A letter from the Causa Board of Directors:

We know that the community mourns, alongside us, the loss of Causa.The contributions of Causa to the movement are many and the dissolution of the organization leaves a gap in the struggle for immigrant justice in Oregon. The board’s decision to dissolve was taken with great consideration. We have reflected deeply as a board; we have consulted with community members and movement leaders; and we considered and carefully weighed a number of options prior to arriving at this decision. While the decision is final, we understand and empathize with the shock and sadness many felt upon hearing this announcement, and the desire to revisit or better understand the decision.  

The organization has been facing significant challenges for some time. The internal strife led to mistrust and hostility toward anyone in leadership and the organization went through three executive directors in three years. In an attempt to address these challenges, the board, with staff input and approval, hired Jenny Pool Radway, a talented executive director. However, the tactics of hostility not only continued but escalated and included gross direct attacks and false statements. Unfortunately, the weight of the challenges proved too heavy and the dysfunction of the organization distracted from the work to the point where Causa was no longer serving its community. The organization and its staff had been through years of conflict and strife while the financial outlook became increasingly challenging. We do not believe there were any viable options remaining, and dissolution of the organization and reallocation of assets to functioning organizations is the only path forward. Following the announcement that Causa would be dissolved, seven of Causa’s staffers released a message to the community, sharing their view that the union “never fully represented its workers” and the reasons for Causa’s closure are “much larger” than a labor dispute. 

The events of the past month have only underscored that the organization could no longer continue to work in a positive manner. The organization’s internal conflicts were having a deeply damaging and divisive impact not only on staff and leadership but on our larger community and movement. The vitriol and threats leveled at staff and board members left us shaken and saddened, and gives us additional confirmation that dissolution was the right decision.  

We understand that there are a number of questions and concerns around Causa’s dissolution, in addition to some remaining questions from community members about the next steps. We recognize the sudden news was disconcerting to some, and while we worked closely with our sister organizations and community leaders to bring them into the winding up process, we regret not providing adequate and timely communications regarding plans for Causa’s future in a public manner. 

Our board is small, unpaid, and all-volunteer. The board has done its best to make each decision with the community Causa serves and the well-being of its staff at the center. We will continue to do our best to ensure that the community gets the clarity and answers you’ve asked for. We appreciate your patience to ensure a responsible winding up of the organization’s operations. 

Regarding programs:

  • Oregon Ready Coalition: The Oregon Ready (OR) Coalition Steering Committee has been working with the key funder to ensure the work continues under new leadership and a new fiscal partner. Any questions about this program can be directed to OR Coalition steering committee members: Pedro Sosa, Mariana Garcia Medina, Antonio Ramirez Subria, Alex Senai Riedlinger and Theodora Lenihan.

     

  • Oregon Worker Relief Fund: Causa is proud of the catalytic role we played in launching the Oregon Worker Relief Program. The OWRF has been approved for its own 501(c)3 status to continue this important work. Any questions can be directed to the OWRF executive committee.
  • Other resources: Causa held a number of public, community resources. We are working with Capaces Leadership Institute to re-home any document that is a public or shared resource. This means that the knowledge Causa has held for decades will remain with our sister organization, to be put to further use by the community and community-serving organizations.

Regarding staff severance: 

  • Once it was clear that dissolution remained the only viable option, the board moved quickly to ensure that we could preserve enough resources to support staff through this difficult time. All Causa staff were offered a severance equal to four months full-time salary.

Regarding remaining assets: 

  • It is critical to the board that any remaining assets of the organization return to support organizations who will continue the work of the immigrants’ rights movement. Causa’s board will work in partnership with Seeding Justice (formerly MRG Foundation) to assist in the administrative winding up of the organization as well as ensure a community grounded process for any remaining assets. We have a deep respect for the role of Seeding Justice in the community – they have been a partner and ally in the work of the movement and we believe their community-centered approach to philanthropy will do justice to the legacy of Causa.

     

In community,

Causa Board of Directors

A letter from the Causa Board of Directors:

It is with a heavy heart that we share this news with you today. Last week, after much thought and careful consideration, Causa’s Board of Directors unanimously voted to begin the process of dissolving our organization after 27 years of working to support and protect Oregon’s Latinx immigrant community.

The decision to dissolve Causa was not an easy one, but we firmly believe it is the right one. After more than two years of fundraising difficulties and unprecedented turnover among staff and leadership, the organization has reached a point where it will begin spending down its financial reserves to cover expenses. This is not sustainable for the organization. 

Additionally, as many of you know, we have been unable to finalize a contract with our employee’s union. Causa’s board members are proud to support labor unions and to be a nonprofit with union staff members, and voluntarily recognized the union two years ago. But unfortunately, union leadership has been unwilling to enter mediation or put a fair contract offer to a vote, focusing instead on a damaging public pressure campaign. Our most recent attempt to finalize a contract has gone without a response from the union for nearly 8 weeks. 

All of these things have contributed to Causa’s financial strain and uncertainty.

The Board firmly believes we have a responsibility to ensure our staff receive a generous severance before reserves are exhausted, and that vital programs will continue under the leadership of our allied organizations. To do so requires us to act quickly and so we are working to dissolve by July 31. Any remaining funds will go to staff severance and to furthering Causa’s work through re-grants to partner organizations who can continue this vital work. 

We are incredibly proud of the legacy Causa will leave behind. Our organization was founded in 1995 by farmworkers, immigrants, and allies who came together to defeat ballot measures that would hurt Oregon’s Latinx community. Since then, Causa continued to organize grassroots canvasses across the state and defeat anti-immigrant bills and ballot measures, including attempts to restrict bilingual education, reduce needed services for low-income immigrant families, regressive voter restriction laws, and more. 

Causa’s work evolved over decades to give Oregon Latinx communities a powerful vote at the state and local levels. In 2019, Causa won a long fought victory, the culmination of over 10 years of struggle to secure Driver’s Licenses for all undocumented communities in Oregon. In 2017, Causa supported the work to pass 17 sanctuary city resolutions to restrict local police from collaborating with ICE, and in 2018 helped secure an investment of $1 million dollars from the City of Portland and Multnomah County for deportation defense, creating the first Universal Representation program in Oregon. Later that year, Causa helped lead the campaign, alongside Oregon’s Latinx community, to defeat Measure 105, a white nationalist effort to eliminate Oregon’s 31-year-old sanctuary state status.  

During the pandemic, Causa co-led the effort with close allies to secure relief funds for Oregonians excluded from unemployment benefits, helping to launch the Oregon Worker Relief Fund. In its first year, the Oregon Worker Relief disbursed more than $60 million to more than 37,000 individuals in Oregon’s immigrant communities, including in all 36 counties statewide.

While Causa is closing its doors, we are confident our mission to give Latinx immigrants a powerful voice in Oregon will continue through the work of our incredible community partners. We know our community is strong, will continue to march forward, and new leadership will emerge. La lucha continúa.

We want to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your time, energy and support over the last 27 years. 

Sincerely,

The Causa Board of Directors

Es con gran pesar que compartimos esta noticia con ustedes hoy. La semana pasada, después de mucho pensar y considerar detenidamente, la mesa directiva de Causa votó por unanimidad para comenzar el proceso de disolución de nuestra organización después de 27 años de trabajar para apoyar y proteger a la comunidad de inmigrantes latinos de Oregón.

La decisión de disolver Causa no fue fácil, pero creemos firmemente que es la correcta. Después de más de dos años de dificultades para recaudar fondos y una rotación sin precedentes entre el personal y el liderazgo, la organización ha llegado a un punto en el que comenzará a gastar sus reservas financieras para cubrir los gastos. Esto no es sostenible para la organización.

Además, como muchos de ustedes saben, no hemos podido finalizar un contrato con el sindicato de nuestros empleados. Los miembros de la mesa directiva de Causa se enorgullecen de apoyar a los sindicatos y de ser una organización sin fines de lucro con miembros del personal del sindicato, y reconocieron voluntariamente al sindicato hace dos años. Pero desafortunadamente, los líderes sindicales no han estado dispuestos a entrar en la mediación o tomar un voto sobre el contrato justo que se les ofreció, enfocándose en cambio en una campaña de presión pública dañina. Nuestro intento más reciente de finalizar un contrato no ha recibido respuesta del sindicato durante casi 8 semanas.

Todas estas cosas han contribuido a la tensión e incertidumbre financiera de Causa.
La mesa directiva cree firmemente que tenemos la responsabilidad de garantizar que nuestro personal reciba una indemnización generosa antes de que se agoten las reservas, y que los programas vitales continuarán bajo el liderazgo de nuestras organizaciones aliadas. Para hacerlo, debemos actuar con rapidez y, por lo tanto, estamos trabajando para disolver la organización antes del 31 de julio. Los fondos restantes se destinarán a la separación del personal y a promover el trabajo de Causa a través de nuevas subvenciones a organizaciones asociadas que pueden continuar con este trabajo vital.

Estamos increíblemente orgullosos del legado que Causa dejará. Nuestra organización fue fundada en 1995 por trabajadores agrícolas, inmigrantes y aliados que se unieron para derrotar medidas electorales que dañarían a la comunidad latinx de Oregón. Desde entonces, Causa continuó organizando campañas de base en todo el estado y derrotó proyectos de ley y medidas electorales anti-inmigrantes, incluidos los intentos de restringir la educación bilingüe, reducir los servicios necesarios para las familias inmigrantes de bajos ingresos, las leyes regresivas de restricción de votantes y más.

El trabajo de Causa evolucionó durante décadas para dar a las comunidades latinas de Oregón un voto poderoso a nivel estatal y local. En el 2019, Causa ganó una larga victoria, la culminación de más de 10 años de lucha para obtener licencias de conducir para todas las comunidades indocumentadas en Oregón. En 2017, Causa apoyó el trabajo para aprobar 17 resoluciones de ciudades santuario para restringir la colaboración de la policía local con ICE, y en 2018 ayudó a asegurar una inversión de $1 millón de dólares de la ciudad de Portland y el condado de Multnomah para la defensa contra la deportación, creando la primera Representación Universal programa en Oregón. Más tarde ese año, Causa ayudó a liderar la campaña, junto con la comunidad latinx de Oregón, para derrotar la Medida 105, un esfuerzo nacionalista blanco para eliminar el estatus de estado santuario de Oregón de 31 años.

Durante la pandemia, Causa co-dirigió el esfuerzo con aliados cercanos para asegurar fondos de ayuda para los habitantes de Oregón excluidos de los beneficios de desempleo, ayudando a lanzar el Fondo de Alivio Laboral de Oregón. En su primer año, el Alivio Laboral de Oregón distribuyó más de $60 millones a más de 37,000 personas en las comunidades de inmigrantes de Oregón, incluyendo 36 condados del estado.

Mientras Causa cierra sus puertas, confiamos en que nuestra misión de dar a los inmigrantes latinos una voz poderosa en Oregón continuará a través del trabajo de nuestros increíbles socios comunitarios. Sabemos que nuestra comunidad es fuerte, seguirá avanzando y surgirá un nuevo liderazgo. La lucha continúa.

Queremos agradecerles desde el fondo de nuestros corazones por su tiempo, energía y apoyo durante los últimos 27 años.

Sinceramente,

Mesa Directiva de Causa

A letter from the Causa Board of Directors:

We know that the community mourns, alongside us, the loss of Causa.The contributions of Causa to the movement are many and the dissolution of the organization leaves a gap in the struggle for immigrant justice in Oregon. The board’s decision to dissolve was taken with great consideration. We have reflected deeply as a board; we have consulted with community members and movement leaders; and we considered and carefully weighed a number of options prior to arriving at this decision. While the decision is final, we understand and empathize with the shock and sadness many felt upon hearing this announcement, and the desire to revisit or better understand the decision.  

The organization has been facing significant challenges for some time. The board took numerous actions attempting to resolve these challenges, including bringing in a highly qualified and recommended executive director, who was hired with the consultation and approval of all Causa staff. Unfortunately, the weight of the challenges proved too heavy and the dysfunction of the organization distracted from the work to the point where Causa was no longer serving its community. The organization and its staff had been through years of conflict and strife while the financial outlook became increasingly challenging. We do not believe there were any viable options remaining, and dissolution of the organization and reallocation of assets to functioning organizations is the only path forward. Following the announcement that Causa would be dissolved, seven of Causa’s staffers released a message to the community, sharing their view that the union “never fully represented its workers” and the reasons for Causa’s closure are “much larger” than a labor dispute. 

The events of the past month have only underscored that the organization could no longer continue to work in a positive manner. The organization’s internal conflicts were having a deeply damaging and divisive impact not only on staff and leadership but on our larger community and movement. The vitriol and threats leveled at staff and board members left us shaken and saddened, and gives us additional confirmation that dissolution was the right decision.  

We understand that there are a number of questions and concerns around Causa’s dissolution, in addition to some remaining questions from community members about the next steps. We recognize the sudden news was disconcerting to some, and while we worked closely with our sister organizations and community leaders to bring them into the winding up process, we regret not providing adequate and timely communications regarding plans for Causa’s future in a public manner. 

Our board is small, unpaid, and all-volunteer. The board has done its best to make each decision with the community Causa serves and the well-being of its staff at the center. We will continue to do our best to ensure that the community gets the clarity and answers you’ve asked for. We appreciate your patience to ensure a responsible winding up of the organization’s operations. 

Regarding programs:

  • Oregon Ready Coalition: The Oregon Ready (OR) Coalition Steering Committee has been working with the key funder to ensure the work continues under new leadership and a new fiscal partner. Any questions about this program can be directed to OR Coalition steering committee members: Pedro Sosa, Mariana Garcia Medina, Antonio Ramirez Subria, Alex Senai Riedlinger and Theodora Lenihan. 
  • Oregon Worker Relief Fund: Causa is proud of the catalytic role we played in launching the Oregon Worker Relief Program. The OWRF has been approved for its own 501(c)3 status to continue this important work. Any questions can be directed to the OWRF executive committee. 
  • Other resources: Causa held a number of public, community resources. We are working with Capaces Leadership Institute to re-home any document that is a public or shared resource. This means that the knowledge Causa has held for decades will remain with our sister organization, to be put to further use by the community and community-serving organizations.

Regarding staff severance: 

  • Once it was clear that dissolution remained the only viable option, the board moved quickly to ensure that we could preserve enough resources to support staff through this difficult time. All Causa staff were offered a severance equal to four months full-time salary.

     

Regarding remaining assets: 

  • It is critical to the board that any remaining assets of the organization return to support organizations who will continue the work of the immigrants’ rights movement. Causa’s board will work in partnership with Seeding Justice (previously known as MRG Foundation) to assist in the administrative winding up of the organization as well as ensure a responsible, fair, and transparent process for any remaining assets. We have a deep respect for the role of Seeding Justice in the community – they have been a partner and ally in the work of the movement and we believe their community-centered approach to philanthropy will do justice to the legacy of Causa. 

In community,

Causa Board of Directors