Mission
Upstream Public Health works in partnership with communities to transform public health through community organizing, policy advocacy, education, and developing the next generation of public health leaders.
Our Vision
We envision communities that are equitable, connected and thriving, where everyone is living their healthiest life.
Our Core Values
Liberation: We work for health equity and human liberation by challenging the oppressive and exclusionary systems that impact health such as racism, sexism, ageism, and anti-fat bias.
Relationships: We develop culturally responsive relationships of trust with our partners, communities across Oregon, and those on our staff and board of directors.
Leadership: We bring leading practices to public health and continually lift up new leaders within our organization and our partners.
Empowerment: We partner with those who are most impacted by the social and commercial determinants of health, building their capacity to take control of their health and advocate for change.
Innovation: We thrive on trying new approaches to address challenges in public health. We stay flexible as we continually learn, take action, and reflect on our progress.
Our Strategic Directions
Deepen Community Partnerships and Capacity Building. We will continue to build relationships and create public health partnerships with rural and BIPOC communities, with an expanded emphasis on youth and young leaders.
Communicate the Public Health Story. We will document and communicate our approach to community engagement and organizing, customizing for diverse partners and audiences.
Grow our Advocacy Impact. We will continue our organizing campaigns and lobby days in partnership with communities. In order to strategically align our efforts, we will map the ecosystem of public health-related public policy groups/initiatives and explore opportunities for collaboration.
Enhance Internal Systems. As a growing organization, we will further develop our internal systems and operations, including Board-approved financial policies. In addition to maintaining our remote operations, we will build in opportunities for in person connecting.
Develop Flexible Funding. In addition to pursuing foundation grants that align with our values and goals, we will seek out new revenue sources for operations including earned income, such as fee-based training and technical assistance.