At MRG Foundation, we have a somewhat unique opportunity to see across issues, across communities, and across the state. From Ashland to Scappoose and from Coos Bay to La Grande, MRG’s grantees, donors, and leaders work in nearly every county and come from every movement. Read our analysis of the current issues, strategies, and events that are shaping Oregon's social justice movements.
MRG’s mission is to inspire people to work together for justice and mobilize resources for Oregon communities as they work to change the world. As we enter into a new political climate rooted in hate and injustice, it is more important than ever to come together and build collective power. Over the next couple of weeks […]
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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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MRG Foundation is seeking a woman artist who lives in Oregon to introduce and showcase a short performance/presentation of their creation in three venues, including Justice within Reach (JWR) in Portland, Oregon on May 12, 2017; MRG’s Southern Oregon Celebration in Talent, Oregon in September 2017; and one other mutually-agreed upon showcase in 2017, specific […]
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