Community Alliance Of Lane County

EDUCATING AND MOBILIZING FOR PEACE, HUMAN DIGNITY, AND SOCIAL, RACIAL AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE.

SPRINGFIELD ALLIANCE FOR EQUALITY AND RESPECT (SAFER) IS A GRASSROOTS SOCIAL JUSTICE GROUP BASED IN SPRINGFIELD, OREGON. SAFER REQUIRES ACCOUNTABILITY FROM PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS FOR THE DIVERSE COMMUNITIES THEY SERVE, WHILE WE BUILD RELATIONSHIPS AND CAPACITY WITHIN SPRINGFIELD'S IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY. SAFER IS COMMITTED TO IMMIGRANT RIGHTS AND RACIAL JUSTICE, LGBTQ RIGHTS, AND THE RIGHT TO SHELTER. SAFER REGULARLY MEETS WITH LEADERS IN THE SPRINGFIELD CITY GOVERNMENT AND IN THE WILLAMALANE PARKS AND RECREATION DISTRICT TO GIVE VOICE TO EQUITY AND JUSTICE ISSUES IN THE COMMUNITY. MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN 2021: SAFER COORDINATED AND HOSTED A COMMUNITY-WIDE PARENT NIGHT FOR SPANISH-SPEAKING FAMILIES IN THE SPRINGFIELD SCHOOL DISTRICT. SAFER TEAMED UP WITH CITYWIDE UNION DE ACTIVISTAS AND ESCUDO LATINO PROGRAMS TO BRING "RAICES WITHIN," A GORGEOUS, INSPIRING MURAL, TO DOWNTOWN SPRINGFILED.

THE JUSTICE AND EQUITY PROGRAM INCLUDE THE EDUCATION JUSTICE AND THE STOP HATE INITIATIVES AS IT ADVOCATES FOR EQUITY IN THE POLICIES AND PRACTICES OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS, AND ALSO COORDINATES CALC'S RESPONSE TO HATE ACTIVITY IN LANE COUNTY. MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS: THE EDUCATION JUSTICE INITIATIVE'S RESEARCH, ADVOCACY, LEADERSHIP AND COMMUNITY MOBILIZATON PLAYED A KEY ROLE IN THE 4J SCHOOL BOARD'S 7-0 VOTE IN FAVOR OF ADOPTING A RACIAL HARASSMENT POLICY IN THE DISTRICT IN 2022. EDUCATION JUSTICE ACTION TEAM ORGANIZING CREATED NEW AVENUES FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO BE ABLE TO STEP UP AND SHARE INPUT IN THE 4J SUPERINTENDENT HIRING PROCESS, ESPECIALLY FOR SPANISH- SPEKING COMMUNITY MEMBERS. EDUCATION JUSTICE'S COMMUNITY ADVOCATE PROJECT HELD A TRAINING ATTENDED BY 15 INDIVIDUALS COMMITTED TO HELPING FAMILIES NEGOTIATE BARRIERS TO THEIR CHILDREN'S EDUCATIONAL SUCCESS. THE TRAINING FOCUSED ON HOW TO HELP PARENTS OR CAREGIVERS GAIN SKILLS IN ADVOCATING FOR THEIR CHILDREN, WITH THE ADVOCATE AS WITNESS NOT SPOKESPERSON.

CITYWIDE UNION DE ACTIVISTAS PROVIDES LIFE AFFIRMING OPPORTUNITIES THAT INSPIRE AND BUILD CAPACITY FOR TEENS AT A CRUCIAL MOMENT IN THEIR LIVES. USING CURRICULUM BUILT ON THE VALUES OF COMMUNITY, CULTURAL PRIDE AND COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS; CITY-WIDE INSPIRES SELF-ESTEEM, LEADERSHIP, CIVIC AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AMOUNG LATINX YOUTH. MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN 2021: STUDENTS FROM CITYWIDE HONED PUBLIC SPEAKING SKILLS BY SHARED PUBLIC COMMENT AT SPRINGFIELD SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS; INTERVIEWED A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER AND OTHER COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND PROVIDED TRANSLATION OF CURRENT EVENTS IN SPANISH ON THEIR RADIO BROADCASTS; CREATED A FUNRAISER TO PROVIDE FAMILIES IN NEED WITH HOLIDAY MEALS AND GIFTS; AND PARTICIPATED IN SEVERAL EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOPS AND FIELD TRIPS TO IMPROVE SELF AND CULTURAL AWARENESS,NETWORK WITH BUSINESS LEADERS, AND DEVELOP RELATIONSHIPS WITH PEERS AND THE COMMUNITY.

OTHER MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS: CALC ESTABLISHED AND OPENED A ONE OF A KIND RESOURCE CENTER IN SPRINGFIELD CALLED CASA DE LA UNIDAD/HOUSE OF UNITY IN 2021. THE CENTER ALLOWS CALC TO OFFER A WLECOMING, SAFE SPACE FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE MARGINALIZED AND IN NEED. THE SPACE ALLOWS CALC TO HOST CULTURALLY RELEVANT COMMUNITY EVENTS LIKE THE DIA DE LOS MUERTOS ALTER, WHERE THE COMMUNITY SHARED LOCALLY-MADE DAY OF THE DEAD BREAD AND BUILT A COMMUNITY OFFERING TO DECEASED LOVED ONES ACROSS THE COMMUNITY. ALONG WITH HOUSING CALC PROGRAMS, CALC SHARES CASA DE LA UNIDAD WITH LIKE MINDED AND MISSION DRIVEN GROUPS: CARRY IT FORWARD AND ESCUDO LATINO. CARRY IT FORWARD IS AN ORGANIZATION THAT PROVIDES SUPPORT AND RESOUCES TO THE UNHOUSED. ESCUDO LATINO, BASED IN SPRINGFIELDS' IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY, PROVIDES BILINGUAL INFORMATION AND ADVOCATES FOR EQUITABLE ACCESS TO SERVICES FOR THE SPANISH SPEAKING COMMUNITY. THESE UNIQUE PARTNERSHIPS EXPAND THE SERVICES, OUTREACH AND AWARENESS IN THE COMMUNITY WE SERVE. CALC INITIED AND COLLABORATED WITH SPRINGFIELD SCHOOLS AND THE WIDER COMMUNITY IN 2021 TO DEVELOP AND HOST THE ANNUAL HUERTA/CHAVEZ CELEBRATION. CALC WAS HONORED TO HAVE INTERNATIONALLY RENOWNED ACTIVIST DOLORES HUERTA PARTICIPATE IN THIS YEAR'S CELEBRATION. SPRINGFIELD STUDENTS RECORDED INTERVIEWS WITH HUERTA THAT WERE PRESERVED AND SHARED WITH A WIDEER AUDIENCE THROUGH THE CELEBRATION'S WEBSITE. CALC ALSO PARTNERED WITH THE ARC OF LANE COUNTY AND ESCUDO LATINO IN 2021 TO PROVIDE OUTREACH AND TRANSLATION SERVICES FOR THE YEAR FOR THE COMMUNITY ALIGNED RESOURCES FOR EUGENE/SPRINGFIELD(CARES) CENTER. CARES PROVIDES FOOD AND OTHER BASIC NECESSITIES TO HUNDREDS OF FAMILIES IN NEED.