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 “Grassroots Leaders Take On the Insurance Lobby!”
Make the Road New York Wins Pharmaceutical Language Access Fight in NYC
Thanks to compelling stories ((“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)) 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 “Make the Road New York Wins Pharmaceutical Language Access Fight in NYC”
Immigration Reform in Montana
In 2007 millions of people took to the streets to demand comprehensive immigration reform. Despite these strong numbers, we were unsuccessful in getting legislation passed that year. But we did learn one key lesson from this fight: in order to win immigration reform, we need to reach out to non-immigrant communities and educate them about how the system is broken—and what they can do to become allies in this important fight. Montana is a state with a small immigrant population in a sparsely populated space, making it easy for its lawmakers to feel that they don’t need to take a stance on the issue. As a result, residents and citizens fall victim to the barrage of hateful language and misinformation that is so prevalent in the immigration debate.Continue reading “Immigration Reform in Montana”
Marcelas Grows Up in Community Organizing, Finishes What His Mother Started
History loves a hero. The historic health reform legislation signed this year by President Obama received its hero in the form of Marcelas Owens, eleven-year-old Seattleite who, in the weeks leading to the bill’s passage, became the country’s most visible spokesman for reform.
Continue reading “Marcelas Grows Up in Community Organizing, Finishes What His Mother Started”
What Will Health Reform Do For You?
Health reform is now the law of the land, but what does it actually mean for you? When do provisions take effect? To find out, click here.
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.
Continue reading “Coloradans Tell Congress to Listen to People Power, not Corporate Power”
Washington CAN! Demands That Chase Pay Its Fair Share!
On March 15th, 2010, Washington Community Action Network and close to 100 protesters chanted outside of Chase’s headquarters in downtown Seattle, demanding that the company and other big Wall Street banks pay their fair share to help maintain crucial state services.Continue reading “Washington CAN! Demands That Chase Pay Its Fair Share!”
Is Health Care Reform Just For White People?
Northwest Federation of Community Organizations Campaigns for Racial Justice in Health
Although the face of the health care debate was mostly a white one, community organizations and progressive groups across the country, including the Northwest Federation of Community Organizations and the Health Rights Organizing Project, prioritized health equity in their demands for comprehensive health care reform. They went into the fight bolstered by a big win for health justice – the reauthorization of the Children’s Health Insurance Program with the removal of the five-year bar that prevented immigrant children from accessing the program. Their commitment to addressing racial disparities in health was front and center when they joined Health Care for America Now (HCAN), the largest national grassroots campaign fighting for national health care reform.Continue reading “Is Health Care Reform Just For White People?”
Facing Race: a Report Card on Racial Justice
Washingtonians concerned with social justice are keeping a watchful eye on their elected officials.
Washington CAN! and the Northwest Federation of Community Organizations partnered to release Facing Race: 2009 Legislative Report Card on Racial Equity, the first ever report card to collectively and individually grade Washington’s state legislators and governor on their votes that either promoted or obstructed racial justice.Continue reading “Facing Race: a Report Card on Racial Justice”
2009 Job Gap: Searching for Work that Pays
The Job Gap study calculates a basic family budget for different family structures in Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, and Colorado. Based on this “living wage” the study then estimates the number and proportion of job openings that provide a sufficient wage to support and individual or a family’s basic needs without relying on public assistance.