After leaders of OTOC's Immigration Action Team challenged Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer to ensure that immigrants stopped by OPD officers receive fair treatment, OPD issued an official bulletin to all officers informing them that the matricula consular could be accepted as valid identification. (The matricula consular is an identification card issued by consulates verifying the place of residence for foreign nationals.) Photo shows leaders in early encounter with Chief Schmaderer.

OTOC leaders also met with the head of Douglas County Corrections and the regional director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) about ways to reduce the number of immigrants with small children being detained in Douglas County jails while they await deportation hearings. ICE has now implemented a new release program which allows up to 100 persons who would otherwise be detained to return home to their families while they await their hearings.

"A Mid-Iowa Organizing Strategy (AMOS) has successfully gotten a Court Watcher program off the ground in Polk County....Like similar programs around the country, the goal is to witness the criminal justice system in action. The presence of an outsider in a courtroom signals to judges, prosecutors and others that the community cares about how its government is treating citizens when they find themselves in trouble with the law."

30 AMOS leaders "attended the first court watcher training ...in Des Moines earlier this month. Another 30 are scheduled to go through training soon. The Rev. Denny Coon, pastor of Walnut Hills United Methodist Church in Urbandale, said his first experience as an observer was enlightening but somewhat troubling...."

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Institutional leaders of Working Together Jackson began evaluating non-profit land trust models to help transform the Mid-City neighborhood of Jackson, Mississippi. Based on conversations with neighbors and residents, Ms. Brent, President of the Mid-City Neighborhood Association, and Rev. Tucker Sr., pastor of True Vine, identified a number of things they would like to address: abandoned housing, overgrown lots, crime, mentoring for its youth and services for its elderly. But people involved in the effort know that, as Rev. Tucker puts it, "the real work of rebuilding the neighborhood isn't cutting lawns or boarding up houses. The real work is building relationships between its residents."

While the non-profit land trust would take control of abandoned properties for rehabilitation and renovation, leaders of Working Together Jackson plan to continue the work of building relationships between neighbors.

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"School board members have lauded the process that Travis Heights used to garner support for the transformation, which they approved last month. Unlike the district's failed partnership with ... the move to turn Travis Heights into a charter school had the enthusiastic backing of the school's parents and teachers, joined by Austin Interfaith and Education Austin.

'It's a real democratic process that empowers the parents, empowers the teachers, empowers the students,' said Britt Adams, a special education teacher at the school."

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"Austin leaders think they can champion the push for affordable housing once again. Three members of Austin City Council are sponsoring a resolution that calls upon the city manager to explore ways of returning the issue to the ballot….'For our folks who are living on the street, there is not a pathway for them to get into any kind of home,' clergy John Elford said...."

City Leaders Hope to Reintroduce Affordable Housing, YNN

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"Travis Heights Innovation School Project ....is a collaborative proposal developed by the neighborhood, the school itself, employee union Education Austin, and local nonprofit Austin Interfaith. It would still be the same students and same staff on the same campus: However, rather than taking edicts from AISD central administration, the campus would have a governing board with parents, teachers, and a seat each for Education Austin and Austin Interfaith...."

Austin School Board Considers..., Austin American Statesman

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On Dec. 11, the Boulder City Cluster of Nevadans for the Common Good, approximately 30 strong, held its second gathering at St. Andrew."To get anything to change you have to also create some relationships that give you a bigger voice or power in the process" Stoeckig said."

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"A diverse mix of Labor Union representatives, city and county elected officials, faith-based organizations and advocates for fair wages and working conditions came to the Workers Defense Project office Tuesday night...to celebrate a move by the county regarding tax incentives, a move many are hoping the city of Austin will follow.

"We really feel a company that's not willing to pay like $11 an hour isn't a very good candidate for an incentive..." said Bob Batlan with Austin Interfaith."

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