“CITIZEN LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY IN MINORITY COMMUNITIES”*/ EUROPEAN FELLOWS VOLUNTEERING IN THE U.S.A. March 26-May 5, 2012
Our sincere thank you to the following U.S. Partners and Internship Hosting Organizations from five different states for their generous support to our European fellows from four countries − Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia − for welcoming them and help the delegates’ participation in various volunteering opportunities: Michigan, Detroit − Harriet Tubman Center Ohio, Youngstown − Mahoning Valley Organizing Collaborative Missouri, St. Louis − Paraquad, Inc. Illinois, Chicago − Lakeview Action Coalition − Chicago Homeless Coalition − Logan Square Neighborhood Association − National People Action & affiliates in Chicago Virginia, Charlottesville − Virginia Organizing New York, New York − Community Voices Heard
The Harriet Tubman Center for Organizing (HTC) was started in 2007 with the mission to be a recruitment and training center for new organizers. The Center is on a path to become a statewide collective focused on building statewide power to change the rules in Michigan in favor of low and moderate-income people. Over the next 3-5 years, Tubman will become a firm of organizers of all levels, such as recruiting, training and placing organ-
izers; creating new local organizations and building the organizing capacity of existing agencies and community organizations; and creating statewide issue campaigns and coalitions of partner organizations and allies. Main activities include working with eight organizations such as the community organization “Detroit Action Commonwealth”, an interfaith organization “Metro Coalition of Congregations, the
community group “Michigan Organizing Collaborative”, an organization of minority parents “Our Kids Come First (Nuestros Ninos Son Primero)”, an organization of Detroit Public School teachers “The Detroit Educators Network”, a group of Detroit school principals “The Principals Network”, and an organization of over 400 Detroit mostly minority youth “The United Tenant Council of Councils”, and “Youth Voice”.
*/ Sponsored by the U.S. State Department Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs Find us on Internet: Website - http://www.glc-teachdemocracy.org/ Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/GLC_Teach-Democracy/145023818929367 “GLC_Teach Democracy, Community organizing and exchange programs 2011-2013”
GUESTS VOLUNTEERING IN THE U.S. Internship at Mahoning Valley Organizing Collaborative - Youngstown Mihaela Carstea: “Martin Micek and I participated as volunteers in local action in Warren. We assisted in the clean up of a backyard and one road from old tires.
Mahoning Valley Organizing Collaborative (MVOC) was founded in 2008. MVOC is an innovative, broadbased community organization that seeks to reweave the fabric of communities in Northeastern Ohio’s Trumbull, Mahoning and Columbiana counties. MVOC’s comprehensive organizing model blends institutional and direct door-to-door grassroots organizing, re-
Peter Lazarov: “During my internship at Paraguad I worked as a volunteer at Epiphany Church (St. Louis, MO). I helped in the kitchen preparing food. This initiative is called Free Breakfast in a place to wait. The church has offered free breakfast for two years. In the beginning, only 25 people had come Page 2
We also participated in two meetings: one for making a strategy to action in terms of persuasion of the politicians
meeting with a state senator in problems related with human trafficking in city of Warren.
from Warren Council to give money for house demolitions. The second meeting was for preparing a future
Our group also participated in research for Interns’ Field Diary on some other questions.”
sulting in a membership base of churches, schools, neighborhood associations and labor unions. MVOC is dedicated to improve quality of life in the Mahoning Valley by identifying and developing grassroots leaders, cultivating healthy neighborhoods, and building power to address racial and economic inequality.
Currently, MVOC works with over sixty churches, schools, neighborhood groups, youth organizations, non-profits, the business community, and labor unions in the Youngstown and Warren area to address issues such as vacant properties, health equity, federal policy change for smaller industrial communities and other quality of life issues impacting the Mahoning Valley.
there, but now there are 70. Some of these people are homeless. Epiphany church is a poor church. It is supported by other churches through provision and preparation of food and also volunteers. Pastor Mary Albert is the Head of the program, and I was glad to assist them.” “Citizen Legislative Advocacy in Minority Communities”
GUESTS VOLUNTEERING IN THE U.S. Volunteering Experience in Chicago Miglena Yordanova: “Ognyan Isaev and I volunteered in the “North Center Neighborhood
Judit Szollar: “We made sandwiches for the group before we traveled to Springfield with the beneficiaries to negotiate with the senators and representatives. Springfield is far from Chicago
Emil Metodiev: “Veronika Strelcova and I volunteered in the “A Just Harvest” - a community open kitchen, where we
Association” - soup kitchen, where we cooked and served about around 80 people. We are happy that we did
something useful for this community. We enjoyed it very much.”
so it was an all day long program and we traveled with people who live in shelters, so it was very important to take care about their food, during this day. The participating families are low income, homeless people and
they can't travel there on their own. The whole staff helped to prepare the sandwiches, the atmosphere was good, and it was a relaxing point of the working day.”
served food for more than 70 people. We enjoyed our work here, and we are glad to have the opportunity to do something good and positive for
the community in the North side of Chicago, where more than 81 languages are spoken.”
Professional Fellows in the U.S. (March 26 - May 5, 2012)
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GUESTS VOLUNTEERING IN THE U.S. Volunteering Experience in Chicago continue
“I volunteered in Chicago for several occasions. The first it was for the Night Ministry Outreach Van for LGBT Youth in Chicago. Run by the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless
but took place in the Lakeview Neighborhood. I was part of the outreach group offering food and blankets for the people and chatting with them. It was a very interesting and rewarding experience.
For Lakeview Action Coalition (LAC), I helped out to distribute and deliver materials related to LAC's next general assembly to the representatives of the member organizations of the Coalition.
For Logan Square Neighborhood Association our volunteer work with Ognyan Isaev and Miglena Yorda-
nova aimed at helping the people whose houses were already under foreclosure process. We went to talk
and offered consulting and legal aid for the affected owners in the Logan Square Neighborhood.”
Tamas Avar:
Logan Square Neighborhood Association (LSNA) was established in 1962. Their mission is to convene networks of neighbors, schools, businesses, social service agencies, faith communities, and other organizations to collaborate for thriving communities in Logan Square, Avondale, and Lathrop Homes, a densely populated, low-tomoderate income community in Chicago.
LSNA’s current program activities include the following: (a) A campaign to preserve the Chicago Housing Authority’s Lathrop Homes as public and affordable housing, working to build the Zapata Apartments, 61 affordable rental units in Logan Square, and creating approximately 90 job positions; (b) Community Learning Centers, 90 Parent Mentors who work daily in school classrooms and 21
Parent Tutors, and serving over 3,200 children; (c) Leadership opportunities and restorative justice practices at the high school level; (d) Supporting Health Outreach Team members who each year link more than 1,500 underserved people to affordable, high quality health services; and (e) Immigration work centering on helping legal permanent residents become citizens.
Lakeview Action Coalition (LAC) was started in 1994 as a multi-issue, institution based community organization working to sustain racial, economic and other forms of diversity in a rapidly gentrifying Chicago community using community organizing. LAC’s main power base is in Lakeview, although membership is expanding throughout Lincoln Park and North Center.
The coalition’s 48 members groups include diverse religious congregations, nonprofit agencies, business associations, banks, and two HUD tenants associations. LAC’s power and ability to make change is based on the power of the organizations within our membership. No other Chicago-area community organization has such a wide range of religious congregations, and brings such a di-
verse constituency together on local justice issues. A goal and challenge of LAC is to reach out to all members of the community, particularly those most impacted by the local social justice issues, and bring them together to research issues, develop strategies and work to make positive change and build local organizational power.
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“Citizen Legislative Advocacy in Minority Communities”
GUESTS VOLUNTEERING IN THE U.S. Volunteer help at SOUL, Southsiders Organized for Unity and Liberation Veronica Strelcova: “Emil Metodiev and I have been calling to over 350 people in Chicago during our internship in SOUL − Southside’s Organized for Unity
Also we have been recruiting followers of the organization for the 99% non-violent Direct Action Training on
and Liberation. In three days Emil and I have made around 350 calls to their sympathizers or sympathizers of the organization and Churches that SOUL is organizing to invite
them to the action where they could get to know more about what is going on in the economy, and encourage them to make an impact and participate in the 99% movement.
Saturday, where Emil and I have been participated too.
Moreover, we have developed a bank of contacts, to make the next calling easier.”
National People’s Action (NPA) was founded in 1972 The Company core purpose is to develop the ideas, talent, and organizations that will help reclaim our democracy and advance racial and economic justice. The grassroots organizations supported by NPA are affiliated into an organizing network, which includes more than 200 organizers
and staff representing metropolitan, regional and statewide power structures across the country. NPA also operates as a policy, research and training center, with a comprehensive platform for social and economic change. NPA’s issue work happens in four specific campaigns, such as the “NPA Banking Campaign”, “Make Wall Street Pay/
Revenue Now”, “Housing Justice Movement: Note – this campaign is currently in transition, and its work is likely to be subsumed in other campaigns in 2012” and “Immigrant Worker Rights Campaign”. Together, these campaigns connect toward NPA’s larger vision of creating a just and sustainable economy that works for all.
The Chicago Coalition for the Homeless (CCH) was founded in 1980 and started helping to those experiencing homelessness. CCH runs outreach at family and adult shelters, street programs, and single-room occupancy (SRO) facilities. Each month, three field organizers visit at least 28 facilities across Chicago.
A youth attorney also runs a mobile legal aid clinic that makes three weekly stops at neighborhood programs that serve unaccompanied youth. During these visits, CCH offers practical information. This includes telling parents about a homeless child’s right to free transportation to school, or informing low-income adults of their eligibility to apply
for charity care from non-profit hospitals. Through outreach, CCH involves homeless youth, parents and single adults in developing advocacy campaigns that work to create more access and economic opportunities for people living in extreme poverty.
Sincere “THANK YOU” to all Host Families for Their Support! Professional Fellows in the U.S. (March 26 - May 5, 2012)
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GUESTS VOLUNTEERING IN THE U.S. Volunteer in Charlottesville, Virginia — Habitat for Humanity Maryana Borisova: “We (Boglarka, Zuzana and myself) were volunteering at a construction
for me to see how volunteers (incl. seniors) contribute their knowledge and they can feel how valuable they
site in Charlottesville, nailing, cutting, fixing walls. It was great to see how volunteers of all ages (including
retired people) sacrificed their time to a great goal − to build a house for low income people. It was amazing
are. I think involving elderly in volunteering activities can contribute to
enforcing tolerance and solidarity amongst generations.
Volunteering at the Charlottesville Marathon Zuzana Bargerova: “Charlottesville Marathon was organized on April 6, 2012. “Virginia Organizing” was invited to help along with other volunteers to serve the
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water to runners on a water stop. We arrived 6:00 AM. At first we were helping organizers in preparing tables, pouring the water into cups, and a Gatorade drink.
After the start, we could see the real action, we were cheering the runners, handing them cups, cleaning the road. It was a great experience to helping this event happen.
“Citizen Legislative Advocacy in Minority Communities”
GUESTS VOLUNTEERING IN THE U.S. Also it was great to see how grateful the runners were towards us, that we were helping them out by giving them water and Gatorade drink.
Almost each and every one of them was thanking us, and this way somehow I also felt that the concept of volunteering was passed over...
All of us realized that not only is it good to get but also to give.�
Volunteer help on Organic Farming
“The group of our delegates did more volunteer work helping in the community garden in organic farming.
On April 13, 2012 we had the opportunity to do a volunteer activity: we were mulching the perennial herbs and flowers at 6th Street with the
Urban Agricultural Collective of Charlottesville. We could get acquainted with the concept of community gardening.
The Urban Agriculture Collective of Charlottesville (UACC) provides City residents of all ages and backgrounds
the opportunity to work together and learn from one another by collectively growing, harvesting, and sharing
locally produced organic fruits and vegetables. We enjoyed helping and work together with others.
Boglarka Janoskuti:
Professional Fellows in the U.S. (March 26 - May 5, 2012)
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GUESTS VOLUNTEERING IN THE U.S. Volunteering Experience in New York Women Shelter Ana-Maria Suciu and Marton Gosztonyi: “When a Jewish temple and a Methodist church unite efforts to do good, you know you have to help. Therefore, we and our host family here in New York City wanted to contribute to this common project, at women shelter, providing meals and a place to sleep for women in need. that they will know when they get back to cook again). Women were happy to have a homemade meal, since they usually get canned supermarket low calories food. And we
made a new friend there, as you can see in the photo. This boy was waiting for his mother, who was attending an ESL class there. It was rewarding to meet these people.”
We cooked a dinner for about 12 women and helped getting the shelter ready for them to spend the night. We and our hosts talked with them about their culinary preferences (so
Community Voices Heard (CVH) was started in 1994 as a project of another organization, the Hunger Action Network of New York State (HANNYS), and then spun off to create its own organization in 1997. CVH is an organization of low-income people, predominantly women with experience on welfare, working to build power in New York City and State to improve the lives of their families and communities. CVH current work is to accomplish this through a multi-pronged strategy, including public
Paraquad, Inc. (St. Louis, MO) is a private not-for-profit organization founded in 1970. The Company mission is to empower people with disabilities to increase their independence through choice and opportunity. Paraquad is one of the oldest nonresidential Centers for Independent Living in the country. The Company’s guiding principle is to advance the independent living philosophy.
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education, grassroots organizing, leadership development, training low-income people about their rights, political education, civic engagement and direct-action issue campaigns. CVH currently works on welfare reform, job creation, public housing and other economic justice issues that affect low-income people, particularly low-income women of color. Focusing on welfare reform, CVH broadly define welfare activism to be multi-issue,
Paraquad’s administration is looking toward an integrated community in which people with disabilities are valued and participate in all aspects of society. Paraquad provides over 40 services, addressing the needs of individuals with all types of disabilities. Programs include Assistive Technology, College for Living, Consumer Directed Services, Deaf Way Interpreting,
and thus must include issues such as education, training, jobs, housing, economic development and other community issues. CVH currently organizes around 5 issue areas, such as “Public Housing Preservation & Improvement”, “Welfare & Workforce Development”, “Sustainable Communities” that are focusing on community governance, “Voter Power Project”, and “Revenue Raising & Spending Priorities”.
Employment, Independent Living, Public Policy, and Youth and Family. Last year, Paraquad served over 4,000 people with disabilities. As the largest organization serving people with all disabilities, with an emphasis on increased independence, Paraquad is truly distinctive within the St. Louis region.
“Citizen Legislative Advocacy in Minority Communities”