"Better wages, improved schools, grocery stores in northern neighborhoods and local tax revenue dedicated to mass transit are among the goals Together Baton Rouge plans to work toward in 2012, leaders of the church and nonprofit coalition announced Tuesday. 'We're here to celebrate the accomplishments of 2011, and they are considerable,' the Rev. Melvin Rushing, pastor of Progressive Baptist Church and Mount Pilgrim Baptist Church, told hundreds of supporters."

Coalition Sets 2012 Goals, The Advocate

In Iowa, AMOS won an additional $100 thousand for Project IOWA; Republican Governor Branstad included the project as a line item in the state budget as demonstration of support. Twenty students were selected and are prepared to begin coursework in early 2012.

Along the Southern border of Texas, one leader's confrontation helped triple The Border Organization's reach into local elementary schools. When a principal failed to split up a kindergarten class that had 32 children, against district policy, her inaction was challenged by a mother after school.

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Leaders piled into City Hall to ask City council members to raise the minimum workers would be paid. Says Garcia,"When we're using public funds we've got to bring in jobs where families can at least afford to eat."

Controversy Surrounds New Jobs Coming to Austin, KVUE-ABC

"When University of Texas researchers studied the long-term benefits of an intensive Austin job training program called Capital IDEA, they found that graduates enjoyed a steady trajectory in earnings and within six years earned salaries that were $12,000 a year higher than participants in ordinary job-placement programs.

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"Eloina Serna wasn't the only one in her family who benefited when she signed up with Capital IDEA.... 90 percent of children who are now 18 or older earned a high school diploma and 64 percent of those children earned a college degree or are currently enrolled...."

Capital IDEA was founded in 1998 by Austin Interfaith, in partnership with Central Texas business leaders, to lift "families out of poverty through workforce training, especially in high-demand occupations such as health care, information technology, utilities and skilled trades." Capital IDEA graduate Eloina Serna poses with son in photo above.

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"More than 150 community activists on Tuesday applauded a state agency's move to sue the owners and overseer of a historic north Baton Rouge cemetery they say has fallen into an embarrassing state of neglect.

The three lawsuits...set the stage for appointment of a receiver to take over managing Gilbert Memorial Park Cemetery, Assistant Attorney General Ryan Seidemann told members of Together Baton Rouge at a luncheon meeting at St. Mary Baptist Church." In photo, leader Roena Wilford shows how graves crisscross.

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In mid-November, more than 400 COPA leaders (from 24 institutions across Monterey and Salinas counties) launched their first-ever "Stand Up and Take Charge" campaign with a goal of organizing 20,000 voters in support of a common agenda of issues including health care, education, affordable housing, economic opportunity, immigration and safety. Leaders see this as a way to engage in public life and cut through the state of divisive, hyper-partisan politics in California. Leaders ratified a year-long plan that includes a regional agenda of issues, a core team of 60 captains, 400 leaders responsible for signing up 50 voters each and accountability sessions with county supervisorial candidate in May and US Congressman Sam Farr in October.

In a November meeting, One LA assembled 678 people from 20 institutions to consolidate organizing and recruitment efforts in the San Fernando Valley and conduct public business around foreclosures, healthcare and education. State, city and school district officials committed to working with leaders to pressure banks to lower loan amounts, pass an Assembly bill that would give state officials the power to regulate increases in health insurance rates, and improve the health of school meal plans while attending to children's tastes.

Communities Gather for Change, Los Angeles Daily News

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"Sometimes the 'least expected' grandmother-type stands face to face with an elected official, not only getting that official's attention, a hearing, but also getting a mayor's personal cellphone number and an important friendship....It is in the power of churches from all areas of the city coming together to speak up, to fight for justice that WTOS obtains credibility among local city, county and state officials in their efforts to speak together..."

Glenda Harbert: Coalition Makes All Our Lives Better, San Angelo Standard Times

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