tradeswomen
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.
Aisha Winters Awarded the Live Your Dream Scholarship!
After Aish
a Winters graduated from OTI’s Trades and Apprenticeship Career Class (TACC) in the summer of 2015, she was determined to start into an official apprenticeship. She was out of work for a few months, but had some money in savings to help make ends meet while she pursued her goal of apprenticeship.
OTI Career Counselor, April Robbins, connected Aisha to Marianne Carley at the Area 1 JATC in Clackamas – an open shop school offering apprenticeship training in plumbing, sign making, painting, and the electrical trade. Marianne was happy to meet Aisha and connected her for a for job shadowing opportunity at Mr. Rooter. During her very first ride along, Aisha knew she liked the opportunity, and was thrilled when they asked her if she was interested in getting hiring on! It was only a couple of weeks later and she was accepted into the plumber’s apprenticeship!
As excited as Aisha was for the opportunity, she was also feeling nervous about the financial obligation. She didn’t realize in the beginning that she would be responsible for paying her own tuition. She had used most of her savings over the summer, and she also needed money to pay for daycare for her child.
Compounding the situation, Aisha had been on the Oregon health plan so that her daughters would have health insurance, but she cancelled the insurance after she was hired by Mr. Rooter, only to learn that there was a trial period before she would be eligible to receive her new health insurance benefits. Like many Oregon renters, her rent went up. And further, she incurred some transportation issues when her truck started having some mechanical issues. It was a huge financial outlay for Aisha when she was just in the beginning of her new career. She was scared for a while, but was able to borrow some money from family to get her through this stressful time.
Not too long after getting over these initial hurdles, a girlfriend contacted her through Facebook to let her know about the Soroptimist “Live Your Dream Awards”. Aisha met all 15 qualifications to apply, but she was a bit intimidated by the process.
She didn’t let her fear stop her though, and wrote amazing letter to apply for the $1,000 grant. Three people wrote letters of reference for her, including the owner of Mr. Rooter
A short time later, foundation member Pam Banning with Soroptimist International of Lake Oswego/West Linn called her to let her know she would be awarded with a $1,000 check on March 8, 2016 which was also International Women’s Day.
Because Aisha was chosen as the first place winner, her application will go to the regional level where she will be considered for a $5,000 scholarship. If she were to win the regional competition, then she has the potential to win a national prize of $10,000.
All of us at OTI are so incredibly proud of Aisha for all she has accomplished and will be crossing our fingers that she goes on to win these additional scholarship prizes.
Way to go, Aisha!
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!
If you didn’t make it to the 2016 Annual Meeting…
We missed you! Hopefully, you can join us next year – in January, 2017!
As happens each year, Connie shared OTI’s accomplishments from 2015. The short summary version is that it was a very busy year for staff. If you want the more detailed version, well, you are going to have to wait a little longer. We are going to be releasing an annual report later this year and we don’t want to spoil all that hard work!
A critical piece of the Annual Meeting is voting in board members for their two year terms for both new and continuing board members. This year Aida Aranda and Stephanie Peters extended the terms of their board service, and Emily Wigre joined OTI’s Board of Directors!
Sometimes when we welcome someone new, we also have to say goodbye to someone else. After two terms of service, Cari Ebbert decided it was time for her to transition to a new role. She shared her passion for OTI, particularly the important role she feels the organizations plays in creating a community of tradeswomen who support each other. Cari is not a graduate of OTI’s TAC Class, but talked about volunteering for her union at the Women in Trades Career Fair every year. Once she realized that OTI coordinated the entire event, she began to volunteer with us as well! Thank you so much Cari for all of your time and dedication. We look forward to seeing you at OTI events and supporting us in new ways in the future.
We wrapped up the evening by recognizing our 2015 Outstanding volunteers and by holding a raffle. Believe it or not, Jen Netherwood was a winner again! Between hard work and good luck, we suspect she will be running the world soon. Overall, there were 61 people in attendance representing 19 different trades!
See you next year!
2016 Women Build the Nation
Registration is open for the 2016 Women Build the Nation! It is going to be in Chicago this year – the first time the event will be held outside of California. Registrations and hotel rooms are going quickly. If you are looking forward to the event, now is the time to register! The conference takes place from April 29 – May 1, 2016. Registrations received by February 29 will only cost $100, (with a $15 discount for North American’s Building Trade Unions affiliates!).
We know many tradeswomen in Oregon really want to attend, but are wondering how to afford it? Your employer or union might sponsor you to attend. Asking early this month is a great idea so that you can offer them the best deal with early bird registration. Don’t forget to ask for wage replacement too!
If you aren’t sure how to go about asking for this support, don’t worry, Women Build the Nations is looking out for you. They have example requests, details about the conference value, and information on how to make a motion from the floor to help you out!
If you want some extra support from Oregon Tradeswomen, reach out to Tiffany and set something up!
2015 Outstanding Volunteers
One of the highlights of my year is when I get to recognize the hard work of OTI’s volunteers. These folks often work behind the scenes and their contributions to our mission are so often missed! This year, I am excited to highlight four volunteers who have gone above and beyond to support OTI and tradeswomen.
Outstanding Board Member
Irais Gandarilla
If her face looks familiar, but you can’t quite place it, look back to your 2015 Women in Trades Career Fair materials. Irais was the face of brand new materials that feature real tradeswomen. She also represented our Board and the organization, acting a spokeswoman . The 2015 Tradeswomen Leadership Institute would not have been the same without her this year either, she served on the planning committee and, in partnership with Annie Burton, presented a workshop Social Justice: When Diversity Isn’t Enough.
Outstanding Volunteers
Bea Jenkins
As an organizer for the Operating Engineers, Bea has been involved with OTI through presentations to TACC. However, in 2015 she decided to volunteer with us and jumped in with both feet! First, she started as a member of the Tradeswomen Leadership Institute planning committee. In January of last year, I don’t think Bea knew exactly how big of a role she would play. Ultimately, she ended up being one of the storytellers for Tradeswomen Stories. She also recruited her good friend, Merilee McCall, to be the keynote speaker for the event!
Sho is on the left.
Sho Newman
This incredible woman will sneak quietly under your radar, but she is a force to be reckoned with. Last year, Sho was holding down two jobs, one being her Carpenter’s apprenticeship and then another just to fill up those free hours on the weekend. However, she didn’t let this stop her from being a Lead on our new Volunteer Outreach Team. Sho, and her team, really moved this forward helping OTI staff represent our mission at community events. She recruited folks who had never been involved with OTI and was always bringing a friend (or two!) to social hours.
Shondra Washington
If you have met Shondra, you may not believe that she just graduated from OTI last year. Out of the gate, Shondra was representing OTI, Tree Trimmers, and workers’ right at the 2015 Summer Institute for Union Women. Of course, she didn’t stop there. Shondra regularly presents for TACC. While most people shy away from fundraising efforts, she has also advocated for OTI on this front, presenting to groups about funding OTI and being featured in our 2015 Give Guide Campaign.
I hope you can join OTI staff in recognizing these amazing volunteers. If you are friends with them on Facebook, give them some love and some kudos! Send them a sweet text. Or, best of all, come out and give them a round of applause at our Annual Meeting.
Congratulations Trades and Apprenticeship Career Class Graduates!
Oregon Tradeswomen, Inc. cordially invites you to attend our Trades and Apprenticeship Career Class Graduation!
Date:
Thursday, December 10, 2015
Time:
5:30 – 6:30 p.m.
Location:
The Auditorium
PCC Metro Workforce Training Center
5600 NE 42nd Avenue
Portland OR 97218
Click for the street address on Google Maps
Light appetizers & cake will be served
Fall 2015 TACC Graduates and Their Trade Goal
Cherokee Andrade – Tree Trimmer
Ashley Cooper – Sheet Metal Worker
Debra Crowley – Carpenter
Ali Foster – Carpenter
Felicity “Fuzz” Jackson – Carpenter
Hannah Johnsen – Carpenter
Bre Lackey – Sheet Metal Worker
Alex Mays – Electrician
Jamie Metcalf – Environmental Remediation
Rachel Meyer – Tree Trimmer
Carlee Ogle – Carpenter
Sara Quinn – Electrician
Yolanda Sandoval – Electrician
Maija Schurter – Carpenter
Misty Sedotal – Carpenter
Mercy Shammah – Carpenter
Crystal Siltman – Sheet Metal Worker
Rose Swartz – Carpenter
Kelsey Wollam – Pile Driver
Funding for our program is provided by:
Advantis GROW Community Fund, Bank of America, The Boeing Company, Construction Apprenticeship & Workforce Solutions, Inc. (CAWS), the Environmental Protection Agency, H.W. Irwin and D.C.H. Irwin Foundation, Hoover Family Foundation, Kaiser Permanente Community Fund at the Northwest Health Foundation, Multnomah Bar Foundation Multnomah County, Oregon Department of Transportation, Pacific Power Foundation, Penney Family Fund, a member of The Common Counsel Foundation, the Portland Development Commission’s Economic Opportunity Program, Stimson-Miller Foundation, The TJX Foundation, U.S. Bank, The Portland Water Bureau and Hoffman Construction through the Community Benefit Agreement, Wells Fargo, Women’s Bureau–U.S. Department of Labor, Women’s Foundation of Oregon, Worksystems, Inc., industry donations, and individual tradeswomen and supporters.
National Women in Apprenticeship Day Social Media Campaign
It’s great that you are as excited as we are about National Women in Apprenticeship Day, Thursday November 5, 2015. Thank you for joining us to make the presence of women in apprenticeship known far and wide. We all know that apprenticeship itself is a very misunderstood concept and within that system, women are unseen. In order to bring this issue to the forefront, we have some tips for a Facebook post to contribute to the campaign and a national conversation. The tips below will give you a chance to let your friends and family know what you do, while connecting to other tradeswomen to create a larger impact!
Anatomy of the Facebook Campaign Post:
In order for you post to have the most effect, make sure that you specify for these posts to be ‘public’.
The Photo:
For this campaign, let’s show the world that women in apprenticeship work! Include a photo (or a video if you have it) of yourself on a job site or doing trades work. Here are some samples to inspire you!
The Text:
You should talk about your experience, your life, your apprenticeship. You want to let your networks know what you do and what that means to you! So, we aren’t crafting your post for you. However, here are some tidbits we are trying to highlight:
- Announce the first ever National Women in Apprenticeship Day, Thursday, November 5th, 2015
- Explain that apprenticeship means you get an education and paid on the job training!
- Talk about getting a life-long career, not just a job
- Share your story, about how apprenticeship changed your life
- Let folks know that women only comprise 3% of apprentices, nationally
The ‘Hashtag’ (or the connection to a larger campaign!):
Hashtags are an important and essential part of creating a Facebook campaign. When you tag organizations or include hashtags, the connected flurry of activity means that those posts get seen more frequently. Then more people share your post, and the impact grows! So, don’t forget to include some hashtags.
- Essential Hashtags:
- @OregonTradeswomenInc
- #WomenInApprenticeship
- Hashtags for Extra Lift:
- #Tradeswomen
- #NAW2015
- #20PercentBy2020
- Tagging to Bring Your Union/Employer into the Circle:
- Like your employer or local union and use – @EmployerFacebookAccountName
- Like your international union and use – @InternationalUnionFacebookAccountName
Take it to the next level!
Add the Twibbon look to your Facebook and/or Twitter Account:
Over the past couple of months, you may have seen people change their profile pictures to have an overlay image. Maybe it was for Planned Parenthood with a pink picture that said “#StandwithPP” or Domestic Violence Awareness with a purple tint and a ribbon. Well, we now have a Twibbon for Women in Apprenticeship! It is a white hardhat that will go over the top of your current profile picture on either Facebook or Twitter. To use this, go to Twibbon and search “Women in Apprenticeship”. Click on the link and allow it to access your Facebook or Twitter and the website will take care of the rest for you!
Bring the Conversation to Twitter:
For those of you who are active on Twitter already you can craft a short post ( I am #WomenInApprenticeship). Here are some rough ideas for people to tag that you could use on Twitter (in addition to those above!):
Your State Governor, State Labor Commissioner, or State Department of Labor
US Department of Labor, Valerie Jarrett (Chair of the White House Council on Women and Girls), Labor Secretary Perez
Together, we can use National Women in Apprenticeship Day to really bring tradeswomen to the forefront!
How To: Facebook Campaign for Oregon Women in Apprenticeship Day
It’s great that you are as excited as we are about National Women in Apprenticeship Day, Thursday November 5, 2015. Thank you for joining us to make the presence of women in apprenticeship known far and wide. We all know that apprenticeship itself is a very misunderstood concept and within that system, women are unseen. In order to bring this issue to the forefront, we have some tips for a Facebook post to contribute to the campaign and a national conversation. The tips below will give you a chance to let your friends and family know what you do, while connecting to other tradeswomen to create a larger impact!
Anatomy of the Facebook Campaign Post:
In order for you post to have the most effect, make sure that you specify for these posts to be ‘public’.
The Photo:
For this campaign, let’s show the world that women in apprenticeship work! Include a photo (or a video if you have it) of yourself on a job site or doing trades work. Here are some samples to inspire you!
The Text:
You should talk about your experience, your life, your apprenticeship. You want to let your networks know what you do and what that means to you! So, we aren’t crafting your post for you. However, here are some tidbits we are trying to highlight:
- Announce National Women in Apprenticeship Day, 11/5/15
- Explain that apprenticeship means you get an education and paid on the job training!
- Talk about getting a life-long career, not just a job
- Share your story, about how apprenticeship changed your life
- Let folks know, that women only comprise 3% of the trades, nationally
- You can support women in apprenticeship with a donation to your local tradeswomen organization, like Oregon Tradeswomen, Inc. Donors who give a minimum of $10, today, will be eligible to be chosen to win 4 lower-level tickets to a Trailblazers game PLUS a signed jersey from a starter! Learn more at www.tradeswomen.net/donate.
The ‘Hashtag’ (or the connection to a larger campaign!):
Hashtags are an important and essential part of creating a Facebook campaign. When you tag organizations or include hashtags, the connected flurry of activity means that those posts get seen more frequently. Then more people share your post, and the impact grows! So, don’t forget to include some hashtags.
- Essential Hashtags:
- @OregonTradeswomenInc (In order to do this, make sure you already like our Facebook Page.)
- @TradeswomenTaskforce
- #WomenInApprenticeship
- Hashtags for Extra Lift:
- #Tradeswomen
- #NAW2015
- #GiveGuide
- #20PercentIn2020
- Hashtags to Bring Your Union/Employer into the Circle:
- Like your employer or local union and use – @EmployerFacebookAccountName
- Like your international union and use – @InternationalUnionFacebookAccountName
Take it to the next level!
Add the Twibbon look to your Facebook and/or Twitter Account:
Over the past couple of months, you may have seen people change their profile pictures to have an overlay image. Maybe it was for Planned Parenthood with a pink picture that said “#StandwithPP” or Domestic Violence Awareness with a purple tint and a ribbon. Well, we now have a Twibbon for Women in Apprenticeship! It is a white hardhat that will go over the top of your current profile picture on either Facebook or Twitter. To use this, go to Twibbon and search “Women in Apprenticeship”. Click on the link and allow it to access your Facebook or Twitter and the website will take care of the rest for you!
Bring the Conversation to Twitter:
For those of you who are active on Twitter already you can craft a short post ( I am a woman in apprenticeship). Here are some rough ideas for extra hashtags that you could use on twitter (in addition to those above!):
Oregon Governor Kate Brown, Oregon Labor Commissioner Brad Avakian, Oregon Apprenticeship and Training Division
USDOL, US Women’s Bureau, Labor Secretary Perez
Together, we can use National Women in Apprenticeship Day to really bring tradeswomen to the forefront!
Recap: Storytelling and Workshops
As most of you know, we started a new partnership this year with Back Fence PDX. B. Frayn Masters, Mindy Nettifee, and Liz Olufson saw the importance of tradeswomen’s stories and jumped right into creating a storytelling event for OTI! Most folks don’t think twice about how much work an event involves from planning to recruiting to donations and every other little detail. The dedicated staff at Back Fence were there for us, every single step of the way, it was the type of partnership a non-profit dreams about.
This fabulous partnership led to the development of an exciting, appealing event. Demand from the community was even higher than we had expected, Back Fence and OTI fielded dozens of calls from people trying to get tickets at the last minute. We wish that every single person could have joined us, and that is why we hope to replicate this event next year. If you missed the event, you can watch videos from each of the story tellers online:
Sarah Heidler
Laurie Suchan
Jen Netherwood
Bea Jenkins
Of course, the event would not have been such a success without the support of the tradeswomen who took a big risk to get on stage. We are so thankful to Sarah Heidler, Jen Netherwood, Laurie Suchan, Jodi Tillinghast, and Bea Jenkins. Hopefully, some of you are considering telling a story next year!
Friday night was a fun way to bond before we launched into the workshops for the Tradeswomen Leadership Institute. Tradeswomen volunteers, staff from AFSCME, the AFLCIO, and from LERC taught eight workshops for 47 women in attendance. We kicked off the morning with a tour of Benson High School focused on their trades and manufacturing training. Did you know that approximately every two years, the students at Benson design and build a house from the ground up?
Marilee McCall inspired us all with her keynote address. She opened her life to us and shared her path to becoming Mayor Pro-Tem in Woodland, Washington. Marilee was heartfelt in telling her personal journey. Now, she faces challenges regularly for being a woman in leadership but it doesn’t slow her down and she revealed her own secret for dealing with Naysayers. Thanks to Marilee (and Bea for the connection) for showing us one path to leadership.
None of this would have even been possible if it weren’t for the amazing women on our planning committee: Anjeanette Brown, Maddie Ettlin, Irais Gandarilla, Sarah Heidler, Kadence Jimenez, Bea Jenkins, Leigh Jenkins, and Jodi Tillinghast.
Thank you all so much and we look forward to an even more amazing Tradeswomen Leadership Institute in 2016!