Member Education & Resources

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Conversation Circle: Impact/Sustainable Investing

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Can you have investments aligned with the values, issues and causes you feel passionate about, and also get competitive returns? The answer is a resounding yes. Concern for the environment, social and racial justice, and integrity in governance can be found in abundance in financial products available to all investors. In these discussions, we will explore the world of impact investing and how to take the next step towards investing based on your own values.

Event Dates: Sundays 2-3:30 pm May 16, May 23 and June 6, 2021
Discussion Guide: Click to Download
Circle Facilitators: Jayni Kosoff and Sarah Cleveland

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Conversation Circle: Strategies for Social Change

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Social change, both structural and cultural, is the result of many actions. It can be slow or abrupt. What strategies advance social change? How do each of us invest in or participate in making social change? In these discussions we will apply a framework for social change in looking at issues in our community. We’ll use an equity lens to examine how strategies in play are incorporating racial justice issues in advancing change.

Event Dates: Mondays 12-1:30 pm May 10, May 17, and May 24, 2021
Discussion Guide: Click to Download
Circle Facilitators: Michelle McHugh and Deborah Edward

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Conversation Circle: Women & Power

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How can women use their power to change the world? In these discussions we’ll explore ways that women build and exercise power as individuals, in groups, and through institutions. We’ll identify sources of power, learn how it may differ between races, find new ways to make a difference in our communities, and be inspired by powerful women in our midst.

Event Dates: Tuesdays 6-7:30 pm May 11, May 18 and May 25, 2021
Discussion Guide: Click to Download
Circle Facilitators: Anina Estrem and Holly Vaughn Edmonds

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Spotlight Study: Understanding Youth Mental Health

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Today’s youth are tomorrow’s leaders. How can we support their social and emotional wellness during a time of social fragmentation, funding cuts, and uncertainty about the future? The Understanding Youth Mental Health 2020 Spotlight Report describes the issues and the limited resource available to support positive mental health of children and young adults, highlighting the incidence of depression, anxiety and behavior disorders. Learn about Oregon’s Student Success Act, and models for effective intervention and treatment, such as the bright spot of recent telemedicine efforts.

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Spotlight Study: Improving Stewardship of our Natural World

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Heat islands, pesticides and black carbon diesel pollution. These threats impact both our natural environment and our collective health. Learn from this Spotlight team about the specific actions you as an individual can take to become an effective steward of the natural world and influence sustainability policy.

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Spotlight Study: Safe Homes For All

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How can Portland solve its homelessness crisis? What actions can we take to prevent those at risk for homelessness from losing their home in the first place? The Safe Homes for All Spotlight Report explores several factors contributing to homelessness, including the local shortage of affordable housing, domestic abuse, and mental health issues. Learn about Portland’s recent policies and initiatives to provide more affordable housing and address some of the underlying causes of homelessness.

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Spotlight Study: Reducing Racial Disparities in Our Community

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In 2020, race is still a powerful indicator of outcomes in Portland. In light of nationwide calls for reforms to end systemic racism, this report shines a spotlight on racial disparities in our own community. Learn about the disproportionate COVID-19 infection rate among Oregon’s Latinx population, the challenges faced by students of color in Multnomah County, and the racial disparities within our criminal justice system that have sparked police reform efforts on both the local and state level.

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Let's Talk About: The Race Paradigm in America

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Event Date: August 5, 2020
Presentation Materials: Recording

Member Beth Tarasawa, Executive VP of Research at NWEA, shared findings from studies about the impact of school closings on student learning, sharing ideas about how individuals and communities can help through this challenging time for education.

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Let's Talk About: Educational Impacts of COVID-19

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Event Date: August 5, 2020
Presentation Materials: Recording
Member Beth Tarasawa, Executive VP of Research at NWEA, shared findings from studies about the impact of school closings on student learning, sharing ideas about how individuals and communities can help through this challenging time for education.

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Let's Talk About: Activism in Gun Violence

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Event Date: July 9, 2020
Presentation Materials: Recording

Member Heidi Yewman shared her story of becoming an activist on behalf of preventing gun violence. Learn more about her work from her articles from MS Magazine and the Daily Beast (“My month with a gun”), her book “Beyond the Bullet”, and her movie Behind the Bullet.

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Let's Talk About: Allyship

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Event Date: June 25, 2020
Presentation Materials: Recording | Slides

The premiere of our series featured member Christine Moses, Diversity, Equity & Belonging Champion, who lead a conversation about allyship. She built on the ideas she shared with girlfriends in our e-mail sent during the first week of protests about racial injustice and police brutality.

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2020: How Can Philanthropy Influence Policy?

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Although philanthropic dollars are a drop in the bucket compared to government and public funding for our social fabric, philanthropists play a strong role in influencing government to do the right thing. As a collective giving circle we are a philanthropy - how can we leverage our funds, our connections, our collective action to support and advance the change we want in our region? What have other philanthropic leaders and local foundations done?

Women Power & Giving: The Recap Salons

In our first years as a collective giving circle, we introduced core concepts about social change, community, and philanthropy to help frame our collective action. Members have asked us to share the takeaways from our first years' workshops and forums so all of us have these ideas in mind. Enter "Women Power and Giving: The Recap" an interactive, information-filled, and fun way to learn and share with other girlfriends before our voting season. These “salons” to be held on Sunday afternoons in October 4:30-6:00 PM. Time for education, interaction, Q&A, and collective thinking about what drives our giving. Join us and register here for one or all!

Homeless Forum

On Wed May 15th our Member Education Team presented a forum about our local homeless challenges. Marc Jolin, Executive Director of A Home For Everyone/Joint Offices of Homeless Services, and Brandi Tuck from Portland Homeless Family Solutions shared causes and solutions; grantmakers from Oregon Community Foundation, Meyer Memorial Trust, and Northwest Health Foundation shared their perspectives about how foundations can make a difference on this issue; and all participants had opportunities to think about their own feelings related to homelessness and how each of us can make a difference with regards to this issue. Here are some exemplary resources to help understand how we got to the current crisis nationally and what we can and are doing about it.