Welcome and conversation: Lura Frazey, Marty Hart-Landsberg, Zachariah O’Keeffe, Alexis Gunderson, Kacey Carpenter
Marty Hart-Landsberg, Chair opened the meeting at 4:05 pm.
Writers Corner:
- Kacey Carpenter presented his upcoming book, The Fight We’re In, with organizing discussion about how union writers can fight in this dangerous time.
- Video and discussion video links
Members Meeting
Minutes January 11, 2026: Members reviewed and approved the minutes.
Treasurer’s report
- Lura shared developments discussed at the National Writers Union Delegate Assembly, she has been asked to serve as Interim National Treasurer.
- Lura reported that she has not yet received the financial report from the national office, but committed to get it for the next chapter meeting in her interim role.
Delegate Assembly
- Several Oregon Chapter leaders (Marty, Lura, Bob, Shane) attended the Delegate Assembly held on Saturday and Sunday. The assembly involved significant discussion and strong emotions among delegates regarding the status of the national treasurer.
- Lura shared that the meeting was convened to follow up on Executive Committee recommendations regarding the Treasurer. The proposal would have allowed the Treasurer to remain in the role through the end of the term with additional financial oversight. The Treasurer declined to accept those oversight provisions. The President then withdrew support for the proposal, and the Assembly passed a motion to remove the Treasurer from office and appoint an interim Treasurer. Lura (Oregon Chapter) was appointed to that role. The former Treasurer will continue to receive compensation through the end of the current term.
- The Assembly also considered a resolution requiring repayment of approximately $1,700 in unapproved expenses. The motion passed.
- Another resolution passed establishing stronger financial procedures, including reviewing union accounts and confirming that a recently matured certificate of deposit does not exceed the $250,000 FDIC insurance limit.
- Marty noted that the discussion was difficult and reflected divisions within the membership. Some members supported addressing governance and financial oversight issues, while others raised concerns about fairness and equity. Members also noted ongoing challenges with bylaws clarity, financial oversight, and organizational change as the union grows and adds many new freelance members.
- Alexis described the experience as extremely painful and emotionally intense, with many difficult conversations, tears, and calls for organizational change.
- Zachariah emphasized that leadership must have meaningful oversight, particularly when financial responsibilities are involved.
- Kacey shared that leaders should be held to a high standard of transparency and accountability, especially regarding finances and member trust. He emphasized that accepting feedback is a core leadership skill, and that strong organizations balance empowered leadership with clear processes and transparency.
- Lura thanked the Oregon chapter for their support, noting that this is a particularly busy period for her but she appreciates the chapter’s backing as she steps into the interim national role.
Political Endorsement Process
Kacey introduced a proposal for a simplified political endorsement process. The proposed process includes a short questionnaire with five core questions covering key issues such as:
- Support for unions
- Alignment with progressive policies
- Positions relevant to writers and journalists
Members discussed whether the questionnaire should be simplified further or expanded to request stronger evidence, particularly in questions 2–5.
Kacey will circulate a draft questionnaire to members and request feedback with a short turnaround deadline so the chapter can proceed with two current endorsement requests and be prepared for additional endorsements during the primary election cycle.
Zachariah suggested including ways to gather more specific information related to writers’ concerns, including:
- Education
- Legal protections
- Professional safeguards for journalists and freelance writers
Chapter Branding and Logo
Marty raised the need for a high-resolution Oregon chapter logo to use for press releases and endorsement announcements. While the national union provides a style guide and brand assets, there is currently no Oregon-specific logo.
Action item: Marty will contact the national staff to ask whether they can provide or create an Oregon chapter logo. If not, the chapter may seek a designer to produce one, likely requiring no more than about an hour of professional design work.
The meeting concluded at 5:30 PM.
Next meeting: Sunday, May 10, 2026 at 4pm Pacific