Table of Contents 

• Legislative Days Recap
  • Where to Watch 
  • BIPOC Caucus Elections
  • Money Moves
• 2023 Legislative Agenda
• November 2022 Revenue Forecast
• Local Business Highlight
• Vaccine Clinics Information
• Upcoming Events
• Back To School Free Computers
• Static Resources

 Legislative Days Recap 

December Legislative Days were held December 7th through December 9th for the first time in person this year at the State Capitol. It was great meeting people for the first time and feeling the energy of a busy people’s building! There was still quite a bit of construction and hearing rooms, offices, and the floors were open once again to legislators and the community.

Where to Watch
Did you know that all committee meetings, agendas, and materials are public for anyone to view? We work for you, so it’s only fair you all get to track our process and progress! You can view all of these materials on the Oregon Legislature Information Service (OLIS) website: you can sort by date, committee, or Session based on your interest. You can also visit my website to see what committees I serve on. Though my committee assignments may change in the new year, feel free to explore!

COMMITTEE HIGHLIGHT: House Interim Committee on Housing
“It’s time to do better. When housing is this far out of reach for Oregonians, it has dire impacts for our communities and economy…”

I was honored to speak alongside Representative (now Senator-Elect!) WLnsvey Campos and Sybil Hebb of the Oregon Law Center to present the need for housing stabilization and the severity of the eviction crisis in our state. You can see my remarks on OLIS through the Committee’s recording starting at 35:50!

COMMITTEE HIGHLIGHT: House Interim Committee on Healthcare
“Accessible and affordable healthcare for all is a human right, and it is our responsibility as a Legislature to guarantee that right…”

I testified alongside Attorney General Rosenbaum, Senate Majority Leader Kate Lieber, and House Speaker Dan Rayfield to share our experiences having been a part of the reproductive and gender affirming care workgroup this summer. The committee also received a final report on the Workgroup's findings and recommendations. You can see my remarks on OLIS through the Committee’s recording starting at 16:45!

You can also read about the Workgroup and the report in the Oregon Capitol Chronicle article that covered the Committee meeting.

BIPOC Caucus Elections
During Legislative Days, the Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) Caucus came together to define our goals and elect new leadership. I want to thank Senator Jama and Senator Lawrence Spence for fearlessly leading the Caucus and fighting for our communities amidst truly unprecedented times as outgoing Chair and Vice Chair. It was an honor to lead this Caucus alongside them both. Check out the new leadership below:
 

Co-Chairs of the BIPOC Caucus
Representative Ricki Ruiz
Senator-Elect WLnsvey Campos

Vice Chairs of Policy and Communications
Representative Nathan Sosa
Representative-Elect Hai Pham

Vice Chairs of Member Support and External Engagement
Representative Andrea Valderrama
Representative-Elect Annessa Hartman
 

I am honored to continue serving in a leadership role in the Legislative BIPOC Caucus as Vice Chair of Member Support and External Engagement with Representative-Elect Hartman. 

Money Moves
During Legislative Days, the Joint Emergency Board approved funding for essential programs to immediately support Oregonians. As Co-Chair of the Joint Emergency Board Subcommittee on Human Services, I prioritized the following allocations to address our public defense, healthcare and behavioral health, and homelessness emergencies:  
 

• $10 Million Allocation to Emergency Fund for Public Defense - Everyone has the right to a lawyer and speedy trial in the Constitution, but Oregon’s public defense system is in crisis. Right now we are experiencing a shortage of court-provided lawyers which harms low-income community members and people of color. These funds will enable courts to provide a proper defense for people currently waiting for representation.
• $9 Million for Youth Experiencing Homelessness Program - To address Oregon’s ongoing housing crisis, we increased an expenditure limitation by $9 million for the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) to invest in the Youth Experiencing Homelessness Program.
• $250,000 for Mental Health Services - We approved a $250,000 grant application from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA) to enhance training for behavioral health mobile crisis teams.
• Additional allocations were also made through the Subcommittee on Human Services to Oregon State Hospital's needs for complex patient care.

I am so excited to share a preview of my 2023 Legislative Agenda and announce the launch of a new page on my website dedicated to giving updates on those priorities! These issue areas are my top priorities for the 2023 Legislative Session and beyond as we work towards an accessible and equitable Oregon for all.

Visit the 2023 Legislative Priorities page on my website for more information!
Pronto estarán disponibles las traducciones al español de mi Agenda Legislativa 2023. Por favor, visiten mi Instagram @repvalderrama para actualizaciones sobre el estatus de las traducciones. Gracias por su paciencia.

My legislative priorities are based on strong racial, gender, economic, climate, and disability justice in all that I do. Additionally, my values are centered within Incan co​mmunal values and principles, including ayni (reciprocity), yachay (knowing), munay (love), llank'ay (work).

My top priorities this year include: housing & homelessness, reproductive & behavioral health, and strengthening our democracy.

Oregonians value racial, economic, disability, and gender justice, and there is one unifying issue that touches almost every corner of our state: housing. 

Housing is a human right. All Oregonians deserve access to affordable and accessible housing, yet Oregon is in a housing supply crisis and many families remain unhoused or are experiencing housing insecurity because the cost of housing is skyrocketing. With my colleagues in the legislature, we will fund the construction of more units, especially those for low-income households, extend eviction protections, and prevent the displacement of tenants on the verge of homelessness.

Visit the 2023 Legislative Priorities page on my website for more information!

When I ran for school board seven years ago, David Douglas School District had some of the highest STI rates in Multnomah County, and some of the lowest access to contraceptives. When we passed a policy that allowed our school-based health center to provide onsite dispensing of contraceptives, STI rates immediately came down because of this new access to care. Outer east Portland continues to experience lower access to healthcare services, and we deserve more, because access to the full range of reproductive, sexual, and gender affirming health care is a basic human right.

Visit the 2023 Legislative Priorities page on my website for more information!

Access to our democracy is a constitutional right. This includes equitable engagement to public processes, but yet our system of democracy and voting rights are under attack. Democrats will work to defend, strengthen, and modernize our systems to rebuild trust in our state government.

Visit the 2023 Legislative Priorities page on my website for more information!

 November 2022 Revenue Forecast 

Last month the Oregon Office of Economic Development released its November 2022 Forecast which gives us an update on the health of our economy, and how much in taxes we’ve paid.

Due to of years of responsible fiscal budgeting, our reserves total 1.8 billion dollars and are projected to rise to 2 billion by the end of the year. We are also looking at a personal tax kicker of about 3.68 billion and more Oregonians are back to work than before the pandemic.

A mild recession is forecasted, which will most likely disproportionately impact low-income communities, so in the upcoming session, my colleagues and I will continue critical investments to drive down the cost of living, address the housing crisis, and support Oregonians most in need. 

Please join me in celebrating this Newsletter's community highlight: Mi Cava & Cocina restaurant! 

About Mi Cava & Cocina 
Mi Cava & Cocina is one of my favorite restaurants located right here in East Portland. They serve amazing Mexican food and great drinks as well. All of their ingredients are locally and sustainably sourced, and they have a great positive vibe. My favorite thing to get is their taco plate and a spicy margarita! 

They also got highlighted in Willamette Week, we love to see it! You can visit the Mi Cava & Cocina website or follow them on Instagram @micavaandcocina!

Address: 9722 SE Washington St, Portland, OR 97216
Phone Number: 971-383-1779

If you have a local business or organization you want to highlight, be sure to fill out this form and they may be featured in a future newsletter!

 Vaccine Information 

It looks like flu season is truly upon us. With cases of the flu, COVID, and other respiratory diseases increasing in the past month, many doctors are recommending we mask indoors. You can read more from OHA on their press release.
 

Rosewood Weekly COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic
Wednesday, Dec. 14th, 1-4pm
16126 Southeast Stark Street
Portland, OR

NO ID OR INSURANCE REQUIRED
NO APPOINTMENT NEEDED
There is no cost to get the vaccine
All three vaccines available: Moderna (for ages 5+ years), Johnson & Johnson (for ages 18+ years), and Pfizer (for ages 5+ years)
Every 2nd & 4th Wednesday of the Month

BOOSTER COVID-19 SHOTS AND THIRD DOSES
Now offering booster shots and third doses at the vaccine clinic for those who are eligible. You can read more about the boosters and eligibility through APANO's awesome post.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Neema:
Phone: (971) 354-1420
Email: neema@rosewoodinitiative.org

 Upcoming Community Events 

Check out this week's upcoming community events highlights!

RSVP for this awesome event on their website!
 

Celebrate the Lunar New Year and learn more about Lunar New Year traditions, activities, and food! 2023 is the Year of the Rabbit!

Black Joy Oregon will be hosting weekly Sunday support groups for all womxn of color on Zoom at no cost. This is an LGBTQIA+ safe space, and the sessions have no religious affiliation. Join in!

You can also DM them on Instagram for the direct Zoom link.

Lents Holiday Pop-Up Market
Saturday and Sunday, December 17th and 18th, 2022
Local vendors, arts and crafts, live music, and raffle tickets to win gift cards!
11:00AM - 5:00PM at 9101 SE Foster Rd. Portland, OR

Holiday Tool (Re)Sale
Saturday, December 17th, 2022
Tool Library - hot cocoa, gift wrapping, kid activities, and more!
10:30AM - 1:00PM at 9215 Ramona, Portland, OR

 Free Computers for Students 

Access to technology and WiFi continues to be a racial justice issue. Many BIPOC, immigrant and refugee, disabled, and low income students and families did not have equitable access to computers, smart phones, broadband, or WiFi when much of the world transitioned to virtual learning.

With the summer coming to a close soon and school starting again, many students still need tech resources. Free Geek provides free computers to students who need them through Plug Into Portland.

The program is available to K-12 students in the Portland Metro area. Students who are currently houseless and/or experiencing unstable housing situations, students who are low-income and students with accessibility needs will be prioritized. 

• Learn more about the program: Plug into Portland | Free Geek
• Apply for Plug Into Portland (available in English and Spanish): Free Geek Plug Into Portland [COVID-19] Application (google.com)
• Make a donation to support Plug Into Portland: Donate Now | COVID RECOVERY FUND by Free Geek (givelively.org) 

 Resources 

 Unclaimed Property Resource 

Have you checked to see if you have any unclaimed property with the Oregon State Treasury? Companies, nonprofits, and government agencies across the state are required to report and remit unclaimed property, such as uncashed checks, unreturned deposits, forgotten bank accounts, and more, to the Oregon State Treasury.

Last year, the Treasury launched the website unclaimed.oregon.gov to help return unclaimed property to Oregonians across the state. Since the program launched, more than $13.3 million has been returned to nearly 11,000 claimants.

Visit unclaimed.oregon.gov, search your name, and select “Claim” to see if you have any unclaimed property.