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After confronting Senator Jeff Flake on an elevator on Friday, September 28, Ana Maria made headlines in national media outlets including The New York Times, MSNBC, Telemundo, CNN with Anderson Cooper, CBS News, USA Today, The Washington Post, NPR, The Hill, PBS Newshour, ABC News, Bustle, Politico, Vanity Fair, VICE, and The Intercept, among many others.
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Just a few hours ago, a courageous young woman and I confronted Senator Jeff Flake on an elevator about his statement that he would vote to confirm Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court. In a now-viral video, Flake could not even look us in the eyes when we shared with him our experiences of sexual assault. He would not make eye contact with me when I asked him to think about my children, and his own children.
Shortly after, CNN reported that Flake was visibly shaken after his encounter with us. Our words, and the words of thousands of women who have shared their stories, moved him. Within hours, the senator announced he would seek an investigation from the FBI into Dr. Ford’s accusations of sexual assault by Brett Kavanaugh, delaying the Senate’s confirmation vote.
The fight is not over yet. The CPD Network will continue to partner with the Women’s March and many allies to help everyday heroes hold the powerful accountable in Washington, D.C. This is a defining moment. We must continue to demand that our elected officials do everything they can to stop this nomination process. Donate now to support this vital work in this important moment.
For the past two weeks, I have stood in solidarity with thousands of incredible survivors, along with countless other organizations to fight this nomination. When Flake announced his intention to vote “yes” to confirm Kavanaugh, it sent a dangerous message to the country that a man can sexually assault multiple women and he is still “fit” to serve on the highest court of this land. We will not let this happen.
After a constant three weeks of action, we will continue to put our bodies on the line to protect our nation and our values. We plan to stay in the Capitol to sustain constant actions and occupations throughout the weekend and into next week to lift up the voices and experiences of our communities. We need your help to make this happen. Even the smallest donation will help us feed and house survivors and allies on the ground. Donate now to support the resistance in the fight to #CancelKavanaugh.
As the fight to save the Supreme Court continues, hundreds of protesters, activists, and progressive leaders came together on Monday in Washington, DC, to demand an end to Brett Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court nomination, especially in light of multiple allegations of sexual misconduct against him. Standing in solidarity with Dr. Christine Blasey Ford and Deborah Ramirez, two women who have accused Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault, hundreds of protesters filled the halls of the Hart Senate Office Building chanting “We believe Christine. We still believe Anita Hill.” Women and allies shared harrowing personal stories of sexual assault outside the offices of Senator Collins and Senator Flake’s offices as they demanded that Congress oppose Kavanaugh's nomination. The number of protestors in the Capitol more than tripled since last week, when over 300 people were in attendance. On Monday, 109 were arrested in various actions. These actions made headlines in the New York Times, Vox, The Nation, HuffPost, The Washington Post, CNN, and ThinkProgress among many others.
CPD affiliates DELACA, Make the Road New York, One Pennsylvania, Hoosier Action, Alaska Grassroots Alliance, Rights & Democracy, and SPACES joined our friends at Maine People’s Alliance, Mainers for Accountable Leadership, Women’s March, Ultraviolet, VOTEPROCHOICE, and more than 115 Yale Law Students in the actions beginning early in the morning on the steps of the Supreme Court. In their respective cities, CPD affiliates from around the country also joined a national walk-out called by #MeToo founder Tarana Burke, in support of Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, Deborah Ramirez, and the activists fighting the Supreme Court nomination on the ground in Washington, DC.
“We cannot continue this country’s long history of ignoring the violence that women endure from day one. I know about that violence. I was five and he was fifteen — but we are not believed when we tell our stories," said Ana Maria Archila, Co-Executive Director at the Center for Popular Democracy and CPD Action. "In this country, we must begin to believe people who experience sexual violence. It is not too much to ask that we don’t put someone in the Supreme Court who violated a woman at the age of 15. It is not too much to ask Senator Flake, Senator Collins and everyone in the judiciary committee vote no. In this country, we must believe women. We must believe victims of sexual violence.”
Today, CPD is back in Washington, DC with network affiliates and allies to support Dr. Christine Blasey Ford in her testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee. Our network is getting in formation to protect our democracy and amplify the voices of survivors of gender-based and sexual violence. Brett Kavanaugh is the least popular Supreme Court nominee in history. In the polls and on the streets, Senators have all the evidence that they need that Americans reject Kavanaugh.
The CPD Network is in awe of the bravery survivors have shown in speaking their truths in the face of violent threats trying to suppress their voices. Survivors are united against Brett Kavanaugh because we need a Supreme Court justice who treats all people with dignity and respect. Brett Kavanaugh poses a grave threat to freedom, justice, and democracy. We will not let Senators act against our interests to confirm an accused sexual abuser who wants to dismantle health care, take away sacred indigenous lands, eviscerate immigrant protections, and further criminalize Black and Brown bodies.
From Maine to Arizona, Alaska to Pennsylvania the CPD Network will continue to facilitate getting everyday heroes to confront power in Washington, DC. This is a defining moment. We must step up and demand our elected officials do everything they can to stop this nomination process. Please donate today to protect our values and support the resistance in the fight to #CancelKavanaugh.
In September, the Center for Popular Democracy, National Partnership for New Americans, and Cities for Citizenship (C4C) published the report America Is Home: How Individuals, Families, Cities & Counties Benefit by Investing in Citizenship. This new report highlights the work of Cities for Citizenship, a major national initiative aimed at increasing citizenship among eligible U.S. permanent residents and encouraging cities across the country to invest in citizenship programs. C4C has grown to nearly 70 participating cities and counties since its founding in 2014. It is chaired by New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, and Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, with support from CPD and the National Partnership for New Americans.
There are currently 8.8 million lawful permanent residents who are eligible to naturalize across the United States. Yet, each year fewer than nine percent of those who are eligible to naturalize take the important step of applying for citizenship due to a variety of barriers. C4C is premised on the idea that when municipal leaders develop and invest in naturalization efforts, it produces substantial economic and civic benefits for all of their constituents. In addition to a host of civic benefits—including the ability to vote in elections, serve on a jury, and run for elected office—the report focuses on the significant economic benefits that naturalizing brings to individuals and local communities.
When someone becomes a US citizen, that person is more likely to secure employment, access higher paying jobs, and to own a home. In addition to a host of benefits for individuals, naturalization can have important macroeconomic benefits for local communities. These include a growth in spending power, higher GDP, and increased tax revenues, all of which can boost local economies. Finally, investing in naturalization can advance financial inclusion for immigrant families who are much more likely to access formal banking services after naturalizing. Recognizing these benefits, the C4C participating cities are working to increase citizenship among eligible lawful permanent residents around the country; these local efforts are highlighted throughout the report. Read the full report on our website.
On September 12, CPD joined members of the Alliance to Reclaim Our Schools (AROS), an alliance of parent, youth, community and labor organizations that together represent over seven million people nationwide, to release a report detailing billions of dollars in federal funds owed to Black, brown and low-income students. Confronting the Education Debt demonstrates that, between 2005 and 2017, schools in Black and Brown communities were underfunded by $580 billion in Title I and IDEA funding. Over that same period of time, the personal net worth of the nation’s 400 wealthiest individuals grew by $1.57 trillion. The report details the systematic stripping of resources from public schools serving Black, Brown and low-income children due entirely to policy priorities and political decisions. The gaps created by this severe lack of federal funding are then passed on to the state and local level -- the consequences of which are felt directly by our most marginalized students.
As CPD President and Co-Executive Director, Jennifer Epps Addison, notes: “...Confronting the Education Debt, is a devastating account of our country's failure to support our most vulnerable children and youth -- to the tune of $580 billion dollars. The right to a quality public education is a cornerstone of a thriving democracy. For generations Black and Brown communities have fought to expand education freedom and equity. To deny students fully and equitably funded public schools is to deny them their freedom to thrive. This debt is even worse when considered against the huge sums of money spent on simultaneously criminalizing those same students at their schools and ultimately funding the school-to-prison pipeline. Confronting this debt is the minimal first step towards ensuring that all our youth, and youth of color in particular, are provided the opportunities to grow and the freedom to thrive."
The report was released as part of a national campaign being launched by AROS, and driven by local groups including CPD affiliates, to build grassroots campaigns for racial justice, for the expansion of Community Schools, and for the progressive renue needed to fund them. Read and share the full report here.
On September 20, 2017, Hurricane Maria made landfall in Puerto Rico. A historic category 5 storm, its impact has dramatically deepened the political and economic crisis the population was already facing. More than 200,000 families lost their homes, the death toll is more than 3,000, and thousands of people have left the island entirely. Still, Hurricane Maria also unveiled something beautiful: the strength of communities, particularly when we recognize and value the leadership of women.
Days after Hurricane Maria, CPD affiliate Taller Salud followed the lead of women in their community of Loiza, who quickly moved to organize food, rescue and care for their people. They identified and supported women leaders like Miliam, 34, mother of two young girls, who lost her home during Hurricane Maria. Miliam organized her neighborhood and provided food and shelter for more than 2,000 people during the first weeks of the emergency.
Taller Salud has recognized and invested in the leadership of dozens women leaders, creating a web of support that provided immediate assistance to 16,000 people in Loíza -- which represents more than 60% of the town’s population. Taller Salud’s impact was also national, reaching an additional 4,000 more people in 14 towns across the island.
In the absence of an adequate official emergency response, and with public institutions collapsing under privatization and debt, organizations like Taller Salud have been a crucial infrastructure for immediate relief and long-term recovery in Puerto Rico. Taller Salud continues to focus on supporting women like Miliam, recognizing that long-term recovery efforts require investing in women leaders of the communities of Loíza. Support Taller Salud to guarantee women directly impacted by disaster can continue to dedicate their time, ideas and willpower for the common good of their communities in Puerto Rico.
A year ago this week, Hurricane Maria tore through the island of Puerto Rico, destroying hundreds of thousands of homes and the island’s basic infrastructure. However, the story of Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria is not just a story of devastation. It is also a story of resilience, dignity and collective power. With its fury, Hurricane Maria lifted the veil on decades of disinvestment on Puerto Rico’s infrastructure, but also shined a light on the resiliency and fortitude of the Puerto Rican people.
Yesterday, #1YearAfterMaria, thousands of people from all over the country came together in more than 30 cities to remember the almost 3,000 people who lost their lives in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, and to stand in solidarity with the people of Puerto Rico. As part of a national day of action, community and faith groups in Puerto Rico and in 20 states across the US organized over 50 events to commemorate the first anniversary of Hurricane Maria and reaffirm their commitment to fight for a just recovery and self-determination for Puerto Rico.The actions made headlines in El Dario, NPR, Free Speech TV, WNPR, Journal Inquirer, The Morning Call, and Reading Eagle among others
Over 25 CPD affiliates, allies, and partners joined forces with members of Vamos for PR, Faith in Action, Moms Rising and many other community groups to demand justice for over 200,000 Puerto Rican people who were forced to flee the island in search of a roof over their heads, running water, electricity, a job, and an open school. Marches, rallies and vigils took place in towns across the island of Puerto Rico, and on the mainland in cities like Reading, Las Vegas, Phoenix, New York City and Orlando.
The devastation caused by Hurricane Maria exposed the overwhelming impact of decades of disinvestment in Puerto Rico’s infrastructure and colonial rule, and the austerity measures that were imposed on the island by those responsible for Puerto Rico’s debt crisis. Hurricane Maria also lifted the veil on the deep solidarity and resiliency of the Puerto Rican people. In the face of a negligent and inept response by the federal government, people turned to each other for support, forming volunteer brigades to clean up roads, rebuild homes, install solar panels, and assemble massive soup kitchens to make sure everyone could eat and be nourished by a community of love. Out of an unprecedented crisis, people built power and began to craft a new vision for a Just Recovery.
Over the last year, CPD affiliates in Pennsylvania, Florida, New Jersey, Connecticut, New York and Nevada have been working to support Puerto Ricans displaced by Hurricane Maria and its aftermath. During that time, our affiliates have connected hurricane refugees to services, fought against foreclosures in Puerto Rico, and provided housing support for those those families living in shelters across the US.
Julio López Varona, Co-Director of Community Dignity Campaigns at CPD, explained, “These actions mark an important moment of resistance and remembrance for those living in the diaspora after Hurricane Maria. Further, they represent a call to action for key cities and states where the growth of the Puerto Rican community could shift the political future of the US and, in doing so, allow for the island to get the just recovery it needs and a path towards self determination it deserves.”
Let us be clear: Hurricane Maria AND the neglect of the federal government to respond led to more than 200,00 people being forced to flee and to the deaths of 2,975 people. We will not let them get away with this. We will continue to support Puerto Rican communities to organize and build long-term, transformative power in the island and in the states. The CPD Network is committed to supporting the vision and leadership of Puerto Rican people in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria and beyond.
We want to express our gratitude to the organizations that helped anchor events and contributed in other ways to #1YearAfterMaria national day of action: CASA; Coco De Oro, Comerio Puerto Rico; CUFFH; Defend PR; Dream Corps; Faith in Action; Hornada Day Garden Bronx; Love Army; Make the Road Pennsylvania; Make the Road Connecticut; Make the Road New Jersey; Make the Road New York; Make the Road Nevada; Mensajeros De Paloma; Moms Rising; Movimento Borikua; New York Communities for Change,; Organize Florida; Power4PR, Puerto Rican Student Association Nevada; Puerto Rican Student Association College Station Texas; St Martin of Tours; VAMOS4PR.
Please help lift the voices, resilience, beauty, and vision of the Puerto Rican people by making a donation to support this vital work.
Last week CPD’s sister organization, CPD Action, the Women’s March, and Housing Works, along with 10 CPD affiliates and allies, organized 40 near-constant actions in Washington, D.C., calling on the Senate to #CancelKavanaugh and not confirm Brett Kavanaugh as the next Supreme Court Justice. More than 200 activists were arrested between the start of the confirmation hearings on Tuesday and the end of the testimony on Friday. Our efforts made headlines in CNN, Reuters, NPR, Buzzfeed News, HuffPost, The Guardian, USA Today, The Nation, and Fox News among others.
As a network, we are glad to know that we do not have to stand alone in this fight. We stand strong with movement partners and organizations like Planned Parenthood, the National Women’s Law Center, Demand Justice, MoveOn, People’s Action, the Working Families Party, Color of Change, the Fight for 15, and more who are central in the fight to stop Kavanaugh. These leaders contacted their senators, organized vigils, collected “vote no” petitions, held opposition press conferences, and are building a grassroots resistance to Kavanaugh’s nomination. We know that none of us alone can win this fight, but together our organizations and movements can make the impossible possible and stop Kananaugh.
The Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled to vote this Thursday, September 13. Under committee rules, it is likely Senate Democrats will move to delay the vote, pushing a full Senate confirmation vote to the week of September 24. After over 600 people joined us last week to disrupt the public hearings and encourage the committee to vote against the Kavanaugh nomination, we still have much work left to do.
On September 20, the CPD Network will anchor another action and bring over a thousand people to Washington, DC to witness the committee confirmation. We will not rest until the voices of women, working people, immigrants, and others are heard. Please make a donation today to support the fight to #CancelKavanaugh.
In this moment of urgency, it is crucial we come together to ensure this nominee not be confirmed. Along with his proven anti-choice history, Kavanaugh is poised to erode worker protections, deny rights to immigrants, take away health care access, all while bolstering the power of big corporations and millionaires and billionaires. Collectively, we understand that a Senate vote to confirm Kavanaugh would erode essential freedoms and protections for our communities for generations.
This is a defining moment. We must step up and demand our elected officials do everything they can to stop this nomination process. Please donate today to protect our values and support the resistance in the fight to #CancelKavanaugh.
On Tuesday, September 4, the Center for Popular Democracy, CPD Action, the Women’s March, and Housing Works along with CPD Network affiliates and allies Alaska Grassroots Alliance, Arkansas Community Organization, Hoosier Action, Organize Florida, Maine Grassroots Alliance, Rights and Democracy VT and NH, Strong for All, SPACES and the Birddog Nation, kicked off a week of near constant action calling on the Senate to #CancelKavanaugh and not confirm Brett Kavanaugh as the next Supreme Court Justice of the United States. Brett Kavanaugh’s judicial record demonstrates his commitment to rolling back reproductive justice, labor rights, and racial justice protections across the country.
Over 600 people came to Washington, DC, to join us in public hearings and encourage the Senate Judiciary Committee to vote against Kavanaugh’s nomination. This is just the beginning. We plan to be in DC through next week and need your vital support to keep fighting for our communities.
On the first day, 70 people were arrested for non-violent civil disobedience inside the public gallery, where activists stood all day to voice their objections to the nominee and the Supreme Court confirmation process. The actions received widespread media attention from major media outlets, including CNN, Wall Street Journal, New York Times, USA Today, Rewire, Glamour and The Hill, among others.
One after another people stood up to tell their reasons why they did not want Kavanaugh on the Supreme Court. Nearly 100 people occupied the offices of several Senators including Chuck Schumer, Rob Portman, Joe Donnelly, Chuck Grassley and Susan Collins, calling on the Senate Judiciary Committee to represent the interests of women, working people, immigrants, and others whose futures would become uncertain with a Kavanaugh nomination.
Network President and Co-Executive Director of CPD and CPD Action Jennifer Epps-Addison was the second to be arrested on Tuesday morning, calling on Senate Democrats to each “Be A Hero,” a reference to CPD Action Senior Campaigner Ady Barkan, who started the Be A Hero fund to protect health care for working Americans. Epps-Addison was arrested with over 30 other women from the CPD Network, the Women’s March, Ultraviolet and NARAL. By Wednesday, September 5, over 200 women and allies were arrested for disrupting the Kavanaugh Hearings and occupying Senate offices.
“From disrupting the hearing to occupying Senator Schumer’s office, we are here to tell our Senators that they need to protect us and our futures by cancelling the Kavanaugh hearings,” said Epps-Addison. “Yes, some Democrats applauded our efforts this morning. But that is not enough. We need bold action. In these dangerous times, we need nothing less than a full rejection of this dangerous nominee.”
On the final day of hearings, activists organized a funeral procession and delivered flowers to heroic Senators Kamala Harris, Mazie Hirono and Cory Booker for taking bold action during the confirmation hearings. Activists also sent flowers to wavering Senator Lisa Murkowski, after 10 members from Alaska Grassroots Alliance met with her, in the hope that she shows the same bravery she displayed during the fight to save the the Affordable Care Act in this moment of urgency. Murkowski signaled that she is leaning towards voting no but needed support. This meeting illustrates the power of our coordinated actions.
Along with his proven anti-choice history, Brett Kavanaugh is poised to erode worker protections, deny rights to immigrants, take away health care access, all while bolstering the power of big corporations and millionaires and billionaires. While each person has a different reason for protesting Kavanaugh, collectively we understand that a Senate vote on his nomination would erode freedoms and protections for generations.
In all, over 100 actions were carried out between Tuesday, September 4 and Friday September 7. This is just the start. We will not rest until our elected officials do everything they can to stop this nomination process. Please donate today to protect our values and support the resistance in the fight to #CancelKavanaugh.
CPD Network President & Co-Executive Director, Jennifer Epps-Addison, was featured in the Women’s Media Center this month discussing the Supreme Court’s recent ruling on Janus.
In another blow to an already embattled labor movement, the Supreme Court ruled that public-sector unions can no longer use“fee share” systems that charge an agency fee to employees who decide not to join a union but are covered by its collective bargaining agreement.
The impact of the ruling will fall particularly hard on women, especially women of color, who make up a disproportionate share of public-sector union members and for whom such unions have been a lifeline. Despite being just over 7 percent of the overall population in the United States, Black women account for nearly one in every five public-sector workers and one in seven in the labor force at large, according to the Economic Policy Institute. In the feature, Epps-Addison highlights the voices of several women of color leaders within the CPD Network.
As Network President, Epps-Addison met with working women from all across the country during the past year. Throughout her travels, it’s become clear that the public sector has long been a vital employer for communities of color. Further, communities of color have utilized the collective power of unions to reduce the gender-based pay inequities that women workers routinely face. Women, especially women of color, have always been the doers—in the labor movement, in the civil rights movement, and in today’s movements for economic and racial justice. While the Janus ruling drastically undermines the voices of workers across the country, the CPD Network’s commitment and resolve will only grow stronger in the face of these attacks. Read the full feature here.
On August 9, CPD took part in Speak Up, Rise Up, a festival of storytelling dedicated to sharing the experiences of individuals who too often don’t get a chance to have their stories heard. The festival featured the stories of women of color, veterans, senior citizens, members of the LGBT community, and many more.
CPD’s program showcased the stories of organizers within the CPD Network and explored the experiences that motivated individuals to organize and mobilize their community. Perla Lopez, a youth organizer with Make the Road New York, spoke of coming to the U.S. to join her mom ten years ago. A Dreamer, she learned about Make the Road New York through canvassers in her neighborhood, and decided she could make a difference in other people’s lives by encouraging them to speak out about their experiences.
Vaughn Armour, a member of New York Communities for Change, explained how he began organizing after tenants in his building were threatened with eviction. After his longtime girlfriend passed away, his landlord responded by trying to buy out her two sons and evict them from the property. It had a transformative effect on him, pushing him to not just organize tenants but also to fight to change rental laws in New York.
Jesus Gonzalez, an organizer for CPD and Make the Road, spoke about the multiple shootings of young men of color in his neighborhood. Seeing so many of his friends face police brutality, he knew he needed to get involved.
Speaking with Jazmin Chavez, CPD’s Digital Director and moderator for the showcase, the three organizers delved into the obstacles they faced on their path, explaining how they had encouraged their friends and neighbors who had felt disheartened to get involved by showing them how they could make change. Responding to an audience question about how members of the community could help their organizations, panelists encouraged them to share their own stories to form community between those who feel powerless to make change. There is power in a story – power to heal, power to mobilize, and power to transform.
