Rosemonde Pierre-Louis

Social justice work is draining and exhausting… Economic Justice work adds additional layers of barriers and obstacles that make it imperative to be intentional about preserving the mental and physical health of our team. We work diligently throughout the year to increase opportunities for asset and wealth building, primarily for Black residents living and working within Allegheny County. Our team counsels hundreds of people a year, many who bring very complicated poverty trauma with them. This is not easy work. I believe that we have one of the best teams in the nonprofit sector because I am intentional about our office culture which includes technical support, professional development, selfcare practices and opportunities to rest for our team. I know it’s unconventional to close an office for the last two weeks of the year but it shouldn’t be. I’ve heard varying opinions and responses about our teams announcement of our end of year shutdown and I stand on our decision. Not only do I stand on it, it might be longer next year. What I do know is that I have a team fully committed to this work, loyal, dedicated and better at what they do because they aren’t burnt out. Our turnover rate is low, losing only three employees in 7 years. So although I know it makes those who have been working within this sometimes broken nonprofit system raise an eyebrow when we promote livable wages and intentional preservation of the HUMANS that are doing this incredibly important work, I would hope that you also see a need for a shift in this culture. Gone are the days of expecting nonprofit employees to do this work in a way that is detrimental to their wellbeing, expecting us to work for poverty wages and wondering why it’s hard to have longevity in this work. It’s time for a change… Oh yeah, the Catapult Greater Pittsburgh office is officially closed for the remainder of 2024; see you in 2025. #catapultgreaterpittsburgh #healthyworkplace #SeeYouIn2025

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St. Mary's Center Seniors respond to the removal of RM4 from the ballot Senior Advocates for Hope and Justice debriefed the removal of the regional housing bond, RM4, from the November 2024 ballot on August 20. The group was shocked and surprised about the last-minute change and reflected on more than 18 months of policy analysis and advocacy, including this January 2024 Equity Forum with Oakland and Alameda County. St. Mary's Center Seniors won one of the only concessions from the Bay Area Housing Finance Authority, a required evaluation of the production of extremely low-income homes (under 30% Area Median Income) through the Bond. However, we remain committed to advocacy for acutely low-income homes (under 15% Area Media Income.) We will participate in planning in Oakland and Alameda County to ensure more housing serving people in greatest need. Our Seniors recommend endorsing and fighting for Yes on Prop 5 this fall to create future opportunity for housing. Comments I'm very disappointed. We should let the people decide. I will never forget it.  I heard it on the news. I realized there was a 50-50 chance it would pass. We did everything that we could. I feel bad for the Seniors who won't get housing now. It's not about the work we put in but about the people who need a place to live. It just wasn't the right time this November. I remember hearing early on about the 2/3 requirement and knowing that the highest polling was about 55%. I do want a T-shirt for Yes on Prop 5. Prop 5 passing will breathe new life into a regional housing bond. It's a tough hill to climb and this hill will be easier. It's indicative of what's going on in politics. Everything is moving in a specific direction and things that are good for people are attacked. They're rolling back things like federal money for public housing. But there's things like surplus land act that we can work on. We need to be strategic, intentional and collaborative and build people power.

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Please give this important new report a read, documenting the role media is playing in harmful, regressive policymaking. It spotlights a particularly high profile "get tough" bill last session in Maryland, which flew in the face of the evidence of what is actually happening and what actually works, and sucked up tremendous oxygen and attention away from a range of other critical justice reform issues and needs. Too often we are shouting into the wind, as we continue to haul our reams of evidence to Annapolis re: the failure of ‘tough on crime’ policies versus sound, cost effective community safety solutions hiding in plain sight. And perhaps most importantly, as we witness the continued discounting of lived expertise of so many directly impacted families and community members sharing their experiences, only to have misleading and racially biased narratives win the day. Part of what makes this case study particularly compelling in my view (beyond living it) is that it documents this dynamic in a “blue”, trifecta Dem state, which already ranks among the worst in the nation in both racial disparities in our incarcerated population and in sending more children to be tried as adults than every other state besides Alabama. Yet notwithstanding, we are pushing boulders up the hill on political will. This enlightening report speaks directly to the role the media is playing in that, and concrete recommendations on how to change it. Appreciate our writing and efforts being cited here, which have continued well past the time period examined and will continue in coalition for as long as it takes. Alexis Piquero, always grateful to be in your company. And The Sentencing Project, thank you for this incredibly important work.

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This paper from the Safety and Justice Challenge, HARP, and JSP explores the process and impact of convening a cross-sector peer learning network to foster coordination and collaboration between criminal justice, health care, behavioral health, and community partners in support of this new Medicaid and criminal justice initiative.

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The new Faith & Civic Life Policy Circle Brief is live. Please take a moment to read and share. Even better, host a conversation with your friends, network or congregation. #circleup #thepolicycircle

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Investing in care is a winning strategy for candidates. Period.

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Please join the Open Gov Hub for a conversation with author Dan Honig, hosted by Accountability Lab and Emerging Public Leaders, on January 16th https://lnkd.in/eJd6muaG #OpenGovHub #DanHonig #AccountabilityLab #EmergingPublicLeaders #PublicLeadership #Governance #PublicPolicy #AuthorTalk #CivicEngagement #LeadershipDevelopment #AccountabilityInGovernance

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Calling #intermediaries, #practitioners, and #funders. Please join Common Future and Dalberg tomorrow for this critical conversation about how we move #forward together in the midst of continued #racialjustice #backlash. We remain focused and steadfast in our journey to create a #justsociety. We know the political winds do change, and my have things changed from moment to moment over the course of the past couple of weeks--truly an understatement--yet, our continued work is what creates the #enablingconditions and the #change we need. Join us!

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Our last and next president has tried to distance himself from #Project2025, claiming he "has no idea who is behind it." But it was developed by a broad coalition of conservative organizations, spearheaded by the Heritage Foundation, perhaps the leading conservative think tank in the U.S., "for the next conservative administration." And at least 140 people who worked in the Trump administration had a hand in Project 2025. These include Roger Severino, the Trump appointee who led the HHS Office for Civil Rights through its many successful efforts to rescind regulations clarifying civil rights in health care and drastically expand the rights of health care providers and staff to deny their patients essential care. Severino currently serves as Heritage's VP of Domestic Policy and authored Project 2025's plans for HHS: a frightening playbook to narrow health care access (including abortion) and related civil rights across the entire country, using mechanisms that will affect those in seemingly "safe" states (e.g., those that have passed ballot initiatives and legislation to strengthen state abortion rights). I previously wrote about some of the plan's most frightening proposals for Medicaid, the ACA, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act in the National Health Law Program blog post below. It doesn't stop there. Six of his former Cabinet secretaries co-authored or collaborated on Project 2025. Four of his ambassadors and several enforcers of his racist immigration agenda were involved. About 20 pages are credited to his first deputy chief of staff. Democracy Forward has a great resource summarizing what Project 2025 will mean to the American people, called "The People's Guide to Project 2025." https://lnkd.in/e79aAJxe. As Democracy Forward writes, "these threats aren't hypothetical. These are their real plans." It's important to not give into despair. We cannot give up hope; we must keep fighting to hold the line on health care access and democracy at large. But first, for those who have not already done so, it is time to understand and steel yourselves for what's to come. https://lnkd.in/epmRHi8Y

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Evidence champions – where you at??? The awesome OMB Evidence Team is recruiting a one-year IPA to help champion public sector evidence-building, evidence use – and all the translation and relationship-building in between. This is an exciting role meant for people looking to bust barriers, to connect evidence to policy and program design, and get cool things done. For more information, see here: https://lnkd.in/ecCXF59f #evidence #policy #getstuffdone

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Urban Institute #30April2024 #ResearchReport : #Labor #Market #Policies #for #Racial #Equity "What Does the Evidence Tell Us about How to Ensure the Future of Work Does Not Replicate the Disparities of Today?"

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If you are in NYC for Climate Week, join People's Justice Council Executive Director Rev Michael Malcom at the Black Youth Leaders Summit for Climate and Environmental Justice Day. This event is brought to you by The Black Hive of The Movement for Black Lives. Register here: https://lnkd.in/e-C4WqMk #ActOnClimate #climateweeknyc #nyc #environmentaljustice #climatejustice

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We need to stand for justice - we need to hold each other accountable to standards that promote justice, and we all need to behave in ways that create the conditions for access to justice - this is how we build strong “villages”!!! https://lnkd.in/gTtYDUTm

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The Policy Circle’s new Faith & Civic Life Initiative highlights the vital role of faith in civic leadership and community building. Faith-based organizations significantly impact society, yet are often overlooked in policy discussions. Our new brief and initiative will explore how religious engagement strengthens civic life and addresses local challenges. Read the Brief linked below to learn more about the role of faith in civic activity! 🌟 https://lnkd.in/g3htgp3n

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#DC #Council #overrides #Mayor #Bowser’s #veto #over #housing #program #rules "#Bowser #had #vetoed #emergency #legislation #passed in #April by the council #that #continued laxer #pandemic-#era #rules #allowing #voucher #applicants #to #self-#certify #their #information #if #they #had #trouble #obtaining #the #required #supporting #documents. The changes, lawmakers said, were #intended #to #help #homeless or undocumented applicants who could face significant hurdles gathering the documents. #The #legislation #also #prohibited the D.C. Housing Authority (#DCHA), #which #administers #DCs #local #voucher #programs, #from #inquiring #about #applicants’ #criminal #history #or #immigration #status. "

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Thrilled to see #NJ Governor Murphy sign Freedom to Read. Great thanks to Senators Andrew Zwicker, Teresa Ruiz, and Assemblymembers Drullis, Sumter, and Conaway. Senator Zwicker's steadfast commitment to getting a thoughtful, balanced, and impactful bill over the finish line made all the difference. Porzio Governmental Affairs proudly represented the NJ Library Association on this one. We began about a year ago. That membership is comprised of extremely dedicated and civic minded librarians just trying to do right by their communities. Librarians don't "push" books on anyone. They do keep a finely curated book collection and help members of the public find information they're looking for. In school libraries, these books are all age appropriate. Before anyone says "but what about...." with examples of books they think are inappropriate, I would ask them to read the old testament and ask if they would want someone to try and redact it. Early on in our process, we came to understand some of the struggles with moving earlier versions of the legislation. It had major messaging and legal issues. I encouraged the client to think of a library bookshelf like a gunrack. You'd rather "have a book and not need it, than need it and not have it." Remember, "books don't hurt people, people hurt people." Use some familiar messaging. We listened to what the opposition was saying. Rather than fight it nail and tooth, we created an opportunity for community input on what stayed on the library shelf when books were challenged. By the time we were done, some of our fiercest opposition called this a "good government bill." https://lnkd.in/eX4gf4dC

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I saw this compelling post a few days ago and haven't stopped thinking about it! Mira mentions that the tactics below and others can support canvassers. Here are a few additional tactics from my perspective. What would you add? ⭐Have legal counsel on speed dial: Ensuring staff feel secure and supported is crucial. Notify your counsel of your canvassing programs. Share with your staff that employees who are arrested for legally performing their job responsibilities may be eligible for representation by your organization’s legal counsel. ⭐Community Resources: Prepare a list of local emergency personnel and non-law enforcement support in crisis situations. Keep a contact list of community resources such as diversion programs, mental health responders, alternatives for wellness checks, and other relevant hotlines if available in your location. ⭐Reporting: Have a reporting system for police and suspicious encounters and share high-level details of these reports with partners. As a collective, you may be able to identify and neutralize concerning trends. ⭐Infiltration: Train all staff on opposition leadership and social engineering tactics. Ensure staff know they can say they don’t know an answer and can get back to whomever is asking. ⭐Notifying the cops: It's crucial to respect and value the preferences of the communities we engage with. Ask your canvass leadership if notifying the cops ahead of the canvass launch aligns with the community's vibe. Sometimes, communities prefer not to engage with the police proactively, and we should listen to them. If your staff wants you to reach out to the police ahead of the canvass, don’t just call - send a written email acknowledging canvassing and the distribution of educational literature, which are fundamental rights protected by the U.S. Constitution. If a canvasser has to interact with the police, I agree with following up with the local precinct to reiterate this protected right. Share a senior-level leader’s contact information for any questions (as the Executive Director at Scale for Change, I’m the point of contact). ⭐Call turf ahead of time: Calling is cost-efficient and can help innoculate the community that your organization’s canvassers will be in their neighborhood. Bonus points: Your callers can eliminate doors they identify that don’t want to hear from your folks, making your knocks more efficient. ⭐Ask staff what they need: After an incident, such as when a canvasser is harassed in the community or by the police, it can ripple through the office. Make sure management makes space for the team to debrief and determine their needs. Ask how they want to approach an incident before pushing a solution. And - critically - implement what the office asks for. #CommunityOrganizing #Canvassing #Elections #Election2024 #CampaignManagement #CrisisManagement #CommunitySafety #GrassrootsCampaigns #Advocacy #PublicEngagement #StaffSupport #CommunityResources #EmergencyPreparedness

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New analysis of recidivism data from all 50 states through 2018/19. Rates have fallen 23%! Check out the report to see how your state's rate changed: https://lnkd.in/gjJXKzXn

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The ongoing discussions surrounding homelessness, catalyzed by recent Supreme Court arguments, underscore the urgent need for informed action. Gain deeper insights into this issue by examining the 2023 Point-in-Time (PIT) count numbers. Understanding these statistics is pivotal in crafting effective solutions to combat homelessness nationwide.  Read Francis G. Torres’ key takeaways: https://lnkd.in/eXq2UZgK  #homelessness 

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