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Massachusetts State Senate President Commits to Pushing Through Criminal Justice Reforms
As a result of a Feb 2nd action of over 900 people, the Greater Boston Interfaith Organization has been in the news around Criminal Justice, Affordable Housing and Health Care. State Senate President Stanley Rosenberg committed to pushing through GBIO’s platform to reform the criminal justice system, which includes pretrial bail reform, elimination of mandatory minimum sentences for nonviolent drug offenders, elimination of excessive fees and fines after release from prison, and elimination of excessive use of solitary confinement. GBIO is also fighting changes that would threaten expanded Medicaid coverage and the viability of the state’s subsidized health care through the exchange, as well as fighting for an affordable homeownership strategy.
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nORTH CAROLINA
Durham CAN leaders affirm Durham as a City of Inclusion
Over 1,300 Muslims, Latinos, Refugees and allies turned out for a successful public negotiation with Sheriff, Police, City, County and School governments. Both the Sheriff and Chief of Police ratified their commitment not to collaborate with ICE and continue strengthening relationships with immigrants and the general community. Durham Public Schools Superintendent agreed to work with CAN in restricting, as much as possible, immigration enforcement activities within the school district's campuses.
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1,300 pack the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Durham, NC
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DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
UrbanMatters Completes Final Affordable Housing Units at Eden Place
UrbanMatters, an affordable housing development company co-founded by Washington Interfaith Network (WIN), is in the final stages of completing the last five units for Eden Place Phase I, a 29 unit Nehemiah home community in Washington, DC. Eden Place is comprised of 3 and 4 bedroom townhomes sold at affordable rates to first time home buyers, and is the result of a seven year long fight by WIN to get a blighted and abandoned property revitalized.
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Eden Place in Washington, DC
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VIRGINIA
VOICE Trains 100 Muslim Leaders
In the last 3 weeks, VOICE trained 325+ leaders including 125 from eight Northern VA mosques and schools. (As of 2017, one-third of the people who attend VOICE member & discerning member institutions are Muslim, 60,000 Muslims.) VOICE leaders took commitments to “twin” with an institution near them that has a community different than them (politically, racially, ethnically, religiously, etc.).
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Virginia leaders building power
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DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
WIN members fight to make DC a city that works for ALL its residents
WIN leaders packed local community meetings and a board of zoning hearing to support the construction of 3 “short term housing” facilities (a more dignified term than shelter). DC with its high cost of living has some of the highest rates of homelessness in the nation especially for families with children. This brings WIN one step closer to success in a 4-year campaign to close and replace the dilapidated DC General Family Shelter with smaller and safer facilities spread throughout the district.
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Testimony from Mrs. Barnett, a DC General resident
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Maryland
1,200 Strong: PATH Leads Fight for Sanctuary County
Working with members of the County Council, PATH leaders organized a 1,200 person action January 29 in support of a bill that would make Howard County a Sanctuary County. At the action, over 300 people committed to hold house meetings in their communities to understand the challenges facing immigrants today.
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PATH leaders fight for sanctuary status in Howard County, MD
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MARYLAND
AIM Wins Quality, Affordable After School Program for Low-Income Students
240 elementary school students are now drumming, dancing, cooking, playing basketball, doing academics, and getting a hot dinner every day after school thanks to AIM! The Dream Academy Program is modeled after Child First Authority, an after school program created by Metro IAF affiliate BUILD, and organizes parents to be engaged in their school and community, and to win quality after school programming in the lowest income schools in Montgomery County MD.
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Children playing at Dream Academy Program
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DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Solar Energy: Better than Free Solar with Community Purchasing Alliance
Have you heard about the Community Purchasing Alliance? As a Metro IAF affiliate, CPA Co-op is quite literally building power in their work to solarize the DC charter community. Read more about the 7 schools that are already on board by clicking on the press release here. To learn more about what CPA has accomplished over the past year, please check out the Annual Report.
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Learn about the economics behind CPA's solar initiative
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NORTH CAROLINA
Durham CAN Wins Campaign on Affordable Housing on City Owned Lot in Downtown Durham
Durham CAN leaders demanded and won public agreement from the Durham City Council for the construction of affordable housing at a publicly owned lot located next to the Durham Station Transportation Center. At least 80% of the units built in this lot will be affordable to families at 60% AMI or below. City Council Moves Forward with Mix-Income Project.
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Affordable housing victory in Durham, NC
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MARYLAND
AIM Stands for Constitutional and Human Rights, Stakes Claim on 2018 Election
More than 600 people packed the sanctuary of Silver Spring UMC to launch Action in Montgomery’s 2017 Listening Campaign and to stake a claim on the future of Montgomery County. Key issues include affordable housing, quality and affordable afterschool care, and fighting for a just transit system for workers and riders.
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Launch of AIM's 2017 Listening Campaign
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Leadership Spotlight
Baltimore Sun Recognizes BUILD Leaders Rev. Andrew Foster Connors, Rev. Glenna Huber and Bishop Douglas Miles with Honorable Mention
Leaders from Metro IAF's Baltimore affiliate, BUILD, were praised by the Baltimore Sun for their work negotiating the Port Covington deal with Sagamore Development in 2016. Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank asked Baltimore for the largest-ever tax increment financing (TIF) deal to expand Under Armour's headquarter offices down at the waterfront.
The Baltimore Sun lauded BUILD for sitting down with developers "for an extraordinary 10-day negotiation that led to the most expansive community benefits agreement Baltimore has ever seen."
Read the full story here. |
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Other Victories:
- AFFORDABLE HOUSING: Tracking their historical performance, UrbanMatters and Washington Interfaith Network (WIN) have together preserved or improved 2,382 units of housing through the power of organizing in Washington, DC.
- GUN SAFETY: Metro IAF's Do Not Stand Idly By gun safety campaign fights to make the U.S. Secretary of Education compile data on universities and colleges that allow campus carry. This information should be more readily available to current and prospective students. SIGN THE PETITION.
- IMMIGRATION: In New York, over 130 immigrants and other leaders from Manhattan Together attended an immigration law session at St. Cecilia's Holy Agony to learn about their rights and to organize to build power to act on those rights.
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We're Hiring!
Organizer Positions are available with these Metro IAF Affiliate Organizations:
DC-Based Regional Director Position with Metro IAF's cooperative, Community Purchasing Alliance (CPA):
Seeking a full-time Regional Director who shares CPA's vision and has an appetite to grow and deepen the work of our social-purpose cooperative. This position offers a great opportunity to build relationships with top leaders from high-profile DC schools, religious organizations, and nonprofits and help them achieve millions in cost savings. For more info on how to apply, visit the website here.
Please share widely!
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