Community organizing and social justice are what I do. I have spent much of my later life volunteering with community organizing non-profits and organizing with those who are marginalized. This commitment to social justice pushed me to think about the best ways to support the movement and share my passion with my family. Philanthropy is […]
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As a social justice funder, our position in the community is unique. MRG’s activist-led grantmaking funds Oregon’s social justice movement in partnership with our grantees. This year the Capacity Building Initiative (CBI), a joint project of MRG and Meyer Memorial Trust, was established to work with both our grantees and philanthropic partners in new ways. […]
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It started at the intersection of respect and dignity in the streets of Portland. Ibrahim Mubarak, other houseless community leaders, and I came together to organize for the rights of the houseless in Portland as we faced discrimination and unfair city practices. Many felt voiceless and powerless, but there was resolve to work for change. […]
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The Welcome Home Coalition, a new grantee to MRG, brings together a broad community to build a movement empowered to address the problem of our missing affordable housing infrastructure. We aren’t alone in this housing crisis. Cities across the nation are facing similar challenges, and many of us are stepping up and taking action. At […]
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I felt an instant connection after being introduced to MRG Foundation at the annual Open House a few years ago. From the moment I walked in and saw the diversity, vibrancy, and joy in that room, I knew I wanted to be a part of this community. I have always been active in the Asian […]
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As hate is being legitimized, the needs of our planet overlooked, and the safety of many in our communities called into question, we face a difficult challenge: how to best invest in and fund the social justice movement. Leaders are moving-up and raising their voices against threats to protect and grow a more just Oregon. […]
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I started the Disability Arts and Culture Project (DACP) in the early 2000s because there was a group of us who couldn’t find an accessible and welcoming place to dance. As we continued to gather, share experiences, and review the research, we saw there was a need for a cross-disability arts and culture organization embedded […]
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In 2009, my wife and I were expecting our first son, and we made the important decision to move to southern Oregon to live with family. Our lives were rapidly changing. I enrolled at Southern Oregon University (SOU) to study business and environmental studies, a decision that would lead me down a path of activism […]
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I am often asked, “What is the best way to give to MRG?” I have changed my response from the usual “cash, checks, credit cards, stock,” to “freely,” “thoughtfully,” and “joyfully,” allowing people to see giving at its basic level. Giving thoughtfully and with joy can save the world. In spreading the word about MRG […]
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“How are we leveraging resources for justice, peace, and equality for our community?” It’s that very question that drove Vena M. Ford to attend MRG Foundation’s Giving Back: The Soul of Philanthropy, Reframed and Exhibited, Pop-Up or GBTSOP event in August. Vena, a donor, activist, and fundraising professional was grounded in philanthropy and activism at […]
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