This is for the community of people who love and care for Coya Crespin-
a badass community organizer, parent, and friend to many. (especially those impacted by injustice who need an accomplice to take action!)

Maybe you, like me, have experienced a time when she showed up for you in a powerful way - this is our opportunity to show up for Coya!

If you have not yet met her - let me tell you about a working-class hero who I am proud to call a friend.  Coya is active in the struggle for tenants rights and against the evil of gentrification endemic to communities across Oregon in her work on staff at the Community Alliance of Tenants. And as one who fights, Coya remains a joyous spirit, and supports her household a single parent with three kids.  Her home is filled with love and the connectedness of family and ancestors.

Coya's compassion extends further still as she fights for the rights of those who she works alongside! She and her coworkers formed the CAT  Labor Union  (part of CWA Local 7901 ) and Coya was shortly thereafter elected to serve as a member of CLU's Bargaining Committee .  On top of everything she advocates (and continues to advocate) for... she continues courageously alongside her fellow workers facing down union busters , and as always, speaks truth to power.

As her friend and president of her Union, I am saddened to share (with her permission) that early on the morning of December 1st, while in her vehicle but still in the parking lot of her apartment complex, a driver lost control of their pickup while taking a corner too fast. Coya was parked in the spot closest to the street. the truck flew over the curb - impacted the side of her vehicle - hard -  and continued barreling forward until finally crashing into a poll holding a power like (knocking out power to the complex).

The driver of the truck exited their vehicle and ran.

To be clear, Coya is physically safe and  thankfully sustained no severe bodily injuries, and no children were in the vehicle.

However, Coya's car is completely totaled.   Like many working people in 2020... is not  comfortably sitting on tons of extra funds to replace ones means of transportation destroyed in an instant.

No one deserves to have something like this start their day, but the overwhelming injustice of such a freak accident befalling someone who gives so much of themselves at every turn... is why I am asking you, my friends, the community who loves Coya, and the wider community of those who might be moved to offer support to a helper you do not yet personally know, because you sense they are making the communities they are a part of better... to please join me in doing that to today.

“When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’” - Fred Rogers