SUN: Building Community Power

Check out the short video documentary about SUN shot by Joseph Smooke for last week’s Media Immersion project of the National Press Photographers Association. The seminar set almost 40 talented folks scrambling around Syracuse looking for subjects.

Joseph has long worked with community groups both in the U.S. and abroad. Not so long ago, Joseph was the executive director of the Bernal Heights Neighborhood Center in San Francisco. The Center provides a lot of services to both youth and senior citizens and also has a strong community organizing philosophy. Thanks Joseph!

Thanks also to SUN leaders Louise Thompson, Bob Korzuch, Johnny Roberson and Anna Morris for talking about their experiences for the camera–and now the world!

Shut Down The Midland Discount Market!

The Southside Coalition next meeting will be Tuesday May 15th at 7 PM at Payton Memorial Temple 1816 Midland Ave.

We will be discussing how we can participate in the upcoming Nuisance Abatement hearing scheduled by the police and city government. Repeated arrests for drugs and weapons at the Midland Discount Market (1434 Midland Ave. corner of W. Colvin St.) means the city could decide to close this problem corner store down.

Come out and learn how you can help! Shut ‘em down!

Direct Action Works–We’ve Seen It!

Today, SUN and our allies from Citizen Action and SEIU 1199 had 80 folks attend a training on how to use nonviolent direct action to confront corporate greed and improve our communities. The training was a part of the 99% Spring. Nationally, over 100,000 people are attending trainings this week to help move our fellow citizens to action.

SUN to co-host training on non-violent direct action protest

SUN is co-hosting a training on Saturday April 14th from noon to 4 P.M. Along with our allies at Citizen Action and SEIU 1199, we will help teach folks how to confront corporations, government officials and others with people power: nonviolent, direct action protest.

SUN Attends Land Bank Bill Signing

This morning, members of SUN watched Syracuse Mayor Stephanie Miner sign the bill that commits the city and county to work together to create the Greater Syracuse Property Development Corporation–also known as a Land Bank. SUN folks got to ask the Mayor questions about state approval of the Land Bank and a timeline for getting the operation up and running (her response to that last question: “not as soon as you’d like!”)