Comedy has become essential to survive the bizarre tenure of Trump’s presidency. Comics have riffed on everything from his tendency to misrepresent the truth to his widely unpopular immigration policy… ... Read More
"Who am I? I am just a kid from the south side of Chicago. A weird, long-suffering Cubs fan, who grew up walking picket lines with my mother, who was a public school teacher." ... Read More
As Americans we believe deeply in freedom and fairness. We believe that we should be free to pursue the American dream, no matter your station in life or where you… ... Read More
Toddlers crying after they are torn from their parents' arms. Mothers, sitting in chainmail cages, using foil blankets for warmth. A father who committed suicide after being separated from his… ... Read More
I want to believe in the basic goodness of humans. That we love our family. That we choose kindness. That we lead with open minds and brave hearts and stand up to bullies who pick on those smaller or less powerful than them. ... Read More
[embed]https://youtu.be/Vwi-PRszVo0[/embed] Calling for an end to family detention, FIRM Action and CASA in Action united the voices of people from across the country in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday. What is… ... Read More
Like many Americans, I have always envisioned America as a country of plenty, a country of opportunity. In such a country, there is no reason for anyone to go hungry.… ... Read More
Florida has long been a bastion of conservative politics, but it has not always been this way. Since gaining statehood in 1845, Florida had voted for the most part Democratic.… ... Read More
Wednesday was World Refugee Day. It’s supposed to be a day to bring awareness to the struggles faced by displaced people across the world. A day to reaffirm our commitment… ... Read More
Pulled over for speeding, her fiance did not survive the traffic stop. Amber Bustillos is challenging the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department’s official narrative of Junior Lopez's homicide. ... Read More
Last month, a viral video depicting New York lawyer Aaron Schlossberg’s racist rant against two Spanish speaking employees in a Manhattan deli seems to have left many shocked. Not me… ... Read More
This piece originally published in the Las Vegas Sun. Every election year, the posters and signs go up announcing new candidates vying for political office. Every year, volunteers set out… ... Read More
Last year, I spent an evening with immigrant youth from Homestead, a city and major agricultural area of south Florida. While there, I attended a workshop facilitated by Miami-based interdisciplinary… ... Read More
[embed]https://youtu.be/ZWtd2enpdqs[/embed] Everyone in our community deserves to feel safe. Hear some from students at UNLV as they describe how they feel safe on their campus. Our community is safer when… ... Read More
In some ways, it was harder for me to believe that Barack Obama would get reelected than it was to believe that he was elected the first time. Surely, four… ... Read More
Florida voters will have a critical choice to make in November. For two decades, Florida has had a Republican governor with disastrous results for Floridians. Today, 3.3 million households -… ... Read More
As voters in a democratic country, it is crucial that we make educated decisions about who we put in office and the ballot measures we pass. Researching names is straightforward… ... Read More
Last week was a sorrowful week. We lost two giants of American culture with the deaths of Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain. We learned that suicide has been on the… ... Read More
50 years later, sanitation workers say 'If MLK was living today, he would be ashamed of the way Memphis treats its sanitation workers.' ... Read More
With so much depressing news filling my news feed, I’ve found a glimmer of hope talking to Democratic candidates in the primary elections here in Nevada. As in the rest… ... Read More
There have been at least 23 school shootings in America this year, so far. That’s an average of one school shooting a week. While recent media coverage has focused on… ... Read More
What does a man born into extreme wealth and privilege and a golden political pedigree have in common with a single mom from Montana who is struggling to get by?… ... Read More
Bounce Milwaukee closed on May Day in observance of Voces de la Frontera's "Day Without Immigrants" strike and rally. ... Read More
I still recall the moment that I truly entered the world. It was not the instant when the bullets were fired. It was a few minutes later when I was… ... Read More
Nevada’s primary elections are four short weeks away, and this year sees two Democratic candidates stepping up to the plate. Steve Sisolak, a local businessman and Clark County Commission chairman,… ... Read More
Jen Meccozzi tells her story of going from angry parent to organizer to school board member. ... Read More
Family, friends and supporters of police violence victim Keith Childress, Jr. demand justice for his murder. His mother, Jacqueline Lawrence, lives in Phoenix, Arizona, which makes advocating for her son difficult, but she has started to meet other families impacted by police violence. ... Read More
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WASHINGTON D.C.— The Center for Community Change hosted a partners and leaders convening to discuss strategies and to develop collective actions opposing the harmful cuts proposed in the Farm Bill,… ... Read More
During his campaign, and again and again since becoming president, the Tweeter-in-Chief has brashly portrayed himself as “a populist,” a protector of the working class. His style, his rhetoric, and… ... Read More
This piece was originally published in AndACTION. These past few months, Latinx family pride and Black excellence dominated Hollywood with the blockbuster releases of “Coco” and “Black Panther.” And now,… ... Read More
Las Vegas - The Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) population in the United States is often forgotten about, underrepresented in politics, and often thought of as a minority group that… ... Read More
More than 60 mom, dads, seniors and people with disabilities delivered empty plates to the Washington, D.C. office of Texas House Rep. Mike Conaway, author of the Farm Bill, to… ... Read More
Voting is the most basic and important right an individual has in a democracy. As voters, we elect people to represent our communities and if a majority of voters do… ... Read More
The piece was published originally in the Reno Gazette Journal. Living in the desert, water is always on our minds – how to stay hydrated, how to manage it and… ... Read More
Exactly one month ago, the world watched as Americans took to the streets to march for their lives and demand that legislators enact common sense gun reform. Sparked by youth… ... Read More
A good friend of mine commented on his Facebook page about the now viral video of the “Starbucks arrest incident,” which showed two black men being arrested in a Philadelphia Starbucks… ... Read More
Despite the mainstream media attention excessive-use-of-force cases has received over the last several years, family and community voices are not uplifted and often overlooked, while the police department’s story is always the official narrative in a fatality involving themselves. Residuum is a vignette series highlighting the aftermath of police killings through the experiences of the victims’ families. ... Read More
In the Trump era, efforts to curtail the aggressive criminalization of immigrant communities have largely focused on the fight over sanctuary cities. Sanctuary cities are localities that welcome immigrants and… ... Read More
[embed]https://youtu.be/MjKFrms9zD4[/embed] As we are memorializing the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. this week during the 50th anniversary of his assassination, we are reminded that the Center for Community… ... Read More
This week marks the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King. And it is making me even more reflective of what it means to be black at… ... Read More
Photo credit: Ted Eytan, Flickr Creative Commons The citizens of Austin were terrorized by a series of bombings that left two people dead, and injuring others. The suspect ultimately blew… ... Read More
This piece originally published in the Memphis Commercial Appeal. When President Lyndon B. Johnson launched the War on Poverty in 1964, his audacious goal was to end poverty in the… ... Read More
Yvanna Cancela talks about her run for State Senate By Nadia Eldemerdash In some ways, it was serendipity that brought 30-year-old Yvanna Cancela to the Nevada State Senate in 2016.… ... Read More
The Resistance is older than the United States. It is older than hashtags, livestreams, and Facebook invitations. The Resistance began the moment colonizers stepped off their boats and claimed North… ... Read More
In the aftermath of the Parkland shooting, the focus of lawmakers has largely shifted from finding a solution for the thousands of Dreamers who have been left under threat of… ... Read More
After 17 children were shot dead at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, is the answer to preventing gun violence in America arming teachers? Across the country, we have seen rhetoric… ... Read More
This November, Michigan has a critical choice to make for the future of families struggling to get by. Attacks on immigrants, a lack of good paying jobs and the exploding… ... Read More
[embed]https://youtu.be/WTmDauVqYEA[/embed] Our country’s modern history of immigration is built on white men’s attempts to create a whiter nation. Donald Trump’s efforts to tear at family reunification in the name of… ... Read More
Several weeks ago, a gentleman came to a Progressive Leadership Alliance Nevada (PLAN) meeting and asked for help restoring his right to vote. After 12 years, he was now eligible,… ... Read More
trigger warning: death, gun violence This year, February 14th fell on both Valentine’s Day and Ash Wednesday. The scene here in Las Vegas showed people in the streets with ashes… ... Read More
This letter to the editor originally published in the Las Vegas Sun. This year, Feb. 14 was both Valentine’s Day and Ash Wednesday. There were people in Las Vegas with… ... Read More
I am a community organizer in West Virginia. At the end of 2017, I traveled for a week with friends and colleagues through Appalachia and the Rust Belt, seeking lessons… ... Read More
Six months ago, President Trump broke a commitment when he ended DACA, a program supported by a majority of Americans and which gives 800,000 young people a chance to achieve… ... Read More
The aftermath of the 2016 Election was an opportunity for lawmakers to take aim at the safety net programs in the United States, putting profits over people. ... Read More
I fear Nevada – and our entire country – is treading on its racist history. Our president’s mantra is to “make America great again.” Many of us interpret this campaign slogan as a desire to return to the past, a time when White men ruled and White supremacists terrorized people of color. ... Read More
This year marks the sixth year since the death of Trayvon Martin, and I do not want us to forget. Six years and we find ourselves living in an America with a president who has been endorsed by white nationalists and a country more divided than ever. ... Read More
It is easy to pick on craven politicians who evade questions, speak in platitudes, and offer no actual policy commitments. Yet our society needs to deeply reflect on whether the answer to these mass shootings is really the further militarization of our society. ... Read More
It was less than a year ago that I moved to Oakland, California – home of the Black Panther Party. I remember being so excited after years of emulating the… ... Read More
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kN-c7-QEeaM&feature=youtu.be[/embed] The Center for Community Change turns 50 this year! Staff and extended family of CCC have special birthday messages for the organization that faces a major milestone in transformational… ... Read More
There is a line in the opening scene of Goethe’s play Faust that reads, “A man sees in the world what he carries in his heart.” It is a sentiment… ... Read More
Since the release of the 2019 Trump budget, a great deal of attention has focused on its proposal to eliminate half of families’ food assistance benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition… ... Read More
“I love this shit.” That’s what White County, Tenn. Sheriff Oddie Shoupe said after ordering one of his deputies to open fire on Michael Dial, a man who was attempting… ... Read More
I was standing in line at a Georgetown movie theater this weekend when a woman asked if there was an African celebration taking place. She glanced at my orange tiger-striped… ... Read More
It is my belief that for black Americans, and other people of color in America, dealing with racism is unavoidable. It is built into the economic structure. It is sewn… ... Read More
Back in late 2016, a grassroots coalition of volunteers accomplished a remarkable feat. More than 68,314 petition signatures were collected in Florida, triggering a Supreme Court review on a ballot… ... Read More
After the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, advertisements for "Jap Hunting Licenses" hung in store windows. Life Magazine ran the article, “How to tell your friends from the Japs.”… ... Read More
The Center for Community Change, in its work with the Fair Immigration Reform Movement (FIRM), has been standing steadfast against attacks against our family and friends. Even in the face of Trump’s non-stop barrage of hateful immigration policies, FIRM and its members did not hide in the shadows. FIRM members showed up countless times this year at rallies, at Congressional offices, held hunger strikes and never let their voices be silenced. And we are determined to continue to push forward in the year ahead. ... Read More
The Greyhound bus company is currently in the midst of a public relations disaster due to a series of videos which were released on the internet by the organization I… ... Read More
Early this year, Oprah Winfrey became the first black woman to receive the Golden Globes’ annual Cecil B. DeMille award for lifetime achievement. In a rousing speech accepting the honor,… ... Read More
Dreamers are the nearly 800,000 people whose immigration and work statuses are protected by DACA. ... Read More
At the center of our stories is change. Some change, we decide for ourselves ... ... Read More
After a 17-year journey, my parents will no longer be undocumented. This was no easy feat to accomplish, I lived 11 of those years without papers along with them, and… ... Read More
30 young leaders came together at The Latin Grammys to spotlight the urgent need for the Dream Act. ... Read More
Let’s put families first – with the voices of parents, child care givers, and organizers, we will strengthen the power of our communities, and give the most vulnerable members of our society a chance to thrive. ... Read More
Call 1-866-575-9410 to tell Speaker Paul Ryan to stand with immigrants and pass DREAM Act legislation that provides a permanent solution for dreamers without adding money to Trump’s deportation force. ... Read More
Last year, I became a United States citizen and a registered voter after living as an undocumented immigrant in this country for more than a decade. I was born in… ... Read More
Speaker: Allegra Baider ... Read More
Earlier this week it seemed as though negotiations over the future of the 800,000 young immigrants formerly protected under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program (“DACA”) had finally turned… ... Read More
Democrat Doug Jones managed to accomplish last week what conventional wisdom thought impossible when he defeated the GOP candidate Roy Moore, an alleged pedophile and bigot, to become the next… ... Read More
Deepak Bhargava, Executive Director of the Center for Community Change, argues that meaningful health reform should include addressing racial disparities in health outcomes. He says that we should talk about equity and justice when pushing for health care for our communities. ... Read More
You can’t enter the Interfaith Community Shelter of Santa Fe, New Mexico with plans to spend the night unless you undergo a pat down. Empty your pockets. Stretch your arms… ... Read More
Early in 2017, Donald Trump signed an executive order threatening to rescind federal funds from local municipalities that refuse to criminalize immigrant communities. The executive order has suffered numerous legal… ... Read More
I know at a deep level that my family lived paycheck to paycheck. A check comes in. We pay our bills. We have no savings to speak of. But it… ... Read More
The Center for Community Change celebrates its 40th anniversary. What are the Center's roots and what's in store for the future? Film created by Five Star Films, Inc. (http://www.fivestarfilms.com) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wc9MjBVqEH4… ... Read More
Stephanie Land reviews SMILF from the perspective of a single mom who’s been there ... Read More
I woke the morning of Tuesday, Aug. 29 to the sound of my mother crying on the other side of the wall. I was paralyzed as I listened to her… ... Read More
Slashing EPA initiative is shortsighted and dangerous ... Read More
I’ve recently seen footage from town halls showing Americans across this country questioning their lawmakers about the concerns that keep them up at night: Paying for health care; watching government… ... Read More
“Civility is one thing you can expect at an Episcopal church,” my uncle said to me two Sunday’s ago as we motored along Interstate-170, a short, sometimes bumpy highway that… ... Read More
I have glitter in the floorboards of my house, paint on every item of clothing I own, no matter how “new,” and am secretly happy every time my son has… ... Read More
Six years ago, I lived with my then 3-year-old daughter, Mia, in a studio apartment. During the day I worked full-time as a maid, cleaning the houses of wealthy people.… ... Read More
Pride in Black history must be a national pride, not exclusive to African Americans ... Read More
America may have rejected a woman to lead the nation, but Lady Liberty’s steadfast arm still leads the way ... Read More
Because of our history and heritage, black Americans should recognize the humanity in their struggle ... Read More
Like the rest of the country, Gary, Indiana, is wrestling with what was, what is, and what may come ... Read More
I recently read about a county in Kentucky that is typical of the kinds of depressed white communities that have dominated the news since Trump’s election. Owsley County is 83… ... Read More
All across the country in dozens of cities, communities are gearing up for January 14th, a national day of action where people will link arms and stand up against the… ... Read More
Hidden Figures is a treasure, but we need to dig deeper in finding new talent ... Read More
Welcome to A Prairie Homeboy Companion, a weekly blog exploring progressive activism in the Midwest, as well as an occasional platform for my own thoughts on pop culture, politics, and… ... Read More
Back in September, Senator John McCain announced in a statement that he could not “in good conscience” vote for the GOP’s healthcare bill, effectively ending Republican efforts to repeal and… ... Read More
In 2017, the campaign for Virginia governor elect Ralph Northam estimates that canvassers knocked on almost 4 million doors, almost twice the number of doors knocked for the Clinton campaign… ... Read More
Vulnerable women get a second chance to build a life on their terms creating healthy, healing products ... Read More
CCCAction empowers the people most affected by injustice to lead movements to improve the policies that affect their lives. ... Read More
Memphis council members promote politically safe investment in children while ignoring underpaid parents ... Read More
State law makes it easier to throw Brown away than consider traumas youth face and offer them hope of rehabilitation ... Read More
Despite persistent barriers to black wealth building, Memphis-based fund manager Floyd Tyler says it can be done—and it is ... Read More
If there’s the will, Memphis leaders can find a way to remove these symbols of white supremacy. ... Read More
The nonprofit trains youth of color to be the next generation of techies and practices the economic justice MLK preached ... Read More
Chantel Barcenas had an identity crisis when learning she was not a U.S. citizen. An Obama-era policy helped her find a sense of purpose — all now in flux ... Read More
During the 2016 election cycle, I frequently heard people complaining about the impossibility of escaping the daily barrage of news and coverage regarding the Presidential race. Both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump spent more than $6.8 billion to ensure that their messages reached voters. The massive price tag ensured an over-saturation of advertising in various forms of media. ... Read More
In April, state Senator Frank Artiles resigned from his seat in Florida’s recently redistricted Senate District 40, after directing racist remarks against fellow lawmakers in a drunken tirade. This was… ... Read More
The state must do all it can to enfranchise its citizens and expand democracy for all. ... Read More
I remember. I remember because I will always love New Orleans. All the residents of the Gulf Coast, or anyone who loved New Orleans – and who was old enough to remember August 29th, 2005 – has mourned the day ever since. ... Read More
This article previously appeared on The Washington Post Last night, my 3-year-old daughter made soft, singing noises while she dipped a plastic boat in and out of the bubbles of… ... Read More
Since the election of Donald Trump to the presidency, the daily lives of undocumented immigrants in this country have become nerve wracking. The hateful rhetoric espoused by Trump during his… ... Read More
Puerto Rico needs help: Food, electricity, clean water, clean up and the restoration of its infrastructure. Yet Donald Trump has once again proven he is unfit for office after his… ... Read More
Employees with criminal records don’t make workplaces less safe, yet licensing restrictions bar them from dozens of careers ... Read More
Raising base pay of all employees is ‘just a matter of priorities’ at Memphis reproductive health care organization ... Read More
My encounter with Dreamers last month happened by chance. I was sitting in my local library when an employee tapped me on the shoulder, and asked in hush-hush please speak… ... Read More
In an alternate universe, the White House is populated with adroit thinkers who consider that the fastest way to revive a conversation about race and class would be to have… ... Read More
It seems clear that Donald Trump will manufacture or grasp at anything he can to divide Americans from each other. Even use one of America’s favorite past times: football. Trump… ... Read More
In the last couple of weeks, Floridians have struggled with Hurricane Irma and its aftermath. Foreseeing the impact that this storm would have on low-income communities, a coalition of various… ... Read More
MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- The Shelby County EDGE board signed off on tax incentives for a boutique hotel in Overton Square. The Economic Development Growth Engine signed off on $6.1 million… ... Read More
In the midst of the tragedy that befell the people of Texas during Hurricane Harvey, I wrote an article detailing the hardships endured by the undocumented immigrant community of Houston… ... Read More
On July 31, President Trump boasted about the state of the economy, specifically the stock market, and how it is at its highest point in a number of years. What… ... Read More
DACA has allowed DREAMers, who were brought to this country as children, to be spared from deportation while also allowing them to work and attend college. ... Read More
For as long as millions of whites choose to let their voices remain muted, silence remains complicity. ... Read More
In 2009, performance art blocked the view of the statue of the Klan’s first grand wizard and slave trader ... Read More
This article originally appeared on the Huffington Post. Late in April, approximately 1,000 students in the Upward Bound Program at The University of Maine Presque Isle (UMPI) received notice that… ... Read More
This article originally appeared on Latino Rebels. Is there a more fitting metaphor for the plight of our current political climate than Republicans pushing a vote to take away healthcare from millions… ... Read More
This article originally appeared in the Huffington Post. By Paige DeLoach When I visited home for the first time after the 2016 election, my mother spoke to me in a… ... Read More
This article initially appeared on the Huffington Post. When my parents came to the United States almost two decades ago, they did not think that they would spend all those… ... Read More
This article originally appeared on the Huffington Post. Although for now, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has escaped the wrath of Republicans, they are still intent on making good on… ... Read More
This article originally appeared in the Missoulian. Jamison Hill hasn’t been able to get out of bed in two and a half years. For 18 months, Jamison was too sick… ... Read More
This article originally appeared on the Huffington Post. Summer is a busy time for airports all across this country, but in a major tourist destination like Miami, this is especially… ... Read More
This article originally appeared on MLK50. When the interim director of the Memphis Police Department linked arms with organizers of a protest that shut down traffic on the city’s Interstate… ... Read More
This article originally appeared on MLK50. On Sunday, organizers will gather at Tom Lee Park to mark the anniversary of the July 10, 2016 protest that shut down the Hernando-Desoto… ... Read More
This article originally appeared on MLK50. MEMPHIS — July 10 marks the anniversary of the largest spontaneous act of civil disobedience in the city’s modern history. The spark: The police killings of… ... Read More
This article originally appeared on MLK50. On Thursday, the city of Memphis announced it would pay what can only be described as reparations for decades of shorting the retirement funds… ... Read More
This article first appeared on the Huffington Post. Driving without a license can be a daily nerve wrecking experience for a lot of undocumented immigrants living and working in the… ... Read More
This article first appeared on the Huffington Post. It is said that compromise is the cornerstone of democracy. If that is indeed the case, American democracy is seriously faltering. The… ... Read More
This article first appeared on The Progressive. The June 21 shooting of a black police officer in St. Louis County by another officer has been described as “friendly fire.” That’s a laughably… ... Read More
This article first appeared on The Progressive. How many Americans will be impacted by the GOP’s Obamacare repeal legislation, drafted under veils of secrecy? How many will suffer the consequences?… ... Read More
This article first appeared on The Progressive. How many Americans will be impacted by the GOP’s Obamacare repeal legislation, drafted under veils of secrecy? How many will suffer the consequences?… ... Read More
This article originally appeared on MLK50. For low-income people with disabilities, a straightforward mission like finding the right wheelchair can be a long-fought battle. More complex needs, such as acquiring… ... Read More
This article originally appeared on MLK50. For low-income people with disabilities, a straightforward mission like finding the right wheelchair can be a long-fought battle. More complex needs, such as acquiring… ... Read More
This article first appeared in the Huffington Post. Growing up undocumented, one of my biggest fears was being separated from my family. I remember the anxiety and worry I felt… ... Read More
This article first appeared on The Progressive. It was April 7 when my mother died. One moment we were out to dinner, laughing and planning the summer, when she suddenly… ... Read More
This article first appeared on The Progressive. It was April 7 when my mother died. One moment we were out to dinner, laughing and planning the summer, when she suddenly… ... Read More
This article originally appeared on Albuquerque Journal. If the GOP-led House and Senate pass Donald Trump’s proposed budget that calls for slashing $800 billion from Medicaid, I am scared I… ... Read More
This article originally appeared in Prairie Homeboy Companion. I hadn’t thought about Henrik Ibsen’s “An Enemy of the People” in quite a while. Yet, I couldn’t help but think about… ... Read More
This article first appeared on the Huffington Post. For a big chunk of my childhood, teenage years and early adulthood, my parents and I were undocumented immigrants in this country,… ... Read More
This article first appeared on Equal Voice. I wasn’t trained in this. I didn’t go for school for this. Nobody pays me for this, and nobody expects me to be… ... Read More
This article first appeared on the Huffington Post. In 2011, the Florida legislature attempted to pass an Arizona-style “show me your papers” law at the behest of Republican Governor Rick… ... Read More
Appearance coincides with mayor’s, police director’s demands for more city police ... Read More
When my older brother and I were in elementary school, the teacher assigned the class to bring a bug into class that was familiar in our neighborhood. My brother, who… ... Read More
Saturday Night Live has always taken politicians to task with their own way of friendly banter and jesting. And sometimes they take aim at the average citizen, as they did… ... Read More
Seriously? They voted on a bill that would hurt 24 million Americans, but that they never actually read? ... Read More
I started college when my daughter was only 14 months old. We had been homeless six months earlier. My life up until I discovered I was pregnant had been blissfully… ... Read More
Just 100 days into his presidency, Americans no longer expect President Donald Trump to keep the promises that got him elected. He walked back his promises on China, delivered nothing… ... Read More
Here’s how Trump’s plan pads the pockets of the rich at the expense of everyday families and seniors. ... Read More
Struggle to survive on poverty wages builds solidarity among workers ... Read More
Bad policies that harm working Americans continue to chip away at our aspirations to strive. ... Read More
By Chirag Mehta, Senior Policy Advisor, Center for Community Change Coca-Cola and the soda industry at large are pulling out all the stops to fight Santa Fe, New Mexico residents… ... Read More
As a military spouse, I see firsthand how civilians might think our families are a protected class because our job description is basically to protect America. But we face the… ... Read More
All these actions by the administration put our children and their families under threat more than ever before. ... Read More
Over 400,000 Syrians have been killed since the outbreak of the Syrian civil war, yet the Trump administration has done nothing about it. ... Read More
A friend saw it, driving in Los Angeles. A billboard for tony fashion line Marc Jacobs, featuring Frances Bean Cobain as the model, had been defaced with graffiti. And then… ... Read More
As we walked through St. Louis’ Missouri Historical Museum’s current civil rights exhibit, I was reminded of how change comes from the bottom up. School history is, too often, from… ... Read More
ATHENS, Ohio – You’re not a single mother. You have a spouse or a partner. You don’t have kids, or if you do, you’re raising them in a two-parent, two-income… ... Read More
Reporting has a role to play in economic justice. We’re here to play that role. Economic justice. That’s what brought Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to Memphis in April 1968.… ... Read More
Our President’s actions will unfortunately shape the formative years of some of our most vulnerable youth. ... Read More
Imagine being a prison inmate, jailed for drug possession charges, and being thrown into a scalding hot shower for hours that leads to a tortuous death. That’s what happened to… ... Read More
It matters because so many of us often live near toxic facilities ... Read More
I know what lack of health care can do to a family in need. About two years ago, my undocumented father was suffering from a form of degenerative arthritis which… ... Read More
TUNDRA: Cold Journey to Justice is a docu-series that captures the cold climate found in marginalized communities across the U.S. ... Read More
Tuesday’s “Day of Disruption” walkout by thousands of low-income workers underscores that the Fight for $15 movement is undeterred by the change of administration. Earlier this month, voters approved minimum-wage… ... Read More
Originally published by Neiman Reports. The signs that someone like Donald Trump was coming were right there, in online comments lousy with creatively spelled racial slurs that slipped past even… ... Read More
Photo credits to Nshepard via Flickr Creative Commons. Originally published on MomsRising. There’s a nagging suspicion inside you that something is wrong. He calls you names. He denies your feelings. He… ... Read More
Photo credit: Aberdeen Proving Ground via Flickr Creative Commons Originally published on The Huffington Post. In our Fort Wayne neighborhood, Halloween is a serious candy free-for-all. We bought 12… ... Read More
Originally published by The Undefeated. Did a Saturday Night Live sketch last week hint at a future hard to envision in today’s bitter political climate — a future in which… ... Read More
Originally published on the Huffington Post. A heroin needle. Photo credits to Wheeler Cowperthwaite via Flickr Creative Commons. Even when it comes to drug addiction, black lives matter less. Consider… ... Read More
Originally published on the Huffington Post. Photo credit: DJWess via Flickr Creative Commons. It is no secret that the opioid epidemic is ravaging communities across the United States. In my… ... Read More
Photo credits to Dorret. Originally published in TalkPoverty. About 13 years ago, I lived in Charleston, South Carolina, where I was trying to make ends meet as a freelance writer. … ... Read More
Photo Credits to Brian Hart. Originally published by the Missoula Independent. My life as a single mother has often meant looking up, helpless, waving goodbye like Wile E. Coyote, after… ... Read More
Originally published by the Indianapolis Star. The wispy-haired 4-month-old Mark is held timeless in a frame in front of me. The 12-year-old, shaggy-haired Mark is fast asleep in the room… ... Read More
Photo credits to Fuseboxradio. Originally published on The Undefeated. I want to watch the video of Terence Crutcher being killed by Tulsa, Oklahoma, police, because I want to see something… ... Read More
On June 16th, I celebrated my youngest daughter Coraline’s second birthday. While she opened presents, I relished the memory of her entering my life. She was born a month after… ... Read More
Photo credits to Pettifoggist. Originally published on The Undefeated. My mother and my father remember chatting with friends at a nondescript table at the 1989 American Library Association (ALA) annual… ... Read More
Photo credits to Luca Venturi. Originally published on The Undefeated. Not long after I arrived in Cambridge, Massachusetts, last August for a yearlong fellowship, a friend back in Memphis, Tennessee, asked… ... Read More
Photo credits to Cameron Parkins. Originally published on TalkPoverty and The Nation. When my father, aunt, and uncle decided to pool their money to buy my grandmother a house closer… ... Read More
Photo credits to Flazingo Photos. Originally posted on the Huffington Post. In New York City, where the summer job program for high school students is run on a neighborhood lotto… ... Read More
Photo credits to Ryan Dickey. Originally published in The Establishment. At first glance, my 9-year-old daughter doesn’t look “poor.” She meticulously chooses her outfits for school, often sleeping in them—even… ... Read More
During the last weekend in July, I found renewed hope and optimism for the future of our country. I joined 70 students from across the country who are interning this… ... Read More
Photo source: FreeImages.com Originally published on Talk Poverty. I woke up yesterday hungry. Since my last shopping trip four days before, I’d not eaten much, saving most of the food… ... Read More
In a piece published by the New York Times, writing fellow Stephanie Land explores the role that class plays in the minimalist movement. She writes that, for many Americans, a minimalist life is an economic… ... Read More
Photo credits: Tony Webster. Source: Flickr Creative Commons. Originally published on Common Dreams. I don't want to end up like Alton Sterling. Or Philando Castile. Or Eric Garner. Or Freddie… ... Read More
Photo credits to B. C. Lorio. Originally posted on The Huffington Post. It was only a matter of time before actor activist Jesse Williams‘ all-the-way woke speech on BET the last… ... Read More
Wendi C. Thomas is a writing fellow for the Center for Community Change. [View the story "And #StillIRise: #PeoplesConvention takes over Pittsburgh" on Storify] ... Read More
Originally published on the Huffington Post. PITTSBURGH - Police have one standard for black people and another for white people - and as proof, comic W. Kamau Bell played at… ... Read More
Photo Credits to Fibonacci Blue. Originally published on The Undefeated. I don’t know how other people buy cellphones. Me, I make sure I’m getting all the gigabytes I can. Just in… ... Read More
Originally published on Quartz. This fall, thousands of college students from across the country will begin their undergraduate careers at colleges around the nation. They will inevitably pack too… ... Read More
Written by Morgan Whithaus. Originally published on The Huffington Post. Open Letter to the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson I graduated from Riverside High School on June… ... Read More
Originally published on Equal Voice. It’s already begun happening. In 2016, 500,000 to 1 million recipients will be officially cut from the “food stamp” rolls. Some reports say it could… ... Read More
By: Dorian T. Warren, Chirag Mehta, Steve Savner Imagine a 21st-century jobs program that puts families first, makes extensive investments in America’s most impoverished places and creates millions of good… ... Read More
Originally published on Talk Poverty. For the last year, I have been keenly aware of my dire need for two things: therapy and exercise. But for those who struggle to… ... Read More
Originally published in the Huffington Post. For most of my life, I haven’t idolized sports heroes. I may be the exception to the great American male rule-of-thumb. There have been… ... Read More
Originally posted on The Guardian as a kick-off to their series on debt. I expected college to feel like a major accomplishment. I walked across the stage, eight months pregnant with… ... Read More
Originally posted in SheKnows. I read Sheryl Sandberg’s recent Facebook post from the trenches of a horrible Mother’s Day weekend. The youngest had thrown up on Friday night, and we… ... Read More
Originally published in the Washington Post. I grew up in what some would call an immaculately clean home. I hated my mom a little for it. I wasn’t allowed to… ... Read More
Originally published on SheKnows. There are moments in my life that I can return to easily. I don’t have to close my eyes or envision the surroundings or what it… ... Read More
Originally published on Rooflines, a Shelterforce blog. Jenean F. and her husband worked hard to achieve the increasingly elusive American Dream. She was a stay at home mom and he… ... Read More
Originally published on SheKnows. In the weeks building up to a business trip, I created a schedule for the five people who’d replace me, a single mom with two kids,… ... Read More
Originally published on the Huffington Post. Last night, my 12-year-old son was in his room reading and listening to music. His musical tastes run from modern pop and hip-hop to… ... Read More
Originally published on She Knows. My daughter and I were living in a conservative area when I started to notice an outcry to test people receiving public assistance for drug… ... Read More
Originally published on Equal Voice. What does it say about the value of Black lives when too many of those lives are in crumbling schools, drinking poisoned water, finding themselves… ... Read More
Originally published on Talk Poverty. Recently, I disobeyed a cardinal rule of the Internet and decided to read comments on an article I once published in the Missoula Independent. I… ... Read More
Originally published on ESME. Reentering college as a nontraditional student takes a lot of courage, especially as an older woman with kids. I received my bachelor’s degree at 35 and… ... Read More
This trip wasn't just another day of traveling for work. I hadn't been able to travel much at all in the last few years, and hadn't flown on a plane… ... Read More
Originally published on SheKnows. I only recently stopped buying foods for my 8-year-old daughter that list ingredients I don’t recognize. For half of her life, when I went shopping, I… ... Read More
Every four years, America has a "porch talk" in South Carolina as attention shifts to the first in the south presidential primary. This year, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton… ... Read More
Of all the excellent moments at last weekend’s Jobs with Justice conference, the one the continues to stick out for me was when Melonie Griffiths yelled, “I am the movement!”… ... Read More
Written by CCC's Advisory Board Member Lisa Garcia Bedolla. Originally published on Common Dreams. As Americans, we cling to the idea that a rising tide lifting all boats is the… ... Read More
Autumn Harry enjoys her beloved Pyramid Lake. Photo courtesy of Autumn Harry. Autumn Harry has spent her twenty three years living on the Paiute reservation in northern Nevada. She will… ... Read More
The state of worker justice will be on display this coming weekend in Washington, D.C. at the Jobs with Justice national conference. The two-day conference that begins Friday in the… ... Read More
Originally published on Vox. My boyfriend Scott and I had just broken up. This boy who'd once brought me flowers had turned possessive and controlling. Sleep-deprived from constant drama and… ... Read More
Written by Kica Matos, Center for Community Change Director of Immigrant Rights and Racial Justice, and Frank Sharry, Founder and Executive Director for America's Voice, an immigration reform group. Teenaged… ... Read More
Written by Kica Matos, Center for Community Change Director of Immigrant Rights and Racial Justice, and Frank Sharry, Founder and Executive Director for America's Voice, an immigration reform group. Teenaged… ... Read More
Written by Center for Community Change Writing Fellow Stephanie Land. Originally published in the NY Times. My daughter learned to walk in a homeless shelter. We had one week left… ... Read More
Photo courtesy of Steve Neavling/Motor City Muckraker Imagine the harm that could have been avoided in Flint if only government officials believed the residents. As far back as May 2014,… ... Read More
Written by Center for Communtiy Change Writing Fellow Fred McKissack. There's a reason why young black people call Chicago "Chiraq." It's like a war zone in some neighborhoods. And it's… ... Read More
Written by Anthony Newby, executive director for Neighborhoods Organizing for Change in Minneapolis and Dorian Warren, Center for Community Change board chairman. Originally posted on the Al Jazeera America. The… ... Read More
Written by Center for Community Change Writing Fellow Stephanie Land. Originally posted on the Washington Post. At the start of my 10-minute break during a two-hour writing workshop, I looked… ... Read More
Co-authored by Center for Community Change Writing Fellow Wendi C. Thomas. Originally published in the American Prospect. Brooklyn car-wash worker Angel Rebolledo and Bronx fast-food employee Flavia Cabral work in… ... Read More
This year as struggling families in San Antonio, Texas open their holiday gifts, they should also remember they have a gift far more valuable than any trinket they receive. It… ... Read More
Twenty years ago, I packed my gold Chevy Nova and drove across the Mississippi River toward Madison, Wisconsin. Like so many others who uproot from their hometowns, I did so… ... Read More
Written by OneAmerica organizer Carly Brook. Originally posted on the OneAmerica blog. Reliable access to transportation is the single most important factor in escaping poverty. This issue agitated and resonated… ... Read More
Originally published by The Progressive. With the walk-out that led to the resignation of a university president and chancellor, the University of Missouri’s black football players showed their power to… ... Read More
Originally published on The Guardian. I have what’s known as a “spirited” child. Mia has run me ragged since she knew how to walk. She’d run across soccer fields as… ... Read More
Earlier this week the President announced that his office was issuing a memorandum to Ban the Box for federal employment. What followed was an explosion of jubilant articles that once… ... Read More
Originally published on Talk Poverty and The Nation. When a website documenting the attire of Walmart customers surfaced several years ago, its popularity grew quickly. As Walmart is known for… ... Read More
Photo via We Belong Together. There was a lot going on last month with the pope’s visit to DC. The pope addressed a joint session of Congress and spoke on… ... Read More
Originally published on Talk Poverty and CommonDreams. When you live at or under the federal poverty level, you’d better be good at crunching numbers. Every cent coming in or going… ... Read More
Originally published on The Guardian. It didn’t take me long to go from financial stability to fearing homelessness. In January 2014 I was 35-years-old, raising a six-year-old nearly full-time and… ... Read More
Formerly incarcerated people and their loved ones welcomed today’s introduction of the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act of 2015 by Sens. Cory Booker and Ron Johnson, and Reps.… ... Read More
In 2014, there were 8.1 million undocumented immigrants employed in the United States. These hard-working men and women live in constant fear of arrest and deportation which would rip their… ... Read More
When America celebrates Women’s Equality Day today, perhaps she will post pictures of her inspirational inhabitants on Instagram, or write a long heartfelt post about female empowerment on Facebook, sprinkling… ... Read More
Pictured to the right: Ella Collins at a Home Care Fight for $15 rally Ten Republican presidential candidates will take the stage in Cleveland Thursday for the GOP’s first televised primary… ... Read More
Millions of Americans who have been imprisoned will survive one box only to be confined by another, smaller yet even more damaging one. On July 14th, the President spoke at… ... Read More
Photo to the left: Dorsey Nunn is executive director of Legal Services for Prisoners with Children and founder of All of Us or None, which advocates for prison reform and… ... Read More
By Connie Heller Pictured to the left: A portion of a quilt created by Connie Heller in honor of Trayvon Martin. A better world is possible. A world in which… ... Read More
This week we have seen a phenomenal shift in the conversation around race and poverty. We are beginning to see a movement’s narrative take hold in the public debate and… ... Read More
This post was originally published on MomsRising.org. The Housing Trust Fund Project team spent much of the last week of June in Los Angeles and stayed at a hotel directly… ... Read More
Last Thursday, July 9th, over 150 Asian American and Pacific Islander college students from across the nation convened at the White House for the 2015 White House Initiative on Asian… ... Read More
Although the White House Conference on Aging is held only once every ten years, Monday’s event was a crucial time to address issues for older Americans, especially as they retire… ... Read More
The Supreme Court has been cranking out hit after hit of rulings that show signs of our progress as a nation that views Americans as human beings: as ones who… ... Read More
Kate Casa contributed to this article. It was the mid-1960s and Arnie Graf, a 19-year-old student at the mostly segregated University of Buffalo, found himself witnessing discrimination in a very… ... Read More
Originally posted on Talk Poverty and The Nation. As a manager for a national auto supply chain, Lora McCrary puts in between 50 and 70 hours a week remodeling stores… ... Read More
America made Dylann Storm Roof. His act of terrorism didn’t happen in isolation. He is the physical and present-day manifestation of a deeply-ingrained mindset that says white Americans are superior… ... Read More
Angela Zhao is the Communications Intern at the Center for Community Change. Although the Roosevelt Institute’s” Rewriting the Rules” is a 115-page report advocating almost all imaginable social and economic… ... Read More
This piece was originally published on TalkPoverty.org. To be “poor” in America isn’t an identifying characteristic or a defining trait, like being forgetful or creative or tall. Being a low-income… ... Read More
This has been a big week for the United States Supreme Court. Major decisions given over the past two days: to keep in place the Affordable Care Act’s current tax… ... Read More
This post was originally published in The Memphis Flyer. Emancipation by veracity is a beautiful, if elusive, concept. People in search of comfort may turn to scripture after last week's… ... Read More
This piece was originally published on The Hill. Last week was one of those moments in history when the politics of hatred seized hold and as a nation we fell… ... Read More
Treasury Secretary Jack Lew has announced that a to-be-determined woman will be pushing Alexander Hamilton from the focal point of the $10 in 2020. This will be the first bill… ... Read More
This post was originally published on the Coalition on Human Needs blog. By: Rev. Kelly Wilkins Pictured to the left: Mayor Bowser, Kelly Wilkins and CEO and General Manager of… ... Read More
This piece was originally posted on The Huffington Post San Francisco. "The only public housing this city provides is county jails," Bilal Ali of the Coalition Against Homelessness said at… ... Read More
When I was growing up, I was a “latch key” kid, a popular term for a child who has to come home and lock himself in after school because no… ... Read More
Andrew Foles*, a 25-year-old retail associate at Macy’s in San Francisco, says he would prefer to work full-time in order to budget his monthly expenses. Unfortunately, in today’s retail industry,… ... Read More
This piece was originally published in The Memphis Flyer. Could Memphis be Baltimore? It's impossible to watch coverage of Baltimore protests sparked by police brutality and not wonder: Could that… ... Read More
This post originally appeared on Colorlines.com. Georgia State Senator Vincent Fort and members of Atlanta activist groups gathered in front of Atlanta police headquarters last Monday, May 4, to call… ... Read More
When Baltimore mom Toya Graham saw TV footage of her masked son joining rioters following the funeral of Freddie Gray, she found him on the streets and beat him. Video… ... Read More
This piece was originally published on TalkPoverty.org. On a December morning nearly 60 years ago, Rosa Parks refused to yield her seat to a white man on a public bus… ... Read More
This post originally appeared here. Even though she’s worked at the Checkers in Lincoln Park for four years, Mya Hill is still paid only $8.15 an hour – Michigan’s minimum… ... Read More
This piece originally appeared on TalkPoverty.org. On Wednesday morning, holding a sign that read “Show me $15 and a union,” Letrice Donaldson marched with around 200 people under gray skies… ... Read More
This piece originally appeared in The Huffington Post. The first thing that struck me when I moved to the Bay Area three years ago was the extraordinary cost of rent. During… ... Read More
This piece was originally posted in The Memphis Flyer. I am afraid to love my 18-month-old nephew because he is a black boy, and in my country, police hunt and… ... Read More
When attempting to make structural change in America it is always important to begin by understanding the structures in question, how they got that way, and only then advocating solutions.… ... Read More
This piece was originally posted in the Montgomery Advertiser. Women’s History Month is about more than celebrating phenomenal women in history; it’s also about honoring the women who have dedicated… ... Read More
Holà. My name is Jorge Antonio Renaud, and I am the newest member of the team dedicated to amplifying the voices and possibilities of men and women caged in American… ... Read More
Savannah Williams remembers where she was on March 7, 1965. “When Bloody Sunday happened, “ she explained, “I was at my first job working for the United States Department of Agriculture… ... Read More
Three years ago today, 17-year-old Trayvon Martin was fatally shot by George Zimmerman in Sanford, Florida. The circumstances surrounding the case led to a nationwide outcry for justice. Many were… ... Read More
This story was originally published in the Memphis Flyer. For 17 years, Zorina Bowen was a research biochemist. She was good at what she did and loved her job. But… ... Read More
It’s fitting that James Robertson’s good luck falls during Black History Month. Robertson, 56, started riding four buses and walking 21 miles round-trip to get from his Detroit home to… ... Read More
At 7:30 am, about 100 airport people marched into the atrium of the world’s busiest airport chanting, “We can’t survive on $7.25.” The crowd got bigger as they rallied, with… ... Read More
The New Year tends to be a time for new beginnings, but for Americans who work in seasonal jobs in the retail industry, the New Year can be a very… ... Read More
Yesterday, Nancy J. Altman and Eric R. Kingson, authors of the new book “Social Security Works! Why Social Security Isn’t Going Broke and How Expanding It Will Help Us All,”… ... Read More
On Friday, January 16th, Kica Matos, Director of Immigrant Rights and Racial Justice at the Center for Community Change, delivered the keynote address at the Smithsonian Anacostia Community Museum’s 30th… ... Read More
Earlier this week leaders in the movement to end mass incarceration gathered in Atlanta to share lessons learned and organize. Partners from across the country were graciously hosted by the… ... Read More
It’s a new year, which means new resolutions, new inaugurations and the beginning of holding politicians accountable for their campaign promises. Last week I attended the Washington Interfaith Network’s (WIN)… ... Read More
“It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, everywhere you go; take a look at the five and ten, glistening once again with candy canes and silver lanes aglow…” -Robert… ... Read More
When I think of the holidays, I think of mistletoe and tinsel, Nativity scenes and presents under the tree. But this year, visions of sugarplums have been replaced by the… ... Read More
Today, Mike Brown should be finishing his first college finals, preparing to spend winter break with his family. Eric Garner should be getting his Santa suit ready, so that he… ... Read More
While the country ramps up for another festive holiday season, people who work in retail jobs across the nation tend to cringe at the approaching days. The holidays can be… ... Read More
For the past several weeks, cities across the country have seen a multitude of protests and acts of civil disobedience following announcements that police officers would not be indicted in… ... Read More
By: Wendi C. Thomas Wendi C. Thomas is an award-winning Memphis-based journalist, a visiting scholar at the University of Memphis, the founder of the grassroots racial justice organization Common Ground… ... Read More
Below is a post from Tammy Thomas Miles, Field Organizer with CCC -- Each year at Thanksgiving I often take the time to reflect on all the things which I… ... Read More
Pictured here: Tamika Middleton, left, holds her daughter Asha at a rally for Mike Brown. Photo credit: Tamieka Atkins I didn’t cry Monday night. I turned off Prosecutor Bob McCulloch’s press conference… ... Read More
Can we talk about these last few days? They have been emotional. We ended last week taking part in rallies and events across the country celebrating the long anticipated administrative… ... Read More
This post was originally published on Creative Loafing Atlanta. Asking former prisons about past conviction history on job applications is a barrier to re-entry Every week, men and women who… ... Read More
Dear everybody -- Please stop freaking out about Ebola. I’m not making light of illness, I’m just trying to bring some sanity back to what the real threats in our… ... Read More
New data from the Census shows that poverty rates are down, particularly among children. 14.5 percent of Americans are now living in poverty, down from 15 percent in 2012. Many… ... Read More
Yesterday, the Federal Communications Commission took a major step towards honoring human empathy by issuing a statement to reduce the cost of phone calls made from prisons, jails and other… ... Read More
Charlo Greene is the subject of a viral video, cursing on live TV as she quits her job as a news reporter to fight full time to decriminalize marijuana. We… ... Read More
Today is National Voter Registration Day; a day when organizations across the country reach out to their respective communities encouraging them to register and turn out to vote. In light… ... Read More
Trigger Warning: This piece includes references to domestic violence and other forms of abuse. One in four women will experience domestic abuse in her lifetime. Abuse comes in many forms, but… ... Read More
By: Erick Huerta When you grow up in neighborhoods like East Los Angeles and South Central, you find yourself at a disadvantage, so you cultivate other things to make up… ... Read More
This piece originally appeared on TalkPoverty.org. At 6 a.m. last Thursday, a small group of people gathered at the Burger King on the corner of North Avenue and Hunt Street in… ... Read More
Field Organizer Tammy Thomas-Miles went to Ferguson, Missouri over the Labor Day weekend as part of a strategy session with other organizers. Here is Tammy’s first person account of the… ... Read More
For the past two months, Laffon Brelland Jr., Tamika Middleton and Elois Freeman have been participating in a Writing Fellowship pilot program at the Center for Community Change. In order… ... Read More
By: Dorsey Nunn Anyone with a conviction history faces a constant barrier to being an involved, productive member of our society. I do not define myself as an ex-convict; I… ... Read More
This blog was originally posted on the Voices for Human Needs blog. On Monday night, thousands of people marched through downtown Atlanta in the pouring rain. Most of them I… ... Read More
Last week, NPR ran a story about who is poor on TV –and how some television shows depict poor people. Two of those shows were Good Times and The Wire,… ... Read More
As a member of the New Organizing Practices’ direct service and organizing committee, I have been reflecting on whether service providers have a stronger relationship with the folks who use… ... Read More
Connection between mass incarceration and perpetuated poverty, why it’s bad not only for individuals but also for communities Did you know that the U.S. imprisons more of its citizens than… ... Read More
On Saturday, an unarmed 18-year-old African-American teenager named Mike Brown was shot and killed by police in Ferguson, Missouri. He had planned to start college yesterday—and because of an unjustified… ... Read More
This piece was originally published on TalkPoverty.org. Living in a single-parent household is tough. I grew up with my mother and two sisters, and although my mother always worked, we… ... Read More
New York City developers are building a new luxury apartment that will apparently have a separate entrance for its affordable housing residents. Extell Development Company, who is behind the luxury… ... Read More
Executive Director Deepak Bhargava delivered the following speech on July 1, 2014 at the Aspen Ideas Fest. For the full video of Deepak delivering this speech, click here. In the richest… ... Read More
The Center for Community Change (CCC) has launched a major initiative to dismantle the barriers that create and sustain poverty. CCC aims to galvanize a social movement to generate the… ... Read More
Our broken system separates 1,100 families a day. Right now, Angel's dad is in detention — they could be separated at any moment. Please listen to their plea for help… ... Read More
Last week, the Center for Community Change, in partnership with Nation Inside, gathered more than 100 activists in Detroit for a national strategy meeting to end mass incarceration. Below is… ... Read More
Whether taking on an additional job, cutting back on healthy food or health care, deferring retirement savings, amassing credit card debt, or moving to a neighborhood that is either unsafe… ... Read More
Gary Sandusky is a Senior Field Organizer at the Center for Community Change. In 2009, Center for Community Change assigned me to work closely with the Alliance for a Just… ... Read More
On June 4, the Economic Policy Institute launched "Raising America's Pay," a research and public education initiative that seeks to make wage growth an urgent priority. Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez… ... Read More
Pictured here: People cheer the moment the minimum wage bill passes in the Seattle City Council. There have been a lot of minimum wage victories in the news lately. Yesterday, the… ... Read More
Originally published on the new blog TalkPoverty.org. Poverty is everywhere. More than one in three Americans—106 million people—live below or perilously close to the federal poverty line. If you pick… ... Read More
This piece was orginally published on the new blog TalkPoverty.org. Image via Baltimoreans United in Leadership Development. By: Gary Crum My name is Gary Crum and I am a proud resident… ... Read More
Last week, through the cold and the rain, the Jobs Not Jails coalition sent a strong message to their state of Massachusetts—redirect $2 billion for new prison beds to a… ... Read More
Today, Seattle lawmakers reached a compromise deal to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour. The city’s minimum wage hike reflects a growing grassroots movement across the country to… ... Read More
Today, a group of ten youth activists, seven of whom are minors, led a group of family members to the middle of 1st & Independence in front of the Capitol Building to block… ... Read More
At critical moments in our nation's history, it is America's children who have changed the hearts and minds of the public through social activism. There are over 100 years of documented history… ... Read More
After finishing the book Crossing Over by Ruben Martínez, there was one story that I couldn’t get out of my head. The nonfiction book follows the journeys of many immigrant… ... Read More
Originally posted on Fox News Latino. Rudy Lopez, Senior Organizer at the Fair Immigration Reform Movement, participated as a core faster in the Fast for Families: A Call for Immigration… ... Read More
Originally posted on The Hill's Congress Blog. In 1966, the “King of Soul,” James Brown, proclaimed, “It’s a man’s, man’s, man’s world!” And ever since, there hasn’t been a Brown… ... Read More
This post originally appeared as an op-ed in Fox News Latino. It was the immigrant and Latino vote that helped President Obama win the White House in 2008 and 2012 because… ... Read More
Frances Perkins, former Secretary of Labor and first woman to hold a Presidential cabinet appointment, began her career fighting poverty in some of the most impoverished communities in New York… ... Read More
By: Diana Colin Education is key to escaping poverty – that’s why Diana Colin started organizing as a student volunteer. Now she’s the California staff organizer with the Coalition for… ... Read More
After reading a New York Times op-ed by Arthur C. Brooks in which he discusses why he enjoys fund-raising, I began to think about why I give money to the… ... Read More
By: Jeannie Brown Virjeana “Jeannie” Brown is an organizer with the Montana Organizing Project working to protect and expand Social Security. She is also running for Montana’s 67th House District.… ... Read More
We like to think that in the United States, all people have rights and equality; all people have a voice. However, there are 65 million Americans and 60,000 D.C. natives… ... Read More
By: Pam Bournival Pam Bournival is a manufactured homeowner and an activist with MHAction, a program of the Center for Community Change that organizes and mobilizes the residents of manufactured home communities… ... Read More
By: Hattie Wilkins Hattie Wilkins is a great-grandmother and organizer with CCC partner Ohio Organizing Collaborative. Growing up my parents used to tell me “A closed mouth doesn’t get fed,… ... Read More
Last Wednesday, March 19th, I participated in the Women’s Fast for Families, a national fast organized by We Belong Together, in which women choose 24 hours to fast for immigration reform. At… ... Read More
A self-proclaimed “Born-Again Feminist,” Dolores Huerta, now 83, has been a prominent community organizer and civil rights activist for most of her life. Though, she is best known for co-founding… ... Read More
I walked up the 30th identical driveway to the 30th nearly identical house with my canvassing packet and clipboard tucked neatly under my arm. I smiled at a man working… ... Read More
Simultaneous to the growing momentum to raise state and federal minimum wages, The Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies released a sobering new report in December of 2013 documenting that… ... Read More
I just finished reading The Passage of Power, the fourth book of Robert Caro’s multi-volume biography of Lyndon Johnson. The book recreates in vivid detail the years 1958 through 1964,… ... Read More
Last week, 84 families, leaders and staff members from 21 states came to Washington, DC to participate in the Keep Families Together Summit. These immigration advocates took part in extensive… ... Read More
Though we don’t often think of it, we have all had caregivers, and we will all likely be a caregiver at one point or another in our lives. Caregivers are… ... Read More
By Dale Muzzy, retired senior citizen I am the reason Sam Zell is rich, but I’m not his stockbroker, and I’m not his business partner. I am one of the… ... Read More
I have a friend- let’s call her Elizabeth. She is eight years old and attends a D.C. public school, and I spend time with her twice a week. A few… ... Read More
On February 12, President Obama signed an executive order to raise the minimum wage for federal workers to $10.10 per hour. In his remarks before the signing, President Obama discussed… ... Read More
Coca-Cola’s infamous 2014 Superbowl ad, titled “It’s Beautiful,” proves a couple of things in its role as the most controversial commercial of the night. First of all, its rendition of… ... Read More
When we hear the term “war on women,” it generally refers to attempts by state and local governments to limit women’s access to reproductive services. While this is a real… ... Read More
The other day, someone asked me why I made my college decision. As I prepared one of my typical “I love the city/the political atmosphere is great/I wanted a challenge”… ... Read More
The day after President Obama’s State of the Union address, the Fair Immigration Reform Movement (FIRM), of which the Center for Community Change is a member, asked our Facebook community how… ... Read More
This year’s State of the Union follows the President’s promise that he will make economic inequality a top priority for the rest of his presidency. But what will President Obama… ... Read More
Building strength from the grass roots. It’s what the Center for Community Change (CCC) has done for 45 years. It’s what we will continue to do in 2014 as we… ... Read More
Stress affects women from all walks of life, from Beyonce to the lady at the checkout stand. In The Shriver Report: A Woman’s Nation Pushes Back from the Brink, a new… ... Read More
By: Gustavo Torres As Nelson Mandela once said: “Like slavery and apartheid, poverty is not natural. It is man-made and it can be overcome and eradicated by the actions of… ... Read More
Today marks the 50th Anniversary of Lyndon B. Johnson’s State of the Union address where he declared the start of the “War on Poverty.” In 2014, 46.5 million Americans are… ... Read More
In 2013, activists in the immigration reform movement have been hard at work. Hardly a day has passed that a Fair Immigration Reform Movement (FIRM) group has not held an… ... Read More
Last month, fast food workers went on strike in 100 cities across the country. The workers are fighting for a $15 an hour wage and the right to organize into… ... Read More
On Wednesday, I had the opportunity to shadow kids who were taking part in the “Keeping Families Together: Youth in Action” events on Capitol Hill as they made their way… ... Read More
This week, kids from around the country descended on Washington to demand action on immigration reform. This morning, kids and their parents visited the offices of House Republicans to try… ... Read More
One of the most difficult hardships facing low-income people in the United States is the lack of affordable housing due to the gross mismatch between income and housing costs. This recent… ... Read More
I spent the better part of one morning last week telling dozens of low-income people of color that they had to CHOOSE ONE: cranberry sauce, stuffing in a box, or… ... Read More
Last week, I attended a panel hosted by the Economic Policy Institute and Oxfam America, featuring US Representatives Keith Ellison (D-MN) and Jim Walsh (R-NY), economists and researchers, and two… ... Read More
Last week, more than 150 kids struggling under our broken immigration system came together from all over the United States to bring their stories to leaders in Washington. These kids, including… ... Read More
This week, kids from all over the country traveled to DC to tell leaders in Washington why they urgently need comprehensive immigration reform now. On Wednesday, Carmen Lima, age 13… ... Read More
By: Marian Wright Edelman Nine-year-old Jaime Gordillo Villa was born in the United States and is a good student who has gotten awards for both good grades and behavior. He wants… ... Read More
Many have heard of the typical college diet of ramen noodles and pizza, and the struggle for students away at school to eat well. But beyond simply a problem of… ... Read More
Recently I came across this op-ed in Forbes written by opinion columnist and perpetually miffed white man Tim Worstall. In what was supposed to be a half-quippy, half-snippy critique of a… ... Read More
In recent weeks, some media outlets have taken to calling immigration reform “dead.” But in the past few days, lawmakers have shown that these reports are dead wrong. This week… ... Read More
With 82 percent of Americans in agreement that we must increase Social Security benefits even if it means raising taxes, why should we wait any longer to improve our Social… ... Read More
Before we met Joyce Dickinson, a retired home care worker in Florida, she didn’t know that she could pick up the phone and call her member of Congress. Ms. Dickinson… ... Read More
At the risk of giving too much attention to back-burner ideologue “Joe the Plumber,” I want to bring up something in his recent blog post: “Wanting a white Republican president… ... Read More
While reading a recent Salon article, “The real story of the shutdown: 50 years of GOP race-baiting,” I cannot honestly say that I was too shocked. The institution of racism is… ... Read More
Americans across the country felt the consequences of the government shutdown. Federal employees were jobless until further notice. National parks, landmarks, and museums were closed. Wedding plans were disrupted. School… ... Read More
Late last week, the House passed a bill to restore regular federal funding to border security during the shutdown. This bill, called the Border Security and Safety Act, would ensure… ... Read More
[caption id="attachment_1428" align="alignright" width="300"] Via Fox News Latino[/caption] For anyone who does not think our immigration system is broken, here is the story of Sigifredo Saldana Iracheta, an immigrant and… ... Read More
On October 8th, 2013, tens of thousands of people showed up on the National Mall to demand action on immigration reform with a path to citizenship. 160 people were arrested,… ... Read More
It vividly occurred to me at the October 8th rally outside the U.S. Capitol Building that it’s time to discuss immigration legislation now and to grant undocumented immigrants a chance… ... Read More
If you’re reading this article, you’re probably already aware that the House of Representatives voted to cut the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) by $39 billion. The bill didn’t decrease… ... Read More
On Saturday, October 5th, more than 80 mobilization efforts are planned to take place across the country to celebrate the National Day of Dignity and Respect. These efforts will… ... Read More
Thousands of families across the country will mobilize on streets across the country on October 5th, and here’s why: Although we’ve sent out a very clear message at the polls,… ... Read More
This week, House Republicans released a video in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month. Prominent House Republicans, including Speaker of the House John Boehner and House Majority Leader Eric Cantor lauded Hispanics for… ... Read More
Following the release of the 2012 Census data, perhaps the most disturbing statistics are those that relate to children. The results show that about one in five children in the… ... Read More
“The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.” -Representative Stephen Fincher (R-Tenn.) This quote from Republican Rep. Stephen Fincher wowed me for many reasons; it’s catchy, snarky, cunning… ... Read More
View the original Buzzfeed Community post here. Yesterday, 104 women were arrested for blockading the intersection outside the House of Representatives to protest their inaction on immigration reform that treats… ... Read More
Yesterday, 104 women, including many undocumented women, were arrested on Capitol Hill for peacefully protesting the House’s inaction on immigration reform that respects women and children. We asked our three… ... Read More
By: Amanda Sands & Donna De La Cruz At the Center for Community Change, we encourage people to tell their stories about how the broken immigration system has affected their… ... Read More
I hope that my story uplifts hearts and inspires those that can make this change possible. I appreciate you taking the time to read it. Being an undocumented immigrant is something… ... Read More
When I arrived at the 50th Anniversary March on Washington this Saturday morning, the first thing that struck me was the array of messages. People marched past me holding signs… ... Read More
When it comes to American poverty, the landscape is changing. According to a new study by the Brookings Institution, poverty is increasing at its fastest rate in "major metropolitan suburbs,"… ... Read More
To be honest, I didn’t know what I was signing up for when I accepted my internship at the Center for Community Change. I wanted to work on immigration reform… ... Read More
A so-called “rally” with Republicans’ leading anti-immigrant spokesman, Rep. Steve King (R-IA), flopped big time this week. While the event was widely publicized as a national kickoff to stir up… ... Read More
15% of the U.S. population lives below the national poverty line. That’s 46.2 million people. And though many are quick to name a lack of motivation, laziness and irresponsibility as… ... Read More
I was arrested for Oscar Alfaro. Oscar came to the U.S. to escape poverty and make enough money to support his family. Now, he fears being deported and separated from… ... Read More
Fair Immigration Reform Movement (FIRM) groups and allies will rally across the country on Saturday calling for the House GOP leadership to step up and support comprehensive immigration reform that… ... Read More
As the House Judiciary Committee begins its review of the KIDS act, proposed by Representative Eric Cantor, its inadequacy is already becoming clear. The act is part of the House… ... Read More
I don’t know what I would do without my driver’s license. Being from Los Angeles, I find driving to be an essential to getting my way around. But my license… ... Read More
Months ago, Sen. Jack Reed, a longstanding champion for students, introduced the Responsible Student Loan Solutions Act, a bill that would have prevented interest rates on all new federal Stafford… ... Read More
Inside Out photo project has come to DC to take on immigration reform. The group, who uses large portraits taken in their mobile photo booth as art installations around the… ... Read More
In the five years that I have volunteered at schools in Tegucigalpa and Talanga Honduras I’ve been exposed to the reality of many things. The beauty of simple human interaction. … ... Read More
A group of 60 Grassroots Ambassadors and staff from three states came together from July 7-9 in Chicago, Illinois for a dynamic training and collective action. The Jane Addams Senior… ... Read More
As House Republicans debate whether or not they will act on immigration reform, they should remember the deadline of Aug. 2nd that the Fair Immigration Reform Movement (FIRM) has set… ... Read More
One of America’s treasures is the freedom we enjoy, the absence of restraints on our ability to think and to act. We the people, who live in this country, live… ... Read More
Today I stumbled across this interactive map, which charts the impact of immigrant students, workers and entrepreneurs in every American state. The project, known as Map the Impact, is informative… ... Read More
Last Thursday, the Senate voted to pass the bill 68-32, and focus shifted to the House of Representatives as they work on their version of the bill. It has been… ... Read More
With summertime comes fresh produce lining farmer’s markets tables and grocery store shelves, and as families sit down to enjoy the feast of fresh, colorful food I’m going to guess… ... Read More
On Monday and Tuesday of last week, I was discouraged. The Supreme Court had ruled on cases dealing with affirmative action and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 – both… ... Read More
The Brookings Institution pointed out that high-income kids who don’t graduate from college are 2.5 times more likely to end up rich than low-income kids who do get a degree.… ... Read More
UPDATE: As of today, the “risk” that including the LGBT community in comprehensive immigration reform posed to the Senate bill’s passage is no longer an issue. The Supreme Court’s decision… ... Read More
Senator Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) has proposed an amendment that would require immigrants to pass a level-3 English proficiency test in order to receive a green card for permanent residency in… ... Read More
This week, Fair Immigration Reform Movement (FIRM) leaders went to the House Judiciary Committee to voice their disapproval for the SAFE Act, a bill that takes the extreme measure of… ... Read More
This week, the House Judiciary Committee approved the Strengthen and Fortify Enforcement (SAFE) Act, with Immigration Subcommittee Chairman Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.) leading the charge. With the bill’s extreme policies,… ... Read More
Three months ago, immigrant families from across the country came to Washington, DC to rally for comprehensive immigration reform. With the coordination of the Fair Immigration Reform Movement (FIRM), several… ... Read More
A year ago, President Obama announced the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program for young people who were brought to the U.S. when they were children by their immigrant… ... Read More
Jingru H. When I watched DREAMer Tolu Olubunmi (video below) introduce President Obama, I clapped the entire time. Many immigrants like Tolu have stories that led him or her to… ... Read More
For a long time, people have suspected that deportation and the threat of deportation can have a physical impact on a person’s health and the health of their family. Today,… ... Read More
FIRM, CASA de Maryland, SEIU and Bend the Arc Jewish Action, as well as the families they work with, today sent a message to House and Senate Republicans who do… ... Read More
It’s been seven long months since Election Day. It’s been seven long months and there is still no immigration bill in the House of Representatives. We need more than just… ... Read More
Last week, The Heritage Foundation released a faulty, anti-immigrant economic “study” that was denounced even within the conservative community. Today, immigrant families will deliver thousands of pink slips to Heritage… ... Read More
Now that the long-awaited immigration reform bill has been introduced, the real work begins. Amendments to the bill are now available online for public review. Tomorrow, the process known as… ... Read More
By: Jennifer Martinez A little over a year, my family was ripped apart when my husband of 16 years was suddenly taken away and forced to leave the country. My… ... Read More
The best description I’ve heard of why May 1st plays such a significant role in the immigrant rights movement comes from Angelica Salas, the Executive Director of the Coalition for… ... Read More
By: Jeff Blum, Executive Director of USAction Today CCC and USAction are pleased to announce an exciting new partnership. A partnership to meet the challenge of our times. For more… ... Read More
The Senate Judiciary Committee has held three hearings so far on the Gang of 8’s proposed immigration reform bill. So far, there has been only one undocumented immigrant who has… ... Read More
For Immediate Release: Monday, April 22, 2013 Contact: For English language Media: Donna De La Cruz, [email protected], 202-339-9331, 202-441-3798 (cell) For Spanish language Media: Ricardo Ramírez, [email protected], 202-339-9371, (202) 905-1738… ... Read More
The 844-page immigration reform bill released early this morning is a victory on many fronts. Spokesperson for the Fair Immigration Reform Movement (FIRM) Kica Matos called it a “monumental achievement… ... Read More
What does it take to get Congress to listen? On April 10, more than 100,000 people from 31 states descended on the nation’s Capitol to send a strong message that… ... Read More
Wednesday, April 10th, tens of thousands of immigrants and supporters will unite on the West Lawn of the United States Capitol at 3:00p.m. in support of common sense immigration reform… ... Read More
Make The Road NY member, Maria Magdalena Flores, shares her story fleeing a violent civil war to come to this country and fight for the opportunity of the 11 million… ... Read More
On April 10th, tens of thousands of immigrants, their families and their supporters will flood the Capitol building in Washington to help elevate the voices of 11 million undocumented citizens… ... Read More
Tens of thousands of immigrants, supporters and faith and community leaders will gather on the U.S. Capitol’s West Lawn on Wednesday, April 10th to demand comprehensive immigration reform that includes… ... Read More
By Alesia Lucas & Sarah English The Republican National Committee (RNC) has wrapped up their meeting and may be ready for a party makeover. Instead of playing the blame game,… ... Read More
Tomorrow is the final day of National Call-in week for immigration reform. We need everyone to call their representatives and urge them to support immigration reform that keeps families together… ... Read More
On Sunday, April 21, 2013, The Committee for Effective Leadership will honor four individuals for their exemplary leadership and service. Among the honorees is Deepak Bhargava the Executive Director of… ... Read More
Guest Post By Leighton Watson, Sophomore at Howard University The quest for higher education can be a huge investment made by young adults and their families. Due to the recession,… ... Read More
March 8th is International Women’s Day, and although it’s 2013, American women still lag behind men in paycheck fairness. Women still make a mere 64 cents for every dollar their… ... Read More
Today, President Obama reauthorized the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), expanding protection to immigrants, LGBT individuals and Native Americans. At the bill signing, President Obama spoke of when the bill… ... Read More
Last week, the National Keeping Families Together Bus Tour launched from Chicago, IL carrying families and individuals directly impacted by the current immigration system. The bus riders are calling on… ... Read More
Leaders of the Asian Pacific American community are supporting the Keeping Families Together mission. Comprehensive immigration reform is essential because families should never be separated. When mentioning the “undocumented immigrants”,… ... Read More
Yale recently suspended plans to create a center in conjunction with the Department of Defense that would train U.S. soldiers in the art of interrogation by using immigrants as their… ... Read More
Under our current immigration system, families are destroyed every day. Take what happened to Melissa McGuire-Maniau, for instance. Melissa is a wife, a mother of three, a full-time college student,… ... Read More
In December the Fair Immigration Reform Movement launched the Keeping Families Together campaign, the campaign collects the countless stories of families split because of our broken immigration system. Yesterday was… ... Read More
Overall, 77% of those who watched The State of the Union Address were pleased with what the President had to say. It was a passionate plea and directive to the… ... Read More
When two Portland women renewed their vows in Oregon, living as a mixed-status couple, the moment was impactful for more than one reason. The couple renewed their vows to illustrate… ... Read More
When police ask for your help, most people are inclined to help them. Amber’s husband falls into that category. But Amber and her family were shocked at what happened after… ... Read More
With President Obama’s second term in full swing his former campaign organization has decided to take on immigration reform. Taking a page from the Keeping Families Together Campaign, The Obama… ... Read More
I’ve been volunteering at the Latino Student Fund (LSF), a local nonprofit in Washington, DC, that provides “academic support to at-risk and underprivileged Latino youth,” for nearly two years. And… ... Read More
The word ‘poor’ is treated like a four-letter word by politicians. But with the downturn of our economy and slow job market, the issue of poverty has become more serious… ... Read More
The Fair Immigration Reform Movement recently launched the Keeping Families Together Campaign. The campaign was created to advocate for immigration reform that keeps families together and to collect the stories… ... Read More
President Obama’s second term has no shortage of key issues. While some feared that the important issue of gun control and the debt ceiling would overshadow the need for comprehensive… ... Read More
Many US children will spend this holiday season without a parent. Why? Because they have a parent who isn’t a US citizen and has been deported. From 2010-2012 about 23%… ... Read More
The Center for Community Change recently released a report highlighting the issue of youth unemployment and under-employment entitled, “Establishing a Foothold in the Labor Market for Young Workers Through Subsidized… ... Read More
This year has been a huge one for DREAMers who earlier this year were granted deferred action status. But the fight for DREAMers is not over. Although they now have… ... Read More
I've watched our members and supporters fill the Capitol with singing, chanting, and people power. We need to put the pressure on Governor Snyder now to veto so-called 'Right-to-Work' bills.… ... Read More
As Congress debates the fiscal cliff, hopefully avoiding balancing the budget on the backs of workers, they should look at retail industry workers. The retail industry has bounced back from… ... Read More
Last year was my grandmother's final Thanksgiving. She died in the spring of 2012 at the age of 98. Her cinnamon rolls will forever be a part of Thanksgiving memories… ... Read More
The 2012 elections show that Americans want President Obama and Congress to strengthen the middle class, put people back to work, embrace prosperity economics over austerity, and protect essential retirement… ... Read More
During a site visit to Chicago to work with the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR) as part of my electoral work with the Campaign for Community Change,… ... Read More
The Campaign for Community Change is working with several groups in the field to register a record number of new voters for this year’s election. In the days leading up… ... Read More
This is a must read for today on Prosperity Economics: In the wake of the financial crisis, an increasing number of thoughtful analysts are arguing that inequality threatens growth. Yet… ... Read More
A lot of important issues were discussed during the first presidential debate. President Obama and GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney were eager to discuss the middle and upper class, but… ... Read More
Last week, “class” was in the news. But – as usual for most all of our political discourse – the focus was on the struggles of the amorphous “middle” class,… ... Read More
The champions of change in our communities rarely receive the credit they deserve. The road to change is long, and it’s important to take a few stops along the way… ... Read More