The Social Justice and Community Outreach (SJCO) Committee would like to elevate some opportunities that are coming up in addition to sending you solidarity as we enter the year 2024 with a complexity of emotions about local and world events. When we join together for justice and liberation, hope arises, and we wish that for all of you, our union partners, and our community. 

Speaking of union partners, we are so grateful for the solidarity they showed PAT throughout the strike buildup and strike. Both PFSP and SEIU are in the midst of their own contract negotiations with PPS and there are a number of ways we can show our solidarity. This Site Based PPS Union Coalition Action Plan will be briefly discussed at January’s rep assembly, but y’all can get started! Stay tuned for further actions that are more directly linked to their contract negotiations.

UPCOMING EVENTS

• Friday January 12th, 1-5 pm at PEC: Show up after school to support SEIU’s next scheduled bargain. Wear your purple in solidarity! 
• Monday January 15, 6:00-8:00, location TBA: Join ICHRP-Portland for a Report Back from the ICHRP General Assembly! 
• Wednesday January 17, 4:30-6:30, PAT OFFICE: SJCO’s next monthly meeting. We invite any PAT member to come check out what we're about and help us grow! RSVP OR fill out this interest form.
• Saturday January 20, 11:30-2:30 PM ET, ONLINE: D.C. Area Educators for Social Justice is hosting their annual Black Lives Matter at School Curriculum Fair, set to uplift the national demands based on the Black Lives Matter guiding principles that focus on improving the school experience for Black students. Registration is $10.
• Friday January 26, 2023, PAT OFFICE: Half day (a.m./p.m.) PAT work release to help expand our Heritage/History/Affinity Month educator resources. Here is what is currently available from PAT: Heritage/History Months. These resources are updated every year, to the extent our volunteers have capacity to do so. Updating/revising is part of what this half day can be used for...or help get a totally new resource started! Interest Form: https://forms.gle/Nbc1MbQZby24sMLD9.
• Tuesday, January 16th, 5:00-6:30 PM, PAT OFFICE- Jewish Community Night 
  
  Portland Association of Teachers is offering our Jewish members a facilitated space to come together during this immense time of grief and emotion surrounding the turmoil in Palestine and Israel and the ongoing siege on Gaza. We have heard from many of our Jewish members that there is a pervasive feeling of disconnect and isolation right now. And we know that difficult conversations about Palestine and Israel didn’t start on October 7th. We will be supporting this space with snacks, tea, and a trained Jewish facilitator to support conversation that recognizes our shared humanity as Jewish educators. RSVP Here
  
  This initial conversation for our Jewish members is part of a larger series to advance our membership’s collective understanding of Palestine and Israel, and to learn how we can best show up for our students and our communities–particularly those who identify as Palestinian, Southwest Asian, North African, and Jewish–during these difficult times. We will be offering 1:1 follow up conversations with local community organizers and Jewish leaders for those who attend this session. We are also looking towards broader educational panels and community conversations.
  
  We are concurrently providing ongoing space for our Palestinian and SWANA members to be in community with each other and supported by PAT during this time. We encourage any identifying members who are interested in helping create such spaces to reach out to SJCO/PAT leadership to help create a supportive space that would best meet your needs. All are also welcome to join the Social Justice/Community Outreach committee meeting Wednesday, January 17, from 4:30-6:30.