NOVEMBER NEWSLETTER

This election season, voters have chosen a new path forward for this country. Despite a pandemic, economic collapse, and attempts to intimidate and attack Black and brown voters, BIPOC communities–especially women– turned out in record numbers for democracy and drove the results of this election toward progressive change. Now it is up to all of us to ensure that our government is accountable to tackle the racial, economic, and environmental catastrophes that this country faces. In New York, a progressive movement is growing to create the system change that we have been fighting for. The new federal administration provides a greater opportunity to more fully realize progressive programs and campaigns such as a green stimulus that will directly benefit the communities most affected by unemployment and climate change. However, we also know that power concedes nothing without a fight, no matter who is President. Here is a rundown of what that fight has been looking like in the past month, as we set the groundwork to continue the long struggle for a just and equitable New York. Let’s get to work.

Our work depends on your support. Consider donating to ALIGN to support the struggle for economic, racial, and climate justice.

A Just Green Recovery is Possible

Labor leaders, union members, community organizers, climate advocates, and elected officials joined us in an online press conference to unveil the Climate Works for All report, “An Equitable Recovery: Creating 100,000 Climate Jobs for Frontline Communities of Color”, which provides a pathway for a green post-covid recovery that will prioritize Black and brown communities hit hardest by unemployment and climate change. You can check out the report here.

Darly Corniel, Consortium for Worker Education: “Covid has left a devastation in the job market… but it also gives us an tremendous opportunity to recover. This report gives us the blueprint to do that.”

Maritza Silva-Farrell, Executive Director of ALIGN, spoke to Gotham Gazette about the report: “When we talk about renewing our economy, we're actually looking at this report as a source for us to uproot not only income inequality within our city… but also a shift in the way our economy works. Prioritizing our environment, prioritizing our communities, particularly Black and brown communities.”

Carlina Rivera, City Council Member, District 2:  “Transitioning to green energy, more sustainable infrastructure, will create the jobs that our city desperately needs to recover from Covid.”

There is huge momentum for a green jobs recovery across the country. A recent op-ed by NYC Comptroller Scott Stringer and Council Member Costa Constantinides calls for major green infrastructure investment in NYC, citing the Climate Works coalition’s platform as a pathway for a post-covid recovery.

At the federal level, there is excitement for a THRIVE agenda, a nationwide roadmap that will create millions of jobs and tackle climate change.

More recently, Mayor de Blasio signed Intro 1947 into law, expanding the impact of Local Law 97, legislation that ALIGN and the Climate Works coalition developed and passed last year in order to achieve emissions reduction goals to address climate change. See the press release here.

Henry Garrido, Executive Director DC 37, ALIGN Board Member: “This proposal makes complete sense in the perspective of bringing justice and trying to address the inequities we have seen in a job recovery market for people of color.”

Beyond Giving Thanks: Health and Safety in the Workplace is what NY Workers Need

Cases are rising across the state and once again thousands of New Yorkers are hospitalized. Without protections, workers are at risk of contracting and spreading Covid-19 at work and bringing the virus home to their communities.

State leaders must act now to pass the NY HERO Act. You can stand with workers by signing the petition at protectnyheroes.org. After so many workers gave their lives to get New York through the first wave, we must listen to workers this time and ensure that they have legal protections to prevent exposure once again. Listen to their story in a new animated short film that shows the sacrifices frontline workers had to make in the first wave, and why we must need health and safety standards now. 

While workers and small businesses suffer from Covid-19, big corporations like Amazon continue to make billions through pandemic profiteering. That is why we are taking to the streets on Cyber Monday at Jeff Bezos’ apartment to demand that Amazon is held accountable. We must ensure that NY creates laws to tax billionaires like Bezos and that we put workers before profits by passing the NY HERO Act. Click here for more info on this event.

NY HERO Act Rally at Lenox Health Greenwich Village

Karines Reyes, State Assemblymember and Sponsor of NY HERO Act

School bus driver Mario Jean, ATU Local 1181-1061

George Miranda, Teamsters JC 16

Workers know what workers need

Over 40 workers from across sectors came together to discuss how they would use the NY HERO Act to protect and empower themselves and their coworkers. For many of these workers, health and safety is not a new fight, and this pandemic only highlighted and exacerbated existing issues. Workers discussed with each other about unsafe and abusive working conditions due to lack of PPE, social distancing, and fear of retaliation. A worker in the cleaning industry described being “treated like animals, and no one cared about us." Despite these exploitative conditions, workers are excited about organizing their workplace and uniting across sectors to fight for the NY HERO Act.

NY HERO Act Worker Training

ALIGN is growing!

Welcome Marlene De La O and Nina Terhune to the ALIGN Team!

Originally from Southern California, Marlene has several years of experience working on climate investments and urban sustainability and adaption policy for programs funded by multilateral institutions and federal, state, and local governments. Recently, she worked for the California Strategic Growth Council (SGC), a state agency funded by Cap-and-Trade funds to invest in frontline communities and promote sustainability, health, and equity in frontline communities. Marlene is committed to bringing a racial equity lens to all of her work and has addressed issues related to affordable housing, low-income weatherization and renewable energy assistance, urban greening, and workforce development among other topics. She has also lived and worked in various political and cultural contexts in the United States, Latin America, and southern Africa.

Nina is thrilled to be joining ALIGN as Director of Finance and Operations to promote the organization's sustainability and growth. As a lifelong Brooklynite, Nina is committed to community-led movements for a more just and equitable New York. For the past six years, Nina managed the Center for Frontline Retail's operations, finances, and fundraising to connect retail workers to essential services and a community of engaged worker leaders, and to support the organization's collaborations with workers, organized labor, and other stakeholders around campaigns for higher standards of employment in the retail sector.

ALIGN in the News

AM NY - Unions help create vision of a greener post-pandemic job market for New York

Gotham Gazette - For Next Steps in City’s ‘Green New Deal’ and Covid Recovery, Coalition Offers plan for 100,000 Climate Jobs

PIX 11 - ‘Green New Deal’ for NYC is unveiled, but will its price tag prevent it from becoming a reality?

Politico - Essential workers rally for state law mandating workplace safety

Newsday - Union seeks stronger COVID-19 protection at Islandia furniture factory

Bloomberg - NY Workers Demand Covid-19 Safety Laws

The City - Offshore Wind Energy Hopes Brighten Sunset Park Outlook After Industry City Unplugged

We want to extend a special thank you to the New York Foundation for their partnership and support. You can learn more about their incredible support for community organizing and advocacy on their website.

In Memoriam

Cecil Corbin-Mark 

On November 19th, WE ACT held a memorial service for Cecil Corbin-Mark who was a brilliant mind, fearless warrior, a true champion for the people and environmental justice.  We send our love to Cecil  Corbin-Mark's family, WE ACT, and the many communities that have been inspired by his unwavering pursuit of justice. You can read about Cecil’s incredible devotion to climate justice here.

An Alliance in Action

Support ALIGN’s partners here:

Make the Road NY  -  Join the call  to urge Governor Cuomo to immediately establish a $3.5 billion fund to ensure that excluded workers get the relief they need to survive this crisis.

NY Renews -  You can take action with NY Renews for a plan to create good, green jobs, invest in communities hit hardest by Covid, pollution, and the climate crisis, and to get our state to 100% renewable economy.

A report on protecting essential workers from pandemic profiteers co-written by a coalition including  our  nation partners at Jobs with Justice and our board member New York Communities for Change.

CWA District 1 - Take action to tell Albany, New York needs safe staffing in every Hospital and Nursing Home.

RWDSU - Share widely this statement by RWDSU president Stuart Appelbaum on Black Friday

[email protected]