City Repair has over 20 years of experience with grassroots, community-initiated placemaking in Portland, Oregon. Our model for building place-based empowerment is inspiring communities across the nation and even globally from countries like Canada, the UK and even Australia. Here in Oregon, however, our biggest learning edge is integrating a social justice lens to ensure that the people and the places that we are working with provide benefit to some of the most vulnerable groups in our community. For us it has meant working with People of Color in one of the most ethnically Caucasian cities and also with folks experiencing houselessness. We will share stories of placemaking with these communities and how they contribute to what we are calling Place Justice.

Presented By: Ridhi DCruz

Cross cultural communication can be enhanced by understanding how Systems of Oppression function. We will explore our social identities as they relate to these systems and see where our privileges and lack of privileges intersect. Cultivating empathy for differing perspectives and tending to trauma release is key to healing longstanding social divisions. When we understand how historical and present day oppressions influence our sense of identity and underlying habits we create the awarenesses needed to re-wild and re-indiginze our selves in connection with our tribal ancestors as steward of the earth.

Presented By:Sahar-Muhsin & Anna Hope

This is an open a discussion and council on what it means to be an “Ally” in today’s day and age. This is more than race or color, sex, gender, orientation, faith, nationalism, ability, classs, beliefs… this is about all of that AND a deep desire to dissolve that which separates us by being heard, seen, and empathized with. When we come together in the shared space of council we see the experiences that unite us, we connect through differences, we empathize with challenges, and we support and resource one another in ways we couldn’t do on our own, because we’re not alone in our efforts to create change. This intensive will offer tangible dos and don’ts, tools and wisdom to walk away and step into the inner and outer actions needed to be a ally, which is really just doing the right thing.

Presented By: Luna Love

While we all want to transition to a post-carbon future in a way that restores a balanced relationship with the Earth, we often forget that some groups of people have more access to the tools and resources required to get in on this next paradigm. This is plainly obvious to anyone who has been in these types of communities and spaces, and has taken a good look around at the faces in the room. When we talk about designing a more resilient future with bio-diversity in mind, we must not forget the diversity in our human societies. This includes not just race/ethnicity, but class, bodily ability and all variety of gender expression.

Following the Decolonizing Permaculture workshops at the Convergence from the past few years, please join the same presenter as we take a deeper dive into the WHY and HOW to create a more justice-based, equitable and inclusive Resiliency Movement.

POC, Queer, Trans and differently-abled folks especially invited to join in this conversation. Everyone welcomed!

Presented By: Susan Park

As people whose lives embody change and transformation, the LGBTQ+ community has necessary contributions to lend to this global struggle to protect and regenerate land, water, food, and biocultural diversity. Join us for this introductory conversation to ask questions about the different identities and experiences in the LGBTQ+ community, explore the gender and sexual diversity of the natural world, and uncover the common roots underlying the harms to the planet and the ongoing violences to the queer and trans community. Open to all, please bring questions.

Presented By: Vanessa Raditz

The diversity of California should be represented in important campaigns, movements and events. Participants will learn from an experienced organizer who has build solid inter-ethnic networks. The presenter will bring a power point to show the different campaigns he has worked, and will explore problems and solutions, then will separate attendees in small groups, those groups will design a campaign or event and will use the tools they have learned to engage folks from different backgrounds. This workshop will help unexperienced organizers, activists or any community members, to understand the complexities of organizing and will provide the tools to grow a diverse and inclusive movement.

Saturday Oct 7| 9:30am| Bioregional Hub

Presented By: Miguel Robles