Fall 2009 Grants

Ensuring Economic Justice

  • Adhikaar $10,000

    Nepalis are among the fastest growing immigrant groups in New York City.  However, two-thirds of NYC Nepalis are undocumented, lack health insurance and make less than $600 per week.  Led by Nepali women, Adhikaar is engaging Nepalis of all backgrounds to advocate for access to health care, immigration reform and worker's rights.
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  • Bronx Land Trust $5,000

    Access to open space and parks is a quality of life issue for low income and undeserved communities in the Bronx.  Bronx Land Trust is working to steward the 18 gardens in the Bronx that are privately held in trust for public use, to benefit those least served by the existing park system.
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  • Brooklyn Congregations United $10,000

    Communities across Brooklyn are facing rising rents, a lack of affordable housing and health care, devastating immigration policies and unemployment.  Brooklyn Congregations United's 25 diverse congregations are organizing locally, in Washington and in Albany around these important issues.
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  • Bushwick Housing Independence Project $5,000

    Facing a lack of affordable housing and neglectful landlords, tenants in Bushwick turn to Bushwick Housing Independence Project (BHIP) to form tenant associations, force needed repairs and stay in their homes.  BHIP is working with the coalition to repeal Vacancy Decontrol, legislation that will strengthen tenant protections and to prevent the displacement of low income tenants.
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  • Cidadao Global $5,000

    Like many immigrants, Brazilian immigrants face hostile immigration policy and limited opportunities for political and social engagement.  Cidadao Global is addressing the needs of the Brazilian community living in NYC through community education, leadership development and developing a domestic workers' cooperative.
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  • DAMAYAN Migrant Workers Association $15,000

    The financial crisis in the US intensified economic exploitation and other issues affecting Filipina domestic workers.  Damayan is currently overloaded with worker cases about unpaid wages, termination without notice or severance pay and gender oppression.  Damayan organizes works to win unpaid wages, fight gender oppression and ensure health access for undocumented workers and the uninsured.
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  • El Centro del Inmigrante $10,000

    Immigrant workers are facing hurdles with the immigration system, language barriers, xenophobia, poverty, lack of livable wage jobs, wage violations, lack of health care and housing and higher education barriers.  El Centro del Inmigrante organizes the mostly Latino immigrant population on Staten Island through workplace justice campaigns, political education and leadership development.
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  • Haitian Women for Haitian Refugees $10,000

    Domestic workers, home health and restaurant workers, especially women with no formal education, are often forced to accept the lowest-paying jobs.  Through ESL classes woven with political education, Haitian Women for Haitian Refugees develops the leadership of Haitian domestic workers and empowers these workers to collectively seek change.
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  • Housing Here and Now $10,000

    Rents are increasingly out of the reach for minority and immigrant families as the housing crisis continues to worsen.  Incomes are dropping and poor conditions plague low-rent apartments even as almost 28% percent of New Yorkers are paying more than half their income to rent.  Housing Here and Now is leading a statewide campaign to overturn vacancy decontrol to end the major loss of stabilized housing in NYC.
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  • Movement for Justice in El Barrio $15,000

    Facing intense pressures of gentrification, low-income and immigrant residents of East Harlem are educating themselves and taking action to remain in their homes. Movement for Justice in El Barrio organizes campaigns against unlawful evictions, to force building repairs and to preserve affordable housing in El Barrio.
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Ending Institutional Racism and Gender Discrimination

  • Al-Awda $10,000

    The Arab community has experienced sharp increases in racism, surveillance, "disappearances" and illegal deportations in the wake of September 11th 2001.  Al-Awda is developing youth leadership and mobilizing its constituency against issues facing the Arab and Palestinian community.
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  • Center for Urban Pedagogy (CUP) $10,000

    The intricacies of public policies like affordable housing or health code violations can be complicated for even the most savvy residents. Center for Urban Pedagogy (CUP) uses graphic design and education to visualize and demystify these processes for people impacted by these policies in partnership with grassroots advocacy organizations.
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  • Lakou NY $15,000

    Discrimination, persecution, lack of education and lack of social services, as well as the worsening economic situation, are having a devastating impact on low-income Haitian immigrant communities. NYC's Haitian communities turn to Lakou NY's alternative radio programs for information on the issues and to find out how to take action.
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  • Rights for Imprisoned People with Psychiatric Disabilities (RIPPD) $15,000

    Incarcerated individuals with mental and psychiatric illnesses are given lengthy prison sentences instead of the mental services they need.  Rights for Imprisoned People with Psychiatric Disabilities (RIPPD) organizes people with mental illness to advocate for reforms to the criminal justice system and to overturn the criminalization of mental illness.
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  • Rise Magazine $10,000

    Child welfare affected parents suffer from a combination of invisibility and public disapproval that makes it difficult for them to get appropriate family support services.  Rise Magazine supports child welfare affected parents by offering them parenting education and by mobilizing and training them to share their positive stories in order to humanize their cause.

  • Women on the Rise Telling Herstory (WORTH) $15,000

    Incarcerated women are faced with challenges involving reproductive rights, reunification with their children and transitioning back into their communities. Women on the Rise Telling Herstory (WORTH) develops the leadership skills of its members to become spokespeople for their experiences and to advocate for reforms in the criminal justice system.
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Securing Peace and Justice

  • IndyKids $10,000

    Few media sources highlight issues of economic and social justice for youth in accessible language that they can understand.  IndyKids helps its 13,000 young readers across NYC to understand the issues and take action to become part of the larger movement for social justice and peace.
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Protecting Civil Liberties and Constitutional Rights

  • Arab Women Active in the Arts and Media (AWAAM) $5,000

    As Arab and Muslim communities act to change policies that affect their communities, they face attacks in the media and discriminatory coverage of their issues. AWAAM trains young women activists to become media producers and provides media-related technical assistance to grassroots Arab and Muslim organizations.
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  • Coalition for Parole Restoration $10,000

    Without support, prisoners eligible for parole are often repeatedly denied for technical or unfair reasons. Coalition for Parole Restoration (CPR) assists people in prison in obtaining parole release, assists formerly incarcerated persons and their families with transition and re-entry to society and advocates for fair parole policies.
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  • Ojo de Agua, Arte y Producción $5,000

    Bushwick is a community in crisis; 500+ of its residents are New York City's poorest with a per-capita well below the city average, 50% of residents do not have high school diplomas and its residents are struggling against gentrification.  Ojo de Agua Arte y Producción trains Bushwick youth to tell their personal stories through film and use these films in campaigns for justice.
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