Building Unity Between Black and Brown Communities.

by | Mar 24, 2009 | Building Black-Brown Unity, Projects

On Saturday, March 28th, workers, tenants, organizers, parents and children from all walks of life will gather for an all-day city wide forum on racism, immigration and class in the District of Columbia. The all-day forum titled “Facing What Divides Us: building unity between Black and Brown communities,” seeks to create a safe space for people to come together, express their feelings, analyze the divisions between communities of color, and share strategies for finding common ground in the workplace. rnrnFor more than half a century, Washington, DC has served as a magnet for people fleeing economic and national oppression. The 1940s saw tens of thousands of African Americans migrate to D.C. in search of opportunities denied to them in the deep South. Today, a new generation migrants is flowing into to the city, often as a result of destructive US foreign policy. As D.C.’s demographics change, landlords, bosses and even and even policy makers are using “divide and conquer” tactics to pit new immigrants against the children and grandchildren of those who migrated to the city in the 1940s, as a means to divide communities, control labor and undermine workers’ rights.rnrnThe current economic crisis only exacerbates matters. As public services contract and housing programs are shut down, working people are scrambling for an even smaller piece of the pie.rnrnThe forum will take place Saturday March 28, 2009. 9:30am-4:00pm at Foundry Methodist Church, 1500 16th St NW.The training is free and open to the public, you can register at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=22JSS1222HVvulIcgbCXwg_3d_3d rnBreakfst and lunch will be provided. Childcare and interpretation available upon request/ Call...

DC COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS HOLD FORUM ON BUILDING UNITY BETWEEN BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES

by | Mar 24, 2009 | Building Black-Brown Unity, Projects

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:rnMarch 25, 2009rnrnContact:rnAlbert Honegan: 202-739-1357 (DC Language Access Coalition)rnRuth Castel-Branco: 202-489-2273 (DC Jobs with Justice) rnrnDC COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS HOLD FORUM ON BUILDING UNITY BETWEEN BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIESrnrnWHAT: All-Day community forum on building alliances between African-American and immigrant communities in the District.rnWHEN: Saturday March 28, 2009. 9:30am-4:00pm. rnWHERE: Foundry Methodist Church, 1500 16th St NW.rnWHO: Casa de Maryland, DC Jobs with Justice, Fair Budget Coalition, Latino Economic Development Corporation, National Day Laborer Organizing Project, STITCH .rnrnWASHINGTON, DC– “As D.C.’s demographics change and resources for working people contract, we see bosses, landlords and even policy makers using divide and conquer tactics to pit new immigrants against native born workers,” said Ramon Zepeda of DC Jobs With Justice. “Language, ethnicity and nationality have become tools of division, to the benefit of employers.”rnrn“The current economic crisis only exacerbates matters,” said Kristi Matthews of the Fair Budget Coalition and Legal Clinic for the Homeless. “As public services contract and housing programs are shut down, working people are scrambling for an even smaller piece of the pie.”rnrn“This all day training seeks to create a safe forum for workers and tenants to come together, express their feelings, analyze the divisions between communities, and share strategies for finding common ground between Black and Brown communities,” adds Daniel del Pielago, tenant organizer with the Latino Economic Development Corporation.rnrn“The focus is for us to start uniting our communities, despite ethnic and linguistic differences, around daily struggles that all working class folks face in DC,” states Jennifer Deng-Pickett, director of the DC Language Access Coalition. “We need to start working together to develop community strategies that increase...

Neighbor to Neighbor: Building Alliances Across Cultures

by | Jul 18, 2008 | Building Black-Brown Unity, Projects

rnrnFor many years Latinos, African Americans and people of African descent have lived in the same communities, residing in the same apartment buildings, working the same types of jobs and sharing the same struggle! rnrnYet too often our language, nationality and ethnicity is used by those who benefit from divided communities to prevent us from coming together to fight common challenges and bring about positive change for everyone. rnrnIn collaboration with the Latino Economic Development Corporation and Center for Community Change, the DC Jobs with Justice Black & Brown Alliance has developed a series of dialogues to examine the divisions between our communities, analyze the root causes of division and share tools that you can use in your community to build unity.rnrnHELP BUILD UNITY IN OUR CITY!rn1. Join us for a dialogue on August 9th, 1:00pm-4:00pm at the Reeves Center, 2000 14th St NW. Click here to download the flyer.rnrn2. Host a dialogue within your organization. For more information contact rcastel@dclabor.org or...

Student-Worker Dinner Creates Unity at GWU

by | Apr 18, 2007 | Projects, Student Labor Outreach Project

Members of George Washington University’s Progressive Student Union hosted a Worker Appreciation Dinner on April 18th to thank the professors, cleaning and maintenance workers, and food service workers who make their education possible. More than 20 workers attended, including members of UNITE HERE Local 25, who provide food service, SEIU Local 32 BJ, who clean buildings and maintain the grounds, and SEIU Local 500, which represents adjunct faculty. While enjoying the pasta dinner together, guests at the dinner discussed how the university’s attempts to cut corners hurt both workers and students, and strategized about how to engage more students in supporting worker campaigns to improve the quality of jobs and service.rn rnPhoto Credit: Jaclyn Lichter, SEIU Local 500rn...