Unite Oregon

Who They Are

Unite Oregon is a statewide racial and social justice nonprofit fighting for a more just and equitable society for immigrants, refugees, Black/Indigenous/People of Color, rural communities, and low-income Oregonians. Today, they are the only intercultural movement-building nonprofit in Oregon with four chapters in both northern and southern Oregon that serve 22,000+ members/supporters and work successfully to organize communities across the urban-rural divide.

Unite Oregon is grounded in the belief that organizing people who are suffering inequity has the greatest potential to affect the root causes of economic, political, and social injustice. They involve their multiracial, multicultural members in all aspects of program development and implementation. Unite Oregon uses community-led issue campaigns as opportunities to train new leaders, amplify community voice, engage volunteers in base-building and advocacy initiatives, and grow their membership base. They measure their effectiveness not just with policy wins, but by the number of leaders developed and members engaged. 

Through Unite Oregon, immigrants, refugees, and people of color develop a unified voice, advocate for their rights, and create an environment in which they are recognized and supported as valued community members.

What They Do

Work/Programs: Unite Oregon focuses on four program areas that, when combined, catalyze systemic change:

1. Civic Engagement: They provide pathways for community members to participate in democratic processes, serve as leaders on boards/commissions, and engage in the issues that matter most to them;
2. Policy Advocacy: They advocate for policy changes at the local, state, and national levels that increase equity and reduce disparities experienced by IR-BIPOC and rural communities, and people experiencing poverty;
3. Community Organizing: They support their members to build the organizing skills necessary to impact policies that affect them and work collaboratively, mobilizing diverse constituencies;
4. Leadership Development: They develop new leaders through signature leadership development programs, strategic training, and on-the-ground leadership positions within their organization and issue campaigns. They train 100+ IR-BIPOC community members annually.

How We’re Helping

Best Ever Causes has donated $1,000 to help Unite Oregon build their first-ever community garden in East Portland to grow cultural and traditional foods for immigrants, refugees, and Black, Indigenous, People of Color. Unite Oregon is fundraising to break ground on this community garden in 2022.

Connect with this Best Ever Cause below.