Keyword tag search: communities of color

Native Organizers: Trained in Seattle for a Week and Built Nationwide Solidarity for the Future

group photo native orgz training 4.11.13 (1)Last week, a group of 22 Natives from all over the country came together with a willingness to learn from each other, stand in solidarity with one another, and challenge the systems of inequity that threatens the health and welfare of our elders and youth.

In mid-February, Alliance for a Just Society began to recruit participants for their four day Native Organizer’s training hosted in partnership with the Praxis Project and Communities Creating Healthy Environments initiative. The response was unprecedented! Continue reading »

For Family Unity and a Path to Citizenship– the Time is Now!

 

As I stood on the West Lawn of the Capitol this afternoon listening to Dolores Huerta, an idol of mine, I felt like I was experiencing the making of Fernandohistory. In the midst of her powerful speech I took a moment to observe those around me. I looked around at the thousands of faces surrounding me—a mix of gender, age, and ethnicity but all standing with pride, their eyes filled with an unwavering sense of determination. No longer would they be paralyzed from frustration or fear. Continue reading »

2012 Job Gap Report

2012-Job-Gap-Report_National_FINAL-1“Broken Bootstraps: Falling Behind on Full-Time Work,” is the 14th annual installment of a joint study by Alliance for a Just Society and its affiliates in 7 states.

 

Unemployment rates in all states are still high. A modest $9.00/hr. minimum wage has been mentioned at the federal level. Even that income would leave most low-wage workers needing to utilize public assistance programs. Continue reading »

One Solid Act for Homeowners: Can Obama do it in the First 100 Days?

 

 

 

how-to-rescue-the-economy-in-100-daysIt’s been five and half years since the largest economic collapse in 4 generations, and fiscal policy is still being executed in a way to favor the banks and not regular folks. We’ve subsequently seen a “jobless” recovery from our recession and are now seeing a “houseless” rebound of home market. But why?

It’s clear that the Obama Administration hasn’t done nearly enough to address the housing collapse. The HAMP program wasn’t nearly enough with too many hoops for homeowners and was voluntary for banks to participate. The latest solution put forth to address the 16 million homeowners who are currently underwater on their mortgages, writing down principal to market value, is being derailed by Ed DeMarco. He’s the temporary head of FHFA which oversees Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the largest loan holders in the country.

Writing down principal for folks would have ripple effect through the economy. First, it would stabilize communities by ending the foreclosure crisis, then it would ensure steady revenue streams for municipalities and states, and lastly it would kick start the home market again as those who are locked into paying more than their home is worth could feasibly sell their home if needed.

President Obama needs heed his mandate from the November elections and remove Ed DeMarco in his first 100 days in order to jump start the economy and make good on his campaign promises to get the economy back on its feet.

In fact, with the release of a letter from 45 Representatives in Congress demanding that President Obama name a permanent director of FHFA the White House needs to make this happen within the first 100 days.

 

See the New Bottom Line’s Response to the letter here:

http://www.newbottomline.com/new_bottom_line_applauds_congressional_demand_that_obama_fire_demarco

 

Taking on Predatory Lending in Idaho

Thousands of Idaho residents are strapped for cash. The economic recession has devastated the lives of Idahoans across the state. As the need to make the dollar stretch increase, financial resources from traditional banks decrease.

Payday loan centers have seized an opportunity to profit from the misfortune of those in need.  Predatory lenders have lined the sidewalks of low-income and communities of color with promises of instant cash and no credit checks.  Having no available alternatives, residents are left to turn to payday loan centers for relief; but that relief keeps coming with a cycle of interest rates as high or higher than 520%. Continue reading »

Alaska Natives Rally for Traditional Hunting & Fishing Rights

After days of rain and snow in Anchorage,Alaska, the skies cleared and it warmed to chilly 34 degrees just in time for 400 Natives to rally in a park to call for an end to increasing regulations, enforcement and criminalization of their traditional way of life.

A unique scene in Alaska: 400 Natives taking to the streets with picket signs, unafraid of backlash, no longer willing to compromise on life’s essentials, calling on elected officials to take action and make changes.

Continue reading »

The Value(s) of Medicaid: 47 Years Later

July 30th marked the 47th anniversary of Medicaid and Medicare. It’s hard to imagine that 47 years ago, these critical programs that we have grown to love and rely on, were controversial sticking points that were hotly contested for years prior to being passed through the legislature- similar to the Affordable Care Act; passed only 2 years ago. What is the commonality between these programs? They reach communities that are left behind by the money-driven health care system that has [dominated] our country. We are seeing first hand which members of Congress and Governors will come to bat for these communities when their very lives are at stake. Continue reading »

Rep. Gutierrez delivers amazing speech on the House floor about racial profiling

Rep. Luis Gutierrez, D-Ill., used teen pop stars Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez to argue that the Arizona immigration law allowing officers to check the immigration status of detainees will lead to racial profiling. Continue reading »

When Feeding Your Family Is Illegal

For Native people of the Yukon Flats, feeding your family requires the ability to hunt and fish for their foods. After spending a week in the Flats, assisting the Council of Athabascan Tribal Governments (CATG) on a campaign to secure traditional food and hunting and fishing practices; I would argue that it is the only way to access healthy and affordable foods. Community members are standing up for themselves against a system that is threatening their way of life, their ability to feed themselves and their legal rights guaranteed under the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA). Continue reading »

  • Donate

    graphical text that says donate
  • Stay Connected

  • Social

  • Southside Commons

    Southside Commons logo