SERIOUS WIN ON SCHOOL TRANSPORTATION // POWER & RACE WORKSHOP, JULY 16

ww.actiaf.org WIN: School Transportation Equity, $745,100

“I believe this is an equity issue. I met with ACT this week and they told me that [school transportation] has been a problem not just for one year, not just for two years, but going back twenty, thirty, forty years.”

– Councilman Nathan Volke, District 3

ACT, we had a serious win last night at the Anne Arundel County Council meeting. After an hour-and-a-half debate running into the early hours of this morning, the Council in a true bipartisan vote agreed with ACT that restoring $745,100 to fund seven school transportation positions was needed for both reasons of racial equity and fiscal responsibility. The meetings our leaders had with members of the county council, where we shared your stories and our analysis showing generations of neglect of school transportation, were publicly cited as a key reason for this victory.

We are especially grateful to the many parents and students who shared their stories and invited us to organize with them. Great work to Toni Pratt (First Christian), who led this effort; and Karen Neale (St. Philip’s), Bishop Antonio Palmer (Kingdom Celebration Center), Pastor Sara Yotter (Joy Reigns), Monica Alvarado (Bread and Butter Kitchen), Caren Carney (Joy Reigns), Sharon McElfish (St. Anne’s), and Cathy Shultz (First Presbyterian), and Col. (Ret.) Rudwan Abu-rumman (AACo Muslim Council), who helped write, listen, reach out to people, meet with the county council, and research this action. We are grateful for the “yea” votes of Councilwoman Lisa Rodvien (co-sponsor), Councilman Nathan Volke (who became a co-sponsor), and Councilwoman Sarah Lacey, Councilwoman Jessica Haire .

The Capital-Gazette filed an initial article on this action, here.

You can read our co-chair’s Op-Ed in the Capital-Gazette, here.

REGISTER TODAY

POWER & RACE:

Community Organizing in this moment

with Rev. Dr. Karen V. Johnson

Senior Pastor, First Christian Community Church

&

Jonathan Lange

Senior Organizer, Metro Industrial Areas Foundation

Thursday, July 16, 7-8:30pm via Zoom

RSVP REQUIRED

Join Pastor K and Jonathan as they share how ACT can organize in this present moment while addressing implicit bias, race, and building power so our community can WIN.

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