We’re still only in the second week of the second Trump Administration, and we’ve already seen a series of sweeping executive actions and orders. These actions have provoked a great deal of confusion, disorientation, and feelings of instability for many organizations and individuals in our community.
Tuesday, many of us found ourselves thrown into crisis due to a memo from the Office of Management and Budget calling for a pause for all outgoing federal funding pending an internal review. This was undoubtedly not legal and had already been temporarily blocked by a federal judge before the order was rescinded yesterday, but the panic created by it was very real.
The pace and breadth of what we have seen is not by accident. This is meant to be overwhelming and meant to provoke confusion and chaos. We know that many of these orders may not be held up after legal review, but part of the hope in issuing them is to provoke people and communities into a sense of paralysis, uncertainty, austerity, and withdrawal.
We encourage everyone to remain steadfast, with us, in our shared commitment to building a thriving, equitable community in our state. We discourage everyone from getting caught up in a spiral of worry or fear over outcomes that remain unwritten. And most importantly, remember that none of us are alone in navigating this moment.
Our power to shape a better future comes from working together as a community, and as we saw with the pause on federal funding—the community’s voice has the power to change outcomes.
“…predicting doom in difficult times may have more to do with the sorrow and depression of the moment than with any real insight into the future possibilities. Superstition, depression, and fear play major roles in our efforts at prediction.
…our tomorrow is the child of our today. Through thought and deed, we exert a great deal of influence over this child, even though we can’t control it absolutely. Best to think about it, though. Best to try to shape it into something good. Best to do that for any child.”
Octavia Butler
We’re committed to the work of strengthening and building community as an organization. We know this is how we both combat feelings of isolation and build political power. To that end, we’re inviting you to come gather with us!
When: Thursday, February 6th from 5-7PM.
Where: Bye and Bye, 1011 NE Alberta St. Portland, OR 97211
What: Snacks and appetizers and non-alcoholic drinks on us, and a chance to gather with like-minded community to share what we’re seeing, feeling, and doing in this moment of uncertainty and change in our country.
This gathering is in Portland, where our staff and office are located, but we would like this to be the first of many opportunities to gather, in-person, and build solidarity with each other.
We hope you’ll join us.
P.S. One of the challenges that we’re all facing right now is understanding what’s happening and what the implications are for us, our communities, and our shared work.
We have some resources that we recommend for that purpose:
- Impact of Executive Orders – Nonprofit Association of Oregon
- Rules of the Game: Memos, EOs, and Impacts on Nonprofits – Alliance for Justice
- News | National Low Income Housing Coalition
- Litigation Tracker: Legal Challenges to Trump Administration Actions
Additionally, for our nonprofit partners, if executive actions are impacting your work, the National Council of Nonprofits has a brief form to report those impacts.