December 2022
Greetings!

Included in this issue of Peace & Justice is our celebration of Measures 111, 112, 113 and 114 passing. We also give updates on our policy work in the creation and criminal justice spaces.

Thank you for helping to make Oregon a better, more caring, and more welcoming place.

With gratitude,
Britt, Cherice, Lorena, Olivé, Kim and Julia
In Celebration - Thank You!

After many months of work in organizing and getting out information on these issues, we are proud to share that the four ballot measures EMO endorsed - Measures 111, 112, 113, and 114 - all passed! Measure 113 even captured 68% YES votes from Oregonians!

Thank you, Oregon!
Climate Justice Update - Legislative Work, Treasury Transparency & More!
Meetings are ramping up as we prepare for the coming Legislative Session! 

Among other Environmental Justice priorities, EMO is asking legislators to support Divest Oregon legislation to end Treasury investments in fossil fuels - investments that are pose both a financial and a climate risk to our state.

EMO is working to educate lawmakers and the public about the shortcomings of Oregon State Treasurer Tobias Read's recent proposal to reduce fossil fuel investments in the Oregon Public Employee Retirement Fund by 2050 - nearly three decades from now. Treasurer Read's divestment plan is an acknowledgement that fossil fuel investments pose financial and community risks, but the plan is woefully inadequate.

Instead, EMO supports the Divest Oregon approach, which fully recognizes the urgency of this moment by halting new investment in fossil fuels and phasing out all fossil fuel investments by 2035.

You can read Treasurer Read's proposal here and Divest Oregon's response here.
Planning is also underway for the 2023 Oregon Interfaith Earth Summit. This year's theme is Care for Our Common Home: Building Neighborhood Climate Resilience. Mark your calendars for Sunday, Feb. 5! If your faith community is interested in being a regional host for the Summit, please join us for an info session on Dec. 12 at 7 p.m. After registering for the info session, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the meeting. Sign up for the info session.

If you have any questions regarding our work on climate justice policy, please reach out to Julia Weinand at jweinand@emoregon.org.
Update on Our Criminal Justice Work: Measure 114 implementation and 2023 Legislation
Measure 114 passed! Oregonians have voted to enact a law that protects both the right to bear arms and the safety of the public. Measure 114 will help narrow the gaps in Oregon’s background checks, promote a culture of safety, and ban the sale of large-capacity magazines. While no law can stop all gun violence, this comprehensive approach offered by Measure 114 provides a step in the right direction. EMO is a member of the M114 Equity Team to ensure the just, equitable and inclusive implementation of this gun violence reduction initiative.  

Also, as the Legislative Session quickly approaches, we are supporting key bills in the criminal justice sphere. Stay tuned to learn about these collaborative efforts and how you can get engaged.

If you have any questions regarding our work in criminal justice policy, please reach out to Lorena Ambriz at lambriz@emoregon.org.
Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon
503-221-1054 | emo@emoregon.org | emoregon.org