There are many ways you can get involved in the movement for housing rights in your own home town. Here are a few organizations we are working with:

The Poverty Initiative (http://www.povertyinitiative.org) partners with local and national community and religious organizations, especially poor people’s organizations, local congregations and religious denominations, other seminaries and universities and all who are committed to building a movement to end poverty, led by the poor.

Movimiento Por Justicia Del Barrio (MJB) is an immigrant-led social justice organization based in East Harlem. The group was founded in December of 2004 to organize resistance against the devastating effects of gentrification in their community. The immigrant base and leadership of their organization has led MJB to address the pressing issue of immigrant rights. In 2005, their predominantly Mexican membership decided to become adherents to Zapatista’s Sixth Declaration of the Lacandon Jungle and joined The Other Campaign, a national movement to change Mexico initiated by the Zapatistas. Since then, the group has facilitated a comprehensive Consulta Con El Barrio to invite popular community participation in developing strategy and focus for the struggle for community based justice. MJB struggles for justice by challenging systems of racism, xenophobia, sexism, classism, and homophobia.

Domestic Workers United [DWU] (http://www.domesticworkersunited.org/) is an organization of Caribbean, Latina and African nannies, housekeepers, and elderly caregivers in New York, organizing for power, respect, fair labor standards and to help build a movement to end exploitation and oppression for all.

Center for Constitutional Rights (http://ccrjustice.org/) is dedicated to advancing and protecting the rights guaranteed by the United States Constitution and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Founded in 1966 by attorneys who represented civil rights movements in the South, CCR is a non-profit legal and educational organization committed to the creative use of law as a positive force for social change.

OTHER ORGANIZATIONS

Center On Housing Rights and Evictions (http://www.cohre.org) is one of the leading international human rights organizations campaigning for the protection of housing rights and the prevention of forced evictions.

YOUTH LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

Center for Third World Organizing Programs for Young Activists of Color (http://www.ctwo.org) (Oakland, CA) – The Center for Third World Organizing (CTWO, pronounced “C-2″) is a racial justice organization dedicated to building a social justice movement led by people of color.

Lideres Youth Leadership Summit (Washington, DC) – (http://www.nclr.org) This National Council of La Raza program brings together Latino students, youth leaders and activists from community and campus-based organizations throughout the country and takes place in conjunction with the NCLR conference.

Organizing for Social Change (Chicago, IL) – (http://www.midwestacademy.com/) Mixed age participants learn about topics including understanding the relations of power, building coalitions, recruiting leaders, the economic context of organizing, choosing issues, using direct action, researching for campaigns, working with religious groups and unions, surviving the long haul, fundraising and developing winning strategies.

Sacred Mountain Learning Center (Gallup, NM) – (http://www.niylp.org/camps/sacred.html) Developed by the National Indian Youth Leadership Project, this program travels around the nation to train Native youth through a living service learning curricula. Youth have done oral history projects with elders, renovated buildings at the Learning Center, volunteered at the Zoo and more projects of their own design.

Social Action and Leadership School for Activists (Washington, DC) – SALSA (http://www.hotsalsa.org) is a skills training program to strengthen community activism and engaged citizenship. Classes in the Washington, D.C. area focus on scores of topics in nonprofit management, communications, fundraising, direct action, and career development.

Peace Jam (Nationwide) – (http://www.peacejam.org/) PeaceJam is an international education program that gathers the idealism, experience, and energy of high school youth, their teachers, and community leaders, and combines that with leading Nobel Peace Laureates who work personally with the youth to pass on the spirit, skills, and leadership of the future.

Institute for Community Leadership (Kent, WA) – (http://www.icleadership.org/) ICL works with schools, community organizations, and governmental programs to empower individuals and organizations to create a vision of a more just nation and world and to develop and sustain within themselves the strength, hope, leadership, relationships, and organizational integrity to bring about that vision.

The Center for Teen Empowerment (Boston, MA) – (http://www.teenempowerment.org/) The mission of the Center for Teen Empowerment is to realize the potential of inner-city youth to build healthier and safer communities and schools. Teen Empowerment hires and trains urban youth, including at risk youth, to be community organizers. Our programs are based on the belief that urban youth represent a valuable, untapped resource and can significantly contribute to the rejuvenation of neighborhoods and local institutions.

Youth Leadership Support Network (Takoma Park, MD) – (http://www.worldyouth.org/) The Youth Leadership Support Network is a violence prevention, arts, education, media and training network based in Washington, D.C. Its mission is to empower youth to express themselves and have a voice in society through intergenerational and diverse leadership opportunities and civic engagement.

Youth as Resources (Nationwide) – (http://www.yar.org/) Youth and adults working together to support programs that young people design and carry out. A great opportunity for young people to address social problems and contribute to significant community change.

Youth Action Net (Website) – (http://www.youthactionnet.org/) A website dedicated to supporting and nurturing youth as leaders through opportunities to share knowledge and creativity and networking. Also includes listings of youth-related volunteer, education and job opportunities throughout the world working with and for young people in action. Supported by the International Youth Foundation.

Youth Leadership Institute (San Francisco, CA) – (http://www.yli.org) Advocates youth service and leadership throughout government, non-profit and community programs.

(thanks to Freechild.org for the youth leadership development list)