FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday, January 7, 2020

CONTACT: Lizette Olmos, [email protected], 240-706-2624

CASA Launches “People are Power” Program

Supports Changing Democracy through Engagement of People of Color in Critical States

 Hyattsville, MD – Today, CASA announces a partnership with six organizations: Action NC, the Jolt Initiative, Michigan United, MOSES, NAKASEC, and Voces de La Frontera through its People are Power program.  Awarded the Communities Thrive Challenge, a collaboration between The Rockefeller Foundation and the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, the People are Power program will support sophisticated organizations in critical states to deepen their impact.

“The People Are Power organizations share similar progressive values and a commitment to racial, economic, and immigrant justice,” said CASA Executive Director Gustavo Torres. “They have demonstrated interest and capacity to run field and civic engagement programs. They can create or already have an individual membership structure.  They will be building a membership program in a swing state for the Presidential in 2020 or a place where immigrants are at least 20% of voters.”

Action NC, the Jolt Initiative, Michigan United, MOSES, NAKASEC and Voces de la Frontera are all organizations that work primarily with Latinx, AAPI, immigrant, and African American working-class people and were chosen for their deep focus on grassroots organizing, mobilization, and leadership development. Each organization will grow even deeper membership models and voter engagement programs through cross-training and one-on-one technical assistance sessions throughout the year. Each organization enters the Communities Thrive Challenge program with deep expertise in some of these areas but seeks to develop additional capacities.

“At its core, Jolt Initiative aims to build a stronger democracy by empowering Latinos to be civically-minded,” said Antonio Arellano, Interim Executive Director at Jolt Initiative. “Ensuring everyone’s voice is heard is a day-to-day mission and one that wouldn’t be possible without support from champions like CASA, that seeks to uplift marginalized communities through programs such as the “Building Sustainable Power” Incubator Program. This grant will allow us to further our mission at a time when it’s most critical to the future of our country.”

Congratulations to the 2019 partners:

Action NC: An organization that confronts and reduces the root cause of poverty, underdevelopment, and social and economic inequality through grassroots education, training, organization and mobilization. For more information, go to http://www.actionnc.org/

Jolt Initiative: The Jolt initiative recognizes the participation of Latinos to build a stronger democracy and ensure that everyone’s voice is heard. Jolt builds the leadership capacity of Latinos to increase their civic involvement and mobilize their peers to action. For more information, go to http://www.joltinitiative.org/.

Michigan United: A coalition of labor, civil rights, and business members fighting for the rights of homeowners, renters, immigrant families and students. For more information, go to https://www.miunited.org/.

MOSES (Metropolitan Organizing Strategies Enabling Strength): An organization that develops faith leaders and builds relationships to advocate for social justice through a group of congregations.  Over the last two election cycles MOSES has organized over 20+ Judicial and Criminal justice town halls.  In 2018, in partnership with Advancement Project and Nation Outside, 200+ citizens were registered to vote while in jail. For more information, go to mosesmi.org.

NAKASEC: A community-based AAPI organization that believes in empowering people from the bottom up. They engage in building activities, campaigns and events. For more information, go to https://nakasec.org/

Voces de la Frontera: A membership-led organization led by low wage workers, immigrants, and youth. For more information, go to https://vdlf.org/.

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 With over 100,000 members across the states of Maryland, Virginia, and South Central

Pennsylvania, CASA is the largest member-based Latino and immigrant organization in the

mid-Atlantic region. CASA organizes with and litigates on behalf of low-wage immigrants.

Visit us at www.wearecasa.org and follow us on Twitter at @CASAforall