Chinatown People Progressive Association Inc.

Transcription

1 Chinatown People Progressive Association Inc. General Information 28 Ash Street Boston, MA 2111 (617) Website Organization Contact Lydia Lowe Year of Incorporation

2 Statements & Search Criteria Mission Statement The Chinese Progressive Association (CPA), originally founded as the Chinatown Peoples Progressive Association, is a grassroots community organization which works for full equality and empowerment of the Chinese community in Greater Boston and beyond, to improve living and working conditions, and to involve ordinary community members in making decisions that affect our lives. The CPA particularly targets the immigrant, working class sector of the Chinese community. Background Statement CPA was founded in 1977 by elderly immigrant residents, women workers, and American-born youth out of a series of grassroots organizing campaigns in the 197s. In its first ten years, CPA operated as an all-volunteer organization. In its second decade, CPA transformed into a staffed organization, which allowed it to stabilize and expand its role in the community and the breadth of its work. During this period, we particularly focused on establishing our Workers Center as an ongoing branch of CPA focused on organizing immigrant workers for their rights on the job. In CPA's third decade, we focused on increasing Chinatown residents' voice in the struggle against gentrification from downtown development. We founded the neighborhood's first resident association, won longterm affordability contracts for a thousand units of "expiring use" housing, organized tenants to moderate rent increases for over 5 housing units, and increased inclusionary zoning gains from new developments. During this period, we launched consistent voter education and civic engagement work, leading to a dramatic increase in Chinatown's political profile, and also set down permanent roots in Chinatown by purchasing an office condo on a piece of land preserved for community development through our organizing. In the past five years, CPA has grown its capacity to engage in citywide coalition work for broader impact while continuing our fundamental strategy of grassroots organizing at the base. CPA's overall goal and vision for the next decade is to contribute to citywide movement-building to stabilize working class neighborhoods and empower communities of color, particularly building on the strength of our Chinatown-based organizing around issues ranging from gentrification to jobs to political empowerment. Major objectives are to implement policies that improve the future of Boston's youth and working families, to build a bottomup movement to support immigrant rights, and to secure good jobs and economic reforms that stabilize our communities. In order to play this role, we will continue to expand our base among working families, develop our collective leadership capacity for strategic thinking, and strengthen organizational infrastructure for long-term organizing, citywide and regional work. 2

3 Impact Statement Organized tenants in more than ten privately-owned Chinatown buildings and helped 27 families delay eviction, secure or maintain affordable housing. Brought community, public, and political attention to the housing crisis in Chinatown to spur additional support advancing new non-profit affordable housing projects, which will bring 379 units of affordable housing to the neighborhood. Worked with Chinatown and South End partners to secure a First Source Hiring agreement with Whole Foods for its new flagship store in the South End and an early notification agreement with Roche Bros in downtown. To date, over 4 community members have been hired. Provided 2,855 drop-in and know-your-rights services, including consumer rights, citizenship/voter registration, immigration, employment, benefits, housing, health care, documents/forms, correspondence, phone calls, and referrals. Conducted 117 worker rights intakes and recovered a total of $152,731 compensation. Won city and statewide policies such as permanent renewal of Chinese/Vietnamese bilingual ballots, City of Boston Wage Theft Executive Order, increase in state minimum wage and earned sick time for all Massachusetts workers. Top Goals for the Current Year1) Strengthen leadership capacity, member involvement, and organizational infrastructure.2) Develop citywide civic action infrastructure and organizing for a progressive agenda to lead in the City of Boston.3) Broaden our focus on economic justice issues and build a citywide movement to stabilize working class neighborhoods and communities of color. Needs Statement 1) Creation of a Central Database We need technical assistance, resources, and training to create a central database that can help us track and build on our membership, organizing campaigns, service programs, and our many activities.2) Communications Capacity We need additional staff capacity, training, and software to produce regular bilingual print and electronic communications focused on our members and supporters. We also need professional development for our current staff to strengthen our messaging, media and communications skills.3) Fundraising Event Consulting - We are looking for a fundraising consultant to help us increase the money raised from our two annual events, Lunar New Year Banquet and Chinatown Bike-A-Thon. We could use additional capacity and experienced guidance on how to increase corporate sponsorship, as well as overall money raised from these events.54 Additional Interpretation and Translation Capacity We need additional financial resources for interpretation and translation support for all aspects of our internal and external work. With sufficient resources and coordination capacity, we could develop an interpreter collaborative to train new bilingual individuals, and to develop and set standards for interpretation and translation work for social change. 3

4 CEO/Executive Director Statement CPA's plays a unique role within the Greater Boston Chinese community as a membership organization focused on involving community members in grassroots organizing, decision-making, and developing their leadership roles. Our core identity in the community is and continues to be that of the place where people go when they want to learn about and fight for their rights. CPA links the Chinese community, particularly its working class immigrant sector, with other sectors in building a broader movement for social change. Through a series of strategic planning meetings held over two years, CPA decided to make greater contributions to movement-building citywide. While still a local player based in a particular ethnic community, CPA is well positioned around a range of economic justice, immigrant rights and community empowerment issues. The depth of our grassroots base, a sizeable intergenerational core, and a 35-year organizing history and progressive identity allows CPA to move on a spectrum of issues. Also important is CPA's history of collaboration with a range of partners and variety of approaches to problem solving. Therefore, when CPA is able to strategically coordinate with other partners, we have demonstrated the potential for broad citywide or regional impact. CPA's challenges include growing our management infrastructure, developing more fully bilingual staff and leaders, and continuing to develop our capacity for research, analysis, and strategic thinking. While global economic forces shape the social, political and economic conditions of our daily lives, CPA sees the struggle over the city's future as a key battleground and a strategy for building power. We seek to build long-term strategic alliances with base-building organizations in Greater Boston immigrant communities, communities of color, and in progressive working class neighborhoods of Boston as well as with other resource organizations, allies, and networks which can play an important role in building movement capacity. CPA is simultaneously pursuing two general approaches to power-building one focused primarily on community organizing to build geographical bases of power within the City of Boston and the other focused on linking communities with labor groups and organizing for economic justice. Service Categories Civil Rights, Social Action, & Advocacy N.E.C. Community Improvement, Capacity Building N.E.C. Leadership Development Geographic Areas Served CPA's constituency is the Greater Boston Chinese community.this community reached 24,91 in Boston as of Census 21. Asian Americans had both the highest poverty rate and the highest rates of educational attainment among ethnic minorities in Boston. CPA is particularly rooted in the Cantonese-speaking working class immigrant sector, which is concentrated in the cities of Boston,Quincy and Malden, and which identifies most closely with Chinatown as its social, cultural and political base. Please review online profile for full list of selected areas served. 4

5 Programs Chinatown Stabilization Campaign Description Boston Chinatown is a residential neighborhood and the social, cultural, political, and economic center of New England's Chinese community. The trend of downtown revitalization means that a key point of conflict in the city is the struggle of communities of color and working class neighborhoods for the right to remain. Chinatown faces the most intense development pressures due to its location in the heart of downtown. Over the past 2 years, we have organized Chinatown residents to win long-term affordability contracts at expiring use developments, to moderate rent increases, and to increase affordable housing in new commercial developments. Due to recent luxury development, Chinatown today is a half low-income, half high-income community.the Chinatown Stabilization Campaign is focused on stabilizing the working class residential core of Chinatown as the neighborhood grows and diversifies. Budget 12 Category Population Served Program Short Term Success Program Long term Success Program Success Monitored By Civil Rights, Social Action & Advocacy, General/Other Civil Rights, Social Action & Advocacy, General/Other Asian, Pacific Islander Heritage, Immigrant, Newcomers, Refugees, Poor,Economically Disadvantaged,Indigent -Work with tenants to preserve affordable units in Chinatown's center-work for construction and permanent jobs linked to local development projects to hire at least 51% Boston residents, 51% people of color and increase hiring of women-organize to influence both neighborhood development outcomes and citywide policy -Immigrant working class residents will remain in affordable housing developments in Chinatown's residential center, with more affordable housing opportunities for families in mixedincome housing at the neighborhood's edges. -The Chinese community will secure job opportunities and benefit from new waves of development in the Harrison-Albany corridor. -Chinatown will join with other neighborhoods citywide to develop shared communications and coordinated organizing strategies, winning new community stabilization policies at the city level. -Tenants involved, units preserved, households stabilized-hiring outcomes-new program pathways established-development projects modified-policies changed or influenced 5

6 Examples of Program Success -Brought citywide attention to the affordability gap in affordable housing and secured changes in the Inclusionary Zoning program to better serve Boston residents. -Worked with tenants in ten Chinatown developments, nearly a thousand units, to help them stay in their homes and improve their quality of life. - Helped establish Chinatown's first resident association, which went on to win city government recognition as an advisory neighborhood council and increased affordable housing concessions through high-profile organizing campaigns.-our youth program started the campaign to restore the Boston Chinatown Branch Library, destroyed by urban renewal. CPA has continued to support committee efforts for a Chinatown-led community center and library; the group launched a temporary reading room this spring.provided core staffing to Chinatown Master Plan 21, an effort to unify residents and stakeholders to implement community development priorities. 6

7 Civic Empowerment Project Description Formerly seen as a newcomer community with few votes, Boston's Chinese community has increased its voter turnout and political clout in the past decade. Today, Chinatown is one of the city's highest-turnout neighborhoods. Chinatown, while it represents less than one-quarter of the area's Chinese American population, has the highest concentration of Chinese American voters and is a strategic base from which to organize for political visibility, representation, and clout. At the same time, Chinese Americans need to expand our influence and participation in other neighborhoods and communities in which we live. The goal of the Civic Empowerment Project is to organize for grassroots democratic participation of ordinary Chinese community members in the political decision-making process in order to build collective community power. Our strategy is to combine participatory issue-based organizing with broad-based voter education and registration, expand our local political base, organize for election reform and voting rights, and build coalitions with other disenfranchised communities. Budget 1 Category Population Served Program Short Term Success Program Long term Success Civil Rights, Social Action & Advocacy, General/Other Civil Rights, Social Action & Advocacy, General/Other Asian, Pacific Islander Heritage, Immigrant, Newcomers, Refugees, Poor,Economically Disadvantaged,Indigent -Continue to organize for the community's issue agenda around jobs, public safety, education, affordable housing, community facilities, and redistricting. -Increase Chinese community awareness and understanding of the interconnected issues of public safety and the safety net, fair taxes and budget cuts. - Increase Chinese American voter participation in Chinatown, South End, South Boston, Mission Hill, and Charlestown. - Establish citywide civic action alliance with core base-building allies. Develop citywide agenda and initial coordinated work in Chinatown, South End, East Boston, Jamaica Plain, Roxbury, and parts of Dorchester. -Expand active voter base and organizing throughout the City of Boston, then in cities such as Malden and Quincy, increasing civic engagement and voter participation.-establish a citywide alliances, particularly with other communities of color, to coordinate organizing around a progressive agenda.-the alliance progressive agenda will set the tone for public policy debate and begin to win new policy demands for racial, economic and environmental justice. 7

8 Program Success Monitored By Examples of Program Success -Policy changes achieved related to the issue agenda-new grassroots spokespeople around revenue and service issues- Numbers of residents engaged in civic action and voter turnout rates-citywide civic action alliance established and coordination begun -Won statewide passage of Boston's home rule petition to provide fully bilingual ballots to Chinese and Vietnamese speaking voters. -This past year, registered 186 new voters and involved 6 voters in organizing around city council redistricting. -Involved 12 volunteers and developed building activist teams in 16 affordable housing developments in Chinatown and the South End -Achieved 4% voter turnout among Chinese American voters in Chinatown, South End, and South Boston during an off-year city council election. 8

9 Workers Center Description The goal of the Workers Center is to help Chinese workers learn about and organize for our rights, and to develop solidarity with workers of different communities and nationalities. The Workers Center:promotes awareness of workers' rightsprovides support for collective actionorganizes the unemployed and the unorganizedorganizes for economic justice in the policy arenabuilds the leadership role of Chinese workers in the community We are working to demand permanent and construction job opportunities from local development projects and to ensure that green jobs in the energy efficiency sector can be good jobs.cpa plays a core role in the Immigrant Workers Center Collaborative to build organizing capacity and solidarity between the Chinese, Brazilian, and Latino communities. We are organizing for temp workers' rights and against wage theft. Proactively, we developed a common Worker Bill of Rights Budget 15 Category Population Served Program Short Term Success Program Long term Success Program Success Monitored By Civil Rights, Social Action & Advocacy, General/Other Civil Rights, Social Action & Advocacy, General/Other Asian, Pacific Islander Heritage, Immigrant, Newcomers, Refugees, Poor,Economically Disadvantaged,Indigent -Immigrant worker centers will collaborate with labor and faith communities to popularize a Worker Bill of Rights and wage coordinated campaigns for improved job standards.-changes in employer practice and policy achieved which improve job standards for immigrant workers.-chinese community will secure community hiring agreements and pathways to jobs in local development projects-immigrant communities' struggles for basic workplace rights, stable communities, and family unification will enjoy a developing popular base of support in the Boston area. -Asian American workers gain proportional representation in construction jobs and in local companies, particularly surrounding the Chinatown neighborhood.-businesses employing Chinese immigrant workers begin to follow minimum wage and other basic labor laws.-chinese workers are able to access education and training opportunities that prepare them for local job opportunities.-through organizing, service sector and hospitality job standards are upgraded to make these good jobs. -Policy changes achieved or policy demands become visible to the public-campaign launched and underway-new program pathways created-track record of community workers hired 9

10 Examples of Program Success -Partnered with the Painters DC 35 to train immigrant workers in air sealing, insulation, lead abatement and occupational safety, in preparation for jobs in the Chinatown weatherization pilot. -Six Chinese weatherization workers were hired to weatherize homes in the Chinese community, making an hourly wage of $ Helped immigrant workers recover $31, in owed wages and compensation over the past year, and helped 116 workers from 82 workplaces learn about their rights. Chinese Youth Initiative Description Since 1994, CYI has brought together Chinese American youth from all over the Boston area. Sponsored by the Chinese Progressive Association, the program's mission is to develop and involve youth leadership in the Chinese American community. We strive to accomplish this goal through cultivating awareness around Chinese American issues and providing youth with experience in grassroots community organizing.cyi was started with the notion that, if given guidance, opportunity, and experience in making a difference, many youth would want to better understand our society and create positive change in their communities. We empower youth through education, leadership skills development, and taking action! Budget 45 Category Population Served Program Short Term Success Program Long term Success Program Success Monitored By Examples of Program Success Youth Development, General/Other Youth Leadership Asian, Pacific Islander Heritage, Adolescents Only (13-19 years), -75% of youth interns continue community involvement beyond their internship-youth become an integral part of CPA's leadership core-6-1 core youth play a consistent, active role in educating the community about and fighting budget cuts-youth leaders engage a broader circle of 3-5 youth -Program graduates become non-profit community organization leaders, lawyers, artists, elected officials, union leaders, or work for community change in other ways-youth develop an active voice within the Chinese community -youth self-reported satisfaction and increased awareness-rate of continued involvement-youth representation in membership and leadership-event records -1% of interns report satisfaction with program and increased awareness-1% of summer interns continued involvement-cpa board now has three youth representatives who fully participate but do not hold legal responsibility 1

11 Adult Education and Service Program Description Chinese immigrants are trapped in low-paying jobs and their daily interactions limited by the language barrier. Without increasing numbers of naturalized citizens who become registered voters and actively exercise their rights, the community will remain invisible and its needs unaddressed. The goal of the Adult Education Program is to help Chinese immigrants learn English, become naturalized citizens, improve their living conditions, and expand their participation in US society. CPA Provides English for Employment class geared towards the supermarket industry in response to new stores in the neighborhood (in partnership with Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center) US Citizenship classes and assistance with the naturalization process An emphasis on learning the concept and practice of civic participation Tutoring assistance and other support services for adult learners English conversation practice for members Drop-in know-your-rights counseling and referral services Budget 8 Category Population Served Program Short Term Success Program Long term Success Program Success Monitored By Education, General/Other Adult Education Asian, Pacific Islander Heritage, Immigrant, Newcomers, Refugees, Poor,Economically Disadvantaged,Indigent -7% of EFE students will be placed in a job in supermarket or retail industry-students, members and service clients will learn about their rights and become more self-sufficient-students, members, and drop-in service clients will become involved in organizing activities - Graduates will have family-sustaining careers-chinese immigrants will learn English more quickly to help them adapt to life in the US-More immigrants will become naturalized citizens- Community members will become aware of their rights and less vulnerable to exploitation -class records and reporting by students and employers-drop-in records and staff reporting-staff reporting and observation Examples of Program Success For over 3 years CPA has conducted English and citizenship classes for the community advancing people's English levels, helping dozens of people gain citizenship, and helping individuals advance their careers. One recent example is Ms. Li who immigrated from China this past year. She attended our weekly worker English practice sessions and spent additional hours with staff and volunteers preparing for interviews for jobs and training programs. After being with us for a few months she was accepted into the BEST Corp. Room Attendant training program, which will lead to a $2/hour job at a union hotel with great benefits. Supermarket EFE class is in its inaugural year and will have results to report at the end of

12 Management CEO/Executive Director Executive Director Ms. Lydia Lowe Term Start July Experience Lydia Lowe has more than 25 years of community organizing experience and has been on staff since She is a member of the Massachusetts Division of Unemployment Assistance Advisory Committee, the City of Boston Elections Advisory Committee, a founding member of The Chinatown Coalition, and serves on the Community Advisory Board of the Institute for Asian American Studies. She was a 22 awardee of the nation-wide Alston/Banner Fellowship for longtime community organizers and leaders and a 29 Barr Fellow. Staff Information Full Time Staff Part Time Staff Volunteers Contractors Retention Rate % Staff Demographics - Ethnicity African American/Black Asian American/Pacific Islander 1 Caucasian Hispanic/Latino Native American/American Indian Other Staff Demographics - Gender Male Female Unspecified 3 7 Formal Evaluations CEO Formal Evaluation CEO/Executive Formal Evaluation Frequency Annually 12

13 Senior Management Formal Evaluation Senior Management Formal Evaluation Frequency NonManagement Formal Evaluation Non Management Formal Evaluation Frequency Annually Annually Plans & Policies Organization has a Fundraising Plan? Organization has a Strategic Plan? Years Strategic Plan Considers Under Development Date Strategic Plan Adopted Jan 21 Does your organization have a Business Continuity of Operations Plan? Management Succession Plan? Organization Policy and Procedures Nondiscrimination Policy Whistleblower Policy Document Destruction Policy Directors and Officers Insurance Policy Is your organization licensed by the Government? Registration Permit? 1 No No No No No Collaborations Right to the City Boston is building a movement to claim our right to the city. The alliance unites base-building, social change groups to develop a common vision and narrative that can be integrated into each organization's campaigns and work. It is a movement strategy space, which can unify our members through grassroots leadership development activities around our common vision, and convene different issue-organizing clusters for discussion and development of coordinated strategies.immigrant Workers Center Collaborative (IWCC) unites seven groups in the Chinese, Brazilian, and Latin American communities to strengthen immigrant worker organizing and leadership development. CPA is playing an anchor role for IWCC to establish itself as a regional hub for immigrant worker organizing. IWCC is coordinating worker centers to develop a common Worker Bill of Rights and a solidarity pledge campaign. Community Labor United brings together community organizations and labor unions in effective, power-building campaigns to improve the lives of working people and communities of color. CLU provides an important place for dialogue between labor and community organizing groups, and is building a communications hub to help its member organizations build communications capacity. Awards Awards 13

14 Award/Recognition Organization Year Access Courage Award Access Strategies Fund 21 Coalition for Worker Justice Award Massachusetts Coalition for Occupational Safety and Health 211 Salt of the Earth Award Community Labor United

15 Board & Governance Board Chair Board Chair Ms Dora Hui Company Affiliation Concord Academy Term Jan 215 to Jan 217 Board CoChair Board CoChair Ms. Jian Hua Tang Company Affiliation Retired Term Jan 215 to Jan 217 Board Members Name Affiliation Status Ms. Nancy Huang Comunity Volunteer Ms. Dora Hui Concord Academy Voting Ms. Amy Leung Boston Women's Fund Mr. De Sheng Liang Community Volunteer Voting Mr. Michael Liu UMass Boston Ms. Jian Hua Tang Community Volunteer Voting Mr Howard Wong Community Volunteer Voting Ms. Har-Yee Wong Ms. Michelle Yee Boston Jobs and Community Services Commonwealth of Massachusetts Voting Board Demographics - Ethnicity African American/Black Asian American/Pacific Islander 9 Caucasian Hispanic/Latino Native American/American Indian Other Board Demographics - Gender Male Female

16 Unspecified Board Information Board Term Lengths Number of Full Board Meetings Annually Board Meeting Attendance % Written Board Selection Criteria? Written Conflict of Interest Policy? Percentage Making Monetary Contributions Percentage Making In-Kind Contributions Constituency Includes Client Representation % 1% 1% Standing Committees Executive Personnel Membership Development / Fund Development / Fund Raising / Grant Writing / Major Gifts 16

17 Financials Fiscal Year Fiscal Year Start July 1, 214 Fiscal Year End June 3, 215 Projected Revenue $853,3. Projected Expenses $853,3. Endowment? No Credit Line? No Reserve Fund? Months Reserve Fund Covers Detailed Financials Revenue and Expenses Fiscal Year Total Revenue $752,573 $655,889 $527,19 Total Expenses $834,924 $53,11 $53,958 Revenue Sources Fiscal Year Foundation and Corporation Contributions Government Contributions $ $ $ Federal State Local Unspecified Individual Contributions $585,65 $547,245 $39,215 Indirect Public Support $35,265 $32,733 $37,11 Earned Revenue $85,981 $31,859 $59,497 Investment Income, Net of Losses $3,697 $1,293 $2,521 Membership Dues $9,44 $1,299 $9,582 Special Events $33,521 $32,292 $28,164 Revenue In-Kind Other -- $168 $119 17

18 Expense Allocation Fiscal Year Program Expense $745,746 $452,59 $475,652 Administration Expense $71,825 $64,513 $41,965 Fundraising Expense $17,353 $12,98 $13,341 Payments to Affiliates Total Revenue/Total Expenses Program Expense/Total Expenses 89% 85% 9% Fundraising Expense/Contributed Revenue 3% 2% 3% Assets and Liabilities Fiscal Year Total Assets $1,615,855 $1,628,6 $1,485,81 Current Assets $451,842 $527,968 $38,821 Long-Term Liabilities $ $ $ Current Liabilities $72,343 $24,965 $28,798 Total Net Assets $1,543,512 $1,63,41 $1,457,12 Short Term Solvency Fiscal Year Current Ratio: Current Assets/Current Liabilities Long Term Solvency Fiscal Year Long-Term Liabilities/Total Assets % % % Top Funding Sources Fiscal Year Top Funding Source & Dollar Amount Second Highest Funding Source & Dollar Amount Third Highest Funding Source & Dollar Amount Capital Campaign Currently in a Capital Campaign? No Comments Foundation Staff Comments Financial summary data in the charts and graphs above is per the organization's IRS Form 99s. Created Copyright 218 The Boston Foundation 18