LAW + POLITICS
Understanding & Moving Beyond the Current Prison Crisis
Mass incarceration is the racial justice issue of our time. The U.S. incarcerates more people per capita than any country in the world, and incarceration rates are acutely and disproportionately concentrated in communities of color. What are we going to do about it?
Do you have deep concerns about our social, political, economic realities? Do you want to develop your perspective beyond reactionary opinions, and be more informed than media pundits and the trolls online? You aren’t alone in these turbulent times. Together, we’ll take a critical look at society, and find our voices through creative writing, an examination of history, Hip Hop culture and dialogue.
Make a significant contribution to Social Justice by winning concrete change at both the local and systemic levels. Learn the principles of Direct-Action Organizing: how to mobilize the grassroots to carry out effective campaigns that win. This course will cover the history of Organizing in America (and in Portland) while de-centering the Whiteness that has historically accompanied it. Participants will sketch and plan out their own idea for a Direct-Action Organizing campaign.
Learn the basics of criminal law and procedure in this 4 week mini-law school course. In the first two weeks, you'll learn how to think like a lawyer, learn how to brief a case, and experience the famous law school "Socratic method". In the last two weeks, you'll learn fundamental Constitutional principles and how criminal justice really works from a former prosecutor and law professor. Know your rights, be an informed citizen.
Most Portland renters don't know their legal rights. Gain an understanding of issues such as no-cause evictions, deposits, repairs, rent increases, and applications. Learn the basic tools and best practices to protect the rights you have; learn how to teach these to other people. Share strategies for collective action to change the laws that prevent tenants from finding and maintaining safe, stable, and affordable rental housing.
A Moment of Possibility
Donald Trump's election brings us to a moment of opportunity to better redress the widespread hurt in our society and to talk across our differences. In this course, we will aim to better understand the points of potential connection + tension that have surfaced in our politics and in our society. We will work towards a better understanding of the connections between ideology, the shifting landscape of the U.S. and politics, in order to help us offset the deleterious results of a combative, ugly election. Let’s turn lemons into a papaya tree.
What is this concept called privacy? We’ll look at the history of privacy law in America, discuss how those foundational principles hold up in the modern age, and delve into the world of corporate information gathering and massive government surveillance. What is "privacy" in the modern age and should the law protect it? If so, how? How does it relate to changing definitions of selfhood? How do other cultures view privacy?
What Now? Organize.
Worried about the future, post-election? Concerned about your civil rights and rights and safety of others? Unsure of what to do? Join this class and make a specific plan tailored to your resources and abilities to make the greatest impact for the future. This course provides a framework for anyone from the curious beginner to the established organizer how to organize and create momentum for social justice in their community.
Coming Soon:
Police-Citizen Encounters
Family Law
Contracts in Everyday Life
Employee Rights
Grassroots Lobbying
Theories of Change