A time of loss and leadership

Friends,

This is a time of loss and leadership. We mourn the passing of a beloved Tribal elder in Umatilla who began his service as a smoke jumper (and whom I cannot name out of respect for cultural tradition), and the iconic Darcelle/Walter Cole who epitomized “get over your biases and respect life.” In response to challenging times, we build resilience and leadership that helps “bend the long arc of history towards justice.”

My current work to build healthy communities is with Oregon’s Resilience and Emergency Management team, helping people prepare for and respond to crisis, and with the New Spirit Village team, developing affordable home ownership opportunities to help families recovering from the devasting 2020 wildfires and generational poverty.

This weekend, Democrats from across Oregon will be choosing our next Chair for the Democratic Party of Oregon (DPO) to lead us through these divisive times. With gratitude towards past DPO leaders, I am proudly supporting Dr. Rosa Colquitt to serve as Chair of the DPO. Rosa has been a tireless supporter of rural, BIPOC, and LQBTQIA+ Oregonians for years. She has served in numerous leadership roles, with a steady and resolute “lead from behind” style that builds up others and the team. With our values under attack and efforts underway to pit us against each other, Rosa’s leadership is needed now more than ever. Senators Wyden and Merkley began this call to leadership when they deferred their roles at the 2020 Democratic National Convention in honor of Rosa and Travis Nelson. This is an opportunity to
show our strength of unity by celebrating recent leaders and joining together around Rosa’s future leadership of the DPO.

In May, Oregon will have important school board and education service district (ESD) board elections. This is an important time to elect leaders who support students, educators, and our families. Team Jamie for Oregon is gearing back up to support these local leaders.

The Oregon Legislature is in session, considering the state’s budget and several important bills. One such bill is to protect small family farms. Oregon’s tradition of protecting our water and farmland is near and dear to me as my family used to raise sheep and grow hay on a small farm in Southern Oregon. Over 90% of Oregon agriculture is made up of small family farms, but that
could change. Large corporations are looking to take advantage of Oregon's weak laws that allow limitless groundwater extraction for livestock and loopholes for expansion to mega-farms. Large-scale poultry operations are currently looking to move into Linn and Marion counties with mega-farms that will threaten existing agriculture, water supply, and quality of life. But family
farmers and rural advocates are fighting back with SB 85, which will put a hold on expanding mega-farms until their impacts can be studied. Over 500 people, including former Governor Ted Kulongoski, have submitted testimony in support of SB 85. If you’d like to weigh in, contact your legislators.

I end where I began, paying tribute to the recent loss of two companions who traveled many miles with me over the years. Cass and I lost both of our dogs: Moshi, our Doberman, to heart disease (DCM) and Mattie, our JRT, to age (she was 19!). While overcome with grief, we also feel a profound sense of gratitude for the joy and laughter they brought to our lives. Hug your loved ones.

Onward together,

Jamie

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