Disclosure Issue 193 - News of the Neighborhoods

[colist at comm-org.utoledo.edu]

[ed:  this is one of NTIC's regular maillings.]

From: "Tracy Van Slyke" <Tracy at nationaltraining.org>

DISCLOSURE - THE NEWSPAPER OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS  
- Issue 193, March-April 2003 National People's Action Conference 
1. Operation Neighborhoods First It's that time again. The buses 
are rolling out and the policy- makers and corporate heads are 
ducking for cover. On May 31, 1,000 community leaders from 
around the country will be  traveling to the annual National People's 
Action (NPA) Conference in  Washington, DC for the opportunity to 
bring victories back to their  communities. Whether it's fighting to 
stop rampant foreclosures in their  neighborhoods, campaigning for 
quality education for all students or  creating access to quality jobs 
- everyone at NPA is ready to do battle.  

http://www.disclosure-us.org/disc-april2003/operationneighborhoo 
dsfirst.h tml 2. 15-year-old partnership with Department of Justice 
supports community  organizations Fifteen years ago, community 
groups from all over the country teamed up  with each other and 
the Department of Justice to organize around crime  and drugs. 
Since then, over 95 grassroots organizations have been funded  by 
millions of dollars to create a team of leaders and organizations  
that go after the violence ravaging their neighborhoods. 
http://www.disclosure-us.org/disc-april2003/justicepartnership.h tml 
3. NPA celebrates 25 years of CRA: highlights millions invested 
into communities Over National People's Action is preparing to 
celebrate the 25th  birthday of one of the most important laws for 
low-income people in the  country-The Community Reinvestment 
Act (CRA). Federal Reserve Board Governor Edward Gramlich 
recently estimated that CRA has been responsible for about $117 
billion annually in home, small business, and community 
development lending and investing. The CRA has particular 
significance to NPA because CRA was one of the first victories that 
NPA won. http://www.disclosure-us.org/disc-
april2003/craaniversary.html 4. From the Roots: Three community 
leaders share lessons and hopes for National People's Action The 
three leaders profiled on this page represent the variety of people  
involved in National People's Action. Their long-term commitment 
to  their community organizations and to NPA has helped develop 
their own  leadership skills and strengthen their neighborhoods. 
Each has a unique  story on how they became involved in 
community organizing and their  aspirations for NPA's future. 
http://www.disclosure-us.org/disc-april2003/fromtheroots.html  

Local Victory Stories 5. Farmers and rural residents rally against 
corporate power in agriculture Over 175 family farmers and rural 
citizens from Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Illinois and South Dakota 
gathered in Ames on March 22nd to rally against corporate power 
in agriculture and stand up for family farmers, rural communities 
and the environment. http://www.disclosure-us.org/disc-
april2003/familyfarmers.html Blocks Together celebrates 10 years 
of uniting to win change In a festive display of unity, hundreds of 
people came together in early  April to celebrate 10 years of 
organizing, fighting for, and winning  neighborhood improvements.   
The Blocks Together Ten Year Anniversary  Celebration, traced the 
history of the organization's evolution from a  small block club to a 
powerful community organization uniting thousands  of residents 
from over 200 blocks. http://www.disclosure-us.org/disc-
april2003/btaniversary.html Eastside PRIDE pushes city of Buffalo 
to reorganize spending of federal  money on low-income residents 
For the first time in more than 20 years, low- income residents in  
Buffalo are organizing to challenge the city on the way it spends 
more  than $20 million in federal Community Development Block 
Grant (CDBG)  dollars each year. http://www.disclosure-us.org/disc-
april2003/eastsidecdbg.html 6. SUN's March Madness - organizing 
victories mirror success of hometown basketball team As most 
sports fans between Central New York and Kansas may know,  
Syracuse University won this year's NCAA basketball tournament 
after the  culmination of the nail biting March playoffs. At the same 
time,  Syracuse United Neighbors (SUN) had its own community 
version of "March  Madness." http://www.disclosure-us.org/disc-
april2003/sunmadness.html 7. Immigrants' rights dominating 
Kansas legislative landscape Starting in January, Sunflower 
Community Action's Hispanos Unidos  Chapter set off to work on 
two important bills. In an unprecedented event, a diverse group of 
North Wichita residents  joined together in mid-January to demand 
that city officials address  dangerous traffic problems in their 
neighborhood. http://www.disclosure-us.org/disc-
april2003/kansasimmigrants.htm l 8. Lawndale residents and local 
church pressure Chicago alderman for  vacant lot For nearly 10 
years Blessed Sacrament Church, who runs the youth center,  and 
community members have tried to expand their cramped space 
into a  vacant lot located next door, only to have their plans set 
aside due to  false promises and a lack of action by their Alderman, 
Michael Chandler. Every week over 100 youth travel to the Blessed 
Sacrament Youth Center in Chicago's Lawndale neighborhood after 
school for tutoring and recreation. http://www.disclosure-
us.org/disc-april2003/lnocampaign.html 9. New Jersey Education 
Conference highlights victories and makes recommendations to 
strengthen state's schools Over 200 parents and education 
stakeholders from throughout New Jersey  attended the 
Community Building Support Initiative (CBSI) Statewide  Education 
Committee's " Education Organizing Conference," held March 29  
and March 30. http://www.disclosure-us.org/disc-
april2003/njedconference.html 10. The 1, 2 and 3 in rebuilding a 
community organization Things had gotten pretty sad in Muskegon.  
Michigan Organizing Project's  (MOP) Muskegon chapter had not 
had a major meeting in over three years  when leaders decided it 
was time to get moving again. http://www.disclosure-us.org/disc-
april2003/mopaction.html  

COLUMNS IN THIS ISSUE Strategy from the Streets - By Shel 
Trapp, founder of National Training and Information Center The 
Next Move - By Emira Palacios, National People's Action,  Co-
Chairperson Dynamics of Organizing - By Joe Mariano, executive 
director, National  Training and Information Center For more 
information, go to http://www.disclosure-us.org  

NATIONAL TRAINING AND INFORMATION CENTER The 
National Training and Information Center provides training and 
technical assistance to grassroots organizations around the country 
and publishes Disclosure "The National Newspaper of the 
Neighborhoods."  

For more information on NTIC www.ntic-us.org Contact: 
Tracy Van Slyke 
tracy at ntic-us.org 
312-243-3035 
National Training and Information Center 
810 N. Milwaukee   
Chicago, IL 60622