WESPAC Fall Newsletter

by Nada Khader | Oct 29, 2013 | Blogs, Communities & Focus Areas, Director's Blog, Movement Building

Newsletter, Fall 2013, Full LaMont article-1

A huge thank you to Laura Myerson who worked so hard on the layout, editing and collecting the articles from WESPACers. Thank you, Laura!

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19 hours ago

On behalf of the planning team for the 2025 Lower Hudson Valley Social Forum, I am delighted to invite you to our Sunday, April 27th forum where we will join dozens of community organizations to celebrate our work for collective liberation. We will be listing the organizations involved on our page. In the meantime, please see the flyer attached and our registration link here docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSerKHGar0DHB3q7sLVsWKUy_IjnZk4TvuePJN6hThlojgR8IA/viewform?usp=s... ... See MoreSee Less

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1 day ago

Job Opening!Westchester OrganizerMake the Road New York (MRNY) builds the power of immigrant and working-class communities to achieve dignity and justice through organizing, policy innovation, transformative education, and survival services. Make the Road New York operates community centers in Bushwick, Brooklyn; Jackson Heights, Queens; Port Richmond, Staten Island; Brentwood, Long Island and White Plains, Westchester County. With a membership of 27,000, MRNY tackles the critical issues facing our communities, including workplace justice, tenants’ rights, immigrant rights and civil rights, TGNCIQ justice, public education, health care access, and immigration reform. (TGNCIQ = transgender, gender non-conforming, intersex and queer). MRNY is a newly unionized workplace, currently negotiating its first Collective Bargaining Agreement.MRNY is a multi-service organization. Our member-led organizing committees -- which work on the issues named above -- implement strategies to combat shared problems, and develop leadership and the capacity for civic participation. We also provide an array of high-quality bilingual services: We offer English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), Spanish-language literacy, computer literacy, citizenship preparation, and in-school and after-school youth programs. We have a robust legal program that offers direct representation across a spectrum of practice areas, including employment law, immigration law, housing and benefits, and TGNCIQ civil rights; we also take on impact litigation as a strategy for achieving broad change. Our health program offers facilitated enrollment into health insurance programs and SNAP benefits, a community health worker home visit program, nutrition education and emergency food pantries, health care navigation, and more."Current Opening:The work of the Westchester County Organizer is to build a strong base of community members and leaders in Westchester County. The organizer will also engage members in leadership development and organizing around various issues at the local, state and federal level. In collaboration with the Housing and Environmental Justice Lead Organizer the Westchester County Organizer will support the growth of the base and nurture the leadership of our members to advance local, statewide and federal campaigns. The organizer will conduct outreach in the community to build an organizing committee, identify key issues that community members care about and recruit them to become members of MRNY.Key Responsibilities but not limited to:Build our base for power by engaging low-income New Yorkers who commit to work together on the issues affecting our communities. Move our base to action to advance campaigns that positively impact people’s lives Develop the skills & consciousness of our base to strengthen the roots of our democracy Support and move campaigns that positively affect our members’ lives and build strong alliances to leverage MRNY’s power Create an effective and collaborative work environment that supports innovation and excellence while creating community support Ensure the success of bi-weekly committee meetings (including outreach, creation of and effective facilitation of meeting agendas, logistics coordination, etc.) Ensure the success of monthly leadership team meetings (including but not limited to: outreach, creation and facilitation of agenda, logistics coordination, etc.) Meet organizing outreach, mobilization, and engagement targets set by the organizing team leadership and that correspond with skills and years of experience. Engage community members in organizing efforts around immigration, education, community safety, LGBTQ rights, housing and environmental justice, workplace justice and more Participate in staff meetings, monthly organizing team meetings and community learning hour Support the electoral work of the organization and the affiliated C4 as assignedRequirements:Eligible to work in the US Fluency in Spanish required; bilingual English / Spanish preferred Be fully vaccinated with FDA approved COVID-19 vaccine prior to first day of employment Have at least 2 years of experience of community organizing, labor organizing, and/or have familiarity with current MRNY community issues Proficiency in basic computer programs (Google Suite, Zoom, Salesforce) Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively in multicultural spaces Demonstrated commitment to developing and elevating member leadership Be able to work some evenings and weekends Must have a driver’s license, comfort driving a vehicle that carries up to 7 passengers, and access to a reliable car; willingness to on occasion drive a 15-passenger van; and As needed, be able to travel via public transportation and drive to events, oftentimes driving members, throughout NYC, NYS and to and from Washington DC.Job Competencies:Strong analytical skills and writing skills; Strong content creation skills; Strong teamwork and management skills; Strong time management skills; Strong communication and interpersonal skills; Strong problem solving skills; Ability to adapt to the context and work under pressure High level of accountability and initiative; needs to be a self-starter and eager to do team work to support the organization as a wholeSalary and Benefits:MRNY offers an excellent benefit package including health insurance, 401K, and generous paid vacation, sick, personal days. The salary range for this position is from $50,591 to $77,312.How to Apply:Please attach your resume and cover letter and submit all documents to the Make the Road New York career center.For external applicants, please click here.Make the Road believes that social change is best achieved through grassroots community-based organizing that flows directly from and engages the community demanding the change. As a membership-based organization, we are committed to providing equal employment opportunities regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity, criminal history, or Veteran status. We strongly encourage those from historically excluded groups to apply. ... See MoreSee Less

Make the Road New York | Se Hace Camino Nueva York

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Make the Road New York builds the power of immigrant and working class communities to achieve dignity and justice.

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2 days ago

The Campaign to End Qualified Immunity in New York is kicking off the year with a coalition meeting this Thursday, January 16 at 6pm. Please register here to join: bit.ly/EndQICoalitionCall We will be updating you all on lessons learned from last year, where the bill stands, and all the plans we have for 2025: from local resolutions campaigns to campus outreach and spring advocacy days! We hope you can make it. And if you need a refresher on all things qualified immunity: check out our updated one pager below!In Solidarity,Keli, Katerina, and the EndQI Team ... See MoreSee Less

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2 days ago

The “bad Target” is a consequence of unchecked monopoly powerWithin the same city, multiple locations of the same chain often offer distinct experiences: well-stocked shelves and clean bathrooms vs. longer lines, fewer workers, and laundry detergent locked behind glass. On the latest episode of Building Local Power, Dr. Andrea Cann Chandrasekher shares her research into why this happens and why it matters.By design: The phenomenon of the “bad Target” isn’t random or natural. It’s the result of a discriminatory practice known as consumer redlining, where chains offer a lower quality of experience in poorer, predominantly Black or Latinx neighborhoods than in affluent, White neighborhoods, Chandrasekher explains. Listen to the full episode on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or other Android apps.Cascading effects: The harms of consumer redlining are fueled by retail redlining — when businesses choose not to open stores in low-income and minority neighborhoods — because the lack of nearby competition leaves consumers without better alternatives. Read more about how monopolies systematically exploit structural racism in ILSR’s Power Play report.Go deeper: A recent Federal Trade Commission lawsuit aims to prevent such abuses of monopoly power by restoring “a fundamental principle of fairness to our economy,” ILSR’s Ron Knox writes. Read his article in The Nation. Carter’s solar legacy, Reagan-era setbacks, and a lesson about local resilienceJimmy Carter’s installation of solar panels on the White House in 1979 marked bold federal leadership on renewable energy, ILSR’s David Morris writes. Read his article reflecting on the late president and ILSR’s role in the evolution of solar electricity.Slowing, not stopping: Carter wanted the U.S. to achieve 14% renewable energy by 2000, but in the 1980s, Ronald Reagan removed the White House solar system and relinquished the country’s global lead in solar energy. Still, state and local efforts persisted, and the U.S. finally reached Carter’s goal in 2023.Zoom out: As federal priorities shift with the incoming Trump administration, history shows us that states can continue to make essential progress in challenging monopolies and fostering fairer markets.Join the conversation: Tune in this Wednesday at 3:00 p.m. ET for a lively virtual discussion about how states can advance the antitrust movement, featuring Attorneys General Keith Ellison and Kris Mayes alongside other leading policymakers and advocates. Register here, and then share the details with a friend or two on Bluesky, Twitter, LinkedIn, or Instagram. FOR YOUR JANUARY QUEUE 🎧Next up for broadband: Tune in to the latest episode of Connect This! to hear what ILSR’s Christopher Mitchell and other experts are expecting to see across the broadband landscape in 2025.ICYMI: ILSR Co-Directors John Farrell and Stacy Mitchell joined a special episode of Building Local Power to reflect on the aftermath of the election, the challenges of turning voter frustration into positive change, and the importance of maintaining antitrust momentum in the coming year. ... See MoreSee Less

"The Bad Target": The Rise of Consumer Redlining - Institute for Local Self-Reliance

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UC Davis professor Andrea Cann Chandrasekher shares her research into consumer redlining, the practice of retail chains providing lesser service in poor or BIPOC neighborhoods.

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