Global social protection in times of global crisis

We low-income families are living in the popular areas of Douala, Toronto, Mumbai, Paris, Lima, Manchester, Tunis, New Orleans and Edinburg are victims of the health crisis. We lost our job, we lost much of our income. Yet we still have to pay our rent, our electricity bills and buy something to feed our families. As the lockdown comes to an end, we are tens of millions of people to find ourselves in rent debt in France, the UK, the United States or Canada. This is how we are reduced to misery and hunger.

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50th anniversary flyer

Zoom Link to 50th Anniversary Celebration

Organizers’ Forum

El Comita, ACORN Tunisia and the Jasmine Foundation hosted the organizers forum in Tunis, Tunisia from September 12th to September 18th. The Organizers’ Forum annually visits different countries.  In Tunisia, we met with unions, NGOs, environmental, and women’s organizations along with communities where ACORN’s affiliate, La Comita, was organizing.  ACORN representatives induced Olivia O’Conner from Hamilton ACORN, Adrien Roux from the Alliance Citoyenne, Eloise Mallet from ReAct and ACORN Africa, Sammy Ndirangu from ACORN Kenya, and Marius Beloch from ACORN’s affiliate in Cameroon.

Cameroon

After months of campaigning, the threat of an action by the members of ACORN affiliate OnEstEnsemble led the agency to pay the hostesses of the GCG agency after waiting for months. The repair of the main pipe has been completed which will reconnect households to the network of water Bonewanda. Local residents have asked the Metropolitan regulate the parking of motorcycle taxis to avoid congestion.

Canada

At the national level, ACORN Canada released the report “Barriers to digital equality” which calls for affordable and universal access to the internet. In Toronto, ACORN members won the city vote for effective implementation of the RentSafe Toronto, a landlord registration program that we had won in 2016. In Mississauga, PEEL ACORN members won a proactive inspection program based on RentSafe Toronto which will be piloted in select buildings. In Ottawa, members won a motion at the city council to enact minimum distance and licensing requirements for payday lending companies. In Hamilton, members having fighting renovictions, the city voted unanimously in support of a motion to review the its incentive grant programs to developers to ensure no city funds are given to renovictors.

Czech Republic

Members of the social building cooperative and AKORN gathered on November 17 at the Republic Square to support the Real Left event called the Revealed Revolution. It was a call out for a comeback of the unfinished “velvet revolution” that began in November 1989, marking the establishment of the Civic Forum. Members are working to create a connected platform like the Civic Forum through which power can be shared and people are able to be actively engage and influence or propose programs.

France

ACORN’s affiliate in Lyon, France, Alliance Citoyenne represented its members in an action demanding burkini wearers be allowed to swim in public pools, wearing the ACORN visor hats! This comes in the wake of the proposed banning of the garment by the authorities in several French towns.

India

ACORN foundation in India demanded Indian companies to devise a method to buy back plastic packaging and bottles that get discarded by consumers after usage at a Bloomberg Equality Summit in Mumbai. ACORN India also featured in the award winning article in the Global Post.

Kenya

Members have been planning for the campaigns on Feeding program and that of Environmental sanitation in Korogocho and its neighboring villages.  Members were able to strike a partnership with Koch FM which is the only radio station in Korogocho. This will allow ACORN to have four hours of daily programming with live or pre-recorded on air programs. Further, over 400 women attended an empowerment event in Korogocho in Nairobi, Kenya where six months’ supply of sanitary pads were distributed to all participants.

United Kingdom

In Brighton, as part of ACORN’s National Renters Vote campaign to mobilise people in vulnerable housing to vote in the General Election. Working across Brighton and Hove at soup kitchens, housing advice and community centres, street stalls and in temporary accommodation, the union has successfully registered almost 100 people, including 50 people with no fixed address. ACORN alongwith several allies launched a national renter manifesto which sets out the steps needed to ensure that everybody has a secure, affordable and decent home. The manifesto covers six key themes: Security, Affordability, Justice, Conditions, Discrimination, and Housing for People Not Profit.

ACORN Liverpool held a protest against homes being auctioned off in Kensington Fields. Members managed to get one of the homes pulled from today’s auction, but sadly the other one went ahead. Families with children in Liverpool are facing potential evictions as landlords advertise their homes to be sold off as student house shares. Acorn Liverpool’s AGM was a big when members spent time plotting and scheming to build working class power. A new committee is in place, and members are ready to get back at it.

ACORN started another new chapter for ACORN in England: ACORN Portsmouth!

United States

New Orleans: A Community Voice, ACORN’s Louisiana affiliate alongwith Justice and Beyond, a community group and other scientists and environmental activists were able to highlight the issue of lead poisoning and put forth demands for cleanup in New Orleans. While groups have been trying to call attention to the problem for years, it was only recently that a demonstration with some 50 people outside the water board headquarters to protest high water bills and lead levels brought attention to the issue. A 2016 study estimated that there are 6.1 million lead pipes bringing water to homes in the US, a fact that was hidden for long.

Memphis: Wade Rathke, founder of ACORN (Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now), and Diné Butler, community organizer and policy analyst, explored ways large equity firms are reducing homeownership in Memphis’ low-income neighborhoods.

Netherlands

Netherlands is pushing forward to build ACORN and more there. Inquiries about ACORN organizing have come from Tel Aviv where there’s interest in a building an ACORN Tenants’ Union.  Marielle Benchehboune from Lyon is meeting with them in December when she is there for a conference.  Progress is reportedly slow but steady for ACORN in Ireland as well.

Hello Le texte français suit l’anglais We’ve had recent screenings of “The Organizer” to 65 people in Philly, at the offices of the Philadelphia Unemployment Project and 45 people at the Maysles Documentary Center in NYC, including old ACORN veteran organizers and leaders. We also showed clips along with a discussion about labor organizing at Georgetown in Washington, DC. Training continues in Milwaukee with Amani United, including planning campaigns to save a bus line through the neighborhood and efforts to launch a community benefits campaign with the Democratic National Convention, scheduled for July 2020. We have reconnected with CASA, the immigrant rights organization based in Maryland, and did a door-knocking training with their 20 community organizers. CASA is interested in further help with their expansion to 7 other states in addition to Maryland, Virginia, and central Pennsylvania where they work now, as well as assistance in creating additional classes of membership along the lines of ACORN’s experience. Also, there are discussions of a partnership internationally with their membership and ACORN’s in Africa. They have several thousand Cameroonian members centered around White Oak, MD, so initial discussions are focusing on ACORN’s work in Cameroon. We’re still awaiting final confirmation on training and consulting work for Roma Standing Conference in Bulgaria for 30 organizers in August. The Toronto director of “The Organizer” is trying to organize a showing in Toronto on the Friday before the ACORN Canada convention. Campaign training with InAdvance in Oakland for 25 organizers is scheduled in May, and the ACORN Canada HO/LO meeting is in April. We also have Irish tenant groups considering affiliation with ACORN in April; the Frankfurt team is moving to register to begin organizing with ACORN in June, and ACORN’s affiliate in France has started an organizing drive on expansion to Toulouse! Wade, ACORN International Chief Organizer See some more highlights below. ACORN around the world Fighting for the right to housing in Ottawa ACORN members and allies rallied for affordable and liveable housing in the city. Market rents have increased by approximately one third in the last decade while area median income increased by only four percent. Meanwhile, many tenants are subject to maintenance issues, limited heat and hot water, cockroaches and bed bugs, and inaccessible buildings are waiting for 5-10 years on the affordable housing waitlist. ACORN’s demands include inclusionary zoning, non-profit and co-op housing on government land, action to tackle renovictions, and landlord licensing. The rally ended with ACORN members chanting, “Fight, fight, fight, housing is a right!” Fighting for workers’ rights in Lyon On March 20, about 60 subcontracted workers organized within UNITI rallied alongside activists from Lyon. They blocked Primark and put the leader of the company, Protectim, on notice for unpaid hours and poor working conditions. Victory in Douala! Water for Bepanda Bonewanda residents after 6 years Thanks to the organizing of members of OnEstEnsemble, Camwater has finally taken action to fix water problems for many households. In 2013, the water network was destroyed for the construction of the Boulevard de la République. Despite the lack of water in the neighborhood, local residents continued to receive water bills. After a meeting with the Regional Director, a water pipe was laid to reconnect households but only on the condition that the meter rental fees accumulated for 6 years are paid. On Wednesday, March 20th, 2019, the residents mobilized and blocked Camwater, demanding that their water is restored. A delegation was sent to negotiate, and many commitments were made, including the immediate descent of a Camwater field team to begin reconnecting residents of Bepanda Bonewonda. Victory! The people are again connected to the water network. Return of hot water in Aubervilliers, a vital victory for tenants! Since January, residents of five towers in Aubervilliers were regularly deprived of heating and hot water, causing children to become sick, and greatly inconveniencing residents. On Monday, March 25, Alliance Citoyenne occupied the building owner’s office. The pressure worked and by Tuesday, March 26th, hot water and heating were restored. Alliance Citoyenne still called for a rally to keep the pressure on. Fifty people came out to give a last warning to the landlord, before leaving each other, saying: “Have a good shower!” Local 100 fights for lead-free schools in Houston The Houston Independent School District has refused to place lead water filters on school water fountains, even after spending $3 million to test them and finding high levels of lead in school water. Local 100 is demanding that all schools built before 1986, the year the Federal authorities disallowed lead use in any plumbing systems, be fitted with lead filters. If we can get lead out of our gasoline supply, we should be able to get it out of our water supply! Dharavi Rocks! ACORN helps young people in Mumbai develop their talents ACORN leads the celebrated youth music collective, Dharavi Rocks, as part of their work in informal arts learning. Dharavi Rocks helps to publically assert the human potential of Dharavi’s young people and builds the skills and ability of those who take part. ACORN Kenya organizes for feeding programs! ACORN is planning a campaign on the issue of feeding programs in the urban settlement of Korogocho. Members met with key stakeholders and held a small planning meeting. ACORN Kenya also hosted Cameroon ACORN International Organizer and Campaigner Eloïse for a week! The team was able to learn a lot about improving the organization as well as developing their campaigns. Fighting for human rights in Tegucigalpa ACORN Tegucigalpa is fighting for policy that focuses on human rights and the prevention of violence, and has been promoting the organization to students at the Catholic University of Honduras. ACORN also participated in a march for inclusion on International Autism Day. UK ACORN fights for affordable transit, tenant protections and livable housing Birmingham and Brighton have carried out a number of high profile member defense cases, with Brighton being mentioned in Parliament on March 13th. Bristol resisted three illegal evictions and ran a strategy session to develop its affordable housing campaign. Manchester helped to bring the Better Buses campaign up to 10,000 signatures, ran weekly doorknocking sessions, building on its Levenshulme local group drive. Newcastle’s ‘Three Sisters’’ tower block group won the installation of sprinklers and thermal CCTV in the garbage chutes where dozens of fires have started. Toronto members demand repairs from corporate landlord ACORN members and tenants held a rally to demand that corporate landlord, Q Residential, complete badly needed repairs. Tenants are fed up with repairs never being done on time. They demanded that Q Residential address: Bug infestations; mice and rats; building maintenance; elevator issues; and cracks in the buildings. Members have given the landlord five business days to arrange a meeting to sit down and discuss their issues, or they will escalate their campaign of direct action. Bringing affordable technology to community members in Nova Scotia Nova Scotia ACORN is collaborating with LakeCity Works to launch a Computer Enrichment Program! Donations of computers and other devices will be refurbished and sold at affordable prices, making them more accessible to more people. ACORN Czech Republic spreads the word through comedy ACORN has been working with famous Romani actor, Zdeněk Godla, who is interested in in the organization. After meeting with ACORN, he has recommended us to several Roma and other entrepreneurs. The organization is now working on preparing a larger cooperative project for affordable social housing. Stay tuned! Members are getting organized in Liberia! Thirteen towns held local leader elections and another three towns had elections for committee leaders, while other towns are preparing for elections. Leaders participated in training on a range of topics including storytelling, public speaking, and negotiation training. Next steps include sending letters to targets and local committee elections in newly identified towns. ACORN Radio: The voice of the people! Listen in to ACORN Radio to hear tales of organizing, member stories, local updates, and more! Check out the schedule here  Want to donate to ACORN International or get involved? Visit ACORN International    Bonjour Nous avons eu des projections récentes de “The Organizer” à 65 personnes à Philadelphie aux bureaux du projet de chômage de Philadelphie (Philadelphia Unemployment Project) et à 45 personnes au Centre de documentation de Maysles (Maysles Documentary Center) à New York, y compris d’anciens organisateurs et dirigeants vétérans d’ACORN. Nous avons également montré des clips avec une discussion sur la syndicalisation à Georgetown à Washington, DC. La formation continue continue à Milwaukee avec Amani United, y compris les campagnes de planification pour sauver une ligne de bus dans le quartier et les efforts pour lancer une campagne de bénéfices sociaux avec la Convention nationale démocrate (Democratic National Convention), qui est prévue pour juillet 2020. Nous avons repris contact avec CASA, une organisation de défense des droits des immigrés basée dans le Maryland, et nous avons fait une formation de comment faire du porte-à-porte avec ses vingt organisateurs communautaires. L’organisation CASA est intéressée dans l’aide à leur expansion à sept autres États en plus de Maryland, de la Virginie et du centre de la Pennsylvanie, où ils travaillent actuellement, ainsi qu’une assistance pour créer de nouvelles catégories de membres sur le modèle de l’expérience ACORN. De plus, il y a les discussions d’un partenariat international avec leurs membres et ACORN en Afrique. Ils ont plusieurs milliers de membres camerounais concentrés autour de White Oak, MD, donc les discussions initiales se concentrent sur le travail d’ACORN au Cameroun. Nous attendons la confirmation finale du travail de formation et de consultation pour la conférence permanente des Roms (Roma Standing Conference) en Bulgarie pour 30 organisateurs communautaires en août. Le réalisateur torontois du film “L’organisateur” (The Organizer) essaie d’organiser une projection de film à Toronto sur le vendredi avant la convention ACORN au Canada. La formation de campagne avec InAdvance à Oakland pour 25 organisateurs communautaires est prévue en mai et la réunion d’ACORN Canada HO/LO se passera en avril. Nous avons aussi les groupes de locataires irlandais qui envisagent une affiliation avec ACORN en avril ; l’équipe de Francfort s’apprête à s’inscrire pour organiser avec ACORN en juin et une filiale d’ACORN en France a lancé une campagne de syndicalisation pour l’expansion à Toulouse! Wade, Organisateur en chef d’ ACORN International Voir quelques points saillants ci-dessous. ACORN dans le monde La lutte pour le droit au logement à Ottawa Les membres et les alliés d’ACORN se rallient à la cause de logement abordable et vivable en ville. Les loyers du marché ont augmenté d’environ un tiers au cours de la dernière décennie, tandis que le revenu médian régional n’a augmenté que de 4%. D’un autre côté, beaucoup de locataires sont sujets à des problèmes d’entretien, à un chauffage, à une eau chaude limités, à des cafards, à des punaises de lit et à des bâtiments inaccessibles. Ils attendent entre cinq et dix ans sur une liste d’attente de logement abordable. Les demandes d’ACORN inclut le zonage d’inclusion, les logements coopératifs et à but non lucratif sur les terres du gouvernement, les mesures prises pour lutter contre les rénovations et les licences accordées aux propriétaires. Le meeting de protestation a fini par les chants des membres d’ACORN de “Fight, fight, fight, housing is a right!” La lutte pour les droits des travailleurs à Lyon Le 20 mars, une soixantaine de travailleurs sous-traités ont organisé au sein de l’UNITI avec le soutien d’activistes à Lyon. Ils ont bloqué Primark et ils ont mis en garde le chef de l’entreprise, Protectim, pour les heures non rémunérées et les mauvaises conditions de travail. Victoire à Douala! De l’eau pour les résidents de Bepanda Bonewonda après 6 ans Grâce aux efforts d’organisation par les membres d’OnEstEnsemble, Camwater a finalement pris des mesures pour résoudre les problèmes d’eau de nombreux ménages. En 2013, le réseau hydrique a été détruit à cause de la construction du boulevard de la république. Malgré le manque d’eau dans le quartier, les résidents locaux ont continué à recevoir des factures d’eau. Après une réunion avec le directeur régional, une conduite d’eau a été posée pour rebrancher les ménages, mais elle a été dépendre du principe que les frais des compteurs d’eau accumulés après six ans sont payés. Le mercredi 20 mars 2019, les habitants se sont mobilisés et ont bloqué Camwater, exigeant que leur eau soit rétablie. Une délégation a été envoyée pour négocier et de nombreux engagements ont été pris, y compris la descente immédiate d’une équipe de terrain de Camwater pour commencer à rebrancher sur le réseau les résidents de Bepanda Bonewonda. La victoire! Camwater a également créé d’autres engagements, notamment le remplissage régulier des réservoirs d’eau pour l’accès à l’eau potable des ménages qui ne sont pas connectés au réseau. Le retour de l’eau chaude dans la ville d’Aubervilliers, une victoire vitale pour les inhabitants! Depuis janvier, les résidents de cinq tours à Aubervilliers étaient régulièrement défavorisés de chauffage et d’eau chaude, ce qui rendait les enfants malades et gênait grandement les résidents. Le lundi 25 mars, l’Alliance Citoyenne occupait le bureau du propriétaire de l’immeuble. La pression a fonctionné et le mardi 26 mars, l’eau chaude et le chauffage ont été restaurés. L’Alliance Citoyenne a toujours appelé à un rassemblement pour maintenir la pression. Cinquante personnes sont venues pour donner un dernier avertissement au propriétaire, avant de se quitter en disant, «Prenez une bonne douche!” La section locale 100 se bat pour les écoles sans plomb à Houston Le district scolaire indépendant de Houston a refusé d’installer des filtres à eau en plomb sur les fontaines d’eau à l’école, même après avoir dépensé trois millions de dollars pour analyser leurs effets sur l’eau et après avoir trouvé des niveaux élevés de plomb dans l’eau des écoles. La section locale 100 exige que toutes les écoles construites avant 1986, année où les autorités fédérales ont interdit l’utilisation de plomb dans les systèmes de plomberie, soient équipées de filtres en plomb. Si nous pouvons retirer le plomb des réserves nationales d’essence, nous devrions pouvoir le sortir de notre réserve d’eau! “Dharavi Rocks!” ACORN aide les jeunes de Mumbai à développer leurs talents ACORN mène “Dharavi Rocks,” un collectif de musique de jeunesse célébré, dans le cadre de leur travail d’apprentissage informel des arts. Dhavari Rocks aide à affirmer publiquement le potentiel humain des jeunes de Dharavi et à renforcer les compétences et les capacités de ceux qui y participent     ACORN Kenya organise des programmes d’alimentation! ACORN prépare une campagne sur la question des programmes d’alimentation dans l’implantation urbaine de Korogocho. Les membres ont rencontré des principaux intervenants et ont tenu une petite réunion de planification. ACORN Kenya a également accueilli Eloïse, Organisateur international et militante d’ACORN au Cameroun, pour une semaine! L’équipe a beaucoup appris sur l’amélioration de l’organisation et le développement de leurs campagnes. La lutte pour les droits de l’homme à Tegucigalpa ACORN Tegucigalpa lutte pour la politique qui focalise l’attention sur les droits de l’homme et la prévention de la violence. L’organisation a fait la promotion de l’organisation auprès des étudiants de l’Université catholique du Honduras. ACORN a participé aussi dans une manifestation pour l’inclusion sur la journée internationale de l’autisme (International Autism Day). Les membres de Toronto exigent des réparations des propriétaires de l’entreprise Les membres et les locataires d’ACORN se sont rassemblés pour exiger que le propriétaire de l’entreprise, Q Residential, effectue les réparations indispensables. Les locataires sont exaspérés avec le fait que les réparations ne sont jamais effectuées à l’heure. Ils exigent que Q Residential aborde : les infestations d’insectes, les souris et les rats, l’entretien des bâtiments, les problèmes d’ascenseur et des fissures dans les bâtiments. Les membres ont donné au propriétaire cinq jours ouvrables pour organiser une réunion et discuter de leurs problèmes, sinon ils vont intensifier leur campagne d’action directe.! ACORN du Royaume-Uni lutte pour des transports en commun abordables, des protections pour les locataires et des logements viables. Birmingham et Brighton ont effectué un certain nombre d’affaires de défense des membres, et Brighton a été mentionné par le parlement le 13 mars. Bristol a résisté à trois expulsions illégales et a organisé une séance de stratégie pour développer sa campagne de logements abordables. Manchester a aidé à porter la campagne “Better Buses” à 10 000 signatures et a organisé des séances hebdomadaires pour faire du porte-à-porte. Ils ont construit sur son effort de groupe local Levenshulme. Un groupe de la tour de grande hauteur appelé “Three Sisters” de Newcastle a gagné l’installation de gicleurs et de vidéosurveillance thermique dans les goulottes et les boîtes où des dizaines d’incendies ont commencé! L’introduction de la technologie abordable aux membres de la communauté en Nouvelle-Écosse ACORN de la Nouvelle-Écosse collabore avec LakeCity Works pour le lancement d’un programme d’enrichissement d’ordinateur! Les dons d’ordinateurs et d’autres appareils seront remis à neuf et vendus à des prix abordables. Cela les rendra plus accessibles à plus de gens. ACORN République tchèque passe le message par la comédie ACORN ont travaillé avec l’acteur rom, Zdeněk Godla, qui est très célèbre et est intéressé par l’organisation. Après avoir rencontré ACORN, il nous a recommandé à plusieurs entrepreneurs roms et autres. L’organisation travaille maintenant pour préparer un projet coopératif plus vaste pour le logement social abordable. Restez à l’écoute! Les membres s’organisent au Libéria! Treize villes ont tenu des élections de dirigeants locaux et trois autres villes ont tenu des élections pour les dirigeants du comité, tandis que d’autres villes se préparent pour les élections. Les dirigeants ont participé à un stage de formation à l’enseignement sur un éventail de sujets, y compris les contes, la capacité de s’exprimer en public et la formation en négociation. Les prochaines étapes consistent à envoyer des lettres aux cibles et aux élections des comités locaux dans les villes récemment identifiées. Radio ACORN : La voix du peuple ! Écoutez la radio ACORN pour entendre des récits d’organisation, d’histoires de membres, de mises à jour locales et plus encore ! Consultez l’horaire ici  Vous voulez faire un don à ACORN International ou vous impliquer?  Visitez ici

Dates:    September 8^th through 13^th (Sunday through Friday)

Place:     Columbo

Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon) is an island country below the Indian subcontinent located in the Indian Ocean.

Population
• 2018 estimate	21,670,000[3] (57th)
• 2012 census	20,277,597[4] (57th)
• Density	327/km2 (846.9/sq mi) (43rd)
GDP (PPP)	2018 estimate
• Total	$292.793 billion[5] (61st)
• Per capita	$13,500[5] (91st)
GDP (nominal)	2018 estimate
• Total	$92.504 billion[5] (66th)
• Per capita	$4,265[5] (109th)

Quoting from Wikipedia:  Sri Lanka…

officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an island country in South Asia, located in the Indian Ocean to the southwest of the Bay of Bengal and to the southeast of the Arabian Sea. The island is historically and culturally intertwined with the Indian subcontinent, but is geographically separated from the Indian subcontinent by the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait. The legislative capital, Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, is a suburb of the commercial capital and largest city, Colombo.

Sri Lanka’s documented history spans 3,000 years, with evidence of pre-historic human settlements dating back to at least 125,000 years.^[10] It has a rich cultural heritage and the first known Buddhist writings of Sri Lanka, the Pāli Canon, date back to the Fourth Buddhist council in 29 BC.^[11][12] Its geographic location and deep harbors made it of great strategic importance from the time of the ancient Silk Road through to the modern Maritime Silk Road.^[13][14][15]

The current constitution stipulates the political system as a republic and a unitary state governed by a semi-presidential system. It has had a long history of international engagement, as a founding member of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), and a member of the United Nations, the Commonwealth of Nations, the G77, and the Non-Aligned Movement. Along with the Maldives, Sri Lanka is one of only two South Asian countries rated “high” on the Human Development Index (HDI), with its HDI rating and per capita income the highest among South Asian nations.^[7] The Sri Lankan constitution accords Buddhism the “foremost place”, although it does not identify it as a state religion. Buddhism is given special privileges in the Sri Lankan constitution.^[17]

The island is home to many cultures, languages and ethnicities. The majority of the population is from the Sinhalese ethnicity, while a large minority of Tamils have also played an influential role in the island’s history. Moors, Burghers, Malays, Chinese, and the indigenous Vedda are also established groups on the island.

The various ethnic groups united to end British colonial rule, but the British legacy insisted on communal representation that eventually pitted the majority Sinhalese against the minority (over 800,000) Tamil leading to civil war in 1983 over a number of issues involving language and jobs, including provisions that made the Tamil virtually stateless and unable to obtain citizenship in the emerging nation.  The Tamil Tigers was a well-known guerilla effort classified as terrorist by many nations.  Attempts at peace broke down a number of times until after more than twenty-five years with the help of the Indian army a military victory was achieved over the Tamil in 2009.

More recently, Sri Lanka was in the news over a constitutional crisis involving the president, prime minister, and parliament in the fall of 2018.  A popular prime minister accused of corruption was ousted by a political coalition that elected the president who after several years in office suddenly returned the former prime minister to that job triggering mayhem.  Eventually, he was force to resign in the stalemate between the president of the parliament.

The Organizers’ Forum is interested in meeting with a number of groups in order to evaluate the progress of the country a decade after its civil war as it tries to resolve the historic issues that have divided its people and undercut its institutions.  A delegation from the Organizers’ Forum had undertaken a similar mission a decade after the end of apartheid in South Africa in order to understand how deeply change had become embedded and shaped the country’s future.  Similarly, the Organizers Forum delegation in Indonesia was able to view the impacts of ethnic strife in that country that had experienced state terror during the Cold War and how it had adapted in unique ways.

In this time when the issue of climate change has global importance, the Organizers’ Forum is also hoping to learn more about how an island nation like Sri Lanka is making plans to deal with the potential impact of rising seas.  Some members of the delegation have discussed a side trip to the Maldives in order to see that country “while it’s still there,” since many scientists also project that by the end of the century it could be underwater.

Long thought of as an exotic country, Sri Lanka is now at the crossroads of a different kind of future, and the Organizers Forum delegation is seeking to better understand what we have to learn – and to offer – at this critical juncture.

The Organizers’ Forum is a project of the Labor Neighbor Research & Training Center.  Interested parties need to contact director@laborneighbor.org in order to reserve a place.  The Forum covers housing, most meals, and in-country transportation and events, while members of the delegation and their organizations cover transportation to and from Sri Lanka and cover a modest program fee that allows from planning and logistics to make this trip happen.  Please contact us at your earliest convenience and certainly not later than August 1^st.  As always, the earlier plane reservations are made, the cheaper for the delegates.

A visa is required to North American, UK, and European visitors that costs about $30 USD and is available electronically within three working days or at the airport, but best advice is getting it earlier.

This will be a great trip!

Le texte français suit l’anglais

Thibaut, the organizer from Brussels is in his final month of training in New Orleans. In February, I will be traveling to visit our other trainees in Albania and Bulgaria, as well as spending three days in Frankfurt assisting the development of a potential ACORN-affiliated tenants’ union there. Along with UK ACORN’s Nick Ballard, I am also visiting Dublin to advance the prospects of a potential affiliation in Ireland.

News in the United States is encouraging. The new year brings an organizer with ACORN and the Home Savers Campaign in Detroit. This month, we are also starting a six-month training and consulting contract with Amani United, a community organization in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and the Dominican Center, potentially also an ACORN affiliate. Campaigns: Lessons from the Field was published in December and is now being distributed. “The Organizer” is scheduled for a week of showings at the Zeitgeist Theater in New Orleans in January and at a theater in Harlem in March, with more dates on an East Coast swing at the same time. Finally, initial steps are being taken to develop internet and terrestrial radio stations in Uganda in January. Watch this space…

Mark your calendars! The international staff and leaders meeting date is set for Friday, July 19th and Saturday, July 20th in Lyon, France. See ACORN International’s full 2019 calendar here.

Wade

See some more highlights below.

ACORN Around the World

UK ACORN members double down on housing campaigns

ACORN members have been organizing for affordable, livable housing across the UK. Brighton members carried out several actions as part of an ongoing campaign against a slum landlord, as did Birmingham members. Bristol members focused on their affordable housing campaign, turning out large numbers to a carol-singing demonstration, campaign and member defence meetings. In Newcastle, members have been building a new local group covering three tower blocks. Sheffield members held their Quarterly General meeting, elected officers and held several door-knocking sessions. Manchester ACORN organized a training session for members with ACORN’s National Organiser, as well as phone banking and door knocking sessions and a Christmas social and meeting.

Exciting meetings for Kenya ACORN!

Kenya ACORN recently hosted the ACORN International’s Chief Organizer, Wade Rathke. Wade shared a lot of information to benefit Kenya ACORN’s organizing work! We also visited the only local radio station in Korogocho (KOCH FM) to discuss a potential partnership with the officials of the station.

Fighting for child care in Delhi

As a part of the broader network of Delhi-based organizations working on issues affecting kids aged 0-6 years, Delhi ACORN launched a campaign demanding a creche in the local community. Meetings were organized in Lalita Park, Mandawali and Shashi Garden. Later, district level larger meetings will be organized collectively to set the demand of creche on the agenda of political parties. The general election is scheduled for March/April 2019.

Czech ACORN finds important artwork during demolition

During the demolition of a villa on the outskirts of Prague, workers from the ACORN Czech Republic movement found a collection of paintings from Jewish painter Gertruda Kauders, who died in a concentration camp during WWII. The paintings had been kept between the walls, so that the Nazis could not destroy them during the war. The discovery is not only important for the Czech Jewish community, but is also a major breakthrough in Central European art history. As a result, the Jewish community is organizing a joint exhibition with ACORN Czech Republic! News reports here and here.

Victory! Access to free drinking water in Douala

Douala 5e residents will finally have better access to drinking water as a result of the actions of OnEstEnsemble members to force Town Hall to repair defective boreholes. Actions taken include a petition signed by 200 people, a neighborhood walk from one water point to another, and a children’s theater stage at one of the defective boreholes. After a number of delays, work finally began in December, thanks to the perseverance of OnEstEnsemble members. Residents will quickly have access to free drinking water.

Experimental organizing for ACORN Italy!

ACORN Italy has been busy co-staging a community organizing course in Rome together with Community Organizing ONLUS, an Industrial Areas Foundation affiliate, marking the perhaps first time ever that the ACORN and IAF methods and visions have been blended into one, trying to take the best out of the two and make it one common experimental path. So far, the response has been fantastic and for ACORN Italy this represents a thrilling opportunity to do what ACORN International rightfully pushed them to do for a long time: real community organizing in Italy, and Vatican State too, since the course takes place on an urban farm next door to St. Peter’s!

Honduras ACORN board meets

The board of Honduras ACORN recently had their first meeting since formally registering.

Toronto ACORN delivers the gift of affordable housing to mayor

More than 40 Toronto ACORN members and 5 supportive city councillors turned out to City Hall to deliver holiday gifts during the mayor’s swearing-in ceremony. Members were eager to remind the mayor to keep his promise of making housing a #1 priority this term! They rallied outside City Hall before entering to deliver their house-shaped gifts under the mayor’s tree.

Hamilton ACORN’s housing platform packs a punch at City Hall

Hamilton ACORN released their Housing Platform at City Hall recently. The platform and accompanying report detail what the City of Hamilton needs to do to ensure affordable housing is preserved, and that tenants are ensured health and safety standards in their apartments. The platform urges the City to create an anti-renoviction and displacement strategy, a city-wide registration program for landlords and calls for a complete overhaul of the city’s property standards bylaws.

Ottawa ACORN members celebrate a successful year!

Members and allies enjoyed good food, TONS of prizes fundraised by some rockstar leaders and received awards at Ottawa ACORN’s People Power party. The highlight of the night was when member MCs gave out blooper awards to targets! 2018 was a year with lots to celebrate. Members made huge gains on campaigns like internet for all, inclusionary zoning, landlord licensing and payday lending and we’re expecting in 2019 to be bigger and stronger!

Victory! Members of the Alliance Citoyenne elected to the board of social housing authorities

Members had 3 victories in Grenoble and Aubervilliers. In the Grenoble Habitat, where have been campaigning since last April, tenants supported the Alliance and elected Fatiha Belhachemi. In another Grenoble housing authority, Marie Rodriguez (aka Xena) was elected in 2nd place. In Aubervilliers, Paris, Fatouma Camara was also elected. The first election campaign of the Alliance Citoyenne was a success, proving the strength ACORN’s organizing approach. After many direct actions to demand the renovation of apartments and the improvement of the public service, this victory marks a new stage.

ACORN Radio: The Video of the People!

Listen in to ACORN Radio to hear tales of organizing, member stories, local updates, and more!

Check out the schedule here and listen in at acornradio.org

Join ACORN International or volunteer.

ACORN International is GROWING. Organizing invitations are pouring in all around the world — from New Zealand, the Maldives, Germany — demand is high for ACORN tenants unions! New organizations have started out in Montpellier, France, and there is now work in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Trainee organizers are coming to New Orleans from Bulgaria and Albania for a month and from Belgium for almost three months for ACORN training!

The Organizer movie is showing in Thessaloniki, Greece as we try to trigger organizing interest, and in Brussels at the International Film Festival. In Brussels, organizer Adrien Roux will also deliver workshops on community organizing. An exciting joint proposal for training and support was recently submitted under the leadership of ACORN France, to bring together organizations and our allies in the UK, France, Bulgaria, Slovakia, and Tunisia.

 

OnEstEnsemble fight for street lights in Cameroon

 

A lack of street lighting lights is causing security concerns in the Grand Moulin neighbourhood, Douala. Members targeted the Urban Community of the city (CUD), taking 250 petition signatures to the administration office. This resulted in CUD agents working with OnEstEnsemble leaders, to identify where street lights are required. Members will track this issue to make sure CUD keeps their promise, and other neighborhoods affected by the same problem will also be putting the pressure on CUD.

 

Organizing tenants & more in the UK

 

Bristol has continued its campaign for better housing provision for survivors of domestic abuse while the BS5 group launched a campaign against two local letting agents. Manchester is planning simultaneous pickets of a management company alongside Birmingham members. Sheffield’s Sharrow & Netheredge group’s first action forced a letting agent to comply with the law on fees, while Brighton has supported a demonstration in support of elderly residents trapped in a nursing home, and are organizing the student community who are in some of the most dangerous and expensive rental housing. Tenants have been coming out to Newcastle ACORN’s drop-in advice sessions.

 

Workers rights and Medicare organizing in Arkansas

 

Little Rock members rallied at the Governor’s Mansion, to fight Medicare work requirements that have resulted in over 6,000 people being kicked off the program and left uninsured. Members and allies won a proposal on the ballot for the upcoming election for an $11/hr Arkansas minimum wage by 2021, and are now working to educate and mobilize voters. Shreveport members have an upcoming bargaining with one of our nursing facilities are looking into ways to get workers to contact us about issues of harassment, discrimination, and bullying in the workplace.

 

Victory for Muslim Women in France

 

After gathering 420 petition signatures, Alliance Citoyenne members have their first victory in what is set to be a long-running battle, as Muslim women will be allowed to wear long-sleeved bathing suits in Grenoble public swimming pools. France’s Muslim population is seen as a threat to French identity from the right, and a threat to French secularism and atheism from the left. For thousands of Muslim women, this means daily discrimination and no access to basic rights.

 

Fighting against corruption and privatization in Peru

 

 

ACORN Peru has been working on the issue of rights and anti-corruption. Members are organizing for a better country, with justice and respect, and have been fighting against privatization. We have been organizing in communities in the Andes, San Juan de Lurigancho and have been supporting Ecuadorian communities.

 

Leadership training for Delhi Women!

 

In Delhi, India women were invited out to a leadership training was organized for women which included specific a session on gender. Ms. Sarika Choudhary and Ms. Firdous, members of the Delhi Commission For Women, Govt. of NCT of Delhi participated as guest speakers. Around 80 women of all ages took part in the training!

 

Kenya ACORN is growing as members organize on 3 main campaigns!

 

In Korogocho, one of the largest urban settlements in Nairobi-Kenya, members are organizing on issues related to education, water, and environmental sanitation. The organization has grown to over 360 members and four affiliated community-based organizations. Committee members recently attended a star-gazing meeting, and members participated in a cleanup exercise within the settlement.

 

Holding landlords to account in Glasgow, Scotland

 

Glasgow members successfully forced the Association of Registered Letting Agents to meet our negotiation team after numerous pickets of their members, gatecrashing their conference and an investigation by our union discovered a possible £1.5m in illegal fees being charged annually. Members also helped to organize the occupation of a property owned by a landlord previously imprisoned for the death of two young men, after a fire in one of his properties.

 

Celebrating Local 100 members in Texas!

 

Ms. Lane has been a member of Local 100 for 19 years. She is not only the union steward for her center but also the bargaining committee member. You can hear her life story at acornradio.org.

 

Repairs for Edinburgh Tenants

 

Living Rent members welcomed City Councillors to the Muirhouse neighborhood, to witness the state of disrepair in the tower blocks. As a result, a full investigation has been commissioned and repairs are scheduled.

 

Victory for street vendors in Bengalaru

 

Members are relieved that the government has finally moved, and have issued license and ID cards to street vendors last week. Cards and licenses were issued at the meeting of street vendors.

 

Education and organizing in Honduras!

 

Honduras leaders have been monitoring building improvement in local communities and have been strategizing around advocacy issues. As well as door knocking, we participated in public education workshops – attended by 120 students – and community cleaning sessions.

 

3D printing and BIG renovations in Mumbai!

 

This year, the Innovation Lab has been completely renovated and is now home to exciting workshops, such as 3D printing! ACORN kids are being trained in state of the art technology, to help them qualify for future jobs in the 3D printing industry.

In Canada, Ottawa’s Agenda for Change calls for a shake-up at City Hall

 

In Canada, Ottawa’s Agenda for Change calls for a shake-up at City Hall

 

 

Ottawa ACORN started the Agenda for Change campaign in 2016 to ensure the same old crowd doesn’t continue to hold power at City Hall in the 2018 municipal election. 60 members came out to our Agenda for Change candidates forum on September 20th to demand a council that prioritizes the needs of its low-income constituents!

 

Read More.

 

Calling for landlord licensing to tackle substandard Hamilton housing

 

In Canada, Hamilton ACORN leaders gathered on the steps of City Hall to release a report on the substandard living conditions experienced by low to moderate income ACORN members. Members shared the report at the last Rental Housing Sub-Committee and were pleased that the committee voted to pass a Landlord Licensing Pilot for low-density rentals in two wards. We’re a step closer to city-wide landlord licensing!

Read More.

Fighting for an affordable Mississauga

ACORN Canada members held an affordable housing petition drive to highlight rising rents across the city. Members are demanding that affordable housing is an election issue, and call for the City to take a number of steps to make housing more affordable, including using inclusionary zoning powers to ensure that 25 per cent of units in all new developments are affordable.

Read More.

 

OTTAWA, DOUALA, BRISTOL, LA CEIBA…

 

Partout dans le monde, on s’organise.  Les camerounais ont gagné l’accès à l’eau à Douala, des mobilisations massives ont permis d’empêcher des expulsions au Canada ou en Angleterre et la lutte menée par les habitants de Glasgow a stoppé l’expulsion de 300 demandeurs d’asile. A Sheffield, les membres d’Acorn ont gagné contre la multinationale Véolia tandis que les locataires combattent les propriétaires voyous à Aubervilliers (Paris, France) ou à Hamilton (Canada)… Ces derniers mois des membres d’Acorn se sont encore battus pour changer le monde et faire reculer les injustices. ACORN est une fédération internationale d’organisations dont le but est d’organiser les participations citoyennes.

 

Everywhere in the world, people are organizing.  Cameroonians gained access to water in Douala, massive mobilizations prevented evictions in Canada or England, and the struggle led by Glasgow residents stopped the eviction of 300 asylum seekers. In Sheffield, Acorn members won against the multinational Véolia while tenants fight rogue landlords in Aubervilliers (Paris, France) or Hamilton (Canada)… In recent months Acorn members have once again fought to change the world and reverse injustice. ACORN is an international federation of community based organizations working to organize the unorganized.

 

ACORN UK

Le plein de victoires !

A lot of victories!

 

Sheffield a mené avec succès une action contre la multinationale Veolia dans le cadre d’une campagne d’organisation de quartier et a lancé un nouveau groupe local. Le groupe de logement public de Newcastle a forcé le Conseil à installer des mesures de sécurité incendie dans leur tour. Brighton a gagné une campagne contre une grande société d’agents de location, en gagnant des compensations et en recrutant des membres dans une ville voisine pour commencer à construire une nouvelle succursale. Manchester a mené à bien un certain nombre d’actions de défense des membres, en obtenant des réparations et la sécurité incendie. Birmingham a forcé le nettoyage des eaux usées des maisons des membres et Bristol a organisé une campagne d’organisation de quartier, en lançant un nouveau groupe local et des campagnes pour s’attaquer aux propriétaires de bidonvilles et soutenir les survivants de la violence domestique.

Sheffield have conducted a successful action against multinational company Veolia as part of a neighbourhood organising drive and launched a new local group. Newcastle’s public housing group forced the Council to install fire safety measures in their tower block. Brighton have won a campaign against a large letting agent company, winning compensation and recruiting members in a nearby town to begin building a new branch. Manchester has completed a number of successful member defence actions, winning back deposits, repairs and fire safety. Birmingham have forced clean up of sewage from members houses and Bristol has run a neighbourhood organising drive; launching a new local group and campaigns to tackle slum landlords and support of survivors of domestic violence.

 

DOUALA (OnEstEnsemble)

Les habitants gagnent leur combat pour l’accès à l’eau

The inhabitants win their fight for access to water

 

Après avoir vécu quatre années dans des conditions de vies difficiles, les habitants de Bepanda Bonewonda ont repris espoir au vue des travaux de réhabilitation en cours du réseau de distribution d’eau. Aujourd’hui,  plus d’une dizaine de ménages sont à nouveau branchés au réseau et les travaux se poursuivent avec la construction d’un conduit d’eau de 1,2 kilomètre  en cours d’exécution pour réhabiliter les autres ménages qui avaient connu la destruction de leur réseau par les travaux de la route en chantier du génie militaire à Bonewonda.

 OnEstEnsemble avait dénoncé la situation auprès de la direction régionale de l’entreprise en charge de la distribution (Camwater) et se félicite de ces mesures pour le bien-être des populations.    

After four years in difficult living conditions, the inhabitants of Bepanda Bonewonda have regained hope in the light of the work in progress to rehabilitate the water distribution network. Today, more than a dozen households are again connected to the network and work is continuing with the construction of a 1.2 kilometre water conduit under construction to rehabilitate the other households that had experienced the destruction of their network by work on the road under construction by the military engineers at Bonewonda.

 

 OnEstEnsemble had denounced the situation to the regional management of the company in charge of distribution (Camwater) and welcomes these measures for the well-being of the populations.

 

ACORN CANADA (Herongate)

Lutter contre les expulsions massives à Herongate

Fighting mass evictions in Herongate

 

40 membres d’ACORN et ses alliés se sont rendus au bureau de Timbercreek pour exiger des réparations et la fin des expulsions massives. Les locataires de Timbercreek affirment que Timbercreek a délibérément laissé leurs unités se détériorer pour pouvoir chasser les pauvres et reconstruire des locations de luxe – ceci est une expulsion par négligence!

40 ACORN members and allies marched to the Timbercreek Office to demand repairs and an end to the mass evictions. Tenants of Timbercreek argue that Timbercreek has purposely let their units deteriorate so they can push out poor people and rebuild luxury rentals – this is eviction by neglect!

 

GRENOBLE (Alliance Citoyenne)

510 locataires passent à l’action face à la mauvaise gestion locative de leur bailleur

510 tenants take action against their landlord’s poor rental management

 

Fuites, infiltrations d’eau, froid, pour Nadia, les problèmes se multiplient, contrairement aux réponses du bailleur social. Cette jeune maman reproche à son bailleur social, Grenoble Habitat de ne pas être respectueux envers ses locataires. Accompagnée d’autres locataires, mécontents de leurs conditions de logement, ils se sont rendus devant Grenoble Habitat pour apporter leurs réclamations.

Leaks, water infiltrations, cold, for Nadia, the problems multiply, contrary to the answers of the social landlord. This young mother reproaches her social landlord, Grenoble Habitat, for not being respectful towards her tenants. Accompanied by other tenants, dissatisfied with their housing conditions, they went to Grenoble Habitat to bring their claims.

 

ACORN CANADA (TORONTO)

RÉEL logement abordable dans Toronto

REAL Affordable Housing in Toronto

 

Ce mois-ci, les membres d’ACORN Toronto se sont mobilisés pour obtenir des logements réellement abordables. Les membres ont publié deux rapports montrant le manque de logements abordables dans la ville et ont réclamé la redéfinition de «logement abordable». À la suite de pressions récentes, le maire a reconnu que l’abordabilité devait être redéfinie et s’est engagé à revoir la définition.

This month, Toronto ACORN members rallied for real affordable housing. Members released two reports showing the lack of affordable housing in the City and calling for “affordable housing” to be redefined. As a result of recent pressure, the mayor acknowledged that affordability may need to be redefined and committed to reviewing the definition.

 

LIVING RENT SCOTLAND

360 locataires organisés contre l’insalubrité

360 tenants organized against insalubrity

 

A Edimbourg, 360 locataires de logements de collectivités locales se sont organisés pour lutter contre l’humidité chronique, la moisissure, l’amiante et la dégradation générale de leurs immeubles. Les comités de locataires de Local Living Rent ont organisé divers événements et actions, et ont inviter les politiciens et fonctionnaires locaux à venir rencontrer les résidents dans les blocs, ce qui, espérons-le, mènera à la réalisation des travaux appropriés.

In Edinburgh, 360 tenants in Local authority housing have been organising against chronic damp, mould, asbestos and general disrepair in their blocks. Local Living Rent tenant committee’s have been organising various events and actions including the invitation to local politicians and civil servants to come down and meet residents in the blocks, which will then hopefully lead to the appropriate work being carried out.

 

AUBERVILLIERS (Alliance Citoyenne)

Les habitants d’Aubervilliers agissent contre les marchands de sommeil.

The inhabitants of Aubervilliers act against slum lords.

 

Les habitants d’un immeuble dégradé se mobilisent face à la mairie

The inhabitants of a degraded building mobilized in front of the town hall

Deux incendies ont frappé des immeubles d’Aubervilliers au cours des deux derniers mois, faisant plusieurs victimes. Un drame qui met en lumière le scandale du logement indigne sur Aubervilliers et celui des marchands de sommeil.

Depuis des mois, des locataires, membres de l’Alliance Citoyenne et victimes de marchands de sommeil ou de propriétaires voyous luttent pour des conditions de vie dignes. C’est aussi suite à l’incendie de leurs parties communes que les locataires de l’Avenue Jean Jaurès se sont organisés pour obtenir des travaux salutaires, toujours refusés par la propriétaire.

Two fires have hit buildings in Aubervilliers in the past two months, killing several people. A drama that highlights the scandal of unhealthy housing in Aubervilliers and that of sleep vendors.

For months, tenants, members of the Citizens’ Alliance and victims of sleep vendors or rogue landlords fought for dignified living conditions. It is also following the fire of their common parts that the tenants of the avenue Jean Jaurès organized themselves to obtain salutary works, always refused by the owner

ACORN CANADA (Montreal)

ACORN Montréal rejoint la campagne nationale pour l’égalité numérique

ACORN Montreal joins national campaign for digital equality

 

Le comité du Sud-Ouest de ACORN Montréal a été officiellement inauguré en avril dernier, la culmination de six mois de campagne visant à mettre la pression sur l’Office municipal d’habitation de Montréal (OMHM) pour une amélioration des conditions de logement. Les membres du Sud-Ouest ont également doublé leurs efforts dans notre campagne visant à adresser la fracture numérique dont sont victimes des familles à faible et moyen revenus à travers le pays. Le projet cherche ainsi à dresser le portrait des obstacles empêchant un si grand nombre de personnes à obtenir une connexion internet à leur domicile.

Montreal ACORN’s Sud-Ouest Chapter was officially launched in April of this year; the culmination of a series of actions seeking to pressure the city’s public housing authority (OMHM) for improved housing conditions. Sud-Ouest members have also doubled down on ACORN’s long-standing campaign to address the digital divide. With access to the internet more indispensable than ever, the project aims to provide an overview of the obstacles to home internet access faced by low and moderate income families across Canada.

 

ACORN CANADA (Hamilton)

Lutte contre les propriétaires de taudis dans Hamilton

Fighting Slumlords in Hamilton

 

35 membres d’ACORN et alliés de Hamilton se sont rassemblés pour protester contre l’intensification du harcèlement et de l’intimidation dans une maison de chambres du centre-ville. ACORN Hamilton continuera à se battre afin de s’assurer que tous les logements locatifs sont sécuritaires et salubres.

35 ACORN members and allies from across Hamilton rallied to protest escalating harassment and intimidation at a downtown rooming house. Hamilton ACORN will continue fighting for a RentSafe Landlord Registration Program to ensure all rental housing is safe and healthy.

UNITED LABOR UNION – TEXAS

Du porte-à-porte à la victoire

From door to door to victory

 

Voici Sarah Rodriguez, l’un de nos membres de la section locale 100 de Houston, Texas. Nous sommes en train de frapper à la porte de nos membres au sein du HISD (Houston Independent School District). Afin de rester en contact avec nos membres, nous utilisons de nombreuses tactiques comme vous le voyez ici.   Notre organisation aide principalement le personnel des services de restauration, des services de garde, les secrétaires, commis, etc. Nous luttons pour l’augmentation du salaire minimum, l’élimination des licenciements injustifiés et l’égalité de traitement.  Actuellement, nous sommes déterminés à augmenter les salaires jusqu’à 14 dollars par heure.

This is Sarah Rodriguez one of our members here in (Local 100) hundred Houston Texas. We are out on our exercise door knocking of our members within HISD (Houston Independent school District). In order to stay connected with our members we use many tactics as you see here to give a personal touch.   We mainly focus on supporting staff. These are your food service attendance, custodial services, secretaries, clerks and etc. We like to keep our members informed about the working conditions of HISD. We fight for increasing minimum-wage, eliminating wrongful termination, and fair in equal treatment.  We are our member’s advocates. Currently we are determine to increase wages to $14HR.

 

LIVING RENT – SCOTLAND (Glasgow)

Face à l’expulsion illégale de 300 demandeurs d’asile, les membres de living rent s’organisent

Members of Living rent organized against the illegal expulsion of 300 asylum seekers.

 

A Glasgow, les membres de “Living Rent” se sont organisés contre l’expulsion illégale de plus de 300 demandeurs d’asile. Serco, la compagnie multinationale qui gère les logements des demandeurs d’asile, a pris la décision de changer illégalement les serrures sur plus de 300 propriétés qu’ils louent à des propriétaires sociaux et privés de la ville. Des groupes de réfugiés et de demandeurs d’asile sont venus à Living Rent pour demander de l’aide pour s’opposer aux changements de serrures. En moins d’une semaine, les efforts combinés des agences de soutien en matière d’asile, de Living Rent, des avocats et des politiciens ont forcé Serco à reporter toute tentative de changer les serrures dans ces propriétés. Les membres sont maintenant en train de mettre en place des groupes anti-éviction de quartier à travers la ville en se concentrant sur les 10 zones les plus défavorisées.

 In Glasgow Living Rent members have been organizing against the illegal eviction of over 300 Asylum Seekers. Serco the multinational company who has the contract for housing Asylum Seekers took the decision to try and illegally change the locks on over 300 properties they rent from both Social and Private Landlords in the city. Asylum and Refugee groups came to Living Rent requesting help in opposing the lock changes. In under a week the combined effort of Asylum support agencies, Living Rent, Human rights lawyers and politicians had forced Serco to postpone any and all attempts to change the locks in these properties. Members are now in the process of setting up neighborhood anti-eviction groups across the city focusing on the 10 area’s on highest deprivation and migration.

 

ACORN Honduras

Rencontre avec une commuanuté Garfunda Carasol

Meeting with a Garfunda Carasol community

 

Les organisateurs bénévoles ont organisé plusieurs groupes à La Cieba, la troisième plus grande ville du Honduras sur la côte Atlantique et du golfe du Mexique.  Récemment, nous avons rencontré des dirigeants d’une communauté Garfunda Carasol à l’extérieur de La Ceiba pour parler des problèmes dans leur région.

Volunteer organizers have been organizing several groups in La Cieba, the 3rd largest city in Honduras on  the Atlantic/Gulf Coast.  Recently, we met with leaders in a Garfunda community Carasol outside of La Ceiba around issues in their areas.

 

Greece, New-Zeland, New Orleans, Belgium… Other ACORN News

Grèce, Nouvelle-Zélande, Nouvelle Orléans, Belgique… D’autres nouvelles d’ACORN

Des amis et alliés en Belgique et en Grèce organisent la projection du film THE ORGANIZER à Bruxelles et à Thessalonique en octobre. La communauté ACORN y organisera des ateliers. Des stagiaires de l’Albanie et de la Bulgarie vont venir à la Nouvelle-Orléans pour une formation au Community Organizing en octobre.  Anny Crumble de Bristol ACORN s’est rendu en Irlande pour parler aux groupes de locataires. Adrien Roux a parlé aux syndicats du Kazakhstan des méthodes d’organisation.

 

THE ORGANIZER sera également projeté début octobre aux États-Unis à Seattle, Corvallis et Portland et à Denver.

Friends and allies in Belgium and Greece have managed to get THE ORGANIZER set for screening in Brussels and Thessaloniki in October coupled with ACORN community organizing workshops. Interns are coming to New Orleans for community organizing training in October from Albania and Bulgaria.  Anny Crumble from Bristol ACORN visited Ireland to talk to tenants groups there. Adrien Roux talked to unions in Kazakhstan about organizing.

 

THE ORGANIZER is also screening in early October in the United States in Seattle, Corvallis and Portland (OR), and Denver.

 

 

Some of our friends in Thessaloniki who are encouraging ACORN to organize in Greece

 Nos amis à Thessalonique encouragent ACORN à s’organiser en Grèce

 

 

Recently ACORN Honduras leaders from San Pedro Sula met with 50 members of a community of largely banana workers who are fighting to win control of their land.

Récemment, les leaders d’ACORN Honduras de San Pedro Sula ont rencontré 50 membres d’une communauté de travailleurs du secteur de la banane qui luttent pour obtenir le contrôle de leurs terres.

 

 

ACORN friend, Mat Danaher with the largest private sector union there, E tu, hosted 40 folks, largely from labor, in a screen of THE ORGANIZER.  Books flew out the door, and there is the outline of a plan for ACORN to organize tenants — potentially — in New Zealand

Un ami d’ACORN, Mat Danaher avec le plus grand syndicat du secteur privé, E tu, a accueilli 40 personnes, en grande partie des travailleurs, à la projection de THE ORGANIZER.  Un premier pas vers l’organisation des locataires par ACORN en Nouvelle-Zélande.

 

 

The ACORN Farm operation is based in the historic lower 9th ward of New Orleans, Louisiana, USA where A Community Voice (ACV) members manage the major ongoing requirements of the gardens and grounds.

L’exploitation agricole d’ACORN Farm est basée dans le 9ème arrondissement historique de la Nouvelle-Orléans, Louisiane, USA, où les membres de A Community Voice (ACV) s’occupent des jardins et des terres.

 

 

1978 Louisiana ACORN street Blocking to win a street light on a state highway in New Orleans.

1978 en Louisiane, les membres de ACORN bloque la rue pour obtenir un feu tricolore sur une route nationale.

 

Philadelphia ACORN member and first member to convert to a mortgage through the Vision – Home Savers Campaign pilot program.

Premier membre d’ACORN à Philadelphie à prendre part au programme pilote Vision – Campagne d’épargne-logement.

 

ACORN UK Report

ACORN Canada Report

ACORN est une fédération internationale d’organisations dont le but est d’organiser les participations citoyennes. De Paris à Detroit, en passant par Detroit ou encore Londres, découvrez les différentes campagnes de notre fédération !

 

 

ACORN is an international federation of community based organizations working to organize the unorganized. From Paris to Detroit, not forgetting Montreal or London, let us discover the different campaigns of the members of our federation!

 

Alliance citoyenne Grenoble (France)

A Saint-Martin d’Hères, les locataires s’organisent contre le froid et l’humidité dans leurs logements

Mercredi 2 mai, les habitants de Renaudie se sont réunis autour d’un atelier banderoles.  Leur objectif : dénoncer le froid et l’humidité dans leurs logements.

Après avoir accroché leurs banderoles dans les endroits les plus visibles du quartier, les habitants attendent une réaction de leur bailleur social. A cette occasion, le député Colas Roy est venu à leur rencontre pour discuter des problèmes existants dans le quartier.

In Saint-Martin d’Hères, the tenants organize against the cold and the humidity in their housing

On Wednesday, May 2nd, the inhabitants of Renaudie met around a banners workshop. Their goal: denounce the cold and the humidity in their housing.

Having hung on their banners in the most visible places of the district, the inhabitants wait for a reaction of their social landlord. On this occasion, deputy Colas Roy went to meet them and to discuss existing problems in the district.

Alliance citoyenne d’Aubervilliers (France)

A Aubervilliers, colère des locataires : réparez l’ascenseur social !

Jeudi 26 avril, les locataires de l’immeuble République – Lénine se sont rassemblés dans le hall de leur immeuble pour dénoncer les pannes et défaillances régulières des ascenseurs qui leur rendent la vie impossible. Ils ont pu discuter avec tous les voisins et faire signer massivement la pétition. Tant que leur bailleur social, l’OPHLM, ne prend pas ses responsabilités, les habitants n’ont pas fini de monter dans les tours !

 In Aubervilliers, anger of the tenants: repair the social ladder!

On Thursday, April 26th, the tenants of the building “Republic – Lenin” gathered in the hall of their building to denounce the breakdowns and the regular failures of the elevators which complicate  everybody’s life. They talked with all the neighbors and collected names on petitions. As long as their social landlord, the OPHLM, does not face up to its responsibilities, the inhabitants will express their dissatisfaction.

Alliance citoyenne de Douala : OnEstEnsemble

Les habitants du quartier de Makepe Missoke obtiennent le changement des poteaux électriques dangereux !             

Face aux poteaux électriques en mauvais état sur le point de tomber, et aux câbles trainant sur le sol,

les membres de OnEstEnsemble de l’antenne de Missoke se sont mobilisés. Adoptant à la lettre les consignes de l’entreprise indiquant de s’éloigner des câbles qui tombent au sol, ils ont quitté leur quartier pour aller se réfugier à l’agence Enéo. Près de 20 habitants ont ainsi occupé les bureaux de l’entreprise, avec leurs couvertures et oreillers, demandant de sécuriser ces infrastructures électriques. La direction a réagit tout de suite, les recevant pour négocier. Ils ont obtenu le changement de 60 poteaux dans le quartier, et les câbles ont été réinstallés !

 

The inhabitants of the neighbourhood Makepe Missoke obtain the change of the dangerous electric poles!

Because of electric poles about to fall, and of cables being lying on the ground, the members of OnEstEnsemble of Missoke have been mobilizing. Adopting literally the instructions of the company Enéo, indicating going away from cables which fall on the ground, they left their district to take refuge inside the office Enéo. About 20 inhabitants occupied the office of the company, with their blankets and pillows, asking to secure these electric infrastructures. The manager has reacts at once, receiving them to negotiate. They obtained the change of 60 posts in the district, and cables were reinstalled!

 

ACORN USA – NEW ORLEANS

A la nouvelle Orléans, les victoires s’enchaînent                  

Les membres d’ACORN continue de mener leurs trois campagnes pincipales, relatives aux discriminations, qui concernent plusieurs quartiers et en particulier le 9ème Ward :

– L’arrêt de l’expansion du Canal Industriel

– la lutte contre l’autoroute en Floride

– l’arrêt des explosions le long du Canal Industriel et du fleuve Mississippi. 

In New Orleans, the members of ACORN continue to win                                   

Continue to win on 3 major Environmental Racism Campaigns affecting multiple neighborhoods,esp the 9th Ward

1. Stop the Expansion of the Industrial Canal
2. Fight the Florida Ave Freeway
3. Stop the Explosions along the Industrial Canal and Mississippi River

ACORN Royaume-Uni
ACORN United-Kingdom

Au Royaume-Uni, lancement d’alliances dans de nouveaux quartiers                    

Notre équipe basée à Bristol, Newcastle et Sheffield a commencé à organiser de nouveaux quartiers pour augmenter la densité et la diversité dans nos villes  et développer les infrastructures nécessaires. Nous avons des actions prévues pour l’été, notamment des actions directes pour mettre en évidence les politiques bancaires discriminatoires, (à l’occasion de l’anniversaire des 10 ans de la crise financière mondiale), en plus de l’organisation d’une conférence nationale.

 In UK, new neighbourhood organising drives

Our staff in Bristol, Newcastle and Sheffield have all begun new neighbourhood organising drives to increase density and diversity in our key cities and to develop the infrastructure needed to take us to the next level. We’ve got big plans for the summer including direct action to highlight discriminatory bank policies and mark the 10-year anniversary of the global financial crisis, plus our national conference.

ACORN Toronto (Canada)

Toronto : les habitants s’unissent contre la gentrification de leur quartier            

Le 24 mars, plusieurs dizaines de membres d’ACORN Toronto se sont réunis dans Weston pour s’opposer à la gentrification du quartier. Suite aux récents aménagements du quartier, les prix des loyers sont devenus trop chers pour les résidents. Selon la présidente d’ACORN Weston, Carla Scott, “Nous voulons que ce lieu soit développé. Nous aussi, voulons vivre dans un quartier agréable. Nous ne voulons pas juste être déplacés.”

Toronto: the inhabitants mobilized against the gentrification of their neighbourhood

On March 24, dozens of Toronto ACORN members rallied in Weston to oppose gentrification in the neighbourhood. New developments proposed for the area are priced too high for local residents. Weston ACORN chair Carla Scott said, “We want the place to become developed. We want to live in a nice area as well. We just don’t want to be displaced.”

 

ACORN Ottawa (Canada)

VICTOIRE: Les membres d’Ottawa font avancer le Conseil dans la bonne direction contre les prêts sur salaire         

Depuis 2015, les membres d’ACORN Ottawa ont fait pression en faveur de l’attribution d’une licence pour les “prêteurs sur salaire” afin de réduire la concentration de prêteurs dans les quartiers.  Aujourd’hui, en présence de 17 membres d’ACORN, le Conseil municipal a voté pour que le personnel établisse un rapport sur la nécessité de ces règlements. Une première étape pour mettre fin aux prêts prédateurs dans les quartiers !

 

VICTORY: Ottawa Members Move Council in the Right Direction Against Payday Loans                                                      

Ottawa ACORN members have been pushing for minimum distancing and licensing of payday lenders since 2015 in order to reduce the concentration of payday lenders in our neighbourhoods. Today City Council voted in favour of having staff report back on the need for these regulations with 17 ACORN members in attendance to show our support. Great first steps to ending predatory lending in our neighbourhoods!

ACORN Nouvelle Ecosse/Nova Scotia (Canada)

Les locataires de la Nouvelle Ecosse demande des logements salubres            

Les membres d’ACORN Nouvelle-Écosse et les locataires du 15 Kennedy Drive se sont rassemblés devant leur immeuble pour dénoncer leurs conditions de vie que leur propriétaire, MetCap living, leur impose. Entre les ascenseurs en pannes, les toits qui fuient et les cafards, les locataires en ont marre et demandent que des inspections et des réparations soient menées efficacement.

 

Dartmouth Members Demand Healthy Homes

Nova Scotia ACORN members and tenants of 15 Kennedy Drive rallied together in front of their building to fight against the scary living conditions that their landlord, MetCap Living, has forced them to live with. From broken elevators to leaky roofs and cockroaches, tenants are fed up and are demanding that proper inspections and repairs be done efficiently.

 

ACORN Montreal (Canada)

Les membres Sud-Ouest ACORN se réunissent pour marquer le démarrage de leur comité de quartier           

 23 leaders d’ACORN Montréal se sont réunis pour élire le président de leur comité de quartier. Michel Jobin, membre ACORN depuis Octobre 2017, a été élu au poste.

Les membres réclament une solution immédiate aux problèmes de punaises de lit, de coquerelles, et de souris, et demandent à ce que les familles et les individus ayant du jeter des meubles soient remboursées par le gouvernement.

Sud-Ouest ACORN Officially Launches as Latest Chapter

23 Montreal ACORN leaders came together last night to elect a Chairperson for the recently-established Sud-Ouest Chapter. Michel Jobin, a member since October of 2017, was elected to the position.

Members are demanding immediate action to rid the neighbourhood of bed bugs, cockroaches, and rodents, and reimbursements for all families and individual that have had to dispose of furniture as a result of pests.

ACORN Ontario (Canada)

Toronto : Monsieur le Ministre du Logement, nous voulons vivre dans une ville plus juste !           

Les membres d’ACORN se félicitent de l’avancée du Ministre de l’Urbanisme et du Logement de l’Ontario, Peter Milczyn, sur les nouvelles régulations. Celles-ci sont la preuve que l’organisation des communautés fonctionne. Après un long combat pour le logement abordable mené par les membres ACORN, la municipalité les a écouté et met en place des outils pour favoriser un logement abordable.

 

Victory for Grassroots Organizing! ACORN Welcomes Ontario Housing Regulations

ACORN members are pleased to see the new regulations put forward by Ontario Minister of Housing, Peter Milczyn. These regulations are proof that grassroots organizing works. After a long and hard fight for affordable housing by ACORN and other allies, the Province has listened and are handing over the tools to create affordable housing to the municipalities.

ACORN Delhi (Inde)

Notre campagne actuelle : la mise en place de lois pour protéger les les vendeurs de rues  

La campagne principale d’ACORN Delhi a abouti à la création d’une loi créée en 2018 par le gouvernement pour protéger les conditions de vie et de travail des vendeurs de rue. Actuellement, nous travaillons avec le gouvernement de Delhi pour constituer un commité rassemblant les vendeurs de rues de la ville. Dans les différents marchés, 12 groupes de marchands de rues ont été formés en 2017-18, et  1113 marchands rues sont maintenant adhérents. Ils sont informés de leurs droits et participent activement aux réunions.

 

Our constant advocacy: Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street vending                       

Our constant advocacy with Govt of Delhi resulted in notification of the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street vending) Rule 2018 of GNCT of Delhi. Presently, we are advocating with Govt. of NCT of Delhi for constituting Town Vending Committees (TVC).

In different markets 12 groups of street vendors have been formed in 2017-18  with a total membership of 1113 street vendors. They are made aware of their rights and are actively participating in the meeting of market level.

ACORN Arkansas (USA)

The Poor Peoples Campaign, une nouvelle campagne de sensibilisation  

Les membres d’ACORN ont participé à une campagne nomée the Poor Peoples Campaign, qui a été lancée par Martin Luther King Jr il y a cinquante ans. Nous avons travaillé sur une campagne de sensibilisation au niveau local et national sur l’existence d’iinégalités dau sein de la population et de la nécessité de changer les décisions politiques qui affectent tant de personnes dans ce pays.

 

The Poor Peoples Campaign, a new campaign to raise awareness                     

The union has been involved with the Poor Peoples Campaign, which was first initiated by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr fifty years ago. We have been working to help raise awareness not only locally, but also nationally of the inequality of all people and why there has to be a change in many policies that affect so many people in this country.

ACORN India (Mumbai)

Mumbai : un nouveau projet de recyclage            

A Mumbai, les membres d’ACORN mènent un projet commun avec l’Université Bath Spa en Angleterre, qui forme nos collecteurs de déchêts sur la façon d’utiliser le recyclage de plastique pour faire des réalisations sur une machine 3D.

Mumbai : a project around plastic recycling

In Mumbai, members are doing a joint project with the Bath Spa University in England who are training our wastepickers with the Dharvi Prohject in how to use their plastic recycling to make things on a 3-D machine.

ACORN Peru

Pérou: non à privatisation de l’eau !

ACORN Pérou a rejoint notre partenaire, FENTAP, le syndicat des travailleurs de l’eau avec lequel nous nous sommes battu côte à côte pendant 15 ans dans le cadre de la lutte contre la privatisation de l’eau.

Peru: an anti-privitization protest

ACORN Peru joins our partner, FENTAP, the water weorkers union that we have fought with side by side for 15 years in an anti-privatization protest and the fundamental right to water.

ACORN Radio

La radio ACORN est en ligne            

La radio ACORN est désormais disponible en ligne. Découvrez les émissions et reportages des membres affiliés d’ACORN partout dans le monde, depuis chez vous.

http://acornradio.org/

ACORN Radio is on-the-air

ACORN Radio is finally on the air. Discover programmes and reports of the affiliates of ACORN all around the world, from home.

http://acornradio.org/