Events
Community Event: An Oregon Agenda for Racial, Gender, and Economic Justice
OTI staff members Emma Brennan and Brynn Hall attended the Oregon Agenda for Racial, Gender, and Economic Justice on December 1st. The event was held at the historic First Baptist Church on Vancouver Avenue and was put on by Oregon’s Fair Shot for All Coalition and the Oregon Health Equity Alliance (OHEA) with the goal of reaffirming our community’s commitment to racial and economic justice.
Amidst the political turmoil our country is facing during the post-election season, Kathy Wai of the Asian Pacific American Network of Oregon urged audience members to continue the fight for equality stating that “our resistance and solidarity is crucial” during this time. Further powerful speeches were heard from Amira Streeter of the Urban League of Portland, Nancy Haque of Basic Rights Oregon, and Tom Chamberlain of the Oregon AFL-CIO.
A bold 2017 legislative agenda was announced with the hopes that Oregon can continue to lead the country in it’s fight for racial, gender, and economic justice for all Oregonians.
- Cover all Kids promises insurance coverage for all Oregon children so they can thrive in school and start on a pathway to success in their lives.
- End Profiling aims change the culture of policing in Oregon to make neighborhoods safer and communities stronger by funding and creating the system needed to identify patterns of profiling and enacting accountability mechanisms to address profiling when it occurs.
- Paid Family Medical Leave will ensure that Oregonians can welcome a new child or take care of their own or their family member’s serious health needs without losing the income their family relies on.
- Reproductive Health Equity will ensure that preventative reproductive health coverage is available at zero out of pocket cost for the people who have been categorically excluded from health programs due to citizenship status and/or gender expression.
- Stable Homes for Oregon Families will prevent no-cause evictions and repeal the ban on rent stabilization in order to help working families maintain housing stability and curb homelessness.
It was inspiring to see the community come together to fight for racial, gender, and economic equity and it is our belief that this legislative agenda will positively affect tradeswomen and their families. Visit the Fair Shot for All website for more information about how to get involved to make Oregon a state where everyone has opportunity.
Guest Blog: JCL Live Northwest 2016
JLC LIVE—the premier regional trade-only event for the remodeling, home building, and light construction industries—brings The Journal of Light Construction magazine to life through LIVE on-floor building clinics, classroom-style training sessions, and the ability to meet one-on-one with the industry’s top building product manufacturers.
JLC LIVE Northwest 2016 will take place December 1 and 2 with our conference program kicking off November 30th, at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland. Experience JLC LIVE for yourself with a FREE Expo Pass or one of our popular conference packages provided to you at an introductory rate! Visit our website to register and use the promo code to receive special pricing only available to blog readers!
All the Education and Training You Need—In One Place!
Whether you need hand’s-on carpentry training or need to know how to run your business smarter, the JLC LIVE Northwest Conference Program has exactly what you need. From top-notch contractors who will teach you finish carpentry tricks, uses of recessed lighting, and lessons on jobsite communication, the JLC LIVE instructors are industry experts.
All sessions in the program are centered on the topics of carpentry, sales, marketing, human resources, and business financials. With over 40 sessions, attendees are able to tailor a schedule to meet their specific needs. There are also several networking opportunities available during the three days of conference and two days on the expo floor. There really is something for everyone!
See what education we have to offer here!
The Heart of All the Action—The JLC LIVE Expo
JLC LIVE sets itself apart from other area trade-only events with the ability to incorporate our education program into our LIVE-ACTION building clinics and manufacturer-led product demonstrations on the expo floor. Our esteemed clinicians and manufacturers give step-by-step instructions during the on-floor presentations that showcase their expertise and techniques, utilizing the newest innovative products and technologies that our industry has to offer—all across eight lively stages.
Combined with over 70 product manufacturers and service providers, this event provides remodelers, home builders, and other light construction pros the best knowledge and tools necessary to adapt to the ever-changing world of residential construction.
Take a look at our schedule and come get inspired!
You’re Invited to OTI’s Fall 2016 TACC Graduation!
Oregon Tradeswomen, Inc. cordially invites you to attend the Trades and Apprenticeship Career Class Graduation and celebrate our most recent cohort of pre-apprenticeship graduates!
Date:
Thursday, December 1, 2016
Time:
5:30 – 6:30 p.m.
Location:
PCC Metro Workforce Training Center
The Auditorium
5600 NE 42nd Avenue
Portland OR 97218
Click for the street address on Google Maps
Light appetizers & cake will be served
Fall 2016 Trades and Apprenticeship Career Class Graduates
Jay Broady
Lyssa Brosig
Chelsey Callaghan
Sabrina Carter
Dana Dee
Jinnie Freeman
Marcie Harris
Niki J Johnson
Alana Kansaku-Sarmiento
Kalise Kenyon
Tiffany Latham
Michelle Lifvendahl
Torre McGee
Ashley Magnus
Sasha Melendez
Shannon Olsen-Horchy
Liv Pollock
Linda Salholm
Becca Schulze
Shanti Speer
I.O. Stiles
Ginsy Stone
Brittany West
Funding for our program is provided by:
Autzen Foundation, Bank of America, Collins Foundation, Construction Apprenticeship & Workforce Solutions, Inc. (CAWS), DeArmond Public Foundation, the Environmental Protection Agency, IBEW Local 48, Joseph Weston Foundation, Multnomah County, Oregon Community Foundation, Oregon Department of Transportation, Pacific Power Foundation, Peterson Foundation, Portland Development Commission’s Economic Opportunity Program, Portland Parks and Recreation, Samuel Johnson Foundation, Spirit Mountain Community Fund, The TJX Foundation, Trio Foundation of St. Louis, The Portland Water Bureau and Hoffman Construction through the Community Benefit Agreement, Women’s Bureau–U.S. Department of Labor, Women’s Foundation of Oregon, Worksystems, Inc., industry donations, and individual tradeswomen and supporters. Thank you!!
Guest Blog Post: Ape Caves Hike
Hello! I’m Tiffany Thompson, OTI’s Advocacy Program Manager. I have been having so much fun hanging out with the Tradeswomen from Bitching Hikes and I wanted to share my enthusiasm and invite you to get involved!
Not only do I get to hang out with an amazing group of women but I also get to go on new adventures. For example, I went hiking in a cave! No, more than a cave a lava tube! If you haven’t been to the Ape Caves, I would highly recommend it. And, if you haven’t joined the hiking group yet, it should be your very next step! I am not a huge hiker but this has been a lot of fun. They select easy hikes in beautiful places. So, I hope to see you at the next one.
Join the group on Facebook to be the first to know about upcoming hikes!
Rock against the TPP
Fight for the Future, Firebrand Records, Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello, and a large coalition of labor, environmental, and social justice groups are organizing Rock Against the TPP, a nationwide series of large-scale educational concert events to raise awareness about the dangers of this agreement.
The tour will be in Portland, OR on August 20th at Director Park with a concert featuring popular punk band Anti-Flag, Golden Globe nominated actress Evangeline Lilly, bilingual dance-rock band Downtown Boys, Shihasin of the Navajo Nation, Afro-Latin reggae vocalist Taina Asili, and more. There will also be a teach-in before the concert and Evangeline Lilly will host a training on How to Fight the TPP on Sunday, August 21st at 1pm at the First Unitarian Church. All events are free, all ages, and wheelchair accessible.
As you likely know, the TPP is a massive trade deal (like NAFTA) that was negotiated in complete secrecy with hundreds of lobbyists from large corporations setting the agenda. It poses a serious threat to our basic democratic process as well as jobs, the environment, internet freedom, human rights, food safety, and more.
Visit Rock Against the TPP for more information.
OTI at the United State of Women Summit
We are so proud to represent tradeswomen at the United State of Women Summit happening in Washington, DC starting June 14, 2016. The summit is a collaboration of the White House Council on Women and Girls, the Department of Labor, the Aspen Institute, and Civic Nation. The Summit is a convening of women leaders who will together work to address gender equity in the areas of health and wellness, educational opportunity, violence against women, entrepreneurship and innovation, leadership and civic engagement, and economic opportunity.
OTI’s Executive Director, Connie Ashbrook, will join a delegation of 35 tradeswomen from around the country, along with First Lady Michelle Obama, Tina Fey, Oprah, and thousands of other women all working toward lifting up women and our nation. Watch the live stream Tuesday, June 14th, 2016 if you’d like to take it in!
While at the Summit, Connie will be supporting the National Taskforce on Tradeswomen’s Issues policy platform by speaking with other attendees about our priorities, which include advocating for:
- Releasing the new apprenticeship EEO regulations, and ensuring that they contain strong language supporting increasing the number of women in apprenticeship
- Dedicated, specific federal funding through WANTO that directly supports tradeswomen
- Increased support for existing workforce hiring goals through compliance efforts and sustainable technical assistance
- A strengthened pipeline between schools and apprenticeship that has specific goals for female participation
You can follow the conference online and through social media. Take the pledge to work for gender equity in whatever you do best, and make sure to support your sisters at the #StateOfWomen conference by using the #tradeswomen hashtag when you post!
Green Your Garden with Greywater
Have you ever thought about diverting used sink and shower water to your yard, to feed your garden? As water rates escalate and summer droughts become more commonplace, Northwesterners need to use water more efficiently.
If you want a beautiful and productive landscape that uses very little water, attend one or two August 2016 workshops in Portland to learn about low-cost DIY greywater systems that you can implement to conserve water and enhance your home landscape.
Greywater Action, in partnership with Depave, Recode, Oregon Tradeswomen,and East Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation District are hosting two workshops for Portland area residents interested in implementing greywater systems at home. The workshops will be taught by greywater-expert Laura Allen who is a founding member of Greywater Action and author of The Water-Wise Home. Laura will share her tips on conserving water and saving money with effective and inexpensive greywater solutions.
Workshop 1, August 13 from 9:30a-12:30p Greywater 101: The basics of greywater reuse in this FREE workshop. Learn more and register here: http://greywateraction.org/event/green-garden-greywater-free-portland/
Workshop 2, August 20 from 11a-4:30p Hands-On Greywater Installation: Learn how to install a simple laundry-to-landscape system and see a branched drain system from a shower up close in a Portland backyard. Learn more and register for workshop 2 here: http://greywateraction.org/event/hands-greywater-installation-workshop-portland/
Registration is open now to residents of Multnomah County, with a wait list for residents of surrounding communities to fill remaining spaces after June 15.
Metro Hosts Screening of Sista in the Brotherhood
If you haven’t had a chance to look at positive news in Portland recently, Sista in the Brotherhood has become a big deal! Dawn Jones Redstone (Director), and and Roberta Hunt (Producer) have been invited to screen the film across Oregon and the US. The film won Best Short Film at the Portland International Film Festival. and was an official selection for the Portland Oregon Women’s Film Festival. It was also shown at the Women Build Nation Conference in Chicago!
Most recently, Metro held a screening of the film as a part of their new Equity Initiative and Plan. The film was screened at the Whitsell Auditorium at the Portland Art Museum, Tuesday April 19 at 12:00 pm. The film was followed by a panel discussion about government policy initiatives that could support women of color in the trades.
The panel was made up of industry professionals including:
- Dawn Jones Redstone, Director
- Dr. Roberta Hunt, Producer
- Gabi Schuster, Metro Procurement Manager
- Michael Burch, Community Relations with the Pacific NW Regional Council of Carpenters
- Lauren Holmes, Project Manager for Lease Crutcher Lewis
- and our very own Amy James Neel, Construction Manager at OTI!
The video below is Amy’s response to one question about the impact of policies:
We are encouraged by the fact that Metro is engaging in this important work. It is critical as they develop their policies moving forward, that they consider the real life impact on tradeswomen of color.
2016 DJC Newsmaker – Editor’s Choice Award
Oregon Tradeswomen, Inc. (Sam Tenney/DJC)
OTI was absolutely honored to be named a 2016 Newsmaker by the Daily Journal of Commerce (DJC). We were even more thrilled to be named as the Editor’s Choice!
The list of honorees are selected by the DJC editorial after they discuss the people, companies and projects covered covered during the previous 12 months as well as those expected to make headlines during 2016.
In an interview with DJC Editor Stephanie Basalyga, OTI’s Executive Director Connie Ashbrook explained that the services and programs OTI provides are more important than ever.
“There’s more need out there than we have the capacity to serve, both on the part of women that come in our door … and employers,” Ashbrook said. “When our students are ready, they just fly out the door. Employers are hungry for our graduates.”
Read more of Connie’s interview on the DJC website. Thank you to the DJC for this incredible honor!
New Tradeswomen Hiking Group
Wahclella Falls (Jeff Black)
Last year at the Tradeswomen Leadership Institute, there was a workshop called “Visions for a Better Worksite”. During this workshop, small groups discussed what they thought would help tradeswomen stay in the industry. For one of these groups, creating community among tradeswomen was the clear answer: Community to provide support, a place to share experiences, and a venue to eliminate feelings of isolation.
In this moment, the idea for Bitchin’ Hikes emerged. Hiking and Oregon are a natural pairing and it turns out so are tradeswomen and hiking! Beatrice Jenkins, Lori Baumann, and many other tradeswomen came together to start the group. Their stated mission is:
“To unite all women in the trades during a healthy, fun, and energizing activity. In a male-dominated industry, we need to be able to connect with other women that share the same conflicts, issues, insights, and advice.”
The hikes kick-off Sunday, March 20 and will take place every other month after that. All tradeswomen are invited along with your spouses, kids, friends, and ,yes, even your dogs. The first hike will be Wahclella Falls. Meet there at 11:00 am and be ready to hike by 11:15 am. You will want to bring lunch with you and plan for a $5 day trip cost. Some folks will be carpooling so join the Facebook Page to share details and make connections.
Now, there will be questions about the name of the group but fear not, it is actually very inspirational. The keynote speaker at the 2015 Tradeswomen Leadership Institute inspired everyone with the acronym that gets her through the day. In male dominated spaces, powerful, thoughtful, and strong women are often labelled bitch. This was turned into an acronym to remind her why she stays and was adapted for the hiking group.
Believe…
In…
Transformation…
Change…
Happens…
In…
Nature…
Hike away tradeswomen!