Power Station

As Diane Yentel, President of the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) explains on Power Station, Only 1 in 4 households that need and are eligible for housing assistance, gets it. They are the winners in what is basically a housing lottery. Lowest income Americans who need project-based housing subsidies and public housing are the focus of NLIHC's research, analysis, education and policy advocacy. They are also part of the organizational  infrastructure that NLIHC has created to advocate for increased investment in affordable housing. NLIHC not only includes voucher recipients on its Board of Directors, it prioritizes their engagement on Capital Hill, in state capitals and in the electoral process. Now, in the face of the longest government shutdown in US history, resources generated through the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and US Department of Agriculture (USDA) are at risk. Diane tells us how the Campaign for Housing and Community Development Funding (CHCDF), a collaboratio

New America is a think tank devoted to American Renewal in a time of unprecedented social and technological change. Under the leadership of Anne-Marie Slaughter, it is actually building a new field of endeavor. Known as Public Interest Technology, this field takes a problem-solving approach to addressing issues that affect everyday people and communities. It convenes municipal leaders with public agencies and nonprofits to fix broken systems in areas including foster care, opioid abuse and criminal justice. And it pairs them with technologists, an expertise more associated with Silicon Valley than government and NGOs, to create cost-effective and transformative solutions.  This effort is led by Cecilia Munoz, a longtime leader at the forefront of progressive change making. At the National Council of La Raza (now UnidosUS), our nation's largest Latino civil rights organization, Cecilia mobilized 300 affiliates as a voice for policy change on Capitol Hill. As Director of the White House Domestic Policy Council

Quyen Dinh, Executive Director of Southeast Asia Resource Center (SEARAC), is deeply connected to the Vietnamese, Laotian and Cambodian communities she serves. As the daughter of Vietnamese refugees she knows first hand the challenges posed by limited resources, a sense of displacement, and the need for community connections. SEARAC, a national civil rights organization, is informed by a network of 40 community-based nonprofits who set their policy agenda and advocate for just and equitable policies at the state and federal levels. In fact, SEARAC, trains young people within its networks to tell their stories and propose solutions to their elected officials. By focusing on education, health (including the ongoing problem of intergenerational trauma), aging and immigration, SEARAC creates an inclusive environment for all members of the community. Quyen explains the looming threat of the Trump administration's Public Charge proposal, which would penalize immigrants who access programs needed to build family sec

Bob Friedman has been at the forefront of building wealth in low-income communities for decades. He founded Corporation for Enterprise Development in 1979, (recently renamed Prosperity Now) to develop, test and implement the strategies needed to move low-income people into the economic mainstream. These strategies, now proven to be highly effective, have and continue to be the foundation for Prosperity Now's public policy advocacy at the local, state and federal levels.   Bob talks to Power Station about his new book, A Few Thousand Dollars, which, through stories, illustrations and well-tested theories, provides a template for building wealth and creating a more equitable America. Despite our nation's wealth inequality and racial wealth gap, Bob's hopefulness is unfaltering. He agrees with Sen. Cory Booker, who wrote the book's afterword, that we know how to address the challenge. The question is whether we have the will.  It takes determined organizations, individuals and elected officials to invest in and

In this episode of Power Station, Josh Hoyt explains that the way you make democracy work is by organizing the people who are left out. This is the proposition that guides his leadership of the National Partnership for New Americans, a multi-ethnic and multi-racial organization comprised of the nation’s largest immigrant-serving coalitions, 37 nonprofits in 31 states. These immigrant led organizations serve both traditional hubs of immigration, such as California and New York, and emerging communities in Minnesota, Alabama, Idaho and Nebraska. Those they serve, Latinos, Asians, and Africans, have been marginalized by a lack of public resources, corrosive rhetoric and the politics of fear. But they are powerful organizations that, through the collective power the NPNA, are shaping the immigrant integration sector. Their collective voices are heard through the National Immigrant Integration Conference (NIIC), a dynamic and singular gathering of those who serve their communities every day and advocate for policy

Tanya Fiddler (Cheyenne River Sioux), Executive Director of the Native CDFI Network, talks to Power Station about being a self-proclaimed wayuiyeska, a Lakota word for translator. In all of her interactions with policy makers, funders and fellow nonprofit leaders, she translates the experience of Native Americans to those of us who do not fully know it. She starts by explaining that, according to Native spirituality and culture, the concept of asset building is based in the idea that, Everything is for us, but we don't have to own it." As Tonya explains, investing capital in Indian country is not just about addressing poverty, it is about seizing opportunity.  The Network's 74 member organizations are certified and emerging CDFIs (Community Development Financial Institutions), Native run nonprofits that are investing in their community's economic future by making home ownership and small business development possible. And financial education is becoming enshrined in early childhood education.  Tanya talks abo

How do you create a more just financial marketplace? We explore this question on Power Station with Diane Standaert, Executive Vice President of the Center for Responsible Lending (CRL), a nonprofit that builds financial wealth through the elimination of predatory lending practices. As Diane explains, it starts with a system rooted in a racially exclusionary and discriminatory history, exacerbated by the 2008 mortgage crisis, in which over one trillion dollars was lost in communities of color. This is the environment in which payday lenders operate and prosper by pulling poor people in need of small dollar loans into a debt trap. CRL conducts empirical research to demonstrate the scope of the problem to state and national level policymakers. It partners with community based nonprofits, the faith community and veteran's groups to advocate for solutions, from ballot initiatives to state-based legislation. And it advocates on a national level for the embattled Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, a champion of

If you want to know DC as more than the nation's capitol, check out Power Station's conversation with Ed Lazere. Ed is a champion of racial and economic equity for DC residents and neighborhoods. As executive director of the DC Fiscal Policy Institute, he has mastered the formula for influencing the City's legislative and budget making process. He and his team of nine, use research and data analysis to shape their advocacy around the issues that are most  crucial to low-income DC residents: affordable housing, quality schools, economic development, jobs, training and health care. Ed talks to Power Station about navigating relationships with DC's city council members, working in collaboration with nonprofit partners, and engaging DC residents in speaking out about the issues that affect their daily lives. Ed tells all about Initiative 77, a recent DC ballot measure about tipped wage earners, with an unexpected outcome. It is just one example of why having a voice is the city's policymaking process is essential

John Holdsclaw, Senior Vice President for Corporate Affairs, National Cooperative Bank, refers to himself as an "accidental banker." In this episode, we discuss his evolution from community economic development advocate to champion for housing and small business cooperatives. At Capital Impact Partners, a national nonprofit, John advocated for federal policies that invest in low-income and communities of color. He became a trusted voice on Capitol Hill for Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs), which provide capital grants and equity investments in affordable housing and small businesses. Now at NCB, formed by an act of Congress in 1978 to support the growth of worker-owned cooperatives, John is a champion for mission-related investments in high-quality nonprofit CDFIs. As he explains, "our mission is in our DNA." John explains how CDFIs fill in where traditional financial services are lacking and our nation's racial wealth gap seems intractable. We talk about staying the course in a challengin

Kathy Tran is a change maker. She has worked across the sectors to make life better for all people seeking to fully live the American Dream. Her own journey started as a 2 year old with her family's exodus from Vietnam to America in search of hope, opportunity and freedom. Kathy witnessed her parents hard work and perseverance after settling here and making the accommodations and sacrifices needed to sustain their family. She was inspired to carry on their legacy through her service at the US Department of Labor, where she focused on education and skill building for immigrants and refugees and on veterans transitioning to the civilian workforce. At the National Immigration Forum, Kathy launched a workforce development program to address the needs of low and high skilled refugees. She collaborated with a number of nonprofit partner organizations to shed light on and advocate for federal policies and programs that connect people to adult higher education, community colleges and other pathways to success. The 20

We talk as a nation about the imperative of voting but probably not enough about the challenges voters are facing now, just days before the mid-term elections. Ashley Allison, Executive Vice President of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, talks to Power Station about the All Voting is Local Campaign, which is building support for, and tackling systemic barriers to, voting in Ohio, Florida, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Arizona. This campaign operates as a collaborative with national partners including the ACLU and the American Constitution Society, and local nonprofit partners in communities directly impacted by systemic barriers. Their collective advocacy, litigation, organizing and where possible, partnership with supervisors of elections, has increased the numbers of poll workers and bilingual translators, improved accessibility to voting sites in communities of color and by disabled people. As Ashley explains, this Campaign is one of many embraced by The Leadership Conference, a voice for

John Yang brings layers of life experience to his leadership of Asian Americans Advancing Justice. His family moved to the US from China when he was a child and coped with losing their documentation, temporarily, after overstaying a work visa. After becoming a lawyer, he litigated for a DC based law firm and was legal director for a fortune 500 company in Shanghai, China. And he served in the Obama Administration as Senior Advisor on Asian issues to US Department of Commerce Secretary Pritzker. As President and Executive Director of AAJC, the largest Asian American policy organization in Washington DC, John leads a team of 20 staff members in advocating for the civil rights of a diverse, nuanced and growing constituency. AAJC's work   is informed by their community partners, locally based nonprofits in 32 states that provide day-to-day services for Asian American families and know intimately their challenges and aspirations. Together they have became powerhouse advocates, weighing in on the most pressing issu

Joseph Leitmann-Santa Cruz, Associate Director of Capital Area Asset Builders (CAAB), returns to Power Station with news about the expansion of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) into Washington DC’s historic Wards 7 and 8. The EITC enables working people, whose employment is low-wage and sporadic, to claim a tax credit through through their annual tax filing. The amount these households are refunded is often the largest single payment they earn in a given year. This return can be instrumental in advancing their aspirations, including savings towards a home, education or investment in a small business. The challenge is to get the word out to eligible households and support them in filing tax returns. This is why CAAB launched DC Community Conversations. It raises awareness about the EITC through presentations in schools and community centers in neighborhoods where disinvestment and the racial wealth gap have stripped communities of resources and families of personal wealth. Joseph is exactly the right person

Get ready for a dynamic conversation! Becky Belcore, Co-Director, and Jung Woo Kim, Organizer, at National Korean American Service & Educational Consortium (NAKASEC) talk to Power Station about their holistic approach to serving, engaging and advocating for Asian-Americans, this country's fasting growing population. NAKASEC, based in Virginia, has robust affiliates in Chicago and Los Angeles. They help new immigrants and multi-generational AAPI families access vital services and have a say use on the economic, social and political issues that directly impact their lives and well-being. Becky brings deep experience in labor organizing to NAKASEC's model of community engagement. Jung Woo brings his first-hand experience as an undocumented young person to his organizing of others in a similar position, across the cultural divide. His own journey led to Journey 2 Justice, a 37 day bike ride from Seattle to San Diego, in support of Citizenship for All. Once you hear him. you will want to join their next campai

Terry Ao Minnis and Angela Manso joined me for a conversation about Census 2020 at Power Station. As you will hear, the stakes for the Census could not be higher. The Census determines the apportionment of seats in the House of Representatives and the allocation of federal dollars to states. So it is particularly important that their powerhouse nonprofit organizations, Asian Americans Advancing Justice, and NALEO Education Fund, are engaging on this issue with other high-level stakeholders, including MALDEF, through a coalition led by the Leadership Conference of Human and Civil Rights. We talk about the implications for adding a question (untested) to the Census regarding citizenship, related lawsuits in Federal courts and the galvanizing of advocacy in local communities. 

The Congressional Black Caucus, known as the conscience of Congress, has been an unabashed advocate for communities of color since its founding in 1971. As executive director of the CBC, Fabrice Coles serves 48 members, including the Chairman, Cedric Richmond, Congressman from Louisiana's 2nd District. His work guides the CBC's  on the record responses to the issues of the day, including the current Supreme Court nominations process, and the issuance of new and forward looking legislation. Witness the Jobs and Justice Act of 2018, which proposes reforms to and investment in criminal justice, community development, affordable housing and education. The Act reflects the CBC's commitment to working with prized external nonprofit partners, including the National Urban League. In addition to his legal and Capitol Hill expertise, Fabrice has the heart and soul of an organizer. He makes the case for nonprofits to use the power of their station, starting at the local District Office level, where visits have the poten

When Carmen Huertas-Noble was a law student she expected a future in public interest law but she did not expect to excel in contracts. Now a tenured professor at the City University School of Law and Director of the Community and Economic Development Clinic, Carmen uses her business acumen to help workers, often in low-wage industries, to develop worker owned cooperatives. This growing movement to create and scale cooperatives, is supported by resources and pending legislation in New York City and State. Carmen collaborates with nonprofits, worker cooperatives, policymakers, organized labor, and community leaders to build an eco-system that is generating a new generation of coops. She honors workers and their advocates and is teaching her students to do so as well. The ability for low-income, workers of colors and immigrants to build an economic future for themselves and their families is especially meaningful in such a challenging political era. Learn how Carmen, Green Workers Coops, NYC Network of Workers C

Ron Hantz is back! Our first Power Station guest returns with updates about the Network for Developing Conscious Communities, and the role of intentionality in community development. Ron reports back on an NDCC Conference, held last May in Baltimore, that was rooted in the idea that community development requires not just bricks and mortar and access to capital. It requires intentionality by nonprofits and their leaders. Why are particular investments being made? Have community members been engaged in identifying the changes they want to see? Do their plans reflect the values and vision of the neighborhood? As community development practitioners, are we open to the thinking of others and self-aware about our own challenges? Ron talks about his travels to New Jersey, Alabama and Indiana to meet with young leaders who are poised to lead change in their communities. They are building eco-systems and scaling up. Always positive, Ron believes that we can and should elevate our work in local communities.          

Janis Bowdler's road to the JPMorgan Chase Foundation started with a recognition. Not all neighborhoods, including her own, provide equal opportunities, but they should. As Policy Director at National Council of La Raza, now UnidosUS, Janis worked with member organizations across the country whose zip codes were considered pre-determinants for a lack of access to quality housing, education and jobs. They were champions of their communities, on the front lines with the families they serve in the aftermath of the foreclosure crisis. She brought those groups to meet with their elected leaders on Capital Hill where they explained the problems those families  face and the need for both resources and policy change. As Janis says, their advocacy potential was incredible. They had the data, the stories, the evidence in the thick of the crisis. Now, as President of the JPMorgan Chase Foundation, Janis applies her insights, experience and deep knowledge about community economic development to global philanthropy. Janis

Glenn Cantave, founder of Movers and Shakers NYC, uses virtual reality, augmented reality and performance art to reframe and reclaim the narratives of marginalized communities. His use of technology to inform and provoke conversation is more than innovation; it is revolutionizing how the nonprofit sector engages communities and advocates for policy change. Glenn and his creative cohort at Movers and Shakers are working on several fronts, collaborating with NYC schools on curriculum development, creating a system of corporate accountability for community harms and re-envisioning the leaders we choose to champion. Learn more:https://www.moversandshakersnyc.com