Meeting Minutes from September 8, 2024 

by Kacey Carpenter

Marty Hart-Landsberg, Chair opened the meeting at 4:06 pm. 

Welcome and introductions: Martin Hart-Landsberg, Zachariah O’Keeffe, Jim Smith, Dan McCrory, Jonathan Rosenblum, Kacey Carpenter

Agenda: Marty reviewed our Agenda

The Writers Corner 

Members Meeting

  • Organizer committee update and discussion.
    • We have our new logo and buttons and plan to use a union printer to print bookmarks and possibly postcards as part of an organizing kit to be used by chapter members. 
    • An NWU merchandize committee is working to build a “swag” shop that will make it possible for individuals and chapters to order shirts and other swag.
    • Discussion about good value of union shirts, buttons, signs, bookmarks, and postcards with compelling image on front and details about the who, why, and how to join our union
  • NWU Delegate Assembly coming up in November
    • Open to all
    • Jim Smith, Marty Hart-Landsberg, and Bob Rossi will represent the Oregon chapter and plan to meet up to discuss likely issue and how best to represent our members
  • Outreach
    • Marty provided an outreach update.  He has been in contact with the president of the Oregon Society of Professional Journalists and, after reading a few of their newsletters, will work with other chapter members to place a blurb on our work in one of their future newsletters. He is also working to contact someone at the Portland chapter of the Asian American Journalist Association
    • Dan suggests PEN America as a good organization for partner coalition
    • Discussion of promoting our work during Banned Book Week 9/22-9/28 
  • Organizing brainstorm discussion
    • Dan suggested a speakers bureau to speak with students in writing and journalism college classes.
    • Jim suggested building on Freelance campaign that is active in NY and LA in the Pacific Northwest
    • Zachary shared the value of FSP newsletter
    • Discussion about meeting with members from the Pacific Northwest Chapter to share experiences and explore collective organizing strategies.

Our next meeting will be Sunday, November 10, 2024 at 4:00 PM featuring the Writers Corner with Zachariah O’Keeffe. Stay tuned for more details.

The meeting ended at  5:30 pm.