Causa of Oregon was an advocacy group that claimed to support Latino communities within the state of Oregon. The organization regularly donated to the Innovation Law Lab, a legal activist group that opposed the deportation of immigrants. In 2023, Causa of Oregon shut down amid an ongoing dispute with its employees, who were represented by the Communications Workers of America Local 7901 labor union. ¹

Background

Causa of Oregon was founded In 1995 to support Latino communities within the state of Oregon. ¹

By 2022, the group was one of ten organizations listed as a part of Alianza Poder, a coalition of immigrant advocacy groups established in 2003 by the Capaces Leadership Institute. ¹

In 2021, Causa of Oregon co-led the launch of the Oregon Worker Relief Fund, which gave more than $60 million to immigrants in Oregon during the COVID-19 pandemic. ^{2 3}

In 2022, Causa of Oregon donated $31,000 to PCUN, a Latino immigrant worker advocacy group. ⁴

Causa of Oregon contributed frequently to the Innovation Law Lab, a immigration legal advocacy group. In 2022, Causa of Oregon contributed $136,000; in 2021, the organization contributed $264,500; and in 2020, the organization contributed $250,000. ^{4 5 6}

Union Dispute and Dissolution

In January 2020, the board of Causa of Oregon announced that the health benefits of its employees would be cut. In March that same year, the group’s staff unionized and joined the Communications Workers of America Local 7901. ¹

By mid-September, the union began negotiating with the organization’s board on a labor contract. In November 2021, the board issued a letter stating that it had made its final offer even though the union wanted to continue negotiating. Two days later, the union filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board against Causa of Oregon with all negotiations between the board and union ceasing afterwords. ¹

In June 2022, the board of Causa of Oregon voted to dissolve the organization. In a statement, the board claimed the decision was due to “fundraising difficulties and unprecedented turnover among staff and leadership,” ² as well as the labor dispute with Local 7901. The board’s letter further claimed, “union leadership has been unwilling to enter mediation or put a fair contract offer to a vote, focusing instead on a damaging public pressure campaign. Our most recent attempt to finalize a contract has gone without a response from the union for nearly 8 weeks.” ^{2 1}

Local 7901 president A.J. Mendoza responded to the board in a public statement, claiming that the union members never voted on the board’s offer because the union’s bargaining team didn’t approve the offer. Alianza Poder, the pro-immigrant coalition of which Causa of Oregon was a member, stated, “While we had a sense that the situation was difficult, we do not support the decision to dissolve Causa. We hope the staff and board can reconsider, and make the necessary compromises to settle this contract.” ¹

Financials

In its 2023 tax filing, Causa of Oregon reported $3,839 in revenue and spent $2,174,399, leaving the organization with $0 in assets. Causa of Oregon disbursed over $1.3 million to Oregon Workers Relief, over $435,000 to Seeding Justice, over $175,000 to the Meyer Memorial Trust, over $100,000 to the CAPACES Leadership Institute, and $25,000 to PCUN. ⁷

Leadership

According to tax filings, Yesenia Gallardo was the last president of Causa of Oregon; she is listed as the sole officer on the organization’s 2023 tax records. ⁷ Gallardo is a director of Potencia Ventures a venture capital fund. She is also a board member of Latino Founders, the Oregon Growth Board, PAIRIN, and Arbusta. In 2017, Gallardo co-founded Papalotzin, an artisanal mezcal producer. ⁸

1. McIntosh, Don. “Nonprofit Causa of Oregon shuts down amid labor conflict.” Northwest Labor Press. July 1, 2022. Accessed April 3, 2025. https://nwlaborpress.org/2022/07/nonprofit-causa-will-shut-down-this-month/.
2. Lugo, Dianne. “Oregon immigrant civil rights group Causa to dissolve – cites fundraising, union challenges.” Statesman Journal. July 1, 2022. Accessed April 3, 2025. https://www.statesmanjournal.com/story/news/local/2022/07/01/oregon-immigrants-rights-group-causa-is-dissolving/65366240007/.
3. Totoian, Dora. “Additional financial assistance now available to undocumented workers impacted by COVID-19.” Statesman Journal. October 13, 2021. Accessed April 3, 2025. https://www.statesmanjournal.com/story/news/2021/10/13/oregon-worker-relief-fund-offers-financial-help-second-check-undocumented-workers-covid-19-pandemic/8439893002/
4. “Causa of Oregon Form 990.” ProPublica. Accessed April 3, 2025. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/611590160/202342839349302024/full.
5. “Causa of Oregon Form 990.” ProPublica. Accessed April 3, 2025. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/611590160/202213139349305206/full.
6. “Causa of Oregon Form 990.” ProPublica. Accessed April 3, 2025. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/611590160/202143199349322184/full.
7. “Causa of Oregon Form 990.” ProPublica. Accessed April 3, 2025. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/611590160/202423109349302422/full.
8. “Yesenia Gallardo Avila.” LinkedIn. Accessed April 3, 2025. https://www.linkedin.com/in/yesgallardo/.