To Tackle Racial Justice, Organizing Must Change

Originally published in The Forge, this opinion piece is coauthored by LeeAnn Hall, Libero Della Piana, and Prof. Daniel Martinez HoSang. In his 1998 article “The Last Stop Sign,” the Oakland-based organizer Gary Delgado issued a friendly provocation: organizers must directly take on race and racism. The dominant traditions of community organizing at the time,Continue reading “To Tackle Racial Justice, Organizing Must Change”

Learning in the Streets

Building strength in numbers. Developing grassroots leaders. Raising independent money. Mapping power relationships. These are some of the key ingredients that go into building powerful community organizations that can win transformative change – which is why they’re core elements of the Alliance’s flagship Four-Day Organizer Training. Our training team has been leading the Four-Day programContinue reading “Learning in the Streets”

Indian People’s Action Conducts Youth Training

The Native Organizers Alliance (NOA), a network of grassroots Indian groups, is only as strong as its local affiliates. In Montana, we’re proud to have Indian People’s Action (IPA) in the NOA! IPA has a long history of grassroots organizing in Montana with significant victories over the past two years on voting rights, health care,Continue reading “Indian People’s Action Conducts Youth Training”

Native Organizers: Building a Grassroots Movement in Indian Country

Thirty organizers and activists from across Indian Country came together in Seattle in June for a special training opportunity hosted by the Native Organizers Alliance: the annual intensive four-day Native Organizing Training. Grassroots organizing is both an art and a science. In Indian Country, the art of organizing is reflected in the Native-led action againstContinue reading “Native Organizers: Building a Grassroots Movement in Indian Country”

Caldwell, ID City Council Asked to Move Payday Lenders Out of Sight, Out of Mind

Community and ICAN Push Council to Limit Industry From Preying on the Poor   “With the average payday loan in Idaho carrying an interest rate of 350% and with the average borrower taking out 7 payday loans to pay off the initial loan”, predatory loan businesses continue to swarm into our state.  Last year alone,Continue reading “Caldwell, ID City Council Asked to Move Payday Lenders Out of Sight, Out of Mind”

Delaying the Vote in Immigration Reform Has Not Silenced the Movement

We have the votes. Supporters of immigration reform in the House of Representatives have said it on many occasions, even before the Congressional recess, that the votes exist in the House to pass immigration reform. Delaying the vote seems to be the House opposition’s approach to waiting for the immigration reform movement to divide itself,Continue reading “Delaying the Vote in Immigration Reform Has Not Silenced the Movement”

McGimmick Budgeting No Substitute for Living Wage

Making Ends Meet: Part 2 We’ve certainly seen some sobering statistics regarding low-wage jobs out there. But — lucky us — one of the most profitable companies in the history of the world has kindly stepped up with tips for how its employees can manage their embarrassingly inadequate minimum-wage salaries. McDonald’s recently launched a handy-dandyContinue reading “McGimmick Budgeting No Substitute for Living Wage”

Native Americans Train to Defend Mother Earth

On August 23rd, Alliance affiliate, Indian People’s Action of Montana opened camp for a 3 day Direct Action training camp. Indian People’s Action brought Moccasins On The Ground to Montana. Drawing Native Americans from across the country to defend Mother Earth they trained activists in nonviolent direct action to stop the Keystone Pipeline that the Canadian developer,Continue reading “Native Americans Train to Defend Mother Earth”

MARCHING ONWARD!

Sing a song, full of the faith that the dark past has taught us Sing a song, full of the hope that the present has brought us Facing the rising sum of our new day begun Let us march on till victory is won Excerpts of The Negro National Anthem —by James Weldon Johnson “LiftContinue reading “MARCHING ONWARD!”

“No One Should Live in Fear…” Courts Rule on NYPD “Stop and Frisk”

A simple premise behind every law that gets created: No one should live in fear. The laws we create should support that basic assumption by reducing crime. But when laws have no bearing on crime rates, yet become the very source of fear that people live with, we have crossed the Constitutional boundary, and lawContinue reading ““No One Should Live in Fear…” Courts Rule on NYPD “Stop and Frisk””