As the U.S. reflects on 250 years of history, we must ask: What does safety actually mean, and who gets to experience it? www.time.com/article/2026/06/03/what-the-next-250-years-of-american-justice-should-look-like/.

Imagine if every city invested in community violence intervention. We're celebrating the first cohort of Portland State University and POIC's Community Safety Worker certificate program. 

Thank you, Paul Solomon, for encouraging lawmakers to focus on innovative solutions alongside the people most impacted by these issues, ensuring we can improve public safety for all Oregonians.

Thank you Keri Moran-Kuhn, Executive Director, Oregon Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence, for encouraging lawmakers to prioritize funding for services for survivors of domestic and sexual violence and their families.

This Father's Day, we are sharing "Sending Kites," a new monthly column by @themarshallproject.org amplifying the experiences/advice of incarcerated parents and their children across the United States. Read now: www.themarshallproject.org/2026/06/16/prison-life-advice-parenting-fathers-mothers

As the weather warms up, there's no better way to cool down than with Fifty Licks!🍦 We’re so grateful to owner Chad and his team, who have supported our Willamette Week’s Give!Guide campaign for years by providing delicious rewards for donors. Make sure to show them some love and support!

Juneteenth is more than a celebration of delayed emancipation — it is a living reminder of the ongoing fight for Black liberation. While there is still work to be done, we must reflect on the history that shapes us. Join local events: www.oregonblackpioneers.org/2026-juneteenth-events-in-oregon/.

We deserve a system that supports people when they’ve been harmed and a process where those who cause harm face accountability. But, our current system is falling short of these promises. As #OR considers new prison construction, we need a transparent, community-engaged, long-term corrections plan.

Yesterday, our Policy Team organized key leaders to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee about prioritizing a transparent, long-term, community-engaged corrections plan which includes proven interventions to reduce and repair harm while holding people accountable.

SB 581 has demonstrated the power of collaboration b/w the Transforming Justice Coalition and the Oregon Department of Corrections by drastically reducing the number of people on community supervision.

Join the Portland Office of Violence Prevention (OVP) for Wear Orange 2026 on Sunday, June 7, from 12-3:00 PM on SE Mill Street by Lincoln Park and David Douglas High School to honor survivors of gun violence and uplift communities working toward healing and safety. www.portland.gov/community-sa...

Happy Pride Month! With 1 in 6 transgender people and nearly half of Black trans people facing incarceration, these issues aren't separate. Despite ongoing criminalization, our communities resist, build community care, and choose joy.

We're excited to tune into "The Other Side of Gun Violence: Black Men Who Survived and Now Lead" tomorrow, June 2, at 4PM PT. This national webinar centers the voices of Black men who have survived gun violence and are now leading their communities. RSVP: www.mobilize.us/crimesurvivo...

Through the Health Justice Recovery Alliance, we increased funding for overdose prevention and recovery services in every county across the state to ensure that people can access low-barrier care regardless of their zip code. 🔗 Learn more about the work at www.healthjusticerecovery.org/.

What does healing look like to you? Thank you to Joseph for sharing his perspective on healing with us. Joseph represents White Grape Community Services, an organization that specializes in clinical supervision and peer support. 🔗 Learn more about their work: www.whitegrapecommunityservices.com.

What does healing mean to you? We're so grateful to Luna for sharing their perspective on healing. Luna supports youth experiencing sex trafficking or exploitation, which is part of New Avenues for Youth, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the prevention & intervention of youth homelessness.

From honoring Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month and Mental Health Awareness Month to standing alongside workers and immigrants, we’re proud to advocate for a safer #OR. Read now: www.safetyandjustice.org/resource/showing-up-for-each-other-this-may/.

To ensure your ballot is valid, it must be received at any Official Ballot Drop Site or County elections office by 8PM tomorrow. Find an official Ballot Drop Box at https://sos.oregon.gov/voting/Pages/drop-box-locator.aspx. If you mail it, your envelope must be postmarked by Election Day.

We're proud to advocate & defend funding for overdose prevention and recovery services while reducing the state's reliance on incarceration.

We're so excited to be a part of The Pathfinder Network's Community-Building & Resource Fair this Saturday, May 16, from 11 AM to 3 PM at 7305 NE Glisan St, Portland, Oregon 97213. Learn about services for justice-impacted individuals, families, and youth across the Portland Metro.

Kwaneta’s story is why we fight to keep families whole and to replace the trauma of separation with a path toward healing. Read, "For this Mom in Prison, Mother’s Day Is a Blessing and a Curse," by Kwaneta Harris.

The Red Lodge Transition Services' Fundraiser is HAPPENING NOW until 7 pm. Enjoy tacos made by Rep. Tawna Sanchez, listen to the storyteller Ed Edmo, & shop the selection of quilts, artwork, and Mother’s Day gifts! 📍Prince of Life Lutheran Church, 3896 S. Meyers Road, Oregon City, OR 97045.

Join the Red Lodge Spring Celebration tomorrow, Saturday, May 9, to celebrate the power of culture, reentry services, and community care. 📍 Prince of Life Lutheran Church 13896 S. Meyers Road Oregon City, OR 97045

Through collective action, we’re demonstrating what safety looks like: dignity, opportunity, and stability for all. Only together can we push back against threats of violence and fear. We’re grateful to our community partners for organizing a powerful day.

We’re joining PCUN’s A Day Without an Immigrant tomorrow, May 1, at the Oregon State Capitol from 11 AM-5 PM. Let's show what safety looks like in Oregon: dignity for all, and no to fear-driven tactics that try to divide the families who power our state. secure.ngpvan.com/FIFjDUBSqEiX...

Watch highlights of  "Safety and Justice 2026: Legislative Debrief & The Road Ahead." We’re advocating for no new prisons, defeating harmful ballot measures, stabilizing culturally specific healing services, and expanding alternatives to arrest. 

Everyone deserves to live, work, and play in healthy environments. By reducing our reliance on incarceration, we create the space for both our people and the land to heal. Instead of a prison, advocates are fighting for land restoration and health. grist.org/justice/biso...

In 2015, PSJ supported community partners to pass "Ban the Box" legislation, a victory in reducing employment barriers for people w/ criminal records across OR. By removing the obstacles to stability, we reduce recidivism, strengthen families, and lead to safer communities. #SecondChanceMonth

Safety means access to economic opportunities, education, & social services. Check out Latino Network's Youth Education & Job Fair this Sat., April 25 b/w 10 AM – 1 PM at La Plaza Esperanza (16515 SE Oak St., Portland, OR 97233). Learn about resources that help people grow & build better futures.

This Sexual Assault Awareness Month, join Call to Safety's writing workshop in partnership with Shaking the Tree Theatre and acclaimed local author Michelle Ruiz Keil on Wed., April 22, at 6:30 PM. 🔗RSVP: shakingthetree.vbotickets.com/event/call_t...

Join the Urban League of Portland’s 41st Annual Career Connections Job Fair on Tuesday, April 14 from 11AM-3PM at the Crowne Plaza in NE Portland. RSVP: https://ulpdx.ejoinme.org/MyEvents/2026CareerConnectionsJobFairNEW/tabid/1564365/Default.aspx.

In 2023, we worked w/ the Transforming Justice Coalition to pass SB 581, which expanded Oregon’s earned discharge program by allowing eligible people who meet their goals & serve half their sentence to successfully complete supervision early. When the path to success is consistent, everyone wins.

Join our Shannon Wight, deputy director, and Babak Zolfaghari-Azar, senior policy manager, for a strategic briefing on Wednesday, April 15 from 11AM – 12PM PST. Together, we will discuss how to protect community-based solutions and lay the groundwork for a safer Oregon. Register now!

Yesterday, PSJ staff convened an in-person meeting with community partners from the Transforming Justice Coalition to reflect on the legislative session and align on the path forward — grounded in our shared commitment to building safer, more just communities. ✨🪩

This Sexual Assault Awareness Month, join Call to Safety for their 3rd annual End Rape Culture campaign to honor and support survivors of sexual assault. Come together for a call to action on Wednesday, April 1, from 5:30–7:00 PM at the Roundabout at NE Glisan & César Chávez.

PSJ advocates for programs that prevent violence and repair harm. We are pushing for a system that connects survivors to healthcare, mental health support, and stable housing directly, without requiring them to navigate the criminal justice system to get help.

Court testimony reveals that ICE enforcement in Oregon has been driven by arrest quotas. When systems are built around quotas, they prioritize volume over fairness, accuracy, and community well-being. Public safety should never be measured by how many people are arrested.

The Family Preservation Project hosted the annual Day of Empathy. Families gathered to celebrate the Bill of Rights for Children of Incarcerated Parents. This policy made Oregon the 1st state to codify protections for children during their parents’ incarceration. www.streetroots.org/news-stories...

Because the criminal justice system focuses strictly on prosecution and incarceration, it offers survivors very few paths to healing and accountability. Check out the Council on Criminal Justice’s webinar, "From Victim to Defendant: The Rise of Survivor Justice Laws." events.zoom.us/ev/AoHtW8VHU...

With nearly a $1 billion budget deficit, we knew that this was going to a tough year, but with your support, we fought for our values: ⭐ Protecting programs that keep families together ⭐Defending funding for health and recovery services ⭐Advancing protections for immigrant communities Read now:

At PSJ, we are transforming Oregon’s response to harm & violence with innovative solutions that ensure accountability, racial equity, & healing. Last fall, the UMD Violence Reduction Center demonstrated that the most effective solutions come from collaboration between Gen Z and Gen Alpha leaders.

Window Into Solitary at The BLACK Gallery PDX - A photography exhibition sharing the stories of 17 people who survived solitary confinement, revealing the human cost of isolation. March 14 at 5pm. Tickets available👇 www.eventbrite.com/e/window-int...

"Survivors deserve more than dismissed – they deserve pathways that offer acknowledgment, support and real opportunity for repair." - Mindy Johnston, program director of Transformative Justice & Healing for Lutheran Community Services Northwest. www.oregonlive.com/opinion/2026...

Last week, PSJ’s Deputy Director Shannon Wight was an invited panel speaker at the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners meeting. She provided recommendations to ensure the County’s Drug Deflection Program creates pathways to stability, not jail.

Today, Shannon Wight, deputy director, testified on #Multnomah County’s Drug Deflection Program. PSJ shared 3 key recommendations: 🤝 A Deflection Project Manager 🏠 24-Hour Case-Managed Shelters 🌱 Field-Based Support We can build a program that meets our community’s needs without relying on jail.

Join PSJ in urging #Multnomah County Commissioners to support a low-barrier, health-first deflection program. 📣 A strong deflection program should reduce arrests and create low-barrier pathways to #recovery — not impose rigid timelines that push people back into the system. Take action! ⬇️

Since 2021, Tayas Yawks has shown what happens when the state invests in culturally specific and responsive services including: ⭐ Transitional Housing ⭐ Employment & Workforce Development ⭐ Transportation Assistance ⭐ Education Support & Peer Mentorship ⭐ Cultural and Community Restoration

⚠️Funding choices that affect all of us are happening in Salem, Oregon. JREP providers were just at the Capitol urging lawmakers to fund victims programming, violence prevention, and reentry services.

FSAP is facing potential budget cuts. Babak Zolfaghari-Azar, senior policy manager, delivered a clear message to the Joint Ways and Means Committee: Don’t balance the budget by breaking up families. Sustaining FSAP will allow more families to benefit while saving the state money.

Join Partnership for Safety and Justice’s virtual legislative updates and action session this Wednesday, February 18 from 12:00-1:30PM. We’ll share timely updates about what’s happening in the legislature and what you can do to support organizing efforts for healing. us02web.zoom.us/meeting/regi...