NLA 2002
RETURN TO NLA 2002 LIBRARY

Regarding Adoption of a Gamaliel Foundation National Issue at the 2002 NLA
Adopted by the NLA Board August 24, 2002

 

Foundational Points:

§         The majority felt the need to adopt no more than one issue.

§         Any Gamaliel Issues would be identified with Gamaliel in all its parts.

§         The issue must have the possibility of cutting across race and class, city and suburbs either by its ability to capture self interest and /or its overwhelming appeal to our sense of  justice and civil rights (Eye on the Prize).

§         With “Civil Rights for Immigrants” there is a “developmental history” with Gamaliel and the “historical moment” (in the Global sense) giving this issue extra weight.


“Civil Rights of Immigrants” has a long history with Gamaliel and NLA.

§         Highlighted in the Jubilee document (adopted in Cleveland 1999)

§         25% of the participants at the 2000 NLA were Spanish speaking and there was an Immigration action on congresspersons at that NLA.

§         Immigration Rights were highlighted in a plenary session at the 2001 NLA.

§         One of our own organizers has been a target of this “abridgement” of civil rights.

Historical Moment

§      Since 9-11 conditions have worsened.

§         Detroit Congressman John Conyers (Detroit) has taken this on as a Civil Rights Issue.

 

Future Possibilities:

§         Locally, this is an opportunity to organize an immigrant population base.

§         Gamaliel-wide we can project ourselves as working on the Immigration Rights/Issues.

§         We will develop a Gamaliel Committee/Task Force and a National Action.

 

If adopted, what are we asking people to do?

  1. Agree that this is campaign/fight we need to be involved in.
  1. Each affiliate would appoint one person to the Gamaliel Civil Rights for Immigrants Task Force. This Task Force would:

*   be available to every organization to help recruit and cut local issues.

*   create national campaign

  1. Where feasible create a local strategy to advance Immigration Right


 

What will happen on Saturday at the NLA?


A vote (50%+1) to adopt Civil Rights of Immigrants as a National Gamaliel Issue (not an Action, not even a specific issue cut).

The “weight” of each Affiliate Organization Vote will be based on the PROJECTED 2003 Gamaliel Affiliation Fee. Any part of $5,000 will allow one vote. Therefore an affiliation fee of $7,000 = 2 votes and $38,000 = 8 votes.

 

Regarding other issues, Transportation & the National Housing Trust Fund.


Other Gamaliel-wide Committees could be established but only those “working on the issues” would join. These committees would come out of the appropriate workshops.

 

For more information call Dr. Anne York, NLA National Issue Chair -- 330 742-3535