In 2023, leaders from COPA congregations, schools, and nonprofits spoke with over 400 families, hearing dozens of stories about families that had paid thousands of dollars in unnecessary application fees just to apply to live in an apartment. Sometimes, families learned later that the apartments they had applied for didn’t even exist.

In response, COPA leaders reached out to member institutions, building a powerful constituency across Central California. Leaders at Holy Cross engaged leaders at Temple Beth El and Mujeres en Acción, who in turn reached out to other institutions as the team grew. All in all, 13 institutions joined the process and, together, built a relationship with Assemblywoman Gail Pellerin.

COPA leaders:

• researched the issue with state policy experts and attorneys - worked with Assemblywoman Pellerin to craft new legislation, 
• testified in both the Assembly and State Senate (in 3 different languages!) and 
• overcame vested opposition by crafting a compromise with power groups.

Over the last two years, faith, labor and civic institutions across Louisiana have built the largest network of solar-powered resilience hubs in the world, in partnership with the Industrial Areas Foundation.  With a fresh investment of $500,000, they launched their 17th community lighthouse. 

[Excerpts]

Two more Shreveport churches now have the financial support needed to transform themselves into solar-powered disaster shelters after a Caddo Parish Commission vote. 

The Commission at its Thursday meeting approved using $500,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funding to make Galilee Baptist Church and Willow Chute Baptist Church into "Community Lighthouses," doubling the number of solar-powered neighborhood hubs set to be operating in Shreveport in the coming year...

[Excerpt]

The Trump administration has expanded immigration enforcement to include schools and places of worship, reversing long-standing guidance.

This policy change has prompted...Valley Interfaith Project in Phoenix to take action, educating religious congregations about their rights and protections under the law.

"They've definitely ratcheted up in intensity," said Mike, a board member of the Valley Interfaith Project, referring to the increased urgency felt by the community.

Valley Faith Leaders Collaborate to Safeguard... Immigrants in Places of Worship, ABC 15 Arizona [pdf]

“We were told there will be jobs for the communities, hotels, restaurants, stores — empty promises,” said Darīus Lemelle, a leader with St. Paul United Methodist Church - COPS/Metro.

“That we see leaders continue to allow these developers to take our tax dollars for private investment, I say no more.”

The meetings follow a public call by Bexar County Judge Peter Sakai for more clarity on what the project will cost and how it will be paid for before he could agree to a venue tax election requested by the San Antonio Spurs’ basketball team owners....

[T]own hall attendees... frequently expressed their ire for a proposed new stadium after several said the arena failed to deliver in terms of economic development for the East Side.

Many said they oppose any new taxes to pay for it.

“Our tax money is better spent on what the East Side needs — more green spaces, workforce development and opportunities, and affordable housing and access to healthcare facilities and quality health care,” said Stewart Blanton, also speaking on behalf of COPS/Metro Alliance.

[Excerpts]

Omaha Together One Community (OTOC) leaders conducted more than 100 meetings over the past three years with Nebraska agricultural, health-care, labor, education, hospitality, philanthropic, faith, construction, immigrant, legal, banking, and community leaders to learn more about our workforce needs.

We learned [for example] that an owner of a dairy farm had been awake for almost 48 hours milking his cows because his short-term immigrant staff had to leave Nebraska when their work visas expired. We heard of immigrants with work visas who can come to the U.S. with their families, but their spouses and working-age children are not allowed to work....

According to a recent study funded by the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce Foundation, 'There is universal and widespread business support for immigration reform as a means to address the workforce gap in Nebraska....'

As result of these meetings, a statewide non-partisan alliance has formed. The Nebraska Alliance for Thriving Communities includes leaders from across the state. This 70-member Alliance agrees on a common-sense set of immigration priorities to enrich our communities and address Nebraska’s workforce shortage.

[Excerpt]

In December, more than 1,000 people packed an athletic arena at St. Mary’s University to launch a yearlong celebration of the organization’s 50-year history — and to plan for its future. Sitting with their churches amid the electric energy of a political rally, the crowd cheered as their pastors and lay leaders secured commitments from the city’s political and business leaders to work together on a variety of initiatives.

They are also the leading example of a movement that has revitalized a strategy of community organizing that originally spread throughout the U.S. at the tail end of the Great Depression....Led by Ernesto Cortés Jr., COPS revised [Saul] Alinsky’s tactics to push more deeply into congregations, especially Catholic parishes, developing the organizing skills of their lay members, particularly women, and turning them into community leaders….

His “genius” was seeing “the potential in people that others overlooked, even that they couldn’t see in themselves” and “working patiently with them,” said Joe Rubio, who took over Cortés’ position as West/Southwest Industrial Areas Foundation co-director in 2021….

COPS/Metro is the founding member of the West/Southwest Industrial Areas Foundation, a regional affiliate for the IAF, where Cortés’ model of empowering lay members of congregations has spread to its chapters from California to Nebraska to Louisiana.

[Excerpt]

"More than 1,100 community leaders of COPS/Metro gathered at St. Mary’s University’s Bill Greehey Arena on Sunday afternoon to celebrate the launch of its 50th anniversary celebration, and to chart a path forward for their organizing plans for the coming year to invest in job training, quality schools, better healthcare, gun safety, and protection for immigrants through a parish ID program.

“We believe that investing in buildings is not going to bring about economic development,” Drennan said. “You all, everyone in here, is worth more than any building ever built in the city.”

After Together West Michigan demanded transparency and public benefits from a proposed public investment in the Fulton Market Three Towers project, developers dedicated an additional $20 million toward hiring women, minority, and micro-local contractors, almost double the original commitment.

Over 160 people overflowed from chambers for the Three Towers vote, with Third Ward Commissioner Perdue standing with Together West Michigan.

"I want to acknowledge that [this]... was only possible because of the advocacy that you all provided," said Commissioner Perdue. "There's much, much more work to do...I'm committed to keep fighting with you and look forward to what's next."

Because of the spotlight Together West Michigan put on this development, public scrutiny was introduced into a process that's often been a rubber stamp.

TWM introduced many voices that wouldn't otherwise have been heard and more attention to this development than any previous one in Grand Rapids in recent memory.  Leaders plan to continue the push for more transparency and public benefit to the new City Commission in 2025.

How Would $565 Million in Taxes Help Pay for the "Three Towers" in Grand Rapids?, FOX 17 [pdf]

GR Commission OK's Project That Would Create Downtown's Tallest Building, Channel 8 News [pdf]

GR Commission Advances Three Towers Project, WZZM 13 [pdf]

10 months after Valley Interfaith leaders in Brownsville led a community outcry about the impact of clay dust emanating from a Milwhite industrial plant on the South Padre Highway, the company agreed to cease operations in that location.

In December of 2023, Valley Interfaith leaders told graphic stories about the health impacts of  Milwhite plant operations at an assembly they organized.  In addition to new skin conditions developing among infants and adults, excessive white dust, noise and truck movement was making life intolerable for nearby residents.

"We’re literally breathing in the dust particles,” said Valley Interfaith leader Adhlemy Sanchez.

Valley Interfaith challenged the Mayor of Brownsville to address the situation, and the City of Brownsville responded.  They soon filed a lawsuit, as did the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ).  On October 28, 2024 the City announced the resolution of the lawsuit, in which Milwhite Inc. agreed to stop crushing operations at their plant.

City of Brownsville and Milwhite, Inc. Reach Beneficial Resolution for Residents, City of Brownsville

Video: Valley Interfaith Leader Stories, Rio Grande Guardian 

Valley Interfaith to Hold Town Hall Meeting on Milwhite Relocation, Rio Grande Guardian [pdf]

Brownsville Leaders Sympathetic to Residents Living Next to Milwhite Industrial Plant, Rio Grande Guardian [pdf]

120+ TWM Members Overflow City Commission Meeting & Press Conference: Contribute More or "Show us the Math!"

Together West Michigan members packed the Grand Rapids City Commission Chamber yesterday, calling for equity and transparency in the proposed Three Towers project downtown.  Citizens are being asked to forgo over $565 million in future tax revenue to subsidize developers — receiving just $8.5 million for affordable housing spread over 20 years in return.

“We don’t oppose private development,” said Rev. Lynette Sparks of Westminster Presbyterian Church. “What we DO oppose is this insultingly small contribution to affordable housing. Public dollars demand real public benefit.”

“We keep hearing this project isn't ‘viable’ with a greater contribution,” added Pastor Peter Tewinkle of Oakdale Park Church. “Then show us the math. If it’s true, put it on paper and make it public.”

Despite assurances from the City Clerk’s office, over 40 TWM members were forced to watch the meeting from the lobby on their phones due to lack of space.

The fight isn’t over—TWM will be back when the Commission meets again.