Author Archives: Gerald Smith

Colorado Progressive Coalition Teams with Members of Congress To Educate Public On New Health Care Law

September 23rd will mark the six-month anniversary of the passage of Health Care Reform. As the anniversary approaches, members and leaders of the Colorado Progressive Coalition (CPC) have been partnering with members of Congress for a series of forums across the state that highlight what the new health care law will mean for Coloradans. Continue reading »

NWFCO Launches The Justice Leadership Academy

Twenty-seven leaders from grassroots organizations in six states came together in Seattle during three very hot days in early July to launch NWFCO’s newest training program, the Justice Leadership Academy (JLA). Continue reading »

Colorado Progressive Coalition Hails Payday Lending Reform Passage

On May 5th, 2010, the Colorado state legislature passed a payday lending reform bill that is a huge victory against predatory lending, and will benefit an estimated 200,000 low-income Coloradans annually. Continue reading »

NWFCO Celebrates New Health Care Law!

I’m signing [this health reform bill] for 11-year-old Marcelas Owens, who’s also here. Marcelas lost his mom to an illness. And she didn’t have insurance and couldn’t afford the care that she needed. So in her memory he has told her story across America so that no other children have to go through what his family has experienced. — President Barack Obama, March 23, 2010 Continue reading »

Grassroots Leaders Take On the Insurance Lobby!

A showdown happened in the streets of Washington D.C. on March 8 between the millions of people across the country tired of money ruling their health and those who would try to bring down health reform. On that day, 25 survivors of health insurance abuse led hundreds of activists from NWFCO affiliates and grassroots groups across the country on a march through the streets of D.C. to shut down the annual convention of the biggest lobbying group opposing health reform, America’s Health Insurance Providers (AHIP). Continue reading »

Make the Road New York Wins Pharmaceutical Language Access Fight in NYC

Thanks to compelling stories1 from members of Make the Road New York (MRNY), strong relationships with decision makers and key community partners, and good old fashioned direct action, chain pharmacies in New York City will now translate the purpose, dosage, and side-effect information for all medications prescribed to limited and non-English speakers. This means that the major pharmacy chains like CVS, Duane Reade, Wal-Mart, Walgreens, CVS, Pathmark, Target and Costco will now provide translation of medicine into Spanish, Chinese, Italian, Russian, French, and, in some places, Polish. Continue reading »

  1. “Bad Medicine: How New York area pharmacies’ failure to provide translation and interpretation service prevents immigrant New Yorkers from receiving quality medical care and stands in clear violation of local, state and federal law,” Make the Road New York and New York Lawyers for the Public Interest, October, 2007, http://www.maketheroad.org/report.php?ID=437 []

Coloradans Tell Congress to Listen to People Power, not Corporate Power

On February 17th, 200 Denver activists turned out on the busy corner of 17th and Lincoln in front of the Wells Fargo building to call on Congress to listen to people, not profits. Colorado Progressive Action, joined by a coalition of community-based organizations, pointed to powerful corporations like Wells Fargo as the prime roadblocks to realizing the promise of change in America.
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