People Organizing to Demand Environmental & Economic Rights

We all have a right to dream, yet our communities are starved for the resources to make our dreams come alive.  On Friday May 15th, over 50 Excelsior residents gathered for a magical evening with PODER to raise consiousness and have a community dialogue about creating great economic futures for young people.  The "Noche de Conciencia" was organized by PODER’s Comité A.M.O.R. (Organizing our Excelsior with Love).  PODER members performed “A Right to a Dream” a poem collectively written by youth, adults, and elders.  The old timers in the group shared stories about their mentors, their big breaks, how they have survived, how things were back in the day, and the lessons they have to pass along to the next generation.  To close out the evening, one by one, members and guests helped to fill a backdrop of our Excelsior neighborhood with flowers full of community solutions and proposals. 

On Tuesday, May 19, 2009, there will be a statewide Special Election in California. The six measures on the ballot are meant to fill the gap of the massive budget deficits that the state is facing.  However,instead of proposing long needed budget reforms, the propositions attempt to fill the gap with measures that will take away much needed services for the most vulnerable, especially our children.  Tell the Governor and legislature not to balance the budget on the backs of poor people and our children! 

Vote “No” on 1A to 1F! Vote on May 19th!

On a warm and beautiful Saturday morning on April 18 in San Francisco's Mission District over 2-dozen new and old friends got together for a rousing and inspirational meeting at Parque Niños Unidos.  Young and older community members shared conversations and ideas about current urban land and environmental health campaigns in the Mission and Excelsior Districts. Folks were also treated to an electrifying presentation by youth organizers busily working on a couple of moving projects: an upcoming neighborhood youth conference on April 25 @ City College/Mission campus; and current surveying and education of local merchants who sell harmful lead-tainted soda and candy products.

Staff member, Laura Malgarejo, received a strong reception as she presented the launch of the new and improved membership program.  The program is a result of nearly two years of planning, evaluation, focus groups and conversations with members and staff on the need for developing authentic leadership within the organization. Members put on their best face as we took pictures of them for personalized membership cards.

It was a great gathering with an amazing group of friends.  Check out some of the pictures and make sure to join us at our New Member Orientation on May 27.

Green jobs could save bad economy
Oscar Grande, Apr 08, 2009

The economic crisis has many in our local community struggling to get by. The impact can be felt throughout the neighborhoods– day laborers without work, teachers with pink slips, and local merchants threatened with closures. The loss of jobs, increase in rents, decrease in public services, and the never-ending mounds of bills are swiftly forcing everyday people into economic tragedy.

Thousands of hard working San Franciscans are struggling to support their families and community. Through all their efforts and despite their determination, many are becoming unemployed or bogged down in low-wage jobs with poor benefits and few opportunities for advancement. As San Francisco’s jobless rate swells to eight percent, with over 36,100 more people unemployed this past January alone, the near future looks dismal with projections of more job losses. These striking figures do not even account for the thousands of underemployed, part-time and informal workers composed largely of immigrants, women, youth, people of color and older adults. Click here for the rest of the article...

SAN FRANCISCO, CA— A broad alliance of community groups and workers centers will testify before Land Use Committee of the Board of Supervisors this Monday March 23 calling for greater transparency and community input in shaping the infusion of federal stimulus dollars slated for San Francisco’s developing green collar economy.

Community groups are echoing the frustration of City Supervisors and others in City Hall, all of who have not been given concrete and comprehensive information about the specific allocations San Francisco has secured from the Federal Stimulus Package, as well as other specific proposals the city has submitted for future allocations.

“The American people and the President have called for the highest level of transparency and accountability in the use of the stimulus funds, but here in San Francisco we haven’t seen any of the Mayor’s concrete proposals or allocations for public approval,” said Oscar Grande from PODER...
 

Click here to read the full press release http://pitch.pe/6827