NEWS

August 15, 2010
Shining the Light, Revealing Our Choice
ISAIAH has been working with the Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity to reveal the ways we have built inequities into our State and how we can take a new path forward.  Learn more.

August 4, 2010
Community Health Organizer position opening with Jordan New Life HUB and ISAIAH
The Jordan Health Zone, a joint project by Jordan New Life HUB and ISAIAH, intends to address many of the social determinants of health by engaging and organizing the local community to identify the most important—and actionable—health priority. The primary responsibilities of this position are to build the capacity of and organize Jordan residents to identify issues effecting health; mobilize and engage grassroots leaders to advocate systemic change; promote and create racial and economic justice within the community and the region. We are looking for an individual with at least 2 years of organizing experience; a commitment to economic, social and racial justice; an understanding of the connections between research and advocacy; and demonstrated ability to build and maintain relationships with diverse groups of people. For more information about the opening, see the job description. Apply by sending a resume and cover letter to info@jnlhub.org by August 23rd. For more information about Jordan New Life HUB, go to http://jnlhub.org.

July 13, 2010
Healthy Corridor for All
The Central Corridor Light Rail Transit line will create many long-lasting changes to the Central Corridor area and to St. Paul as a whole. In order to ensure that zoning decisions keep neighborhoods as healthy as possible, we will use a tool called a Health Impact Assessment (HIA) to size up the proposed zoning changes and make practical recommendations. For example, rezoning that doesn’t consider the needs for affordable housing can force families to make difficult trade-offs which limit spending on healthy food, medical bills and other essential goods and services that promote health and well-being.  The Healthy Corridor for All project is being led by ISAIAH and its partners, TakeAction Minnesota’s Hmong Organizing Program - a statewide organization sharing ISAIAH’s dedication to social, racial and economic justice, and PolicyLink – a national research and policy institute.  More info

May 24, 2010
ISAIAH is featured in this interview concerning the recent decision by MnDOT to expand its efforts to train, hire more minorities.  Listen or read the interview here.

May 18, 2010
ISAIAH Issue Victory!
MNDOT to Use ½ of 1% Federal Highway Funds to Train and Provide Apprenticeships to Low-Income, People of Color and Women.   More Information and an Issue Timeline, click here.

March, 2010
Health Care Reform
The countless hours of work by leaders in ISAIAH has resulted in legislation that will make health insurance affordable for the middle class and small businesses.  It prevents insurance companies from denying care and dropping coverage, and it improves Medicare benefits and preventive care.  The bill reduces the deficit by $143 billion over the next ten years, and by $1.2 trillion more over the following decade; reining in waste, fraud and abuse, paying for quality over quantity of care.   But the impact of this work goes beyond the reforms in the bill.  This historical movement, that we helped create, shifted the balance of power over health care – from the giant insurance corporations to ordinary people and small business owners. ISAIAH was one of the two lead organizations in Minnesota working on health care reform.  Click here for highlights of our work around health care reform.  Click here for a listing of some of the immediate benefits resulting from passage of the health reform bill.

March 31, 2010
You can now follow ISAIAH on Facebook. 
To check us out, click on the Facebook badge and become a fan to receive updates through Facebook.

March 6, 2010
NE Region Gubernatorial Forum
The Northeast suburban region hosted ISAIAH’s only forum for gubernatorial candidates at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Circle Pines. More than 250 gathered, and candidates were present from all political parties. Ten churches and 3 universities were involved in co-creating the questions that candidates responded to at the forum.  In his welcome at the forum, Rev. Steve Sylvester of Our Savior’s captured why we are called to be in relationship with the new governing administration: “We are here today because of the gulf between God’s intention and the day-to-day reality of so many… we need to know if the candidates share our vision.”  Photos

January 28, 2010
PRESS RELEASE
HUD Slams St. Paul for Violating Hiring Law.  Faith Leaders Demand City Pays Back Low-Income Community.  The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has found the City of St. Paul in violation of requirements for hiring and contracting with low-income residents and businesses. Faith leaders in ISAIAH and the St. Paul Black Ministerial Alliance are calling for restitution for years of misuse of funds intended for the low-income community.  Read the Press Release.

Study:  Not Enough Minorities Hired For MN Road Construction

(October 13, 2009) St. Paul, MN -- ISAIAH, Organizing Apprenticeship Project and PolicyLink released preliminary findings and set of recommendations from a joint report entitled “Equitable Recovery in Minnesota:  The Transportation Opportunity.”  The report examines how ARRA funds, intended to be invested in communities most impacted by the recession, have actually impacted disadvantaged and low-income people in transportation investments and access to jobs.   At the press conference, Rev. Paul Slack, pastor of New Creation Church and chair of ISAIAH’s Jobs and Workforce Development Campaign, challenged legislators to hold MnDOT accountable, “We need to see changed outcomes; the processes that are currently in place are not working.  Good intentions are no longer enough for Minnesotans.” Full Article

Preaching And Arresting For Health Care   From UpTake Video

October 5, 2009.   Reverend Grant Stevenson normally delivers his sermon at St. Mathew's Lutheran Church in St. Paul.  This morning, he preached to more than 100 people in front of UnitedHealth, the nation's largest private health insurer.  His topic had roots deep in the bible and social justice.  "If they ( UnitedHealth) win, the people who you care about, the people standing here, the people who you want to have health care will lose.  "We need to send a message that it is not OK to profit on other people's misery.  It is not OK to profit on other people's despair.  It is not OK to profit when other people are living in fear and anxiety and not knowing they're actually going to get the basic care that they're going to need."   Protesters carried small green signs with names of people who had died or were suffering because they could not afford or were refused health care insurance.  Six people sat down in the doorway of UnitedHealth and refused to move.  Police warned the six and then arrested them.  They were taken away peacefully.  Here are the six who were arrested:
- Anna Brelje (Political Director, Mpls Regional Labor Federation)
- Pamela Twiss (Program and Organizing Director, TakeAction Minnesota)
- Julie Schnell (President, SEIU Healthcare Minnesota)
- Sean Anderson (Organizer with SEIU Local 26)
- Diane Brennan (Small Business Owner, Grandmother and ISAIAH Leader)
- Mary Rosenthal (SEIU Healthcare Minnesota and former UnitedHealth Group employee)

Minnesota People’s Hearing on Transportation Equity On August 31^st, 2009.  ISAIAH held a Minnesota People’s Hearing on Transportation Equity, one of several Federal hearings being held around the country.  These hearings are a powerful tool for getting the attention of elected officials, and making it clear that we need transportation reform.

Interfaith leaders from ISAIAH confront US Chamber of Commerce over Health Reform Tuesday, June 23, 2009, Washington DC.  Sixty-five leaders from ISAIAH will join more than 500 other faith and community leaders from over 25 states in asking for the Chamber for a last minute conversion on health reform.  Read the full press release.

David Greene, Grant Stevensen: Central Corridor complaint seeks a two-way conversation.   Counterpoint Opinion piece published in Minneapolis Star Tribune, June 16, 2009
The Star Tribune's recent editorial concerning the civil-rights complaint filed against the Metropolitan Council missed the mark ("Central Corridor is not Rondo redux," June 11). The complaint is not simply a laundry list of grievances. It is an expression of frustration by a community constantly and systematically cut off from discussions about its future -- and it presents an opportunity to honestly examine and transform our planning processes.  More

HIRE Minnesota secures $2.5 million
(May 22, 2009)  After months of organizing, outreach and education, the HIRE Minnesota coalition, which includes ISAIAH, achieved a major victory today when the energy programs bill was signed into law with $2.5 million for green jobs training for low-income people and outreach programs.  The bill also contains strong reporting requirements, which means state agencies that administer the funds will have to frequently report to the community on their progress toward training and hiring low-income people and people of color.  More

Transit Victory
(May 5, 2009) ISAIAH is happy to report that today the Minnesota Legislature passed and Gov Pawlenty signed a transportation funding bill (HF1309) that includes $73 Million dollars to address the 2010-2011 budget shortfall for Twin Cities area Metro Transit.  This is no small feat, as Gov Pawlenty has vetoed Transportation finance bills every session during his 2 terms.  ISAIAH worked with transit advocates, low income workers, students and the faith community to highlight the critical need for sustaining current levels of bus transit without fare hikes.  More

"Stop the snooze, fund the buses"
On April 24, 2009 leaders from ISAIAH, Transit for Livable Communities, Fresh Energy and Sierra Club gather outside the MN House Chambers to act out a skit highlighting the critical immediate needs for bus funding statewide.

Space is limited, RSVP’s required.  For more information or to reserve a space, call Ginny Gleason at 612-333-1260 ext. 221 or send an email to ginny.isaiah@gmail.com