Meeting Minutes from from September 14, 2025

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Meeting Minutes

Date: Sunday, September 14, 2025

Time: 1:00–3:00 p.m.

Location: Hodge Podge Books, Eugene, Oregon

Attendees: Jim Smith (host), Lura Frazey, Zachariah O’Keeffe, Kacey Carpenter

1. Welcome & Venue Appreciation

  • Special thanks to Jim Smith for organizing and hosting the Oregon Chapter’s summer in-person meeting at Hodge Podge Books, a new bookstore and event gathering space near the University of Oregon campus.
  • Members enjoyed the opportunity to browse books and sample food and drinks before and after the meeting.

2. Administrative Updates

  • July Minutes: Previously shared and posted on the chapter website.
  • Financial Report: No changes since the July meeting.

3. National Union Update

  • AFL-CIO Affiliation:
    • The National Writers Union’s temporary affiliation with the AFL-CIO will end this year due to structural issues in establishing a permanent relationship.
    • Historical context: the union previously ended an affiliation with the United Auto Workers (UAW) over concerns related to freelance-union legal challenges.
    • The national body is exploring new partnerships, possibly with a communications or media-focused union, or negotiating a short-term extension.
  • Delegate Assembly:
    • Discussed the upcoming NWU’s fall virtual quarterly DA on Thursday, October 9 from 5-8pm ET. While only delegates and national officers can vote, all members can participate in discussion on resolutions or other agenda items.

4. 2026 Event Planning

  • Campus Outreach:
    • Proposal to host in-person events at three Oregon campuses: Portland State University, University of Oregon (Eugene), and Oregon State University (Corvallis).
    • Goal: build relationships with students, faculty, and local writers to grow membership and awareness.
    • Members will present detailed proposals at the November meeting.
  • Other Locations for Consideration: Bend, Astoria, and other communities.

5. Member Support & Promotion

  • Value of Membership:
    • Lura shared how union legal resources improved her book contract negotiation.
    • Members emphasized the union’s role in fostering solidarity and advocacy for writers.
  • Author Promotion Initiative:
    • Jim presented a two-sided postcard promoting both his book and the Oregon chapter.
    • Proposal: create a similar postcard or digital feature highlighting recently published works by chapter members for distribution at events, bookstores, and through social media/email campaigns.
    • Budget and design options to be discussed at a future meeting.

6. Communications & Social Media

  • National office now provides some staff support for platforms including X/Twitter, Facebook, and Bluesky.
  • The Oregon chapter currently lacks a dedicated social media coordinator.
  • Goal: identify a volunteer or secure grant funding by 2026 for a sustained digital marketing strategy.

7. Community & Solidarity

  • Members reflected on the importance of social solidarity in challenging times and the role the union can play in supporting writers and broader solidarity and justice movements.

8. Next Steps

  • Develop proposals for 2026 campus events (Portland, Eugene, Corvallis).
  • Explore budget and design for the author-promotion postcard or similar outreach tools.
  • Identify potential social media coordinator(s) or grant opportunities.

Adjournment: 3:00 p.m.

Next Meeting: November 9, 2025 (Zoom, details to be announced).