July 2020
Opportunities for Education & Action
Greetings,

Several opportunities for education around creation justice are coming up in the next couple of months in the form of creation justice webinars with groups across Oregon working toward environmental and racial justice. If you missed our first webinar with Portland Harbor Community Coalition (PHCC) last Wednesday night, you can watch the recording , and register for the next webinar with Verde on August 5 now . You can also support PHCC's work by signing their petition (more details below).

We are also working with our partners at EcoFaith Recovery on a Just Vote campaign to make sure people of faith exercise our power to vote in ways that align with our values, supporting public policies that will benefit the land and all creatures as much as possible. We advocate for people of all parties to create a livable and sustainable future, marked by equitable treatment for all, and policies that encourage environmental responsibility.

Read further to learn how to join us in education about environmental justice issues in our state and our efforts to encourage faith climate justice voters.
Cherice Bock
Creation Justice Advocate
Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon
Oregon Interfaith Power & Light
Creation Justice Webinars
Care for creation intersects with racial justice and the health of the soil, water and air. This work looks unique in different parts of the state based on the people who live there, ways the land has been used, and species and landscape elements present in each region. We will learn about some of Oregon's environmental justice concerns and the organizations working on them through a series of six webinars this summer. Mark your calendars for the following events:

Verde serves communities by building environmental wealth through Social Enterprise, Outreach and Advocacy. Since 2005, Verde has brought new environmental investments to Portland’s neighborhoods, involved community members in the planning and building of these investments, and ensured that low-income people and people of color directly benefited from the investments.
Voting Initiative: EMO's Oregon Interfaith Power & Light and EcoFaith Recovery
EcoFaith Recovery and EMO's Oregon Interfaith Power & Light (OIPL) are teaming up to offer training and support for faith climate justice voters . Between now and November, join with IPL chapters all over the country to help register people to vote, encourage everyone to vote for climate justice, and educate ourselves and one another about climate and environment-related policies.

Check out the resources available at the Just Vote website , and sign up to participate in gatherings on the first, third and fifth Thursday mornings from August to November.
We're encouraging people to:

  1. Initiate conversations about voting for climate and racial justice.
  2. Preach (or get your pastor to preach) at least one sermon about voting as a faith issue.
  3. Take at least three individual or team actions to help register people to vote, remind them to vote and educate others about faith climate justice policies. See the Just Vote website for action ideas.
Act with Portland Harbor Community Coalition: Willamette Cove Petition
In our first webinar, Portland Harbor Community Coalition (PHCC) invited us to join their work by writing in support of cleaning up the Willamette Cove . PHCC includes community groups made up of communities of color, immigrants, and those without homes, and helps them speak up regarding the impacts of the Portland Harbor toxins.

PHCC is advocating for Willamette Cove to be cleaned up well enough that it can be a safe place for recreation and fishing . They have recently received full support from the Portland City Council, and now they need the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to approve a safe clean-up plan.

You can help by signing a petition on Change.org called Clean Up Willamette Cove! PHCC will deliver this petition to the DEQ at the close of the public comment period on August 31.

In addition to or instead of signing the petition, you can send a public comment to DEQ directly. You can use these talking points to craft your statement, and send it by email to WillCoveUpland@deq.state.or.us . Other options such as mail or video are also listed in the petition.
Have an event to share?
If you're hosting an event related to creation justice, let us know and we will help you publicize it! Right now, most events are virtual due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Digital events can be shared , too, so if you want others to join your digital events, please let us know! Email Cherice Bock to share it with our networks.
Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon
503-221-1054 | emo@emoregon.org | emoregon.org