The Rev. Aaron Klinefelter, rector of St. Jude’s Episcopal Church, and Sharon Rowser, of Foothill Community Presbyterian church, served as co-chairs for the founding convention of Silicon Valley Allied for the Common Good.

[Excerpt]

On the eve of a pivotal national election, nearly 600 leaders and community members from 17 founding organizations–including St. Jude’s Episcopal Church and Santa Maria Urban Ministry, both of the Diocese of El Camino Real–gathered to launch Silicon Valley Allied for the Common Good (SVACG), the first broad-based community organization in the region affiliated with the Industrial Areas Foundation. The event marked a new era of collective commitment to building power and fighting for concrete change in one of America’s most influential—and most unequal—regions.

The convention centered on a shared vision of “common good” in a region known for extreme wealth disparities... 

[Photo Credit: Episcopal News Service]

Silicon Valley Allied for the Common Good Launches, Pledging Community Solidarity Beyond Election Outcomes, Episcopal News Service [pdf]

Silicon Valley Sponsoring Committee leaders led a night walk on April 26th with San Jose Vice-Mayor Rosemary Kamei and local police. The leaders advocated for more lighting, a broader police presence, and a commitment from the city to invest in the neighborhood. During the walk, Vice-mayor Kamei pledged that she and her office will work toward addressing the issues.

Also in attendance were West San Jose neighborhood leader Roberta Witte and HOA Vice President Diane Martino.

[Photo Credit: NBC Bay Area]

San Jose Residents Fed Up With Violence Take City Leaders on Night Tour, NBC Bay Area 

In San Jose and Campbell, Silicon Valley Sponsoring Committee(SVSC) held an action with 255 people after the tragic death of Jacob Villanueva, a 3rd grade student at Castlemont Elementary School.  Beginning with a mass in a San Jose neighborhood, and then a march to St. Lucy's parish in Campbell, the action culminated in an assembly inside the church to which the family belonged. 

SVSC has been organizing for over a year in the Cadillac-Winchester neighborhood to address issues of safety including street lights and basic infrastructure. In the assembly, leaders gained the commitment of current City of San Jose Vice Mayor Chappie Jones and Councilmember-Elect Rosemary Kamei to work on getting stop signs installed around the school and street lights fixed in the neighborhood.

This was the first action with officials in the City of San Jose and SVSC looks forward to an on-going working relationship.

Campbell Readies to Rally for Pedestrian Safety, Patch [pdf]

Neighbors March for Safer Streets, Campbell Union School District [video]