Conference on Gender, Families,
and Latino Immigration in Oregon

:: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: ::

Marcy Westerling

Director, Rural Organizing Project (ROP)

Marcy Westerling is a leader in organizing, educating, and mobilizing grassroots responses to violence and bigotry in rural communities. In 1992, she developed the Rural Organizing Project. The ROP and Marcy received awards from the Lesbian Community Project, the McKenzie River Gathering Foundation, the Right to Privacy PAC, and the National Association of Social Workers, Oregon Chapter. In 1999 Marcy led the effort to purchase and remodel a small house in Scappoose that is now the ROP's organizational home. Marcy is a frequent speaker and among her recent speaking engagements was the 2000 Commencement address for the University of Oregon. She was raised in a small town in New York, graduated with honors from Smith College, and has lived and organized in Italy, Iowa, Massachusetts and Minnesota.