2011
Create Jobs, Not Drama
On August 1, 2011, a group of 26 activists from VOCAL NY, Community Voices Heard and the National People's Action embarked to Washington D.C. to draw attention to the economic needs of the citizens of the United States. On...
Condoms Are Not Evidence
This spring, North Star Fund grantee Streetwise and Safe (SAS) co-hosted a forum with District Attorney Cy Vance where LGBTQQ youth from organizations like the Hetrick-Martin Institute, Streetwork, the Ali Forney Center, and Callen-Lorde's HOTT program had a chance...
Mayor Bloomberg Signs Law To Stem Deportations From Rikers Island
This post was originally published in the Huffington Post on November 22, 2011. Click here to read it on their site. Luis, an immigrant from Mexico, was still in high school when New York City Police officers arrested him. Luis...
Welcome Occupy Wall Street
Like so many others who believe deeply in the movement for equality, economic justice and peace, we at North Star Fund have been inspired by the activists organizing and participating in Occupy Wall Street (#OWS). In speaking to allies and...
Protecting Elders, Protecting Workers
As the generation of baby boomers grows older, the number of people in our communities who need care will grow rapidly, just as more and more workers will need quality, dignified jobs. The national Caring Across Generations Campaign, known...
Launch of Campaign for Fair and Just Policing
VOCAL New York, a North Star Fund Movement Leadership grantee, continues on a roll with another impressive victory this week. According to an announcement from VOCAL-NY, sent by Sean Barry, VOCAL's hardworking executive director: In response to mounting pressure, NYPD...
Leadership Movement on the Forefront
The financial crisis has caused government officials to distance themselves even more from their constituency. What we need is activism that cuts across individual groups and issues. With that in mind, North Star Fund established its new Movement Leadership...
A Few Bright Spots in an Age of Shadowy Media Ownership
With all the scandal around Rupert Murdoch's troubled media empire lately, the harms of media consolidation are clearer than ever. Last month, the New York Times reported that the U.K. phone-hacking scandal is causing many here in the U.S. to...
Winning Relief for Homeowners Facing Foreclosure
As a deacon at St. Stephen's and a real estate professional, I have heard many people's fears and concerns about foreclosure. As a member congregation of Brooklyn Congregations United, our church helped plan a meeting with the U.S. Department...
Tenants Are Starting to Win
What's new in the housing movement? The title says it: Tenants have started to win. It's been nearly 20 years since New York City's tenants could say this: We've begun to turn the tide in the fight for stronger...
DREAM Act Activists Won't Back Down
During the last week of June, hundreds of immigrant youth from across the country filled the halls of Washington, D.C. to call on Congress and the Obama administration to stop the deportation of immigrant youth and pass the DREAM...
Storming the Castle Called Chase Bank
On May 16 & 17, a group of clergy members, union organizers, current and former homeowners, grassroots organizations and concerned citizens converged on Columbus, Ohio to stage a showdown against J P Morgan Chase at its annual shareholders meeting. Chase...
Social Justice Victory! Cuomo Rescinds Federal Secure Communities Program
Yesterday, Governor Cuomo suspended New York State participation in the "Secure Communities" program. This was a program that enlisted the participation of local police forces in immigration enforcement. Earlier this year I wrote in an editorial for The Empire...
A Reflection on Community Values for Queens Center Mall
As people of faith, we at Queens Congregations United for Action (QCUA) strongly believe that every human being is created in God's image and deserves respect. However, all too often, many of our families are not receiving the respect...
2011 Community Gala Excels
Wow, what a night! The 2011 Community Gala last Wednesday was our biggest ever. My only frustration is that I wasn't able to talk to each and every one of the more than 450 people who were there. Because...
Getting VOCAL
Check out this event organized by VOCAL NY - Voices of Community Activists and Leaders- about the experiences of women battling HIV/AIDS in the face of draconian budget cuts by Governor Cuomo. As the flyer says, a lot of...
Becoming North Star's Board Chair
I am honored to be the new chair of the North Star Fund Board of Directors. The legacy and profile of the organization is amazing. Almost every time I speak to somebody either in the nonprofit world or the world...
Remembering Manning Marable
North Star Fund has lost a wise advisor, friend and contributor. Advisory Board member Dr. Manning Marable passed away on Friday, April 1, 2011. Dr. Marable was a Professor of African American Studies at Columbia University, where he also...
Taking on Albany's Worst Special Interests
It's no secret New York's budget is in crisis and needs serious leadership to close an estimated $10 billion revenue shortfall next year. But to know where we should go first requires an understanding of how we got here....
Young Reporter Breaks Through
November 2010 proved to be a a huge organizing victory for a group of farmworkers in Immokalee, Florida. Over years of organizing, campaigning, and struggling against powerful multinational corporations and farm owners, the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) managed to...
