how we support
CARE FOR DISRUPTIVE LEADERSHIP
Background Many BIPOC leaders can often feel unsupported, overwhelmed, or even unsafe in entering public office or other leadership positions. These experiences can often lead to burnout and an exodus from community advocacy. In 2022, OFL felt the need to respond to this dynamic, and launched Care for Disruptive Leadership (CDL) to look at sustaining BIPOC leaders toward a racially just Oregon. We do this by particularly focusing on wellness and a shared supportive environment for development and retention in our movement.
About the program: CDL recognizes the traumatic impact of racism for many BIPOC leaders and seeks to retain these leaders by exploring leadership development through a lens of holistic wellness. Our intention in this approach is to disrupt the conventional leadership model by focusing on wellness rather than output.
Program Framework & Topics: Oregon Futures Lab (OFL) uses a Trauma Informed Care (TIC) model in developing and administering the program. Together, we hope to create a space that is created by and for BIPOC leaders to be honest, vulnerable and invest in our community resilience.
We co-create spaces to discuss topics like:
Personal wellness goals,
Examining our relationship to money and power,
Unpacking the impact of compliance and governance to our state of being,
Owning our personal stories and narratives,
Working with generative conflict as a healthy path towards change, and
Examining our imposter syndrome so we can dismantle unhealthy thoughts about ourselves
Additional components of the program include one-on-one support, added meet up opportunities for affinity spaces, and access to financial resources for increasing one’s holistic wellness.
The application is now closed for 2026 but we hope you will apply next year!
Due to the nature of this c(3) program, this opportunity is not open to candidates running for office.
“This is such a rare opportunity, and the balance between taking care of ourselves and having a shared space to unpack the issues we face as BIPOC leaders in different spheres was immensely valuable. This program kept me from falling over the edge of burnout at a time when I was feeling completely overwhelmed. It is urgently needed.”
how we sustain
PROGRESSIVE GOVERNANCE ACADEMY
Progressive Governance Academy (PGA) is a training designed to support leaders in creating bold change and building towards a new vision of what it means for progressives to hold and exercise governing power. PGA’s curriculum is rooted in an organizing approach to governance and also includes a significant focus on models for collaborative and inclusive governance. PGA is offered in partnership with several of our national partners; re:Power, Local Progress and State Innovation Exchange. This program is geared towards incoming local electeds and this year will be our School Board Edition.
This program is August 2025 . Please sign up for our newsletter for the latest updates.
GOVERNING WITH CARE
Governing with Care (GWC) is a three-day training designed to support leaders by equipping them with the skills to govern with care collaboratively, organize their bases and succeed in their roles of leadership. This program is geared towards incoming local electeds, their teams and our community-based partners. Our 2023 program, offered in the winter, was created for incoming school board members and partners; it covered the following topics:
Governing as a Pro-Worker & Pro-Union Leader
Building Safety in Leadership
Perfecting Your Communication with Stakeholders
We plan to run this program again in Fall/Winter 2025. Please sign up for our newsletter for the latest updates.
BIPOC LEGISLATive SCHOOL
BIPOC “LEG” School in Oregon’s Capitol!
December 5th and 6th in Salem, Oregon. Register Here: https://forms.gle/g2pmD4DZVx4QCyKJ6
This two day conference will include spaces for BIPOC legislators, BIPOC legislative staff, and BIPOC serving organizations, as well as chances to come together for collective change.
For BIPOC Legislators: Participants will have a chance to speak amongst peers to discuss the challenges and opportunities of elected leadership. There will also be time to explore strategies for self-care, skills consulting, and peer collaboration.
For BIPOC-serving organizations: Attendees will have access to topline legislative strategy from locals with tested experience in the capital. Organizations can send legislative staff and volunteers to prep for short session wins, as well as think about long-term community engagement strategy.
Co-Governance: There will be a shared session convening both community-based organizations and elected leadership to explore collective BIPOC victories. We will have a space to proactively work together toward racial and social justice, as well as examine principles of generative conflict to build trust as a community.
*Updates on Campaign Finance laws will be provided so that organizations can plan ahead for staying compliant with the changes.
Over 16 different training topics provided!
Intended Outcomes
Increased shared skills in the legislative advocacy process for BIPOC-serving organizations
Increased support and skill development for BIPOC elected leaders
Normalizing collective spaces for Legislators and Community-based Organizations, particularly using the principles of co-governance
BIPOC Executive Director Support COhort
BIPOC Executive Director Support Cohort (BIPOC-ESC) is our newest program at OFL-EF. BIPOC-ESC is a pilot program to support BIPOC EDs in their lifecycle of leadership. We aim to create space for leaders to connect and build relationships, leverage resources for care and build a shared analysis of how to build BIPOC power across Oregon.
Applications are currently closed for the 2025 program.
“I was new to government and politics - I needed to understand how to go about my new role as an elected official. It was the connections to newly Elected officials that was important for me. ”