Blog
CPD is proud to welcome Communities Creating Opportunity (CCO) to our powerful network of grassroots affiliates! CCO is one of the leading organizations in the Kansas City region training grassroots community members to participate effectively in civic life and affect social change in their neighborhoods and communities. Founded in 1977 to confront the rapid racial transition and financial disinvestment in Kansas City's southeast neighborhoods, CCO is a social justice organization committed to building people and community power that ensures every person gets to experience human dignity. In fact, CCO’s mission is organizing communities for racial justice and social change, and these principles reflect the core of who they are and how they work.
CCO spans two states, six counties, 12 municipalities and over 100 area congregations representing thousands of individuals. Last year alone, CCO directly contacted 42,851 people in face-to-face conversations through neighborhood canvassing or door knocking, or through personal phone calls. Since their inception, CCO has worked with and among the low-income and vulnerable populations who experience the most drastic effects of healthcare, education, and racial inequity.
CCO has achieved several noted successes in the areas of economic justice, early-childhood education, community empowerment, healthcare access, and racial justice on behalf of working families and the diverse communities they serve. In addition to running a number of sophisticated campaigns, CCO is leading a series of community conversations on race. These sessions provide people with a safe place to have an honest community conversation with the intention of surfacing and confronting our individual and collective understanding of race, equity, discrimination and injustice.
Please join us in welcoming CCO to our network!
CPD’s Housing Justice Campaign is supporting Make the Road Nevada in drafting a White Paper on the affordable housing crisis across the state. Make the Road Nevada's members are facing evictions and rising rents. Nevada is ground zero for the affordable housing crisis–the state is ranked worst in the nation at providing affordable housing to struggling working families.
Forty-five percent of people in Nevada rent, and the number is slightly higher in the city of Las Vegas, at 48% renters, among whom 20% are acutely low-income. For working Nevadans, the crisis is even more severe with more than 8 in every 10 of such households paying more than half of their income on housing costs.
Unsurprisingly, Nevada’s eviction rate is above the national average with over 13,000 renters evicted in 2016 alone. The vast majority of those took place in Las Vegas, where Make the Road Nevada organizes. Nevada also saw one of the largest increases in homelessness in the last year, according to the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s annual report. These conditions have repercussions beyond housing policy–many households struggling to pay rent cope by cutting spending on healthcare, food, and other basic necessities, undermining their future ability to recover This is particularly acute in households with children.
To respond to this threat, Make the Road Nevada is working with a broad coalition across the state for an economic justice agenda that includes rent control regulation, protecting tenants, and reducing evictions during the 2019 legislative session, in addition to advocating for paid sick days and a higher minimum wage. Make the Road Nevada has been canvassing their members, and rent and evictions are top issues facing their community. According to Make the Road Nevada members, the rent is high and wages aren't catching up. As plans for the Raiders stadium in Las Vegas continue, many members feel this campaign is essential to protecting their community, which is at risk of displacement. Make the Road Nevada members are going to be powerfully organizing for rent control, along with their economic justice priorities, to protect their communities against rising rents, speculative and corporate landlords, and eviction.
On October 8, City & State New York released 2018’s Nonprofit Power 50 List. In this special feature, City & State New York recognizes 50 top nonprofit leaders who are key players in the world of New York politics and government. CPD affiliate Executive Directors Jeremy Saunders and Alyssa Aguilera from VOCAL-NY, and Javier Valdés and Deborah Axt from Make the Road New York each made this impressive list.
City & State New York reached out to insiders and experts to compile this list of nonprofit leaders, ranking each individual based on their accomplishments, their sway in political and policy matters, their ties to powerful politicians, and their ability to deliver for the diverse populations they serve. We are incredibly proud to be in partnership with some of the most influential leaders in the New York nonprofit community. Read more about their achievements here.
On October 6, Brett Kavanaugh was confirmed as the next Supreme Court Justice of the United States. Though the immediate outcome of our fight to prevent this was deeply disappointing, the fight represented a major success in mobilizing grassroots activism at the federal level. CPD and CPD Action affiliates, partners, and allies used collective power to turn cursory hearings on what was widely seen as the shoe-in nomination of Kavanaugh into a month-long battle that engaged millions of new people in a very personal and powerful way with our political process.
Because of your support, we made this nomination a real fight. Women and allies who shared their stories of sexual violence in the halls of Congress changed the course of history and found their passion and their democratic voices. During the confirmation process, more than one thousand people were arrested, and millions more took action in the largest mobilizations against a Supreme Court nominee in U.S. history. In our resistance, we exemplified the true spirit of popular democracy–imaginative, informed, and sustained participation by all of us.
Together we have the power to transform the national conversation. Help us prepare for the next Federal fight -- and to make our voices heard locally and across the country.
On October 11, CPD launched our first Fightback Fireside Chat to facilitate conversations between academics, activists, and thought leaders about how we create collective action and fightback in this moment of urgency. These monthly meetings allow us to grapple with our current political reality as we head into the third year of the Trump administration.
This month, we hosted Yale professor Timothy Snyder, author of Tyranny, Bloodlines and the Road to Unfreedom. The discussion was moderated by Director of Mobilization and Advocacy at CPD, Jennifer Flynn Walker, and was viewed by over 2,000 people both in our office, on video and our facebook live.
Our next Fightback Fireside Chat will be held on November 13 at 12:00pm in Brooklyn, New York with L.A. Kauffman, author of Direct Action and How to Read a Protest Sign. If you are interested in joining us, please RSVP here. We will also be livestreaming the conversation on CPD’s Facebook page.
CPD affiliates are working to support innovative, high impact statewide ballot initiatives in California, Florida and Ohio to ensure a progressive agenda for working families. In all three states our partners have been instrumental in not only getting these initiatives on the ballot this November, but are hard at work organizing communities to win these campaigns.
In California, Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (ACCE) and allies are leading a major statewide campaign for greater access to decent and truly affordable housing, and a campaign to combat the displacement of current residents, largely Black and Brown communities, from cities throughout California. The "Yes on Proposition 10" campaign will repeal the harmful Costa Hawkins Rental Housing Act that took power away from CA cities to extend rent control or pass vacancy control causing a disaster for California’s tenants.
In Florida, Organize Florida and New Florida Majority Education Fund are both on the ground working hard in coalition on the "Yes on 4" campaign, also known as the Second Chances campaign in Florida, that will re-enfranchise 1.5 million formerly incarcerated citizens - the largest expansion in voting access since the Voting Rights Act. Our affiliates are holding ice cream socials and canvassing throughout Florida to to spread the word about "Yes on 4."
In Ohio, the Ohio Organizing Collaborative (OOC) and partners are working together in support of the 'Yes on 1" campaign that will reform Ohio's criminal justice system and reinvest millions of dollars into drug treatment and community-based recovery programs. OOC has organized across urban, suburban, and rural communities impacted by the War on Drugs to learn about the Ohio Neighborhood Safety, Drug Treatment, and Rehabilitation Amendment on the ballot this November.
American democracy is at a crossroads. More than a decade of attacks on voting rights and democratic participation have undermined the core principles of representative democracy and have eroded the political participation of everyday people. Moreover, tens of millions of eligible voters are excluded from our political process because of barriers to voter registration. We see this most prevalently today in Georgia where more than 340,000 voters were improperly purged without notice. To win on the issues that matter most—a just economy, a healthy planet, safe communities, racial equity and a fair justice system—we need to ensure that every eligible voter can fully participate in our democracy. Our democracy suffers when eligible voters are turned away from the polls, unable to find their polling place, or otherwise blocked from exercising their rights.
That is why it is critical that we mobilize thousands of Election Protection volunteers to ensure that every voter can cast a ballot that is counted. These trained, nonpartisan volunteers serve as voters’ first line of defense against confusing voting rules, outdated infrastructure, rampant misinformation, and voter suppression tactics. This year, we are mobilizing volunteers to serve in our communities and defend our democracy by asking people to sign up as an Election Protection volunteer. Are you a lawyer, paralegal, law student, or other legal professional? Sign up to volunteer for the Election Protection hotline.
As a nonpartisan volunteer poll monitor, you will assist voters on Election Day should they encounter any problems voting. You’ll receive training, get materials, meet other volunteers and our professional staff, and on Election Day help voters know their rights and how to find help.
Volunteers can commit to taking at least one Election Day shift to stand outside of assigned polling location after receiving training. You will distribute “Know Your Rights” cards to voters, answer basic questions from voters at the polls, and help voters resolve any problems that occur, with the support of trained legal professionals.
Our outdated voting laws have taken the deepest toll on communities of color and young people. Volunteers like you will be voters’ first line of defense against needless obstacles to the ballot box. If you are unable to volunteer in this capacity, we urge you to make a donation and support this essential work on the ground.
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.
----------------------------------------------------------------
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.
