While reflecting on the year 2022, we celebrate our growth and all that we have been able to accomplish. Coalición Fortaleza’s vision was seeded by the community during a moment of grief, where our people had the courage to dream and imagine a new world together. Leading this work, we have learned it is important to believe in new ways and provide alternatives.
When our historically Latinx and BIPOC neighborhoods were destroyed in the fires, we also saw the destruction of our history, families legacy, cultural pockets, social and economic solidarity structures.
In 2021, we utilized data collection and storytelling methods to conduct a Housing Needs Assessment, the first hyper-local research study of our Latinx, indigenous, farmworker, and migrant population of the Rogue Valley. We learned the penetrating effects of home ownership loss among families of color, unsustainable rent burden, spike in housing insecurity, and social capital losses.
We understand that our community is loyal to land and people, 63% of respondents have lived in these neighborhoods for over 16 years.
Our community is not monolithic. We are diverse in ethnicity, culture, and language. In fact, 16% identified as indigenous.
At the start of 2020, 65% were homeowners, a year after the fire only 27% were able to regain home ownership.
This research reflects the needs of our communities after experiencing destruction caused by climate change. Having this information has been key in our work and how we approach this recovery. Our Needs Assessment continues to inform our local housing recovery efforts and re-envisioning communal homeownership among Latinx and indigenous mobile-home communities and the need to restore the sense of connection and community.
COMMUNITY DESIGNING THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS
When decisions are made about housing, our community is never at the table. We are embarking on this reconstruction journey, allowing our community to dream with us and be present and active in the decision making process. Through our collaboration with CASA of Oregon, we are piloting an innovative approach to housing development in the Rogue Valley. The participatory community engagement approach gives people back their power and agency, ownership, and leadership.
-No solutions about us without us-
Coalición Fortaleza team with Talent Business Alliance and Micro Enterprise Services of Oregon.
We know that restoring our Latinx and BIPOC neighborhoods is a priority and we also understand the need for revitalizing our culture and traditional practices are important agents for healing and belonging. Our mission is to bring recovery that will center healing, seed hope for youth, and will give us the strength we need to prepare collectively for the climate challenges that are ahead of us.
El Mercadito has placed us at the frontline of a new cultural movement. It grew from the desire to create safe and authentic spaces for our Latinx and BIPOC communities.
Some highlights from 2022
Celebrating Our Achievements
Some of our proudest accomplishments include that:
In partnership with PeoplesHUB, we led a 6-week Climate Survival Youth Fellowship with 13 fire impacted youth completing the program.
Over the summer we organized five community engagement events for the design process of Talent Mobile Estates and Summit Gardens.
Supported the monthly resource navigation pop-ups for Almeda Fire survivors with other partners.
Our Housing Needs Assessment data and work is being shared with partners, community, and higher education institutions.
With our strong support, CASA of Oregon purchased Talent Mobile Estates which is set to become the first-ever Resident Owned Community in Southern Oregon.
We have created more cultural spaces for our Latinx and BIPOC communities.
We successfully provided the 1st El Mercadito event, a space for the community to embrace culture, food, music, and support local BIPOC vendors.
We have implemented the Individual Development Account program and have begun enrolling clients.
Coalición Fortaleza & CASA of Oregon were awarded the 2022 Golden Key recognition from Housing Oregon for Best New Homeownership Project.
Awarded community champion by Urban League of Portland.
Acknowledgements
With the holiday season upon us, we’d like to extend our gratitude to you for your continued support and engagement.
This is visionary work that our community is setting out to do and it takes the support of our allies and friends to help make it possible. We’d like to give a special thanks to our partners at CASA of Oregon, Rogue Food Unites, Rogue Action Center, Talent Maker City, Talent Business Alliance, Northwest Seasonal Workers Association, Peoples Hub, and Our Family Farms.
We also want to thank our funders, Seeding Justice, Marshik Family Fund, Redtail Fund, Collyer Hitchcock Family Fund, Oregon Community Foundation, The Ford Family Foundation, Oregon Humanities, FEAST Oregon Food Bank, Rogue Valley Relief Fund, CareOregon, and JP Morgan for believing in us and enabling us to grow the organizational capacity of Coalición Fortaleza and working towards seeing out Latinx and indigenous communities of the Rogue Valley thrive.
Happy Holidays, Felices fiestas, Coalición Fortaleza Team
