Economic, Social & Racial Justice for ALL!

ICAN leaders demonstrated leadership in shutting down the Wells Fargo Shareholders Meeting

The next step on our campaign to take on the big banks pay and win relief for homeowners is to disrupt business as usual at shareholder meetings across the country. The goal of these actions is to build off the fall mobilizations and the Occupations to keep up the street heat holding the 1% (the bank executives) accountable for, in this case, the continued foreclosure on families across the country. Continue reading »»

Latinos are growing fast in both numbers and voting strength in Idaho. With over 11 % of the state’s population concentrated in specific counties, Latinos are the swing voters for some state races and the 1st congressional district.

Miguel and Adriana practice Voter Registration

This power will only grow with time as age eligibility and naturalization rates increase for Latinos in Idaho. For instance, in 2008, there were 60,000 Latinos eligible to vote in Idaho, representing 6% of all eligible voters in Idaho. (Only half of them voted during the general elections in 2008 elections.) In 2010, 33.9% of immigrants (or 29,550 people) in Idaho were naturalized U.S. citizens – meaning that they are eligible to vote today. Continue reading »»

An Idaho student and member of Alliance affiliate Idaho Community Action Network was part of a CNN story about the 1965 Selma Re-Enactment March that took place last week in Alabama. Civil rights activists from all across the country made the four-day trek from Selma to Montgomery to mark the 47th anniversary of Bloody Sunday, and CNN cameras were there to capture the story. I was there too, and stay tuned for an upcoming post about my experience.

You can read the full CNN story here.

ICAN member Maricela (right) was mentioned in a CNN news story about the re-enactment march. Photo credit to The Center for Community Change.

ICAN members Emma, John, Kathy, and Yuliana with the broken heart valentines outside of a payday lending store in Nampa. Photo Credit: Greg Kreller/Idaho Press Tribune (Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2012)

On February 14th this year, members of Alliance affiliate Idaho Community Action Network (ICAN)  had some very specific valentines to deliver to payday lending stores across the valley.  These over-sized valentines with broken hearts of pink and red symbolized a message and a demand: stop breaking our hearts and stop breaking our budgets. Continue reading »»

More than a dozen ICAN members delivered a letter to Wells Fargo on Friday Feb 3 and protested against the banks investment in local payday lenders. Led by local leader Sonny Montgomery, the letter drop was part of a national campaign with the New Bottom Line to demand a meeting with Wells Fargo Executives and to demand changes in their banking practices including; prinicipal reduction for underwater homeowners, divestment from payday lending institutions, removing corporate money from elections and paying their fair share of taxes. Our action drew media attention and leaders were excited to see themselves on the front page of the Lewiston Morning Tribune on Saturday morning. When interviewed by the local tv station KLEWTV, leader Ruben Thornock described how unfair it is that the only option for struggling families needing a short term loan are these payday loan places that charge more than 400% interest. “We just want something that is fair!” stated Thornock. Lewiston leaders are raising the issue with City Council and the more than 14 local payday lenders. Watch for more exciting news soon!