Blog
Endowment Announcement Vlog, Part 2
Field Day, our end of year celebration!
The Spring edition of the JLPress is here!
JLP Endowment Grant Announcements Vlog
March 9, 2015
Oregon House Bill 3040 – Admissibility of hearsay in testimony related to human trafficking cases
This legislative session, the Oregon House of Representives will consider bill 3040 which seeks to protect victims of human trafficking from a major gap in the criminal justice system’s ability to prosecute such cases.
In any other illegal trade, the evidence, cannot be bullied, harrassed, threatened, or manipulated. In human trafficking, the fastest growing criminal industry in the world, unlike guns or drugs, you can sell the same “product” again and again. The victims, the women and children trapped in modern-day slavery, carry the additional burden of being the evidence in their own cases.
The trauma of sexual abuse and exploitation combined with the tactics of coersion and manipulation used by traffickers can weaken the testimony of survivors. In an already inhuman situation the victim is often penalized for not being a more perfect witness.
I urge you to familiarize yourself with the bill and learn more to determine how you might encourage your representative to vote.
You can read the full bill here and look up your representative’s contact information here to let them know what you think.
Feel free to contact us or search our website to learn more about the issue of human trafficking and how you can help stop it.
~Cat Parkay, President of JLP
Cat’s League Planning & Budget Vlog (Alternate Title: Playtime!)
Cat’s DC and Human Trafficking Vlog
Cat’s Thoughts on Leadership from Peru Vlog
November 2014
The Most Important Gift – Letter from the President
As part of our commitment to increase transparency and Member ownership, I shared a dashboard (below) at our November General Membership Meeting. I’m thrilled about our progress toward filling 100% of volunteer shifts, the growing support from non-Members, and that by taking some calculated risks we are well ahead of our fundraising goals! With spending on track and several exciting fundraisers stil ahead, we expect to end the year in excellent shape adding to our ability to give back to the community.
Financial health is great – it’s essential if 105 years from now JLP exists to prepare women for a lifetime of civic leadership. But what really excites me is that this success is not just the result of hard work and dedication (though there’s certainly been a lot of that!). I believe a big part of your success is due to the joyful, supportive, optimistic vision we are creating together.
It’s Sustainers, Actives, and Provisionals dancing together at the Harvest Soiree, non-Members squealing with delight over a silent auction, playing together and showing future generations of volunteers that service to others is one of life’s greatest joys. It’s creating an envirionment that’s truly inclusive and safe to try new things.. It’s never being too busy to check in with each other as human beings before getting down to business.
It’s also the check for $5.51 we just received from a mother who participated in a Between the Lines reading who now donates a portion of the income from her job in prison back to the Junior League of Portland. Our VP of Finance, Cynthia Bradley, said, “This may be the most important check we receive all year.” I couldn’t agree more.
Five dollars may not fund a big program, pay for a conference, or buy lots of fancy equipment. But it does challenge us to make darn sure we use those dollars wisely.
That check is proof that you are creating something other people want to be part of. Your volunteerism shows the world that they can make a difference. Thank you for representing joy and hope this holiday season!
~Cat
JLP Dashboard from June 2014 through November 2014
- 4126 volunteer hours (documented)
- 18 community service events
- 183 community service shifts offered, 148 filled
June 2014
Giving an A – Letter from the President
Kicking off our 105th year has me reflecting on our past and imagining a bold vision for our future. It’s a humbling place to be – at your service, entrusted with an amazing legacy, ensuring a steady supply of passionate, capable women like you are poised to affect positive change long after we’re gone. I believe that how we work together and the example we set is just as, if not more, important than the exciting programs and projects we’ll tackle this year (though these achievements will be nothing short of spectacular!).
JLP Members are incredible, passionate, capable women, but it can be difficult to resist the urge to power through life at mach speed when there’s so much to be done. As an entirely volunteer-run organization, it’s important that membership be sustainable and enjoyable. To keep myself firmly grounded, I recently revisited The Art of Possibility by Zander & Zander, in which they introduce the idea of “giving an A.”
Giving an A is: an enlivening way of approaching people that promises to transform you as well as them. It is a shift in attitude that makes it possible for you to speak freely about your own thoughts and feelings while, at the same time, you support others to be all they dream of being… When you give an A, you find yourself speaking to people not from a place of measuring how they stack up against your standards, but from a place of respect that gives them room to realize themselves… The A is not an expectation to live up to but a possibility to live into.
During a training on non-violent communication during our Board retreat, our facilitator taught us that most conflict comes from “false assumptions and being tied to a particular outcome.” Giving an A is a concept I also call “making a positive assumption.” It’s a strategy and philosphy that brings peace and harmony to my life and I’ve seen it unlock tremendous human potential.
So much possibility awaits us this year! Let’s give each other A’s and I bet we’ll exceed our wildest expectations!
~Cat
April 2014
Social media campaign launched to support JLP anti-trafficking documentary
Local photographer, Mic Orlosky of the Portland Instagram Group, was in attendance at the Waiting for the Light premiere. He learned that forms of social media, such as Instagram, have been used as recruitment methods for trafficking victims. The Portland Instagram Group’s membership of over 500 individuals launched a campaign in support of the April 18, 2014 documentary screening. Their goal was to show that social media can be a large part of the solution! You can follow us on Instagram @JuniorLeaguePDX and search hashtags #WaitingForTheLight and #JLPDX to see some of the photos and add your own!
The Association of Junior League International Honored (posted 5/12/11)
Mayor Sam Adams’ “Junior League of Portland Day” Proclamation (posted 10/18/10)
JLPs Cenntenial Gala Raises $61,000 for Local Community Programs (posted 7/20/10)
JLP Member, Lexie Mobley, nominated for an Award (posted 7/1/10)
AJLI Connected Magazine – Now ONLINE! (posted 6/2/10)
Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation Partnership (posted 6/1/10)
Junior League Celebrates 100 Years Of Service To Portland (posted 4/26/10)