ANCE (Act Now for Climate Emergency) Report
By Diane Meisenhelter
During 2022, XRPDX’s ANCE work group monitored and protested the City of Portland’s inaction on reducing GHG emissions.
Early in the year we pressured the City Council to include more funds during the City Budget process. We helped organize protests against Portland Business Alliance’s attacks on the Portland Clean Energy Fund (PCEF), including actions at City Hall and PBA offices, resulting in sit down arrests in conjunction with Scientist Rebellion in April. Later this fall, we organized folks to testify on preserving community control over a segment of funding in the proposed PCEF revisions.
In commemoration of 2021 Heat Dome deaths, the ANCE team, joined by allies, organized a memorial at City Hall and pushed for substantive emission reduction actions as part of the City’s Climate Emergency Workplan.
Throughout the year we supported Youth vs. ODOT in their push to prevent freeway expansion. We participated in the City’s Build/Shift process for strong policies to reduce emissions in the building sector while ensuring climate justice for low-income tenants. We gave testimony on the City’s renewable fuels policy as well as advocated for enforceable fossil fuel phase out language in Phase 2 of the City Charter process.
After the City granted the LUCS to Zenith, we joined forces with the Scrub the Hub group to push the City to rescind that decision and are planning actions scheduled for December 14 and beyond. On the national level, ANCE members worked hard to defeat the Manchin Dirty side deal.
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Scrub The Hub/Shut Down Zenith Report
By Margaret Butler
In March, we started planning for a coalition action at Zenith. With excellent artistic support from Patti Robrahn, we offered our community the choice of Doom or Bloom, calling on Zenith to “Cease and Desist” its operations. With an Appeals Court legal victory for us in Zenith’s battle with the City, we decided to hold off on direct action, with the hope that when the Oregon Supreme Court ruled or refused to hear the appeal, Zenith would be shut down.
Our June 4 march and rally drew over 100 people to Zenith’s facility in the rain. Speakers from XRPDX as well as Portland Youth Climate Strike, Braided River, and others gave short, inspiring speeches. Some rebels performed a satirical skit, and we all danced and sang. We promised that we would come back, which hasn’t yet happened.
As we started planning for the next action, we asked allies to give some input into our strategy. Those August meetings turned into a new coalition effort, with agreement to work together on public education and mobilization.
On November 16, XRPDX members and allies gathered in front of the Bureau of Development Services offices on SW 4th Avenue. We deployed our banners: “Rescind the Zenith LUCS, No More Backroom Deals Dan,” and “Committing Climate Crimes? Better Call Stoel Rives!!” We handed out leaflets about shutting down Climate Criminal Zenith Energy.
Then we danced to the tune of Queen’s “We Will Rock You”, with our own lyrics of “We Will Stop You”, and Megan Trainer’s “All About That Base,” with our own lyrics. The best part: taking the song and dance inside, to entertain and educate those inside. Having fun and raising awareness at the same time!The new Zenith/ Critical Energy Infrastructure hub (Scrub the Hub!) coalition has hosted two educational “Rumble on the River” forums, with another on December 8 and a fourth on January 17, 2023. The mobilization to shut down Zenith and to alert the public to the dangers of the Hub is growing once more.
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Regenerative Culture Report
By Michaela McCormick
The Regenerative Culture working group, aka “Regen Team,” met weekly on Wednesday afternoons throughout the year. We planned and hosted the XRPDX Retreat on January 22 where we discussed how we work together now—what is good and what needs to change, next steps towards a strategic plan, and what matters most to us, using a pro-social practice.
For our June 4 Zenith Action, Regen took on the roles of Coordinating, Peacekeeping, Parking, Greeting, Petition and XR Contact List Sign-up, Wellness Supplies, and Clean-up. Basically everything needed for a large action with over 100 activists to go well, which it did!
The Non-Violent Direct Action Training we hosted, led by Bonnie McKinlay on July 24, was attended by 20 people and got rave reviews. We organized Affinity Groups which involved a Rapid Action Network, Outreach, Meetups, and Organizing within XR. Over the course of 2022, we presented 16 Introductory slideshows plus discussions on zoom. The Regen Team hosted a potluck picnic for XRPDX on July 14. We continued our regular practices of leading a short breakout for listening pairs and telling jokes in meetings, which have now become a part of XRPDX culture. We do an 8-minute mindfulness meditation to begin our meetings.
For more information on Regenerative Culture, please see this:
https://xrpdx.org/regenerative-culture/
