From 0 to 20 in 9 months. Marcy explains the process by which she helped support and catalyze the formation of 20 rural and small town Human Dignity Groups in the lead up to the 1992 elections which, in Oregon, asked voters to decide whether “homosexuality” should be declared “abnormal and perverse” – and unconstitutional.
Archive Highlights
Dave Toler – What people power can do
In 1996 Illinois Valley residents came together in an unprecedented campaign to stop a prison from being built in their community. Here campaign leader Dave Toler recounts the story of unlikely allies coming together to turn the tide.
Elli Work – A phone call to Marcy
Part of ROP’s approach to leadership development is providing emotional support and helping local leaders to re-frame challenging experiences or problems. Throughout the 1990s, Elli Work served as Executive Director for Deschutes County Coalition for Human Dignity, an ROP member group. In this clip, Elli recalls a call she made to ROP director, Marcy Westerling, during a particularly difficult moment.
Craig Frasier – The parental notification campaign in Columbia County
Craig recalls the most successful campaign he’s ever worked on (and he’s worked on a lot!). How Columbia County Citizens for Human Dignity defeated a county-wide, anti-choice, parental notification ballot measure.
Amanda Aguilar Shank – Unexpected outcomes
A Living Room Conversation around the theme of creating more welcoming communities goes in an unanticipated, but not unproductive, direction.
Linda Stahl – My letter to the editor
In 2000, the Oregon Citizens Alliance sponsored the anti-gay Ballot Measure 9: “Prohibits Public School Instruction Encouraging, Promoting, Sanctioning Homosexual, Bisexual Behaviors.” Local human dignity leader (and parent of a gay son), Linda Stahl, was fed up. Here she tells the story of what she did next – and her neighbors’ surprising reactions.
Cris Lira – I learned that change can happen
Why rural organizing is so critical.
Cara Shufelt – Reviving the Democracy frame
Why ROP chose to make “Democracy” a defining feature of its 2012 STAND election guide and work.
Kelley Weigel – The limits of shared values
Even when we start from presumably shared values, it’s not always clear that we’ll get to the same positions on the issues.
Jerry Atkin – Missed opportunities
It’s not enough to plan a great event. Organizing requires follow-up and follow-through. Jerry reflects on two missed opportunities he witnessed while living in Tillamook County – and what ROP organizers, had they been involved, might have done differently.