[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 Together we build the good life, but unfortunately our federal immigration laws are decades out of date, which creates instability for families, children, communities, employers – for all of us,” said Bryan Slone, President of the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce &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.”

Concrete Community Benefits are Now Included in Tax-Funded Downtown Project

Thanks to the intervention of COPS/Metro, concrete community benefits are now part of a partially tax-funded Downtown Missions Stadium project, thus creating a fairer deal for San Antonio residents, including those who will be relocated in advance of construction.

“When we look at this experience, we are keenly aware that doors were opened, conference rooms were made available and seats were placed at the table for billionaires, millionaires and developers,” said [COPS/Metro] leader Father Jimmy Drennan, referring to Missions investors, such as Weston Urban co-founder Graham Weston, a one-time billionaire."

COPS/Metro had been in negotiations with elected officials, city council members, city staff, Weston Urban, SAISD officials, institutional leaders, community leaders, and local residents.  COPS/Metro's complete statement and press can be read below:

[Excerpt]

Before Barack Obama brought a spotlight to the term “community organizer,” Gecan had been one for years, guiding communities on how to work with politicians to fix problems. “Going Public” (2012) is his account of putting these principles to work in a New York City neighborhood where a housing crisis had left the area in such decline that it was once described as “the beginning of the end of civilization.”

Local leaders, with Gecan’s counsel, spent years embracing their collective power to fight for the change they wanted, holding civic leaders such as Ed Koch and Rudy Giuliani to account until the community’s goals were achieved with the building of thousands of new homes.

Gecan’s tale of dogged persistence in the face of political bureaucracy offers an inspiring look at what citizens can do to make a difference in a democracy. 

7 Great Political Books, Washington Post  [pdf]

 In July, EPISO/BI leaders in Canutillo scored a major victory for sewer infrastructure, working with county commissioners and El Paso Water to dedicate 2 million dollars in ARPA funds for a sewerage project in Canutillo. Additionally, leaders from Montana Vista worked with their state legislator and EP Water to advance the second phase of their sewerage project this February. Both of these wins were decades in the making. Says EPISO/BI leader Suki Perez, "We've worked for years, knocking on doors in the heat and in the cold to get people organized."

Aprueban Servicios de Agua Potable y Alcantarillado, Telemundo48elpaso

[Excerpt]

...the City of San Antonio in partnership with District 3 Councilwoman Phyllis Viagran and COPS Metro are giving away free gun safety boxes.

People can get the boxes from 9-11 a.m. on Saturday at Southside Lions Senior Center, 3303 Pecan Valley Drive.

In a news conference on Tuesday, San Antonio Police Chief William McManus said the City secured $200,000 to purchase 4,000 gun safety lock boxes to be distributed in the community.

[In photo: COPS/Metro leader Rev. Rob Mueller of Divine Redeemer Presbyterian Church.]

City of San Antonio Set to Give Away Free Gun Safe Boxes This Weekend, KSAT [pdf]

[Excerpt]

City consultants, the energy provider and major industries did not see how they would benefit from this project. Consultants for the city of New Orleans conducted a study in 2018 to determine the viability of community solar projects and an appropriate rate for reimbursement. But their calculations were so low that no one applied, including the Sisters of the Holy Family, who could not envision the low rate of return as financially feasible for them.

So the Sisters of the Holy Family and Together New Orleans met with the local energy provider and members of the city council, "every one of them, all seven," according to Costa, and were finally able to move the city council to vote in October 2023 for a more sustainable rate of reimbursement that would benefit the sisters and their neighbors.

Up until then, according to Bagert, "the program existed on paper, but not a single solar project had been created in New Orleans. We would be a test case. This is the only viable solar project in the South."

[Photo Credit: Kevin Fitzpatrick, Earthbeat]

Holy Family Sisters Plan 22-Acre Community Solar Project in Louisiana, Earthbeat (a project of the National Catholic Reporter)

On this International Worker's Day, Coloradans for the Common Good (CCG) leaders, led by members of Centro de los Trabajadores, and labor allies celebrated a major step forward in the protection of immigrant workers. 

At the urging of CCG and labor allies, Denver City Council unanimously passed an ordinance to extend subpoena power to the Denver Auditor in matters of wage investigations. Companies accused of wage theft may no longer simply pay a small fine and move on when accused.  This power means stronger enforcement of Denver's wage protections and more money for the workers who earned it.

This victory was built on hundreds of conversations with immigrant workers who shared painful stories of wage theft and disrespect in the workplace. 

[Excerpt]

Ortencia Ramirez, a member of OneLA (a local IAF group) started organizing in her parish because “all my life, I saw the struggles in my community,” she says. One day at church, a man who was involved in organizing made an announcement that resonated with Ramirez: “He said, ‘I wanted to make a difference, I just didn’t know how. I knew in my faith that I should be doing more for our community, but I didn’t know where to start.’ ”

Ramirez has been organizing for close to 20 years. “What’s kept me interested after all these years in organizing is the difference that I see that it makes in our community in L.A. County. I see the fruits of our labor,” she says. “The leadership training has helped me listen to people and take their issues on. It’s made me more of a public person because I’m very shy. Without my faith, I wouldn’t be doing community organizing.”....

Community Organizing Is Synodality in Action, US Catholic [pdf]

[Excerpt]

"Catholic social teaching isn't ideological," [Bob] Fleming said. "It says, 'Go out to the people, talk with them, understand them, let them tell you what's going on.' "

....[Sr. Pearl] Ceasar shares Fleming's sentiment about the compatibility of Texas IAF's work and Catholic social teaching. In the 1960s, she studied the documents of the Second Vatican Council, which she said greatly impacted her outlook on the responsibilities of individual Catholics and the Catholic Church.

"Vatican II didn't address the doctrines of the church; it addressed the relationships in the church and who we are to be as Catholics," Ceasar said. "Meaning that we are to be engaged with people, we are to be engaged in the community."

For 50 years, Texas IAF Organizing Group Has Drawn on Catholic Roots, National Catholic Reporter [pdf]