Democratic Faith - DF Home

TRaining low-skilled adults for High wage jobs is hard; Project Quest in San Antonio hits the bullseye

4/17/2019

Project QUEST License Vocational Nurse student Carissa Garcia performs a PERRLA evaluation during a lab at St. Philip's College do lab work,

Most "job training" programs have a bad rap for good reason. They're a waste of time and money because they don't work. Project Quest organized by COPS/Metro in San Antonio, Texas is more than just the exception. It turns the job training world upside down by establishing a proven ladder into the middle class for low wage workers. . Read the Houston Chronical story on Project Quest here.

ASYLUM SEEKERS: humanity, mercy and maybe justice

4/16/2019

From Albuquerque Interfaith/IAF: A must read about what's happening in New Mexico

The Bus Is Coming
You see, I had also spent the day waiting to hear from representatives of Albuquerque Interfaith. At some point, they were going to contact me about a busload of Central American asylum seekers who were journeying to The Duke City from a detention center in the mystical southlands. Read more.

From VOICE/IAF: TV News on Driver's License Suspension victories

4/15/2019

Featuring VOICE leaders Rev. Dr. Keith Savage, Rev. Kenneth Nixon, and Mr. John Chapman. Link to TV News HERE.

I EXPERIENCED THE TORTURE OF SOLITARY CONFINEMENT.

4/14/2019

Let's end it so others don't feel like 'caged animals', former inmate says.

Story by IAF Organizer Nafeesah Goldsmith
In 2006, when I was 26 years old, I was placed in solitary confinement at New Jersey State Prison for 60 days.

I was locked in my cell for 23 hours a day, sometimes 24 hours, depending on the mood of the officers or if there was a lockdown at the prison. Our showers -- which we were supposed to receive every day -- were subject to the officers’ whims as well. Sometimes, I didn’t get a shower for days. More here.

IAF organization in Albuquerque wins big at New Mexico state legislature: press agenda across a broad front

4/14/2019

Months into the New Mexico legislative session, Albuquerque Interfaith (AI) leaders have advanced school accountability, early childhood education, supports for immigrants and increased health security.

Through intense collaboration with state legislators, AI leaders succeeded in crafting legislation to eliminate A-F grading system for public schools and replace it with a diagnostic system of accountability. AI leaders ran point on legislation that established, for the first time in the state, a department of early childhood education.. AI fought and won more funding for K-12 schooling.

Seeking to reverse the effects of a two-tiered system for (undocumented) immigrant drivers' licenses, AI persuaded state legislators to expand the utility of the bottom-tier of licenses. The second tier is now equivalent to Real IDs, including acceptance by the TSA, state police and financial institutions.

Why Politicians don't love COPS... and that's a good thing!

4/13/2019

San Antonio award winning journalist Rick Casey explains here in the Rivard Report.

A RECORD NUMBER OF US WORKERS WENT ON STRIKE OR STOPPED WORKING IN 2018

4/13/2019

A record number of US workers went on strike or stopped working in 2018 because of labor disputes with employers, according to data released in February by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. A total of 485,000 employees were involved in major work stoppages last year - the highest number since 1986, when flight attendants, garbage collectors and steelworkers walked off the job. Story.

Texas IAF to Legislators: Invest in People!

4/11/2019

Hundreds of Texas IAF leaders bused into the Capitol from El Paso, the Rio Grande Valley, San Antonio, Houston, Dallas and West Texas, joining Central Texas Interfaith counterparts to call on state legislators to increase spending on adult and K-12 education.

Imminent Release for this organizational game changer: How to raise money for community organizing by Bob Connolly

4/10/2019

Specific, practical, tested: Advice on fundraising
Order here - actapublications.com

Bob Connolly is a community leader, trainer, and organizer whose company has helped religious and community organizations raise over a billion dollars during the past thirty-plus years. In this addition to ACTA’s popular community organizing series, he points out: “Money is an expression of our values—an expression of what we believe in, what is important to us, our self-interest. I often tell people in my workshops: If you want to know what you really believe in, look in your checkbook. If you want to know what people value, don’t listen too much to what they say; trust and respect what they do—particularly with whatever money they have.”

For community organizations, especially, money provides independence. No one from the “outside” can set the agenda for an organization that can raise hard money.

Download print-version of flyer with order form below:

acta_how_to_raise_money_with_order_form.pdf
File Size:	409 kb
File Type:	pdf

A Major victory on Driver License Suspensions notched by VOICE/IAF

4/4/2019

Last night, VOICE helped move Virginia to become a more fair and just Commonwealth for all people.

With overwhelming bipartisan support, the Virginia legislature voted to end Virginia's horrific system of suspending driver's licenses for unpaid court fees and fines, one of VOICE’s top issue priorities this year. Currently, 627,000 Virginians—nearly 1 in 10 adults in the state—have their driver's licenses suspended solely for unpaid court debt. Not DUI's, not reckless driving offenses, only court debt.