Archive for January 2015
Coming this May: Annual Women Building the Nation Conference in Los Angeles!
The national tradeswomen’s conference, Women Building the Nation, is set to take place in Los Angeles, California, May 1-3! With an expected attendance of over 1,000 tradeswomen, union leaders, apprenticeship coordinators, contractors, and politicians, the fifth annual Women Building the Nation conference will be the most exciting and productive conference yet!
In addition to networking with other tradeswomen from around the country, conference goers will build new skills, engage in leadership development and learn more about organizing through more than 40 different workshops and plenary sessions. Workshop tracks include: Pre-apprentices; Staying In and Staying Strong; Promoting Leadership; Policy & Politics; Career Ladders; and Nourishing Extras.
A special Pre-Apprenticeship Training Institute will be held on May 1 for coordinators and staffers of pre-apprenticeship programs. Oregon Tradeswomen, Inc. is proud to serve on the National Task Force on Tradeswomen’s Issues, which is planning the conference’s closing event, a policy forum designed to inspire tradeswomen to work together to lift our sisters around the country and elevate tradeswomen’s issues to the national stage.
Please join us in turning out the largest ever Oregon delegation to the Women Building the Nation conference! Last year we had 42 conference attendees from Oregon, representing 16 different locals. Help us beat last year’s attendance and represent Oregon, your trade, and your local this year in Los Angeles!
In general, it will cost about $600 – $1000 for one person to attend the conference.
- Registration fees are $100/person
o $75 reduced early bird fee if you register by Friday, February 20
o Additional $15 discount for members of BCTD-affiliated unions
o Registration includes two continental breakfasts, two lunches, and a reception - Hotel Rate is $129/night, reservations can be made at the Sheraton Gateway LAX
- Flights running $210 – 400 as of January 27 according to kayak.com
Join with other conference goers, like 2014 attendee Maddie Ettlin, in experiencing the power of tradeswomen in community.
“The 2014 Women Build California and the Nation Conference began before it even officially started. Flying from Portland to Sacramento, there were already five or six different trades represented by delegations of women proud of their union membership. Tradeswomen tend to stand out in a crowd, and we’re eager to find each other. We were everywhere! In restaurants, in cabs, all over the airport, walking to and from hotels and preparing our business. As a member of Oregon Tradeswomen, Inc, I feel like I have a strong community of tradeswomen around me, and our numbers are nothing to sniff at. But I had only been around a large group of tradeswomen a handful of times, and it was nothing compared to stepping foot into the convention center at the opening plenary. Our sheer numbers will forever impress upon me that I am not alone, no matter how it may feel from job to job.“
Now that you want to go, the question is how? Well, luckily for you we can help you with your quest. OTI can provide guidance about making motions to the floor at your union meeting, how to write letters requesting support, a sample letter, and some talking points about the conference! That’s right, we have tried to make it as easy as possible to incorporate between all of your hard work. Would you still like some more support? Contact Tiffany and she would be more than happy to explore how OTI can support you.
How to write a letter requesting union support
Women Building California and the Nation conference talking points
We want to see you at Women Building the Nation this year! Let’s turn it out for tradeswomen in Oregon and across the country.
Giving Back: A Donation to Raphael House
The young women who participated in OTI’s Building Girls Construction Club at Wilson High School Construction Club embraced the spirit of the season and they made a donation to Raphael House, a domestic violence agency dedicated to ending intimate partner violence for good.
As part of the great work they did to learn about woodworking, carpentry, and construction, they took on the task of making a variety of wooden toys – with the intention of donating them to a local organization in need.
Just before Christmas, Ana Gonzalez came by the OTI office to meet with Katie Yablonski, OTI’s Building Girls Program Manager. Katie gave her the toys the young women in the Wilson High School Construction Club made. Ana is a 2010 Graduate of OTI’s Trades and Apprenticeship Career Class and currently the Facilities Coordinator at Raphael House. She was touched by the thoughtfulness of the young women we work with and pleased to take the toys back to Raphael House.
Fifty Licks Ice Cream Fundraising Event for OTI
Fifty Licks was so inspired by the Willamette Week Give!Guide that they stepped up to support every one of the 137 local nonprofits that were featured in 2014! Starting on December 28th, they have dedicated one day to each nonprofit and will donate 10% of proceeds! They have devoted Thursday, January 22nd to OTI!
They offer an array of seasonal flavors, classics, and even sorbet for those who avoid dairy. They also offer amazing hot chocolate, cocktails, and a daily happy hour from 3:00pm – 6:00 pm.
You can learn more about Chad, the owner of the 50 Licks ice cream, check out a recent interview with him on Right at the Fork, a local food-centric podcast.
You can click this link for the event on Facebook if you would like to share it and invite your friends to participate!
Details:
Thursday, January 22
3:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Fifty Licks Ice Cream
2021 SE Clinton Street
Portland OR 97202
We hope to see you there!
An Update from OTI Graduate Chevy Nash…
We were thrilled to hear from OTI TACC Graduate Chevy Nash and learn about how her career is progressing. She recently sent this inspiring note:
“I am now the operations manager at Alpha Energy Savers, a weatherization company. It’s a small company and I’m working in the office and able to make the job whatever I may want to make out of it for now and the future. I met Carter Stafford – he was working at Alpha the night you sent me to the Home Performance Guild meeting to track down Kelly Haines! He remembered me and called me when he knew he was moving on to Conservation Services Group (CSG) and hired me to take over.
I have been thrown in and am trying to get the gist of it all, but I love everything l I get to learn! Kelly at Clean Energy Works (CEW) has agreed to pay for my Building Performance Institute (BPI) certification license, and I can put that certification to use doing home energy auditing for my current company and I’ll also have on the job training with an in house BPI certified supervisor and be getting paid all along the way!
My company works with Multnomah, Clackamas, and Washington County to make low income homes more energy efficient, we are working with TriMet to use weatherization as noise mitigation for houses near the new Max line running through Milwaukie, and of course we work with regular everyday folks looking to improve their homes efficiency.
Frankly it’s kind of the best situation as I’m learning terminology, how each of the programs work, going to training meetings & contractors meetings, and asking a ton of questions. It will get me even more ready for the next step and I get paid a decent wage along the way.
Anyway I wanted to give you a heads up. Now that I have more than two nickels to rub together I’ve sent my first donation check into Oregon Tradeswomen as you guys are a big reason why I got a leg up.
Wanted you to know and to thank you for helping me along the way…having me go to that Home Performance Guild meeting was HUGE!”
Congratulations, Cassie Czubachowski
| Huge congratulations to Cassie Czubachowski who recently graduated from the Oregon and SW Washington Roofers and Waterproofers JATC with high marks!
Cassie is now a journey level roofer. She is greatly appreciated and valued by her employer, Snyder Roofing. Way to go, Cassie! |
A Banner Year
Thanks to everyone who donated to our Give!Guide campaign! We raised $14,007.00 in individual gifts and $5,000 was donated by our delightful partners, Atomic Direct and Clean Energy Works Oregon for a grand total of $19,007.00 – thank you!
We also received tremendous support from various private foundations and government entities this past year. In the last couple weeks of the year, we received several generous donations including these:
- OCF Joseph E. Weston Public Foundation in the amount of $4,250.00 for training in construction.
- Penney Family Fund, a member of the Common Counsel Foundation, in the amount of $5,000.00 for general programs.
We thank both foundations for their generous support of our work at Oregon Tradeswomen, Inc.
You can also help us continue our work in helping women reach new levels of professional success and satisfaction by supporting our programs. Your financial contribution helps women learn about work in the trades and girls experience trades, most likely, for the very first time. Make your tax-deductible donation today by clicking here to change a life in a really positive way!
Our annual career fair is coming up May 14 – May 16 and we need the support of our business community to teach girls about opportunities in the trades. We are seeking corporate sponsors for our three day event. Learn more by clicking here to become part of the “100%” – the percentage of industry support we rely on to make this fabulous event a reality.
Happy New Year!
Dennise M. Kowalczyk – Development Director
Dennise@tradeswomen.net
503.335.8200 ext. 38
Tough Mudders!
We are so proud of the OTI graduates who took on an intense challenge this summer and formed a team to participate in Tough Mudder! The members of the Oregon Tradeswomen Mudders team were Eleni Vournas, Sho Newman, and Genevieve Smith-Henry. They worked out together to train for the race – running individually and as a team to improve their stamina and they also committed to strength training and did some “bouldering” at the rock gym.
We asked Eleni to tell us more about her experience and this is what she shared:
“The race itself was FAN-TASTIC! What I loved most about it was the empowering spirit of teamwork! Not only between the three of us but with the entire Mudder pack – especially after the first obstacle of crawling through the mud on our belly!! It seemed as if we all became one giant force after that! Initially we all had our team jerseys separating us from one another: green, black, yellow, purple…but after that first obstacle it didn’t seem to matter anymore, we were all the MUD team with one goal: To cross the finish line! No time was kept and there were no awards for 1st, 2nd and 3rd. Team spirit is the essence of the Tough Mudder race and you feel it with every grip offered by a stranger to pull you over/under/or through the obstacle at hand. And yes, I am personally already signed up for Tough Mudder 2015!”
Way to go Eleni, Sho, and Genevieve!!
OTI’s Annual Meeting
Save the Date for OTI’s Annual Meeting!
Thursday January 29, 2015
5:30 pm – 8:00 pm
Location:
Old Town Brewing
5201 Northeast Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Portland, OR 97211
Join us!
Come and spend an evening with OTI staff and all of the tradeswomen you haven’t seen for awhile. It is a big gathering to kick off the new year!
Delicious Food!
OTI will fill your belly. We will have free food at the event to cover your dinner needs. No host bar.
Prizes!
What? Yes, this year OTI will have a raffle of some great items, including to tickets for a Radical 80s Cruise generously donated by the Portland Spirit!