"Being there in the aftermath of Sandy I got a preview of our shared future -- the devastating impact of climate disasters on our health, on our finances, and on our families." (Photo: Mark Lennihan)
Organizing After Disasters - Both Natural and Man-Made
New Jersey Organizing Project members fought for the dignity of their community when hurricane recovery efforts prioritized the rich and powerful.
When Superstorm Sandy hit my home in 2012, I was living and working in Washington D.C. I drove up to check on my dad a few days later, and when I saw my community devastated, part of me didn't leave. That part of me drew me home. My heart simply would not let me walk away from the suffering that I saw. And, as we know, there are disasters of all kinds in all our communities.
In New Jersey we built an organization of people who had nothing to lose and everything to gain. And we used the organizing structure we built around Sandy recovery again last year when we launched our fight to stop the cuts to the Affordable Care Act and preserve Medicaid. And we know this is an issue that's important to many of our communities.
Being there in the aftermath of Sandy I got a preview of our shared future -- the devastating impact of climate disasters on our health, on our finances, and on our families.
And under former Governor Christie, I had a front row seat to what happens when we don't invest in building people's organizations everywhere in America. By two years after the storm, only 500 families in the state's recovery programs had made it home. Recovery programs that were supposed to help families worked better for big insurance and banks.
My community felt abandoned by their governor and their government -- or blamed themselves. There's a sense that we've been left behind by both parties and machine politics -- that the deck is stacked against us and for corporations.
And that's what People's Action heard across the country in rural and small-town America.
But -- based on almost 2,500 conversations People's Action has had -- our communities are clear that our biggest problem is the rich and powerful controlling government. It is not our neighbors, it is not immigrants, and it is not people who need a hand up.
I saw this when we traveled to New Orleans to meet Katrina survivors. Though our communities are very different, we shared stories about how the tourist and business areas were rebuilt first and foremost while everyday people struggled.
The strength we forge as fight for our dignity after a natural disaster, in response to the overdose crisis, or fighting for good jobs -- that strength can bind us together if we invest in building real people's organization and get serious about connecting to each other.
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. In a few short weeks, US voters will have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. Our Fall Campaign is underway, and we need your help. To power our newsroom through the rest of the year, we need to raise $125,000 by midnight on October 31. So if you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
When Superstorm Sandy hit my home in 2012, I was living and working in Washington D.C. I drove up to check on my dad a few days later, and when I saw my community devastated, part of me didn't leave. That part of me drew me home. My heart simply would not let me walk away from the suffering that I saw. And, as we know, there are disasters of all kinds in all our communities.
In New Jersey we built an organization of people who had nothing to lose and everything to gain. And we used the organizing structure we built around Sandy recovery again last year when we launched our fight to stop the cuts to the Affordable Care Act and preserve Medicaid. And we know this is an issue that's important to many of our communities.
Being there in the aftermath of Sandy I got a preview of our shared future -- the devastating impact of climate disasters on our health, on our finances, and on our families.
And under former Governor Christie, I had a front row seat to what happens when we don't invest in building people's organizations everywhere in America. By two years after the storm, only 500 families in the state's recovery programs had made it home. Recovery programs that were supposed to help families worked better for big insurance and banks.
My community felt abandoned by their governor and their government -- or blamed themselves. There's a sense that we've been left behind by both parties and machine politics -- that the deck is stacked against us and for corporations.
And that's what People's Action heard across the country in rural and small-town America.
But -- based on almost 2,500 conversations People's Action has had -- our communities are clear that our biggest problem is the rich and powerful controlling government. It is not our neighbors, it is not immigrants, and it is not people who need a hand up.
I saw this when we traveled to New Orleans to meet Katrina survivors. Though our communities are very different, we shared stories about how the tourist and business areas were rebuilt first and foremost while everyday people struggled.
The strength we forge as fight for our dignity after a natural disaster, in response to the overdose crisis, or fighting for good jobs -- that strength can bind us together if we invest in building real people's organization and get serious about connecting to each other.
When Superstorm Sandy hit my home in 2012, I was living and working in Washington D.C. I drove up to check on my dad a few days later, and when I saw my community devastated, part of me didn't leave. That part of me drew me home. My heart simply would not let me walk away from the suffering that I saw. And, as we know, there are disasters of all kinds in all our communities.
In New Jersey we built an organization of people who had nothing to lose and everything to gain. And we used the organizing structure we built around Sandy recovery again last year when we launched our fight to stop the cuts to the Affordable Care Act and preserve Medicaid. And we know this is an issue that's important to many of our communities.
Being there in the aftermath of Sandy I got a preview of our shared future -- the devastating impact of climate disasters on our health, on our finances, and on our families.
And under former Governor Christie, I had a front row seat to what happens when we don't invest in building people's organizations everywhere in America. By two years after the storm, only 500 families in the state's recovery programs had made it home. Recovery programs that were supposed to help families worked better for big insurance and banks.
My community felt abandoned by their governor and their government -- or blamed themselves. There's a sense that we've been left behind by both parties and machine politics -- that the deck is stacked against us and for corporations.
And that's what People's Action heard across the country in rural and small-town America.
But -- based on almost 2,500 conversations People's Action has had -- our communities are clear that our biggest problem is the rich and powerful controlling government. It is not our neighbors, it is not immigrants, and it is not people who need a hand up.
I saw this when we traveled to New Orleans to meet Katrina survivors. Though our communities are very different, we shared stories about how the tourist and business areas were rebuilt first and foremost while everyday people struggled.
The strength we forge as fight for our dignity after a natural disaster, in response to the overdose crisis, or fighting for good jobs -- that strength can bind us together if we invest in building real people's organization and get serious about connecting to each other.