ALLIANCE FOR A JUST SOCIETY

ALLIANCE FOR A JUST SOCIETY - THE NATIONAL CAMPAIGN FOR TRANSIT JUSTICE CONTINUED OUTREACH & EDUCATION AROUND THE NEED FOR INVESTMENT IN TRANSIT INFRASTRUCTURE. THIS INCLUDED A WEEKLY MEETING WITH 60 COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS. THE NATIONAL CAMPAIGN FOR TRANSIT JUSTICE ADVANCED PUBLIC EDUCATION AROUND THE GREENHOUSE GAS RULE, ESTABLISHING BOTH GOAL SETTING AND REPORTING ON STATE GOALS TO REDUCE GHG'S. WE CONTINUED EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF FEDERAL FUNDING FOR OPERATIONS AND SUPPORTED THE STRONGER COMMUNITIES THROUGH BETTER TRANSIT ACT AND HAVE GOTTEN 95 CO-SPONSORS.WE RELEASED TWO REPORTS: INVESTING IN THE TRANSIT WORKFORCE AND A STATE-BY-STATE IMPACT OF STRONGER COMMUNITIES THROUGH BETTER TRANSIT ACT. WE DEVELOPED FOUR PUBLIC EDUCATION TOOLKITS TO SUPPORT OPERATIONS FUNDING, GREENHOUSE GAS & TRANSIT, GREEN STREETS AND FUNDING FOR COMMUNITY TRANSIT. RAPID-RESPONSE ACTIONS GENERATED TO SUPPORT OUR TRANSIT WORK 11,767 EMAILS (JULY 2023) TO STOP PROPOSED CUTS TO TRANSIT FUNDING,7,608 EMAILS TO DHHS TO FAST-TRACK SPIT TESTING TO INCREASE SAFE, AVAILABLE DRIVERS FOR PUBLIC BUS TRANSIT.4,792 COMMENTS WERE GENERATED TO THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION IN SUPPORT OF STRONGER CAFE STANDARDS. (SEPT 2023)4,189 EMAILS (OCT 2023) SUPPORTING THE USE OF EQUITY STANDARDS WHEN THE FEDERAL GOVT MAKES TRANSIT GRANTS38,652 INDIVIDUAL EMAILS (AUG./SEPT.) URGING THE RELEASE THE GHG RULE AND 8,042 EMAILS TO ENCOURAGE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE RULE AT THE STATE LEVEL.23,375 EMAILS SUPPORTING SAFE STREETS, OPERATIONS FUNDING AND GREEN STREETS. GAVE PUBLIC INPUT TO THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION'S BUS COMPARTMENT REDESIGN PROGRAM (BCP): WE ORGANIZED 32 ORGANIZATIONS TO MAKE PUBLIC COMMENTS, EMPHASIZING TRANSIT OPERATOR AND RIDER SAFETY AND ADA COMPLIANCE.EXPAND THE PUBLIC DIALOG ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF TRANSIT BY PUBLISHING OP-EDS AND SPEAKING TO THE PRESS. PUBLISHING NATIONAL OP-EDS AND NEWS STORIES. THREE EXAMPLES OF THE OP-EDS: SENATOR CARDIN ON GHG, EMME.T HOPKINS IN THE MESSENGER, AND LIBERO DELLA PIANA IN THE DALLAS EXAMINER. IN ADDITION, WE GENERATED PRESS ON THE JOHNSON BILL, THE JET ACT, AND THE IMPORTANCE OF INVESTING IN TRANSIT: POLITICO MORNING TRANSPORTATION, SMART CITIES JOHNSON BILL, NEWSWEEK, GUARDIAN FATCAT ACT. AJS INVESTED IN TRAINING COLLEGE STUDENTS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS. WEEKLY TRAINING SESSIONS TO EDUCATE 60 PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS ABOUT TRANSIT POLICY AND BEST PRACTICES. A SUMMER TRAINING SERIES ON ORGANIZING AND STRATEGY FOR THE COALITION OF TRANSIT GROUPS. THE SERIES INCLUDED AN INTRODUCTION TO ORGANIZING, RACIAL JUSTICE FOR ORGANIZERS (PARTS 1 AND 2), AND THREE WORKSHOPS ON CAMPAIGN DEVELOPMENT AND STRATEGY. HOSTED 12 MEETINGS OF RURAL COMMUNITY AND TRANSIT GROUPS TO LEARN ABOUT TRANSIT BEST PRACTICES IN SMALL TOWNS AND RURAL COMMUNITIES. HOSTED 28 STUDENT FELLOWS WHO LEARNED RECEIVING TRAINING & FIELD EXPERIENCE TO EXPLORE ORGANIZING AS A CAREER. AJS STAFF CONDUCTED YEAR-ROUND COACHING OF ORGANIZERS WITH 3 COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, AMOUNTING TO 20 STAFF. AJS ALSO CONDUCTED DOZENS OF REMOTE & IN-PERSON EDUCATIONAL SESSIONS & WORKSHOPS FOR PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS. THE CONTENT OF THESE SESSIONS VARIED FROM BASIC ORGANIZING SKILLS TRAINING TO RACIAL JUSTICE PRINCIPLES & ANALYSIS, TO STRATEGY SESSIONS FOR COMMUNITY & LABOR ORGANIZATIONS & COMMUNITY ADVOCATES. COMMUNITIES FOR OUR COLLEGES (C4C) WORKS TO PROMOTE DIRECT INVESTMENTS, FINANCIAL SUPPORT, COUNSELING, CHILDCARE & OTHER WRAP-AROUND SERVICES, TO IMPROVE BOTH ACCESS & COMPLETION RATES FOR STUDENTS OF WA'S 34 COMMUNITY & TECHNICAL COLLEGES (CTCS). CTCS, ATTENDED BY OVER 273,000 STUDENTS, ARE KEY TO RACIAL & SOCIAL EQUITY, EDUCATING STUDENTS OF COLOR AT HIGHER RATES THAN OTHER INSTITUTIONS. IN 2023 C4C CONTINUED TO WORK WITH LABOR, COMMUNITY, AND LOCAL NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS. OUTREACH EFFORTS BUILT A TEAM OF 80 COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENT LEADERS, CONTINUED TO WORK WITH LOCAL COMMITTEES AT 4 LOCAL COLLEGES, A STORY BANK OF 140 STORIES & 20 EARNED MEDIA STORIES. C4C RESEARCHED & PUBLISHED 3 REPORTS: "THE ROAD TO EQUITY -- WASHINGTON'S COMMUNITY & TECHNICAL COLLEGES" WHICH EVALUATES HOW CTCS ARE PROGRESSING ON THE PATH TO EQUITY; "PATHWAYS TO THE FUTURE -- PROFESSIONAL LICENSES FOR WASHINGTON'S IMMIGRANTS" WHICH ADDRESSES BARRIERS IN ACCESSING PROFESSIONAL LICENSES FOR IMMIGRANTS; "BUILDING AND EQUITY ACTION PLAN -- A TOOLKIT FOR STUDENTS, FACULTY, STAFF IN WASHINGTON'S COMMUNITY & TECHNICAL COLLEGES" WHICH PROVIDES A TOOLKIT FOR FACULTY AND STAFF AT OUR 34 CTCS ON HOW TO IMPLEMENT THE HISTORIC RACIAL EQUITY LEGISLATION PASSED IN 2021 THAT SHIFTED THE LANDSCAPE FOR HIGHER EDUCATION & COMMUNITY & TECHNICAL COLLEGES, MAKING PROGRESS ON RACIAL EQUITY A REQUIREMENT FOR WA CTCS.NEW SPONSORED PROJECTS INCLUDED BALASA RESEARCH FOCUSED ON POLICY RESEARCH TO ADVANCE ECONOMIC ABUNDANCE AND TECHNOLOGICAL PROGRESS THROUGH POLICY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, CREATION OF MODEL POLICIES, AND BUILDING A NETWORK TO ADVANCE THOSE POLICIES.

NATIVE ORGANIZERS ALLIANCE: NOA ADVOCATES & SUPPORTS GRASSROOTS-DRIVEN SOCIAL CHANGE ROOTED IN NATIVE TRADITIONAL PRACTICES & VALUES TO ADVANCE SOVEREIGNTY & THE HEALTH & WELL-BEING OF RURAL & URBAN NATIVE COMMUNITIES & RESERVATIONS ACROSS INDIAN COUNTRY. NOA-AF IS BUILDING ADVOCACY & CAMPAIGN INFRASTRUCTURE, DATA COLLECTION, & BUILDING POWER IN FRONTLINE NATIVE COMMUNITIES TO CONNECT LOCAL NATIVE COMMUNITIES & TRIBAL ISSUES WITH STATE & NATIONAL ADVOCACY CAMPAIGNS, & WITH NON-NATIVE ALLIES. IN 2023, NOA WAS ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN A NUMBER OF CAMPAIGNS TO PROTECT SACRED PLACES INCLUDING OAK FLAT, GRAND CANYON, BEARS EARS, LOWER SNAKE, THACKER PASS, MISSOURI RIVER, YUKON-KUSKOKWIM DELTA. WE SUPPORTED EFFORTS BY TRACKING AND ANALYZING LEGISLATION, PROVIDING COMMENTS TO AGENCIES, AND AMPLIFYING THE COLLECTIVE VOICES OF AFFECTED COMMUNITIES THROUGH LETTER CAMPAIGNS, PETITION DRIVES, AND EDUCATIONAL INITIATIVES ON POLICY ISSUES THAT AFFECT INDIAN COUNTRY IN 2023, NOA HAD THE HONOR TO WORK DIRECTLY WITH A NUMBER OF TRIBES ACROSS THE COUNTRY, INCLUDING THE STANDING ROCK SIOUX TRIBE IN THEIR ONGOING BATTLE AGAINST THE DAKOTA ACCESS PIPELINE.NOA ENGAGES 43,837 FOLLOWERS ON FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, AND LINKEDIN AS A WAY TO GARNER SUPPORT AND DISSEMINATE INFORMATION ON CURRENT ISSUES AND CAMPAIGN INITIATIVES LED BY AND FOR NATIVE PEOPLE. NOA'S EMAIL LIST INCLUDES 220,975 TOTAL SUBSCRIBERS (A 70% INCREASE OVER 2022) WHO RECEIVED INFORMATION ON PETITIONS, LETTER WRITING CAMPAIGNS AND 26 PUBLIC EDUCATION WEBINARS. ADVOCATES & SUPPORTS GRASSROOTS-DRIVEN SOCIAL CHANGE ROOTED IN NATIVE TRADITIONAL PRACTICES & VALUES TO ADVANCE SOVEREIGNTY & THE HEALTH & WELL-BEING OF RURAL & URBAN NATIVE COMMUNITIES & RESERVATIONS ACROSS INDIAN COUNTRY. NOA-AF IS BUILDING ADVOCACY & CAMPAIGN INFRASTRUCTURE, DATA COLLECTION, & BUILDING POWER IN FRONTLINE NATIVE COMMUNITIES TO CONNECT LOCAL NATIVE COMMUNITIES & TRIBAL ISSUES WITH STATE & NATIONAL ADVOCACY CAMPAIGNS, & WITH NON-NATIVE ALLIES. IN 2023, NOA WAS ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN A NUMBER OF CAMPAIGNS TO PROTECT SACRED PLACES INCLUDING OAK FLAT, GRAND CANYON, BEARS EARS, LOWER SNAKE, THACKER PASS, MISSOURI RIVER, YUKON-KUSKOKWIM DELTA. WE SUPPORTED EFFORTS BY TRACKING AND ANALYZING LEGISLATION, PROVIDING COMMENTS TO AGENCIES, AND AMPLIFYING THE COLLECTIVE VOICES OF AFFECTED COMMUNITIES THROUGH LETTER CAMPAIGNS, PETITION DRIVES, AND EDUCATIONAL INITIATIVES ON POLICY ISSUES THAT AFFECT INDIAN COUNTRY IN 2023, NOA HAD THE HONOR TO WORK DIRECTLY WITH A NUMBER OF TRIBES ACROSS THE COUNTRY, INCLUDING THE STANDING ROCK SIOUX TRIBE IN THEIR ONGOING BATTLE AGAINST THE DAKOTA ACCESS PIPELINE.2023 TRAINING PROGRAM: 1 NATIONAL AND 7 STATE-BASED OR REGIONAL TRAININGS WITH 245 TOTAL PARTICIPANTS.