Personal Impact: Social Security/Medicare
“I have Parkinson’s and I’m reliant upon medicare and social security. I feel helpless. Stress is an enemy for anyone with my disease. To constantly worry about losing these programs has taken a toll on me. My anxiety is through the roof. I would enjoy being able to work. It’s just not possible. I have a Deep Brain Stimulator and it keeps me out of a wheelchair but it also needs maintenance. Without medicare, I couldn’t afford appointments with my neurologist. Many, including myself, will suffer greatly if they carry out the threat of eliminating or significantly gutting certain programs.”
—BC
Why Vaccinations Are Important
“We now have vaccines that prevent over 20 life-threatening diseases, and help people live longer and healthier lives. Some of you are old enough to remember the polio epidemic between 1948 and 1955. My brother had polio, in suffered his entire life from it. Polio vaccinations are one of the great success stories of disease prevention. Some of you might remember the high number of cases of measles, mumps and rubella during your childhood. The serious complications from measles, mumps, and rubella included brain damage, seizures, deafness, blindness, miscarriages, and many others, including death. My oldest daughter has a severe hearing loss due to a mumps infection that my wife, Alice, contracted when she was pregnant with her. Alice was teaching 4th grade at the time, and a student in her classroom had mumps – this was in her 2nd trimester. It was just before there was a recommendation that all women planning a pregnancy should receive the MMR vaccine. There are millions of these stories, and we are so blessed to live in a time when prevention through immunization is possible.
90% of infants who become infected by the Hep B virus will have a lifelong liver infection, which may result in liver cancer, so we encourage Hep B vaccinations for mothers and newborns. The list is too long to go through now, but I have boiled it down to seven reasons for immunizations:
- Vaccinations are safe, and the illnesses are not safe.
- Vaccinations are cheap, and the illnesses are very expensive. Quoting Dr. David Grube, speaking of patients with serious COVID infections: “The average ICU length of stay for a very ill COVID patient is 19 days. The average daily bill for ICU care is $15,000. $15,000 x 19 = $285,000. The cost of vaccination: $0.”
- Hepatitis B and IPV vaccinations protect against cancers.
- Vaccines do not cause the diseases that they are designed to prevent.
- If you catch an infection that could have been prevented, you may give it to a loved one.
- If you convince someone to avoid an important vaccination, and they die from this infection, are you responsible?
- By preventing these infections, we are able to use less antibiotics and antivirals, and this helps prevent the development of drug-resistent strains of these infectious agents.
As you know, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. was recently confirmed by Congress as the US Secretary of Health and Human Services. He went to Samoa in 2019, to promote the idea that the measles vaccinations were unsafe. Samoa had already seen a drop in MMR vacinations, and in RFK’s own words, “we can run a natural experiment to see how people would fare against the disease without protection”. Because of his fame, as the son of Robert Kennedy, people believed him. With a further decline in MMR vaccinations, Samoa immediately saw a sharp rise in measles cases, and during the last 3 months of 2019, they had 5667 cases, and 81 deaths, 79 of whom were children, mostly under the age of 4.
As a nation, it is time for us to “Rise Up” and demand that we have leadership that believes in science and the scientific method. We cannot sit back and wait for a better day. We need to all be part of the solution. Oregon has only one US Representative who voted to approve RFK to his current position: Cliff Bentz, Second District in eastern Oregon.
We need to demand more from our elected representatives! We need to demand that they believe in science and facts!”
—MR, MD
USAID and Refugee Statements
The U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) is the life-saving system to vet, process, resettle, and support refugees fleeing persecution. Established by the Refugee Act of 1980, the USRAP has long enjoyed bipartisan support as a positive contribution to local communities, a key component of American foreign policy, and a humanitarian imperative.
The “Realigning the United States Refugee Admissions Program” executive order abruptly shuts the door on refugees who have waited years, and even decades, for resettlement. Flight cancellations dashed hopes of families reuniting after years of separation, including at-risk Afghans persecuted by the Taliban.
Congress has a vital oversight role to ensure that this important program enshrined in federal law is allowed to serve refugees and the communities that welcome them.
Impacts: Federal Workers
Federal Biologist Impact Statement 4/2/2025:
“I am a federal biologist and an aquatic landscape ecologist. I work to provide the American people with the unbiased information they need to make informed decisions about how their water and wildlife are cared for and managed. The information I and my peers produce answer critical questions for the American people. Questions like… will the creek my cattle or crops depend upon run through the coming drought? Will it sustain the ranch or farm my children take over? If we don’t change the way we manage the river, will my children and grandchildren be able to depend upon the first foods of their people? Will they have access to the same waters and wildlife I value?I love my job… I spent the last six years training for it because I want to know that the work I do serves a greater community, and because I believe in science as a civil service, because I believe it is your right as an American citizen to have access to this information.”
EPA Federal Workers Impact Statement 3/31/2025 printed in WSJ:
“President Nixon created the US Environmental Protection Agency in 1970 in response to decades-long environmental decline. At the time, America’s environment was toxic with waters devoid of life and air that poisoned the lungs of children. Since 1970, it has been EPA’s mission to protect human health and safeguard our natural environment. And for the last 55 years, EPA has made progress towards this mission because of the drive and dedication of tens of thousands of hard working scientists, engineers, medical doctors, support staff, and others who have devoted their lives and careers to serving the public.The Trump administration announced they plan to cut 65% of EPA staff and entirely eliminate EPA’s research arm, the Office of Research and Development, or ORD. ORD is responsible for many of our country’s most important environmental successes, like removing lead from gasoline, preventing acid rain, and understanding the harmful effects of forever chemicals like PFAS on our bodies.
ORD works with all 50 states, Republican and Democrat, as well as tribes, outlying territories, local industry, and local agriculture. The Corvallis and Newport EPA labs in your backyard are part of ORD and may be dissolved. This would result in a loss of 160 jobs in the community and a loss of 27 million dollars annually from the local economy. The ORD labs in Corvallis and Newport work on critical problems for the public, from studying the impact of harmful algae in our lakes to wildfire smoke in our lungs and much, much more. The Trump administration intends to start dissolving ORD in mid-April, so there is still time for you to make your voice heard. Please support EPA and federal workers who have a sworn duty to keep America great – not only for this generation but for all the generations to come.”
Immigrants: “Mis manos” (My Hands)
“Mis Manos”
“No te voy a decir mi nombre, porque hay once millones de nombres esperando ser reconocidos, once millones de nombres que están viviendo en la sombra y en el miedo y aun así salimos todos los días a trabajar, porque no trabajar no es una opción, salgo a poner mis manos a tu servicio.
Hoy voy a hablarte de algo que tú conoces… voy a hablarte de mis manos, mis partidas y callosas manos.
Te ofende mi nombre latino, mi color de piel, mi acento y mi presencia en este país que consideras solo tuyo, pero amas mis manos, necesitas mis manos, estas manos te han acompañado por décadas, pero te niegas a darme un lugar en tu vida.
Mis manos han aplanado el terreno para construir tu casa, he levantado las paredes, le he puesto techo a tu hogar, he cortado la maleza y he diseñado y crecido un jardín bonito, he plantado las flores que riegas con orgullo; con estas manos he podado los árboles y recogido su fruto, el fruto que tu comes y yo no tengo el lujo de probar.
Con estas manos, con mis maltratadas manos he limpiado cada rincón de tu casa, he lavado tu ropa y he puesto todo en su lugar para que tu llegues a descansar.
He cuidado de tus hijos y les he enseñado español y sus caras inocentes me llaman Nana, tus hijos me quieren sin prejuicios, los he dormido y arropado con canciones de cuna.
Con estas manos he preparado tus alimentos en cada restaurante del país, mi sazón te ha acompañado en conversaciones importantes, momentos difíciles y cumpleaños, te he dado lo mejor de mi en cada platillo al que le tomas foto y publicas en tus redes sociales.
Mis manos han limpiado cada ventana de tus rascacielos, trabajamos suspendidos por cuerdas más gruesas que el respeto que nos demuestras, todo para que disfrutes una vista perfecta mientras cierras negocios importantes.
Con estas manos he levantado la economía nacional y hemos enriquecido tu fondo del seguro social., dinero al que nunca tendré acceso porque pago mis impuestos pero no crees que merezco un retiro digno.
Mis manos han cosechado los ingredientes de tu cena del día de gracias y mientras agradeces, me dejas fuera de tus oraciones porque a tus ojos seguimos siendo ilegales y criminales.
Mis manos han crecido el hermoso pino que decoran en navidad para reunirte en familia y para que tus pequeños pongan sus regalitos, estamos en tu vida, alrededor del pino reúnes a tu familia y mis manos están presentes año tras año y te niegas a verme.Con estas manos he apagado las lumbres de tus bosques y he protegido tu casas de las llamas, muchos de nosotros no han regresado, han quedado consumidos entre los árboles.
Mis manos has removido la tierra para darle sepultura a tus seres queridos y te hemos acompañado en silencio, respetando tu dolor. Nosotros hemos perdido a nuestros padres y abuelos, no tuvimos la dicha de honrarlos y darles su última despedida, les lloramos desde aquí porque también me has arrancado ese derecho.
Nuestros hijos están siendo amenazados y acosados por sus compañeros, deberían estar, aprendiendo, concentrados en sus deportes, deberían solo ser niños, pero están sufriendo la angustia de ser separados de sus padres, y no están durmiendo por el terror de que la migra venga a mitad de la noche, les están pidiendo a los padres que no salgan, que no vayan a trabajar. Así lo hizo Jocelyn Rojas Carranza, ella es una víctima del odio y de la poca sensibilidad de esta administración egoísta, grábate su nombre, Jocelyn Rojas Carranza (pausa – silencio).
Nuestros hijos no deberían morir por el odio y el egoísmo de este sistema opresivo.
No te pido que me ames o me aceptes, te pido que te pongas en mis zapatos, no te pido tu compasión, te pido tu empatía, que me reconozcas y me des mi lugar en tu constitución como un residente legal y valioso, visualízame un solo día como si yo fuera tu hija, tu padre, tu madre, tu hermano, siente lo que siento, siente mis manos, mis desnudas manos porque estas manos te han ayudado a construir y fortalecer este país que también amamos!Como dijo Jorge Drexler: “Somos de ningún lado y de todos lados un poco; yo no soy de aquí, pero tu tampoco”
—Paz G., 04/05/2025
My Hands
“I will not tell my name because there are 11 million other names waiting to be told, 11 names that are living in the shadows, in fear, and yet even so, we go to work everyday, because not working is not an option, I go to put mis manos at your service.
Today I will tell you about something you already know…I will tell you about mis manos, my cracked and calloused hands.
My Latino name offends you, the color of my skin, my accent and my presence in this country that you consider only yours, but you love my hands,necesitas mis manos, estas manos that have been with you for decades, but you still deny me a place in your life.
Mis manos have leveled the earth to build your house, I have raised up the walls, I have put a roof on your home, I have trimmed the weeds and I have designed and raised a beautiful garden, I have planted flowers that you water with pride, con estas manos I have trimmed your trees and collected their fruit, fruit that you eat but which I don’t have the luxury of tasting.
Con estas manos, with my mistreated hands I have cleaned every crevice of your house, I have washed your clothes and I have put everything in its place so that you can rest when you get home.
I have cared for your children and taught them Spanish and their innocent faces call me “Nana,” your children love me without prejudice, I have put them to bed and clothed them with lullabies.
Con estas manos I have prepared meals in every restaurant in the country, my flavors have accompanied every important conversation, difficult moments and birthday celebrations, and I have given you the very best of me in each plate that you photograph and post those images to social media.
Mis manos have cleaned every window of your skyscrapers, we work suspended by cables that are thicker than the respect that you show us, all so that you can enjoy a perfect view while you close your important business matters.
Con estas manos I have lifted up the national economy and we have enriched your Social Security account, money which I will never be able to access, even though I pay my taxes but you do not believe that I am worth a dignified retirement.
Mis manos have harvested the ingredients for your Thanksgiving dinner and while you give thanks you leave me out of your prayers because in your eyes we are still illegals and criminals.
Mis manos have raised the beautiful pine tree that you decorate for Christmas, to be in company with your family and so that you can leave gifts for your little ones, we are in your life, you bring your family together around the tree and mis manos están presentes year after year, but you refuse to see me.
Con estas manos I have put out las lumbres in your forests and I have protected your homes from the flames, many of us never returned, they were consumed amongst the trees.
Mis manos han removido la tierra para darle sepultura a tus seres queridos. My hands dug the dirt so that you could bury your loved ones, and we accompanied you in silence, respecting your pain. We have lost our parents and grandparents, and did not have the privilege to honor them and bid them one last farewell. We mourn them from afar because you have ripped away that right.
Our children are being threatened and harassed by their classmates, while they should be learning, concentrating on their athletic activities. They should be able to just be kids, but they are suffering anguish from being separated from their parents, and they don’t sleep because of the terror that ICE will come for their parents. And they plead with their parents to not go out, don’t go to work like Jocelyn Rojas, a victim of a senseless hate crime from this selfish administration. Write her name in your memory, Jocelyn Rojas [pause]. Our children should not die because of hate and the selfishness of this oppressive system.
I don’t ask for you to love me or accept me, I only ask that you put yourself in my shoes, I am not asking for your compassion, I ask that you have empathy for me, that you recognize me and that you give me my rightful place as stated in your Constitution as a legal and valuable resident, Imagine me as if I were your daughter, your father, your mother, your sibling, feel what I feel, feel my hands, mis desnudas manos because these hands have helped you to build and strengthen this country that we also love!As Jorge Drexler said, “We are from nowhere and a little bit from everywhere; I’m not from here, but neither are you.”
—Paz G., 04/05/2025
LGBTIA+
“Today we gather in the spirit of radical resistance—a united force built on the foundations of intersectionality, justice, and fierce love. We stand here not merely to protest hateful policies but to dismantle the oppressive structures that sustain them. We know that Trump’s transphobic, xenophobic, and authoritarian actions are not isolated—they are part of a broader system that targets not only transgender and intersex people but all those on the margins: people of color, immigrants, low-income communities, and anyone who dares challenge the status quo.
For far too long, the federal government has weaponized power to subjugate and erase identities. Trump’s executive orders and ICE deportations, cloaked in the language of “law and order,” serve one purpose only: to strip away the dignity, the rights, and the very existence of those who dare to live outside the oppressive binary of power. By denying trans and intersex people the right to self-define, Trump is attempting to reimpose an outdated, white supremacist, patriarchal order—one that sees difference as deviance and diversity as a threat.
We are not just fighting anti-trans policies—we are resisting all forms of state violence.
The executive orders that decree a return to a rigid binary, the ICE policies that deport people fleeing persecution, and the public denigration of gender-affirming care are attacks on our bodies, our communities, and our futures. They are the same tools used to oppress indigenous peoples, enslave communities of color, and silence labor movements across our nation. They are a manifestation of fascism—a regressive ideology that thrives on division, fear, and the subjugation of difference.
But we refuse to be divided. We refuse to allow our struggles to be pitted against one another. Our liberation is bound together. The fight for transgender and intersex rights is inseparable from the fight against racism, imperialism, capitalism, and patriarchy. Our movement draws strength from the intersections of our identities. We must understand that the pain inflicted on trans bodies is also inflicted on queer bodies, Black bodies, Indigenous bodies, and working-class bodies. When Trump attacks one, he attacks us all.
Here in Corvallis—we can be an epicenter of progressive energy and grassroots resilience—we have a chance to build a radical model of care and solidarity. Our local government must transform from a bureaucratic bystander into an active revolutionary ally. I call upon the city of Corvallis to take these urgent, uncompromising steps:
- Ban Intersex Genital Mutilation: The medical establishment has long collaborated with oppressive regimes by normalizing invasive surgeries on intersex infants—surgery carried out here in Corvallis today without consent, under the guise of “correction.” We must demand that Corvallis pass an ordinance that bans all non-consensual, medically unnecessary surgeries on intersex children. This is not a matter of medical debate; it is a fundamental issue of bodily autonomy and human rights. Our bodies are not canvases for state-sanctioned violence. You can’t espouse solidarity with us while our bodies are mutilated by the state and medical providers.
- Official Recognition of Intersex and Nonbinary Status: It is time to reclaim our narratives. Corvallis must update its legal codes to recognize intersex as a distinct category and ensure that all forms, policies, and services honor the full spectrum of gender identities. In a world that constantly seeks to police our existence, visible recognition is revolutionary. By affirming intersex and nonbinary identities in local law, Corvallis can lead the charge in creating inclusive, intersectional policies that validate all lived experiences.
- Direct Material Support for Trans, Queer, and Migrant Communities: Federal policies have driven trans, queer, and migrant communities into the margins—forcing political refugees and survivors of state violence to seek sanctuary. Groups like the Mid-Willamette Trans Support Network (MWTSN) are lifelines for people fleeing oppression, yet they remain underfunded and overburdened. Corvallis must redirect public resources—grant funds, emergency housing, legal aid—to bolster these grassroots organizations. It is not enough to merely offer symbolic solidarity; we must invest in the survival and flourishing of our communities. This support is revolutionary care—a refusal to let the state’s cruelty dictate who is worthy of protection.
- Unapologetic Solidarity and Intersectional Policy: Our city leaders must speak out against not only federal transphobia but also the myriad forms of oppression that interlock with it: racism, classism, colonialism, and sexism. Corvallis should declare its commitment to an intersectional framework of justice that protects all marginalized communities. This means engaging in direct dialogue with local communities, activists, and scholars—learning from those on the front lines—and crafting policies that ensure safety, dignity, and equality for everyone.
Make no mistake: this is a fight against fascism in all its forms. The attacks we face are not random—they are calculated strategies to consolidate power and maintain a hierarchy built on hate. Trump’s policies are designed to fracture us, to pit one marginalized group against another. But our strength lies in our unity. We reject the notion that our liberation can come at the expense of another. Our struggle is a collective one—a revolution of care and mutual aid.
Today, I call on every resident of Corvallis, every community leader, every scholar, and every frontline activist: it is time to stand together and dismantle these oppressive systems. Let us transform our city into a fortress of radical inclusion and resistance. Let us show the world that we will not be silenced by hate or intimidated by authoritarian power. Our bodies, our identities, and our futures are not negotiable—they are inviolable.
Now is the time for bold action.
We will not allow intersex children to be subjected to irreversible, violent surgeries in the name of conformity. We will not allow our identities to be erased by bureaucratic mandates that serve only the interests of a white supremacist, patriarchal state. And we will not allow our community to be drained of its life-saving resources while political refugees and trans folks face systemic violence.
Corvallis, let us raise our voices and our fists in unity. Let us build a community that stands as a shining example of what resistance looks like—a community where every person is valued, every body is sacred, and every voice is heard. Let us be the radical, intersectional revolution that fights back against fascism in every form.
Together, we are the storm that will wash away hate. Together, we say: Not in our town! Not in our bodies! And not in our future!”—DM
Teacher’s Unions
“[Statement from rep Cindy*]”