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Workshop Series 5: Strategic Alliances, Building Public Will, and Community Organizing (Friday, March 7, 12:30-2:15pm)
Rural Advocacy for Policy Reform How can rural communities effectively organize for policy change? In this session, rural advocates discuss interracial, interethnic, cross-issue, and rural/urban alliances, and the challenges and benefits of working together. Participants share lessons learned, and provide inspiring examples of how rural advocacy networks have contributed to important policy wins on environmental justice, agricultural workers’ rights, and sprawl. Moderator: Oleta Fitzgerald, Southern Regional Office, Children's Defense Fund Panelists: Gary R. Grant, Founding President, National Black Farmers & Agriculturalists Association; Executive Director, Concerned Citizens of Tillery
Building University-Community Partnerships Universities have extraordinarily valuable resources for local community-based organizations, and effective research and teaching requires genuine community engagement. Putting together authentic and productive partnerships is not easy, but the results can be rewarding. This session examines effective partnerships in the Gulf Coast and around the country and draws useful lessons for such collaborations everywhere. Moderator: Victor Rubin, Vice President for Research, PolicyLink Panelists: Sonya Grant-Pierson, Executive Director, Rebuilding Communities, Inc.
Linking Economic Growth and Social Inclusion: Lessons from Older Industrial America Older industrial cities are suffering economic distress at the same time they’re working to overcome deep-rooted patterns of economic, racial, and social inequities. For economic recovery to be sustainable it must be inclusive—ensuring that disadvantaged groups are brought into the economic mainstream. This session looks at innovative economic development initiatives that integrate two goals: market recovery and social inclusion. Moderator: Gabriella Morris, President, The Prudential Foundation; Vice President, Community Resources, Prudential Financial, Inc. Panelists: Radhika Fox, Associate Director, PolicyLink Sharmain Matlock-Turner, President, Greater Philadelphia Urban Affairs Coalition Stefan Pryor, Deputy Mayor for Economic Development, City of Newark, New Jersey As the green economy becomes a billion dollar business, now is the time to ask: Who will benefit? How can we ensure that the green economy brings good jobs, safer environments, and healthier lifestyles not just to a privileged few but to everyone? Join this important conversation with environmental justice leaders. Moderator: Sharon Alpert, Associate Program Officer, Environmental Program, Surdna Foundation Panelists: Xavier Abraham, Graduate, YouthBuild Boston
America's Gateways and the Possibilities for a Progressive Ports Agenda The nation’s ports have a tremendous impact beyond their host cities. They often drive regional economies, and they’re barometers of national economic health. Learn about comprehensive approaches for directing port involvement in their surroundings. In addition to social responsibility and community economic development, what roles and responsibilities do ports have in terms of labor, workforce development, housing, community benefits, and small business contracting opportunities? Moderator: Martha Matsuoka, Assistant Professor, Department of Urban and Environmental Policy, Occidental College Panelists: Bernida Reagan, Director of Community and Client Relations, Merriwether Williams Insurance Services -- Download Powerpoint Sciences Center, University of Southern California
Environmental Justice Partnerships: Building Healthy and Sustainable Communities A diverse group of environmental justice and health advocates has joined together with researchers to document the issues and advocate for policy solutions. Learn more about what brought these partners together, the challenges and benefits of their collaboration, and successes achieved. Moderator: Scott Darling, III, Environmental, Land Use, and Privacy Counsel, Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Panelists: Robert D. Bullard, Environmental Justice Resource Center, Clark Atlanta University
Advocacy Coalitions: Lessons from the Gulf Coast In recovering from disaster, advocacy takes on an even greater sense of urgency, as entire communities struggle to rebuild their lives and neighborhoods. Ensuring equitable recovery requires groups with different missions and constituencies to unite around shared goals, and to strike a balance between dealing with daily emergencies and working long-term to ensure opportunity for everyone. In this panel, leaders of Gulf Coast advocacy coalitions share strategies, successes, and hard lessons learned. Moderator: Dominique Duval-Diop, Senior Associate, PolicyLink Panelists: Derrick Johnson, State President, Mississippi State Conference, NAACP
Building an Inclusive Regional Equity Movement Establishing strong bonds within an ethnic community has long been considered the cornerstone for building political power and improving social outcomes for residents in many communities of color. But immigration, suburbanization, and increasingly diverse economic profiles are changing the demographics and challenging advocates to reexamine their organizing strategies in low-income communities and communities of color. This panel includes community organizers who are finding new ways to be effective in the new regional economy and applying their skills to community building in the midst of evolving multiethnic neighborhoods. Moderator: Frank J. Omowale Satterwhite, Founder and Senior Advisor, National Community Development Institute Panelists: Lisa Hasegawa, Executive Director, National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development Robin Danner, Founding President and Chief Executive Officer, Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement
Faith in Action: Congregations Advancing Regional Equity The faith community can shape public opinion, influence our vision and values, and change the way we live and act. This panel examines how faith-based organizations are encouraging congregations to work to ensure that everyone has opportunities to participate in the economic mainstream and share in its riches. Come hear voices of faith, and learn how to bring them into the chorus for social change. Moderator: Rev. Don Boutte, Churches Supporting Churches; PolicyLink Consultant in New Orleans Panelists: Drew Astolfi, Staff Director and Organizer, Faith Action for Community Equity (FACE) |
