The Central Valley IAF Sponsoring Committee made a significant stride as over 300 people from across Fresno County gathered for a bilingual community assembly—the largest action that local leaders have organized thus far. 

Conducted in both English and Spanish, the event drew residents, faith leaders, and local officials, reflecting the rich diversity of the area.

Republican and Democratic candidates for federal office committed to advance reforms in immigration, childcare access, and humanitarian parole.  State issues included access to drivers’ licenses and unemployment insurance, and preservation of ballot initiatives. All issues emerged from a conversation campaign of over 150 meetings across the state. 

[Excerpts]

Nearly 400 leaders of Omaha Together One Community (OTOC) member institutions met Sunday (Oct. 20) at St. Pius X Catholic Church with eleven candidates for U.S. Senate, U.S. House of Representatives and State Legislature as OTOC sought commitments to support solutions on key issues important to the membership....

OTOC leaders presented their personal stories illustrating the need for: the creation of pathways to permanency for long-term immigrant Nebraskans; the reauthorization of the Child Care and Development Block Grant program to expand access to childcare; and for the creation of a humanitarian parole program for the Sudanese.  Representative Don Bacon, State Senator Tony Vargas, and Preston Love Jr. unanimously supported all three Federal OTOC initiatives.

OTOC leaders again presented State Legislative candidates with their personal stories illustrating the need for: expanding drivers’ licenses to all Nebraska residents; expanding access to unemployment insurance for all work-authorized Nebraskans; and protecting the role of citizens by preserving the ballot initiative process.... 

[Photo Credit: Cass Opal]

Photo Gallery

In a Tight Presidential Race, Omaha is Basking in its Political Relevance, New York Times [pdf]

Candidates Commit to Pro-Immigrant Causes at Omaha Coalition's Accountability Session, KETV 7 Omaha [pdf]

Nonpartisan Organization Omaha Together One Community Hosts a Candidate Accountability Session, KMTV 3 Omaha [pdf]

OTOC Agenda Gets Unanimous Support at Candidates Accountability Session, OTOC

[Excerpts]

Project QUEST has had the ongoing political and community backing of COPS/Metro Alliance... that helped launch the program in 1992 and worked to ensure that Project QUEST has ongoing financial support. Project QUEST’s strategies can and have been replicated in other communities. The key is considerable, reliable financial support that can be used flexibly to meet community members’ needs.  A few key results are as follows:

• Project QUEST participants earned $54,000 more than the control group during the 14-year follow-up period.
• Project QUEST and the community colleges invested an average of $16,244 (2022 dollars) in each participant over the fourteen years following study enrollment, resulting in a 234 percent return on investment. Moreover, program graduates moved out of poverty and into the middle class, earning close to $60,000, on average, in the final year of the study. 
• Participants ages 35 and older at the time of enrollment experienced the greatest benefit from Project QUEST, earning a remarkable $138,577 more, on average, than their counterparts in the control group over the fourteen years.

Fourteen Year Gains: Project QUEST's Remarkable Impact, Economic Mobility [pdf]

Safer Streets, Youth Programming, Expanded Childcare Funding & Support for New Americans

More than 300 Together West Michigan (TWM) members and neighbors leveraged commitments from candidates for Grand Rapids City Commission and Michigan State House at their 2024 Candidate Accountability Session.

Candidates for the Grand Rapids Third Ward Commission seat and Mayor committed to work with TWM to:

• Implement short and long term traffic calming plans on streets where homes, cars, and residents have been hit repeatedly.
• Convene key stakeholders to develop funding for year-round youth programming in the Third Ward.
• Develop a better affordable housing contribution from the Fulton and Market (Three Towers) downtown development proposal than the current $8.5 million for affordable housing over 20 years.

State House candidates committed to work with TWM to:

• Support increasing the Michigan childcare scholarship (formerly the subsidy) by 11% to pandemic era/ARPA funding levels in the coming year’s budget.
• Create a dedicated child care fund in the Michigan budget and seeking revenue to fill it. 
• Strengthen English language learning and resettlement support for New Americans in Kent County.

Accountability Assembly Video, Together West Michigan

One hundred twenty leaders from 40 Iowan communities converged in Perry, IA for the 'Building Bridges & Organized Communities' seminar, hosted by A Mid-Iowa Organizing Strategy (AMOS).  Led by 12 faith leaders spanning 15 denominations — including Protestant, Catholic, and Evangelical traditions — the gathering was more than a meeting; it was a call to action. The aim? To forge deep, cross-community relationships and build the power necessary to confront the issues weakening Iowa’s families and rural communities.

The day included a hard look at data from Iowa State University's Rural Shrink Smart project, followed by small group house meetings to listen and share stories of the realities facing families across rural, urban, and suburban Iowa communities. 

The energy moved quickly from analysis to action.  In host community Perry, where residents have dealt with a school shooting and meat packing plant closure in the past year, church leaders committed to meet again to grow their power to act in Dallas County. Participants from across the state committed to next steps for organizing together to push back against the forces pressuring their communities.

After Texas legislators passed the anti-immigrant Senate Bill 4, Dallas Area Interfaith (DAI) leaders didn’t lose hope. Instead, they reached out directly to the Dallas Police Department, engaging them in outreach to parishes and neighborhoods. Police Chief Eddie García responded by joining 50+ DAI leaders for two neighborhood walks, knocking on doors in immigrant communities to listen to residents' stories and reassure them of their ability to trust local law enforcement.

At St. Pius X Catholic Church, Chief García joined Bishop Greg Kelly, Gloria Lam, and Fr. Salvador Guzman, who organized the walk. A second walk, hosted by Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, was led by Frays Angel Rios and Pedro Romero.

As Chief García transitions out of law enforcement, the Dallas Morning News highlighted his involvement in efforts like these as "interactions [that] created momentum" in building trust between the police and immigrants.

On Saturday, October 5th, 35 Catholic clergy and lay leaders from 14 Tucson parishes gathered at St. Cyril’s of Alexandria Catholic Church for a Parish Leadership Training on immigration, organized by Pima County Interfaith. This was more than just a meeting—it was a strategic organizing session aimed at confronting one of the most urgent challenges facing their communities: the protection of immigrant families.

Tucson Bishop Edward Weisenburger and Joanna Williams, Executive Director of Kino Border Initiative, anchored the day in Catholic Social Teaching, emphasizing the defense of immigrant rights and human dignity. Their message was unambiguous: protecting immigrant families is both a moral duty and an organizing challenge for parish leaders.  The day also included a critical analysis of Arizona’s Proposition 314, a ballot measure that would give federal immigration enforcement powers to local law enforcement, threatening civil liberties. Arizona Catholic Bishops have strongly opposed the proposition. 

Organizers led hands-on trainings, equipping leaders with practical strategies to build power within parishes and strengthen their organizing capacity.  This effort was part of the West/Southwest IAF’s Recognizing the Stranger initiative, launched in 2017 with support from the Catholic Campaign for Human Development and the Diocese of Tucson.

[Excerpt]

Climate Solution: In the Swelter of Hurricane Blackouts, Some Churches Stay Cool on Clean Power, Washington Post [pdf]

Solar-Powered 'Lighthouses' Stayed Lit for Hurricane Francine.  What Does It Mean for Bigger Storms?, Times-Picayune [pdf]

Solar 'Lighthouse' Project Underwent First Real Test in Hurricane Francine, Louisiana Illuminator [pdf]

Hurricane Francine: After-Action Report, Together New Orleans [pdf]

Diverse rural, urban, agriculture, health care, hospitality, education, construction, business, labor, faith, immigrant & community groups urge action

[Excerpts from Press Release]

“This effort was built upon hundreds of conversations, as well as longstanding relationships across our state and across many different sectors,” said Denise Bowyer, a leader with Omaha Together One Community, a 30-year old organization made up of community and faith institutions. “It has been truly inspiring to see the strong alignment on forward-looking solutions from so many perspectives. There are striking common themes in our communities that illustrate the need for workable solutions that uphold our values and move us forward together.”

“Immigrant Nebraskans have long been part of the fabric of local families, communities, and workplaces. Together we build the good life, but unfortunately our federal immigration laws are decades out of date, which creates instability for families, children, communities, employers – for all of us,” said Bryan Slone, President of the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce & Industry. 

“Now as baby boomers are retiring, we’re seeing workforce strain across sectors and unfilled jobs that impact each and every Nebraska industry, and each and every one of us for the services and infrastructure we need to count on. Trends indicate we’re only at the beginning of this challenge and urgently need positive solutions for Nebraska’s future.”

“The economic, social, and cultural contributions of immigrant community members are vital to Nebraska’s future”, said Lina Traslaviña Stover, Executive Director of Heartland Workers Center, and OTOC Leader. “Immigrants play a key role in supporting Nebraska’s agriculture, manufacturing, and service industries – which are essential to the state’s economy – as well as so many other health care, education, and community roles. Immigrant Nebraskans enrich local communities. Developing systems that provide attainable legal pathways for migration is crucial for ensuring Nebraska’s community and economic well-being.”

After organizing the vote in 2022 to secure the funds necessary to build a new police substation in southeast San Antonio, COPS/Metro leaders at St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church hosted a community feedback meeting and leveraged commitments to address homelessness, mental health services, and neighborhood services.

Public Voice Their Thoughts on New Southside Police Substation Plans, News4SA  [pdf]