Interfaith Advocacy Day, 2/7/17, "Raising Diverse Voices of Faith to Strengthen Oregon Communities"  - Update

Please consider joining a group from Havurah Shalom and other members of the Portland interfaith community in a lobbying activity in Salem to advocate with legislators and their staff for compassionate legislation regarding various areas of our common concern.  

These meetings provide a first-hand opportunity to express your beliefs in a setting where you can make a difference—directly influencing legislation.  The exchanges with legislators can be enlightening and potentially satisfying. This is also an unusual opportunity to have contact with other faith groups, which is especially meaningful right now. The goal of the Interfaith Advocacy Day is to build together a just, inclusive and hope-filled future for all Oregonians.

Register and buy tickets-$20, at emoregon.org.

Tikkun Olam will reimburse registration cost: please contact Chris Coughlin – chriscoughlin60@gmail.com to submit for reimbursement.

For carpooling, and to RSVP for the event so we know who is coming from Havurah, and to get information on where the carpools will meet, the Havurah contact person is Marjorie Walters – marjoriewalters@gmail.com

Here are the specifics:

7:30 am - Meet in Portland at a specified location to form carpools going to Salem.

8:30 am - Interfaith groups* will congregate in Salem at the sanctuary of the St. Mark Lutheran Church near the Capitol, 790 Marion Street NE.

9:15 am -  Keynote speaker: Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum

10:00 am – Attend general training on lobbying and workshops on each of the focus issues.**  People will attend the workshop of their choice. Current possible legislation on each focus issue will be explained, and talking points for use with legislators will be offered.

Noon - Lunch will be served.

Early afternoon – Participants will march to the Capitol to meet with their pre-assigned legislators. Appointments have been pre-set. Each group will discuss various issues with legislators. Assignments will be primarily constituent-based.

4:00 pm - Carpools will reconvene at the Capitol between 4:00 pm  and 5:00 pm to return to Portland.

**Focus issues for lobbying activity include:

Confronting Poverty: Housing

Confronting Poverty: Hunger

Economic Equality: Wage Theft  

Expanding health care

Gun Violence prevention                                            

Climate Justice

*Co-sponsors and Endorsers include:

- Marjorie Walters