2nd Annual Safe Neighborhood Summit- Brooklyn, NY

Saturday, April 25th, 2009 from 12pm-6pm at Restoration Plaza in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn, the S.O.S. Collective will host our 2nd Annual Safe Neighborhood Campaign Summit to mobilize against violence for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Two Spirit, Transgender and Gender-Non-Conforming people of color. Last year's Summit was a huge success reaching over 75 members of the community, and this year we would love for you to attend!

Our Safe Neighborhood Campaign began as a response to a number of devastating incidents of violence in Central Brooklyn. We knew we wanted to do something about this, so we organized this campaign as a way to ensure that all of us feel safe in our spaces. Local institutions including businesses, schools, faith-based institutions and other organizations agree to become Safe Spaces which means that they will do their work to learn how to promote a welcoming environment for everyone and how to intervene and deescalate situations of violence. As always, this year's Summit will focus on individual and community safety systems for LGBTSTGNC people of color without relying on the police. Instead we will promote creative community-based alternatives. Let's come together to discuss and continue to build ways we can support each other by remembering those we've lost, putting together a community map of safety, participating in interactive workshops on how to respond to an incident of violence, practicing self-defense and community-defense skills, hearing from local leaders, learning how your institution can be a Safe Space and breaking it down with S.O.S.'s Step Team. Your organization could be a part of something powerful. Come learn novel, exciting and effective ways to strengthen our communities. Our safety can't wait.

As always, the S.O.S. Collective supports your health and safety by providing free food, free Metrocards, free childcare, free knowledge and free fun!

Although space is limited, don't keep this opportunity all to yourself; bring a friend and support community mobilization towards safety. Sign up today to ensure your spot.

Register online now:

http://alp.org/whatwedo/organizing/sos/2009_summit_registration

Contact Ejeris Dixon at (718) 596-0342 ext. 22 or edixon@alp.org for any questions.

More information about S.O.S.

The S.O.S. Collective works to challenge violence that affects LGBTSTGNC people of color. We are guided by the belief that strategies that increase the police presence within our communities do not create safety. Therefore we believe in fighting the root causes of violence by building stronger relationships within our communities to prevent, intervene, and hold attackers accountable outside of the system.

About the Audre Lorde Project

The Audre Lorde Project is a community organizing center of LGBTSTGNC people of color. Through mobilization, education and capacity-building, we work for community wellness and progressive social and economic justice. Committed to struggling across differences, we seek to responsibly reflect, represent and serve our various communities.

Brooklyn Food Conference: Local Action for Global Change

Brooklyn Food Conference: Local Action for Global Change

A grassroots event for a just, sustainable, healthy and delicious food system


~ Saturday, May 2, 2009 ~ 9 a.m. - 9 p.m. ~

Free and Open to the Public

~ PS 321 & John Jay High School, 7th Ave., Park Slope, Brooklyn, N.Y. ~



BROOKLYN, NEW YORK – Rising grocery bills, food riots, and childhood obesity - Food hits home. Food activists, local farmers, health advocates, academics, union leaders and restaurateurs will gather this day with concerned citizens to discuss the changes and challenges in our global food economy and how it impacts our communities. Workshops and speeches will provide education and networking opportunities for individuals to get involved to improve our diet, health and environment.

The Brooklyn Food Conference will have more than 50 partners participating, including Just Food, Slow Food NYC, and The Children’s Aid Society. Key-note speakers include well-known activists Dan Barber, executive chef and owner of Blue Hill Restaurant, and a leader of fair trade development and healthy food, Anna Lappé, co-founder of the Small Planet Institute and the author of Grub: Ideas for an Urban Organic Kitchen; Raj Patel of the University of California, Berkeley, and the author of Stuffed and Starved: The Hidden Battle for the World Food System; as well as LaDonna Redmond, head of the Institute of Community Resource Development in Chicago.

Children and teenagers are invited to participate in educational activities such as cooking classes, and arts activities. A New Orleans-style parade with massive puppets will kick off the day.

The conference will expand community awareness on the policies and issues impacting the way our food is grown, distributed and eaten. Topics will explore the politics behind farming and the food supply, as well as the effect of corporate and government policies on labor, nutrition, production, and programs such as school lunches.

It also seeks to increase individual and family participation in our communities by proposing strategies and tactics for a local response to the important issues surrounding the food we eat. A Legislative Food Agenda will be proposed to help position Brooklyn as a stage for change in the global food movement and to advocate for food democracy.

The conference will be free to all participants. Donations from individuals and funding from foundations and food companies are welcome.

About the organizers:

Founded in 1973, the Park Slope Food Coop is the country’s largest member-owned and operated grocery store in the country with over 15,000 members. http://www.foodcoop.com/

World Hunger Year is a leading advocate for innovative, community-based solutions to hunger and poverty. WHY challenges society to confront these problems by advancing models that create self-reliance, economic justice, and equal access to nutritious and affordable food. http://www.yhunger.org/

The Caribbean Women’s Health Association was founded in 1982, and provides access to health related services for low income and indigent populations, and assists immigrants in adjusting to their new host environment. http://www.cwha.org/

Brooklyn Rescue Mission Inc. is a community-based organization in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn that develops creative solutions to food justice, community health and the economic challenges our community endures on a daily basis. http://brooklynrescuemission.org


Brooklyn’s Bounty is a coalition of farmers markets in Brooklyn, mostly in communities of color. Its mission is to provide healthy food to Brooklynites and increase awareness of health, environmental and justice issues in the food system in our Borough. http://www.brooklynsbounty.org/

Job: Research Associate/Community Organizer

Research Associate/Community Organizer

Thomas and Jeanne Elmezzi Foundation
Great Neck, New York

Our Mission Statement: To encourage and support Programs that directly provide assistance to individuals who due to either environment or circumstance have not had the opportunity or ability to live independent and productive lives. Such challenges may be physical, medical, economic, environmental or geographical. We strive to have a direct and measurable impact on the quality of individual lives, either through direct sponsorship and/or innovative program design and development.

The Thomas and Jeanne Elmezzi Private Foundation is seeking a dynamic, experienced community organizer/leader with a proven track record of research competence to work in conjunction with our program director to spearhead a grassroots needs and assets assessment in Long Island City/Astoria, particularly in the most disadvantaged zip codes of 11101, 11102, and 11106.

The Thomas and Jeanne Elmezzi Foundation, after a 6 month strategic planning process, has shifted a substantial portion of its funding streams to the social & economic development of communities within the three aforementioned zip codes. Strategically, we have concluded that a grassroots, stakeholder driven needs and assets survey in the community is essential to discovering the best use of our resources. Simultaneously, the partnerships we form with residents, government officials, business leaders and nonprofit leaders will become invaluable assets as we move from assessment to intervention. Our projected timeline for this project is 12-18 months. You will receive a transportation stipend, and will have access to professional development opportunities. Further career opportunity for the chosen candidate after this period is likely, so experience and/or training in nonprofit management and social entrepreneurship is preferred.

Probable roles & responsibilities of Hiree:

Behind the Scenes:

• Partner with program director to develop a detailed action plan for the needs and assets assessment. This includes developing a detailed timeline for the project.
• Partner to design various surveys for community residents, stakeholder groups, and potential funding partners.
• Assist graduate interns in conducting background research of the community.
• Attend three-day training seminar at "Harlem Children's Zone."
• Initiate relationships with key stakeholders, set up initial meetings with each.
• Survey collection, assistance with analysis and interpretation of results.

Within the Community:

• Coordinating door-to-door initiatives involving surveying and invitation to events.
• Co-facilitation of community stakeholder meetings.
• Large "town-hall style" meeting organizing. Will include public speaking.
• Resident's focus group facilitation.
• Intern and volunteer co-coordination.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's degree in Macro Social Work, Nonprofit management, MPH, or a Bachelor's in social science with a track record of community work.
• Prior experience working with non profit organizations, particularly CDC's.
• Comfortable and capable working with diverse populations.
• Willingness to invest whatever time and resources are necessary for success.
• A working knowledge of community engagement best-practices.

To Apply: We look forward to hearing from you! Please send a cover letter, resume to:

Christopher Cutter
Program Director
Thomas and Jeanne Elmezzi Foundation
E-mail: ccutter@jetfoundation.org