From the Huffington Post:

"Alinsky protégé and 'genius grant' recipient Ernesto Cortés, Jr. cites Catholic social teaching as influential in the development of community organizing, and when the nation's largest denomination holds that Thanksgiving-week special collection of mostly small donations, it will be supporting one element in a broad-based coalition aimed at empowering ordinary folks. As Ernie Cortés notes, 'The only answer to organized money is organized people.' For all the efforts that are furthering that vision, we can truly give thanks."

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At a fundraising gala put together by VOICE-OKC, leaders awarded the former Speaker of the House with the "Lifetime Civic Engagement Award" in recognition of his collaboration on the Justice Reinvestment Initiative, designed to direct taxpayer resources towards programs for supervision and rehabilitation of offenders.

Steel, a conservative Republican, argued to loud applause that "it's immoral for a private business to make money off of people who commit crime...it's wrong for ...governments to make money off people who commit crimes..."

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COPS / Metro Alliance leaders flanked Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff as he announced his instruction to the County Manager to research and craft a plan to raise the County minimum wage from $11.47 per hour to $13 per hour next year, and to $15 per hour within three years.

Two days prior, 325 COPS / Metro Alliance leaders gathered at Sacred Heart Catholic Church to announce their campaign to boost the wage floor for city and county employees from $11.47 per hour to almost $15 / hour. Elvira Adame shared how it angers her to see her daughter earning only $8.50 per hour at a public community college, leaving her "stressed and tired all the time from working so hard." Adame's daughter works full-time without benefits, sick leave or vacation time; to pick up the slack she picked up a second job, but even then is barely getting by.

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At a meeting convened by Together Baton Rouge and the Baton Rouge Food Access Commission, TBR leaders announced a new limited-stop route to run Saturdays from 'food deserts' to grocery stores as a temporary measure to ensure access to healthy food. Asked Tamika Porter, "If there's such a thing as Whole Food, then what am I giving my children? Half food?"

Capital Area Transit System (CATS) CEO committed to providing the new Saturday bus route by June 2015. He also promised to re-evaluate every route to ensure that buses are stopping at at grocery stores where possible.

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According to Rick Nicholson, "Winter is the hardest time to be homeless in Federal Way."

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"The Metropolitan Organization, which celebrated the 30th anniversary of its charter this October, works with the voiceless to help transmute their anger into leadership. In a meeting with the Chronicle editorial board, TMO representatives said that the nonprofit, which organizes church congregations and other institutions across the region, encourages residents to say: "This is the city I want," and then to hold government accountable. Under TMO's stewardship, neighborhoods find their voices, and city government acquires a hearing aid...."

TMO at 30: The Metropolitan Organization's Successes Have Changed the Lives of People, Houston Chronicle

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Hundreds of TMO leaders confronted Houston Police Department officers with stories of relentless auto-theft, campus drug sales and physical assaults in North Houston. When the seated assembly was asked to stand if they had been personally been impacted by crime, more than half the room was on its feet. Councilmember Gonzalez was on hand to respond as well.

Cansados del Crimen Que Azota Al Norte De Houston, Univision 45

According to Gloria Mora of COPS / Metro Alliance, "it is unacceptable that in a city where the unemployment rate is only 4.7%, a full 20 percent of our residents live under the federal poverty line." With that statement, COPS / Metro announced a general assembly to address the need for a San Antonio living wage. In that assembly, leaders aim to confront Bexar County Commissioners and San Antonio mayoral candidates to address financial issues impacting families including wages, wage theft and predatory lending.

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Said Strategy Team member Kayvon Sabourian:

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Over 330 Marin Organizing Committee leaders packed a church gymnasium in San Rafael for a workshop on AB60, signed by Governor Brown last year, which grants valid California drivers' licenses to undocumented immigrants beginning in 2015.

MOC leaders actively supported the legislation last year, meeting with the author Assembly Member Alejo early in the process and securing the support of Assembly Member Marc Levine. Because few free and low-cost resources are available to families that want to apply or study for the written test, MOC leaders have taken matters into their own hands, meeting with DMV officials and preparing their own educational materials.

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