Following President Donald Trump’s inauguration, the administration has moved quickly to overturn, dismantle and freeze national programs and government agencies. While many of those executive orders and proclamations are being challenged in the courts and by political opposition, the force of the changes over the last few weeks is already being felt at the local level.
In Central Oregon, there have been peaceful protests in support of LGBTQ+ people and immigrants. Last week in a special address, Bend City Council members each gave speeches in support of marginalized groups and strongly reiterated their commitment to Bend as a “welcoming city,” meaning one that is supportive of immigrants and refugees. Online response to the Council’s statements was mixed, with some thanking the councilors for their words and others decrying the support for immigrant communities.
We spoke with local people and organizations like Mecca Bend, Central Oregon Community College, OUT Central Oregon, Bend-La Pine Schools, St. Charles and more to understand how these early changes at the national level around immigration, DEI funding and narrowing of gender definitions are reverberating locally.
A list of initiatives and how they are affecting our local community.
2SLGBTQIA+ Resources:
Oregon Bias Crime Hotline: The Bias Response Hotline helps to understand options, make choices about next steps, and receive support in the aftermath of experiencing or witnessing bias. Connect with trauma-informed hotline advocates who are trained in crisis intervention and can provide bias response advocacy, including assistance in reporting a bias crime to law enforcement. Trauma-informed operators are standing by 9am to 5pm Pacific time, Monday – Friday. Call, Chat, or Report Online. Interpreters in over 240 languages.
Non-Emergency Bias Response Hotline: 1-844-924-BIAS (1-844-924-2427)
Online reporting portal: justice.oregon.gov/crimereporting/hatecrime/
Youthline: YouthLine is a free teen-to-teen crisis support and help line. YouthLine is confidential to a certain extent. They will never share conversations on the lines, but are mandatory reporters. YouthLine may contact other agencies to ensure the best support and safety for the young person in crisis. Teens are available to help daily from 4-10pm PST (adults are available by phone at all other times!).
Call: 877-968-8491
Text: teen2teen to 839863
Website: theyouthline.org
The Trans Lifeline: Trans Lifeline provides trans peer support for our community that’s been divested from police since day one. The Trans Lifeline is run by and for trans people.
Call 866-488-7386 or Text 678678
Website: translifeline.org
Prideville: Prideville is a volunteer-run nonprofit organization focused on increasing support.
Facebook facebook.com/pridevilleusa
Instagram: instagram.com/prideville__oregon
For more local and additional resources, go to genderhive.org/resources
This article appears in The Source Weekly February 20, 2025.
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One thing you don’t see much of any more……..Trump trucks rolling through West Bend terrorizing people. Think they finally figured out that Trump and his billionaire friends do not care about ‘workin’ folk’? Suckers. Musk alone……..just Musk has added $613 BILLION in evaluation to his companies since the election. If a billionaire had contributed $300M to a Biden campaign and all of Biden’s friends made a fortune in just a few months and a non elected official had his hands on the IRS and the treasury department………guessing we would see those trucks rolling through Bend again. Eye roll.
Before Trump’s term is up……..we will have 3 people in this country worth more than 75% of this ENTIRE COUNTRY combined!! Suckers.