend

  • Ciudad de Milwaukie

  • Ciudad de Lake Oswego

  • Ciudad de Beaverton

  • Consorcio de alcaldes metropolitanos

  • Condado de Multnomah

• Empresas:

  • Oregon Businesses for Climate (Empresas de Oregón para el clima)

  • Neil Kelly

  • Ceres

  • Metropolitan Group

  • EC Electric

  • E2

Message from the Executive Director - Our Duty to Remember, and to Act

“Every once in a while, somewhere in the world, humanity goes on trial. And integrity. And decency. Every once in a while, common folks get called on to give the report card for the human race. In the name of humanity, do your duty, as you must.”

- Nels Gudmundsson, “Snow Falling on Cedars”

This fictional quote reflects an attorney beseeching a jury of his community members to perform their civic duty for a man of color who lived through the dual atrocities of war and internment.  He implores them to see his client as human.  A relatively low bar, but today’s date requires me to start with the basics.

We are at a turning point as Americans. Or not.

A year ago today, the life of a Black man was extinguished by pure malevolence, indifference to his suffering, and a fractured system of justice.

In the year since, a bit of humanity went on trial and curiously, almost unexpectedly, a bit of justice prevailed and the man who, endowed with the power of state violence authored George Floyd’s demise was himself removed from society for the foreseeable future.

Today is neither a celebration nor even a time of solemn remembrance. Today marks the 365th consecutive day that this incessant cycle of police brutality (particularly to Black men), qualified immunity, inadequate training, the prison-industrial complex, impotent policymakers, and powerful protectionist police unions continues to enable the unrelenting churn of violence visited upon people of color, under the color of law, day after day.

Today is a reminder of the scores of Black folks killed by police even after the hue and cry of society, the marches, policy changes and new laws, the editorials, the news stories, the statistics, and the promises made since George Floyd’s death. 

Today let us acknowledge that one conviction, one Senate election, one Black president, one Black Asian vice president are steps. But none of these are remedies for the systemic, intentional and transparent changes that must occur for integrity and decency and, yes, our very humanity to prevail.

Today is a marker for all of the hard work done over the past year, especially under the leadership of Black communities, and the hard work yet to come. Today all of us in society are required to do our duty to institute these changes and see them through, as we must.

So today, again, we must mourn George Floyd. We must personalize his loss, and the untold losses of community members who will never be counted. And we must collectively resolve to bury the platitudes and denials and do our duty to make change.

We’re Hiring: Climate & Health Coordinator

We’re hiring a Climate & Health Coordinator

CCC is hiring for a new position in our environmental justice program. We're seeking candidates who share our values and commitment to advancing environmental justice and health equity through coalition-building, partnerships, and community engagement. Download the full job description HERE.

The Climate & Health Coordinator will build on our existing advocacy around to create inclusive and representative governments. This role will focus on building campaigns and a broad based coalition to seek meaningful community input on local government issues, develop policies that create the conditions for equitable government, advance these issues in appropriate forums, and ultimately build a campaign to promote and win these policies at the ballot, especially around local government reform.

Applications are due Tuesday, May 17 , 2022. You can see the full job announcement here or download the full PDF job description.

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In Solidarity with the Asian Community

Photo Credit: Tom Secor

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Message from the Executive Director

We at the Coalition of Communities of Color would like to take this moment to remind our community that this country ought to be for all of us. CCC also wishes to remind our Asian families, members, friends, and colleagues that we are with you in this fight against the white supremacy that has always been a part of the United States and continues to deeply harm our community.

The recent, and predictable, spate of hate crimes targeting the Asian American and Asian immigrant community in the United States, and here in Portland, is both reprehensible and contrary to our deepest values of justice. And we must stop this hate.

The horrors and death visited upon the six Asian women in Georgia recently is only the latest in an ever increasing string of such atrocities. Such acts are predictable when one considers the harmful, hateful rhetoric spread by white supremacists and engrained systems of misogyny.

CCC is an alliance of 19 culturally specific, community-based organizations with representation from the following communities of color: African, African American, Asian, Latino, Middle Eastern and North African, Native American, Pacific Islander, and Slavic. We join together to support a collective racial justice effort to create conditions where all communities can thrive, free of fear and without hate or discrimination.

CCC was begun through the leadership of its founders, including those from the Asian, Asian American, and immigrant community. Our Asian and immigrant-representing members are integral to any success we have had as an organization. And our future success hinges upon our continued collaborations, as Oregonians, for the greater good. This past year has shown us more than ever about the importance of solidarity and fighting racism. CCC has long recognized the importance of deep and nuanced conversations about how white supremacy oppresses communities of color, that this oppression manifests itself in different ways across and within BIPOC communities, and how we must work together to dismantle it in all its forms. 

This pandemic of racism will not end in May, or 2021, because there is no vaccine that can be produced to quash its pernicious effects, and it certainly will not end by BIPOC communities taking on this burden of fighting their oppression alone. This is work that has to be done by all of us, now and for the rest of our lives. We need everyone to commit to this work and speak out against hate. 

As long as our communities face racism, we are here for our Asian friends, neighbors, and families, and urge all of our members, community members, and leaders to take action to support those who are impacted during this time of acute pain and beyond. We ask that you look to our member organization APANO’s response to the Atlanta shootings and the resources they have shared, as well as the open letter organized by the Pacific Islander and Asian Family Center of IRCO, now with hundreds of signatories.

CCC urges you to act, either through one of the many organizations, links, and useful vehicles listed below, or on your own, in your community, with people you know.  For it is only through your deliberate, intentional actions as individuals that we can begin to make the long lasting change this country so desperately needs, and that communities under siege, like our Asian, Asian American, and immigrant communities, our brothers and sisters, both deserve and crave.

Please help break the cycle.  Please support our Asian family. Please join us in this collective effort.

In Solidarity,

Marcus C. Mundy, Executive Director

Coalition of Communities of Color

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Resources

Please see the following resources for Asian communities and allies. Thank you to Coi Vu and IRCO for collecting these resources.

Sources to report a hate incident/crime in addition to calling law enforcement:

• In Portland: Portland United Against Hate

• Statewide: Oregon Department of Justice

• Nationally: Stop AAPI Hate

• Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAJC) 

Mental Health/Social Support Resources:

• Asian Health & Services Center’s mental health support 

• Portland Racial Equity Lines for Life 

• IRCO’s Pacific Islander and Asian Family Center (PIAFC) 

• APANO 

• Asian Mental Health Collective 

• Mental Health America 

Webinars/Conversations/Resources:

• #StopAsianHate toolkit

• APANO and PUAH: Resilience to Hate Resource Guide 

• National Council on Asian AmericansNational Council on Asian Americans Break the Cycle: A Conversation About the Rise of Anti-APIA Racist Violence 

• Asian American Advancing Justice trainings on How to Respond to Harassment for People Experiencing Anti-Asian/American Harassment and more 

• Stop AAPI Hate: Safety Tips for Those Experiencing or Witnessing Hate 

• Hollaback' s Guide to Bystander Interventions 

• White Sexual Imperialism: A Theory of Asian Feminist Jurisprudence (wlu.edu) 

• Coalition of Asian American Leaders To our Non-Asian Allies

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In Remembrance

Learn Our Names

Photo Credit: Tom Secor