Roots and Wings
Passing the torch. ROP is embracing a generational shift in leadership. We are developing new organizers through our Organizing Internship (now in its second year), have added two new staff (both small-town human dignity leaders), and have a young director, Cara Shufelt. “We knew Cara was a dynamite organizer with a passion for rural Oregon,” reflects Board Chair Kathy Paterno, “but what we’ve learned over the past year is that she has the strength, skills, and vision to put ROP even more squarely at the heart of the movement for social justice in Oregon and nationally.” We are thankful to our Board of Directors who has been key to this transition and to our network of human dignity groups, allies, members, and funders who are making this transition feel natural. We are proud and thankful to all who have contributed to this moment and made sure ROP enters 2012 as a strong and visionary force for justice in rural Oregon!
Our Founder and 20-year Director Marcy Westerling transitioned off staff in 2010, but continues as movement visionary for ROP and for rural human dignity organizing nationwide through her Open Society Fellowship. After being approached by a Manhattan book agent, she is working on a narrative-style book documenting her personal story, woven with the story of the struggle for justice in rural America. She does all this, unfortunately, amidst her ongoing treatments to stabilize her metastasized ovarian cancer. Marcy is a force in ROP providing inspiration, strategic thinking, and support as our #1 volunteer! The power of Oregon’s rural and small town human dignity movement today is due to the decades of work of this rural organizing visionary.
As part of Roots and Wings, former ROP Organizer Sarah Loose is spearheading the oral history project Roots and Wings: The History of Rural Oregon’s Grassroots Movement for Human Dignity. Determined to answer questions regarding the importance of HDGs in Oregon, a volunteer team is documenting and analyzing ROP’s rich history. The project will result in a series of multimedia tools, interactive workshops, and digital archives when the project finishes in 2013.
Latest Posts: