Origins

How a crisis moment (and some very passionate organizers) spawned an enduring rural movement for human dignity in rural and small town Oregon. In this audio slideshow, Rural Organizing Project (ROP) founder and Executive Director (1993-2011) Marcy Westerling, tells the story of how ROP came to be.

Billy Russo – The Portland Picket

When human dignity leader and Ruby House founder Billy Russo learned that Portland officials had cut Douglas County and other rural areas out from the state application for federal Ryan White funds in support of HIV services, he organized a picket targeting Bob McAlistair and his colleagues.