Title 14 Sit Out at City Hall, September 2002.  Photo By Stephen Voss.

Willie Baptist

Gary, a member of the Civic Action Group, holds his “Homeless Constitution” which he wrote in response to police harassment in Denver

CAG registers people to vote

Richard, Julio and Patrick, CAG members

MLK March and Rally 2008, “Empowered by Love”

Artwork from WRAP

Artwork from WRAP

Public Hygiene Lets Us Stay Human campaign logo

Sisters’ Systemic Change Program is committed to identifying and implementing immediate and long-term solutions to problems faced by people experiencing homelessness both in Portland, OR & nation-wide. The Civic Action Group (CAG, pictured at left) is Sisters’ community organizing body. crossroads Leadership Operating Team (cLOT, ‘see-lot’ ) is the oversight group for the Systemic Change Program.

A Multnomah County Circuit Court Judge ruled part of the Portland’s controversial law unconstitutional. Read the whole article in The Mercury. While this is not a definitive victory overturning the law, it is an encouraging step towards letting the law sunset this April. See more about Sisters’ position on the law below.

Our Current Campaign:

It’s not fair to punish someone who doesn’t have a safe place to sleep and rest. There are thousands of people who sleep on the streets of Portland every night. Where are they supposed to go?

1. Read Sisters’ Truth Commission Report, 8-7-08
2. Read Sisters’ Position Statement on the Sit Lie and Anti-Camping laws.
3. Help Repeal the Sit-Lie and Anti-Camping laws!
4. Click here to get emails about how to Take Action.

Recent Activities:

Civil Disobedience 102- On Saturday November 15th, 2008, Sisters held a second installment of our civil disobedience trainings.  This training was for people who were more familiar with civil disobedience and/or who have already attended one of our first trainings.  We will continue to to do more trainings, so sign up for our Action Info List to receive updates.

Willie Baptist of the Poverty Initiative- On Thursday, October 30, 2008, Sisters and the Portland Chapter of the Social Welfare Action Alliance (SWAA) hosted a presentation with Willie Baptist of the Poverty Initiative at Union Theological Seminary.  During his visit to Portland, Baptist presented on his work with the Poverty Initiative and the University of the Poor on building the broad based movement to end poverty.  After the presentation, he hosted an informal dialogue with local antipoverty activists on their efforts at building leadership within the organized poor.

Civil Disobedience 101- On Tuesday October 28th, 2008, Sisters held another introductory civil disobedience training. This training was the same as the training we had on June 21st.  It was geared toward those who are newer to the concepts of nonviolence and civil disobedience.

Civil Disobedience 101-  On Saturday June 21st, Sisters held a civil disobedience training at the cafe. The training was to help get more people tooled up in the practice of nonviolence and civil disobedience.  We will have more trainings in the future. For information on these trainings, sign up for our Action Info List.

Postcard Delivery to City Hall- Street Roots and Sisters Of The Road presented almost 2,000 postcards to Portland City Council on Wednesday, June 11 at 9:30am asking for the repeal of the sit-lie and anti-camping laws. The postcards were signed by citizens who are concerned that the ordinances punish thousands of Portlanders who lack adequate, safe and affordable shelter. Thanks so much to everyone who helped make this successful!  We all need to continue to work together to repeal these inhumane laws!

Other activities

• CAG: Sisters’ Civic Action Group worked its way through its first year campaign, registering over 400 people to vote, marching in several rallies and putting 1438 white flags in a park to represent the people that the city says sleep outside every night.
• Martin Luther King Jr. Annual March and Rally. Click here to watch a video of the 2008 MLK March and Rally by Joe Anybody at zebra3Productions.
• crossroads Leadership Operating Team; guides Sisters’ systemic change work
• WRAP - Western Regional Advocacy Project, of which Sisters became a founding member in 2006.  Click here to read WRAP’s report “Without Housing.”
• Poor People’s Economic Human Rights Campaign, one of Sisters’ allies on the national scene, out of Philadelphia’s Kensington Welfare Rights Union.
• Education and Outreach
• Visions Into Action (VIA) (formerly the Mayors’ Visioning Committee)
• Voices from the Street; Sisters book on homelessness, changing hearts and minds!

crossroads Leadership Operating Team (cLOT, ‘see-lot’ ) is the oversight group for the Systemic Change Program, creating its plan of work each year and making sure that work is accomplished.  cLOT takes its leadership from people who have personal experience with homelessness.

CAG, Sisters’ Civic Action Group is Sisters’ exciting community organizing branch made up completely of people who have experienced homelessness. Their current campaign follows Sisters’ and WRAP’s, protecting civil rights and repealing the sit-lie and anti camping laws.  As part of its current campaign, CAG is working on filming CAG-led or participated in events to better bring our words to our community. Their web page features these videos and more; click here to learn more.

Position Statements

As part of our effort to take leadership in the struggle to end the institution of homelessness, Sisters has prepared these Position Statements on hot-button issues around homelessness in our community.

• Sit Lie and Anti-Camping laws
• 10 Year Plan to End Homelessness

Sisters’ Definition, Vision and Approach to Systemic Change

Systemic Change is a creative process that honors the interconnectedness of all parts of a system and transforms it at a deep and lasting level.  We envision a community where all people are valued.  This value is expressed through the sharing of power and responsibility, and each person’s access to healthy food, safe housing, health care, and meaningful work that contributes to the well-being of ones self and community.

Sisters Of The Road works toward this vision through the changing of hearts and minds - by building authentic relationships, sharing our vision, and providing information that transforms perceptions:

• Within the Sisters’ community - Staff, Volunteers, Customers, Donors, and other Sisters’ supporters.
• In the larger Portland community - Housed and Unhoused residents of Portland
• Within policy-making and enforcement groups – City Council, City offices and bureaus, Portland Police Bureau, etc.

To learn more about volunteer opportunities working within Sisters to amplify Systemic Change, click here.

Past Activities