Another Mural Victory: City Art’s Committee Formed

On Monday, December 10th, the CAPACES Leadership Institute’s CLI Mural Civic Engagement Group gained another victory in its pursuit to paint an outdoor mural: The city of Woodburn formed a public art’s committee that would ¨select, acquire, receive, document and register public murals¨ on behalf of the city.

What began as an effort in fall of 2011 to ask the city for permission to paint the outside walls of the CLI, turned into a year-long campaign that has now become known as the CLI Mural Civic Engagement Campaign.  The goals of the campaign are: 1) Paint a mural that would reflect the contributions of the farmworker community, 2) Work with farmworker families to engage the Woodburn City Council to change its city ordinance, 3) Bring in a well-rounded muralist in Juanishi Orosco, who painted PCUN’s mural, to paint the CLI mural and mentor for young local artists, 4) Foster a community  building activity that would bring together the Woodburn community and facilitate a dialogue about farmworker contributions.

The campaign achieved its first victory back in August when CLI mural Organizer Dalila Ortiz and supporters persuaded Woodburn City Council members to pass a city ordinance that would allow publicly displayed murals for the first time. The ordinance however called for the development of an art’s committee before any mural could be painted

Woodburn’s Mayor and city council followed the announcement of the committee by revealing the community member’s who would serve on the art’s commission. Long-time PCUN supporter and former farmworker Lazaro Ybarra was announced as one of the arts commissioners (pictured below).

Colleen Vancil, a retired teacher; Merri Berlin, a historic district resident with a degree in arts; City Councilor Frank Lonegran; and City Councilor Jim Cox were also announced as members of the newly established Woodburn’s Art Commission.

“The formation of the Committe is an essential part for getting our process going,” remarked CLI Mural organizer Dalila Ortiz, ” We are one step closer to making a CLI mural a reality.”

Transitions: We’ve All Been Through Them!

Ever been in a transition? I’m sure you have. We’re talking about those moments in your life that make you. The kinds of transitions we particularly face at work, where a whole organization or company looks at you for new leadership. And as you eagerly take on the new load of responsibility for the first time, you ask yourself, “Can I handle this? Can I be successful?”
Some of us handle it. Some of us don’t.The CLI however is implementing a Leadership Forum that will serve as a vehicle to help leaders with such transitions. Beneficiaries of the program will include leaders like PCUN’s Brenda Mendoza.

Brenda heads PCUN’s Service Center and has been a part of the organization for 15 years. This past year she has been asked to take leadership in leading the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) initiative for PCUN, helping DACA-eligible youth with their applications to apply for prosecutorial discretion.

However, the biggest transition Brenda faces is yet to come: Filing visa applications, overseeing a growth in staff, and playing the lead role for citizenship application if immigration reform were to pass in 2013.

“DACA really is a dress rehearsal for the potential of immigration reform. I imagine us [PCUN] hosting forums on legalization and immigration reform every day and people knocking on our door for advice. I think supervising a growing staff through this will be challenging”-Brenda

How will the CAPACES Leadership Institute help leaders like Brenda prepare for such “transitions”?

In January of 2013, the CLI will launch its Leadership Forum, a vehicle to build out the organization’s programs in the second and third levels of leadership: Making & keeping a long term commitment; and preparing for leadership at the highest level.

To kickoff phase I of the Leadership Forum, next month Brenda and her peers will participate in the first of twelve leadership round-table discussions which will provide a platform to analyze the challenges, the competencies, and the opportunities for the participants to achieve successful transitions.

“I’ve gone through the leadership school of trial-by-fire. I think I’ve proven my commitment for the movement. But to take on leadership at the highest level, there has to be a better way. I believe the Forum will provide me with the support that I need and it will help me step back and look at the broader picture, to plan, and to succeed.”– Brenda

Transitions happen, and they are difficult. We’re asking you to transition from helping us to build the CLI to helping us fund the next phase of our work.Contributions to the CLI are tax-deductible and can be done electronically through Willamette Valley Law Project and selecting “CAPACES Leadership Institute” and can be done here. Thank you.
Respectfully,

Laura Isiordia
Executive Director
CAPACES Leadership Institute

P.S: We know you may be supporting one of our sister organizations already. We invite you to support the CAPACES Leadership Institute, but
we understand if you’re not able to. Thank you.

 

Instituto de liderazgo Capaces abre sus puertas en Woodburn

October 23, 2012-Rocio Ruiz, El Centinela

Woodburn- El Instituto del Liderazgo “Capaces” tuvo su gran ceremonia de inauguracion el pasado 25 de agosto en Woodburn, en un evento que conto con la participacion masiva de la comunidad hispana. La celebracion fue la culminacion de cuatro anos de gran planificacion para hacer posible este gran momento. El Instituto fue incoporado como una organizacion sin fines lucro de Oregon en julio del 2011

Click here to read more from El Centinela

 

‘It’s about the future’: New CAPACES Leadership Institute building employs green technology

September 4, 2012- Doug Burkhardt, Woodburn Independent

WOODBURN — Innovation has come to Woodburn. On Aug. 25, the CAPACES Leadership Institute held a formal dedication for a very impressive building that employs highly advanced “green” technology and, more to the point, will provide a vital training ground for a new generation of leaders in the Hispanic community.

Click here to read more from the Woodburn Independent

Woodburn, strengthened by diversity, resilient in the face of troubles

September 15th, 2012- Kimberly A.C Wilson, The Oregonian

WOODBURN — What you won’t find in Woodburn: a homegrown diner or a movie theater.

What you will find: grocery stores that carry one brand of peanut butter but dozens of distinct varieties of dried peppers.

Among the towns of Oregon’s verdant mid-Willamette Valley, Silverton has its tulip fields, Mt. Angel its beer halls, and Aurora its antiques. Woodburn is known for its eponymous outlet mall beside Interstate 5.

Click here to read more from Oregonlive.com