Candidate for Boston City Council At-Large, Alejandra St. Guillen, Grassroots Fundraiser, Boston, MA (November 2019)
The backdrop of 2019 is short when measured in terms of time. Yet the headlines coming from Washington, across the country, and in our backyards yields our immediate attention and awareness. This is not business as usual and we are our reaching our tipping point. The promise of our democracy is being further eroded as the wall of mistrust, xenophobia, and economic inequality rises. Referred often as the boiling point of the masse, this tipping point is and should be our collective responsibility.
Three key battles between Congress on that scale are coming soon, all of which will solicit Congressional Democratic action.
If the Trump Administration’ Department of Justice decides to withhold findings from the Muller investigation;
If the Trump administration moves forward with its national emergency plan to pillage Federal coffers to build its wall;
If the US Supreme Court approves the Administration’s plan to include the citizenship question on the 2020 US Census Count;
Whether you are on the front lines of the movement for justice or never have been engaged, these time requires honesty and transparency about who has been left behind and why. The pullout of Amazon from New York City is a relevant and stark outcry about the level of deep socio-economic insecurity that exists for millions of American families. When working class people are rejecting what many consider an economic boom, decision-makers, elected officials, and the wealthy should think about how to boldly reimagine the emerging economy while addressing climate change and income inequality.
A look at the year ahead and the horizon before us is the best time to remind readers that this year we must continue supporting deep democracy. Nationally, the team at Rivera Consulting, Inc., is focused on supporting locally and regionally based reproductive justice organizations like Women with A Vision New Orleans, United for Reproductive Justice & Gender Equity, and the National Latina Institute of Reproductive Health by coaching staff on non-partisan integrated voter engagement and/or exploring integrated electioneering activities that prepare them for 2020 and beyond. We are also supporting executive coaching clients on an ongoing basis and as part of our commitment to diversity and inclusion.
Locally, in Massachusetts, we are also continuing our research and strategic advising engagement with the Partnership for Education and Democracy and Maria’s List. We are also working to re-elect Boston District 7 City Councilor Kim Janey from Roxbury, and Alejandra St. Guillen who is running to become the next At Large Boston City Councilor. Both Kim and Alejandra have dedicated their careers to ensuring sustainable equity for communities of color in Boston. Our national and municipal level work puts our movement building ethos, deep democracy, at the center of creating meaningful and sustainable change
Stay tuned for more exciting updates to our national and local work. If you missed it, please check out In the News page for exciting news about our work.
URGE Board Kick Off Meeting, Washington D.C. (December 2019)