Jubilee Oregon E-Newsletter

June 24, 2009

On June 18th, Representatives Maxine Waters (D-CA) and Spencer Bachus (R-AL) re-introduced the Stop VULTURE Funds Act (HR 2932), a bill in the House of Representatives that would prevent vulture funds from making excessive profit off the debt of the world’s poorest nations.

Call your US Representative today and ask him or her to co-sponsor the bill!
Together with Africa Action and TransAfrica Forum, Jubilee USA continues its campaign to stop the harmful practices of vulture funds that prey on poor countries. Vulture Funds buy the defaulted debt of poor countries from the original lender, often for pennies on the dollar.  After buying a poor country’s debt, vulture funds take their time, waiting for the right opportunity to strike.

When a country receives debt cancellation from governments or international financial institutions, vulture funds rarely participate in the deal.  Instead they take the opportunity to sue in US or European courts to seize the newly available resources – usually many times what they originally paid to purchase the debt.

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DAY OF THE AFRICAN CHILD

June 27, 2009

Join Jubilee Oregon as we celebrate the Day of the African Child with the World Forestry Center and Harambee Centre in Portland, Oregon.

Day of the African Child is a day recognized throughout the world as an opportunity to reflect on progress toward health, education, equality and protection for all the continent’s children. This celebration focuses on both the cultural variety and overall spirit of Africa. The event will educate people through the celebration of music, dance, storytelling, food, and an African Marketplace. This is a great opportunity to learn about the cultures and realities of the vast and varied societies of Africa, and to build bonds of understanding, respect, and mutually beneficial relationships between people in the Pacific Northwest and people in Africa. Become familiar with the challenges and successes facing this population, and you will find plenty of ways you can help! Day of the African Child is a celebration of the diversity in all of us!

The event takes place on Saturday, June 27, 2009 at the World Forestry Center, 4033 SW Canyon Rd., Portland, Oregon, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
For details, visit http://www.worldforestry.org/organization/DAC1.php

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Who’s Who in Jubilee Oregon

Jubilee Oregon is one of the most active chapters of Jubilee USA—a reputation that we are committed to upholding. We are comprised of a Board of Directors, 18 member congregations and individual volunteers. In addition, our electronic mailing list reaches 1,000 people. As you will see from the bios below, our Board members share a history of community activism and a commitment to global social justice.

Carrie Stiles

Carrie Stiles

Carrie Stiles is a graduate student in the Conflict Resolution program at Portland State University specializing in sustainable development, international diplomacy and human rights. She has created a short documentary film for Jubilee Oregon, and produced Portland’s Stand Up and Take Action Against Poverty and for the Millennium Development Goals Art Festival (www.standagainstpoverty.org) for the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty as part of the United Nations Millennium Campaign to halve extreme poverty by 2015. She has traveled extensively through Africa and is very excited to intern and travel in Asia starting this September. She is perpetually impressed by the commitment Jubilee Oregon has to achieving unconditional debt relief for the world poorest countries as a form of international economic justice.

Ann Pickar

Ann is a transplant from Edinburgh, Scotland. She became involved in global activism after retiring from the State of Oregon Adult and Family Services Division.

Ann is co-founder of the Unitarian Universalist Global AIDS Coalition, which works to involve UU congregations all over the United States in global AIDS issues. She is also a founding member and current co-chair of the Portland Area Global AIDS Coalition, which connects the over 140 local organizations working on issues of HIV/AIDS and global poverty.

Visit Jubilee Oregon for more Board member profiles!

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SAVE THE DATE!

• International Development Happy Hour

  MONDAY, JULY 6
  4-7 pm
  Hopworks Urban Brewery
  2944 SE Powell Blvd
  Portland, OR 97202

No agenda, no speakers, just conversation. We hope that an informal atmosphere might lead to some new projects, jobs, collaborations and friends.

Happy hour is from 4-6, but we’ll be there until 7 p.m. There is good food and a great play space for the children if you want to bring them along. Find us in the back by the play space from 4 p.m. on. We hope to see you there!

• THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 2009 -6-9 p.m. Jubilee OR invites all interested people, congregations and organizations to a summer potluck picnic in the patio garden of Holladay Park Plaza, 1300 NE 16th/corner of Multnomah Boulevard – near the Lloyd Center. Bring something to eat and drink.  Barbecue will be available and if you RSVP to Jubileeoregon@gmail.com, let us know if you would like to swim after the potluck.

• THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 10TH – 5:30-9 p.m.   Metro area Jubilee training at Central Lutheran Church, NE 21st two blocks north of Broadway – bus friendly.  Special training for all congregations on Jubilee Sabbath/Sunday on October 16-17 AND organize a Stand UP and Take Action against Poverty that weekend OR join PSU Model UN students for their Stand Up action.

• OCTOBER 16-18 – STAND UP AND TAKE ACTION AGAINST POVERTY GLOBAL EVENTS. Check www.standagainstpoverty.org for resources and to register.  PSU Model UN activist, Kate Alexander, is organizing a community wide event to be held at PSU.  Email Jubileeoregon@gmail.com if you want to join this effort.

• Please note that there will be no monthly summer meetings. We are organizing Congressional delegation visits in support of the Stop Vulture Funds Act.

For more frequent updates, check www.jubileeusa.org. For local events, visit www.jubileeoregonwordpress.com.