LATEST NEWS

Chipotle Urged to Work With CIW in Protecting Farmworkers’ Rights
Monday, June 29: Last week, leaders of the food justice movement -- including Eric Schlosser and Robert Kenner, producer and director of the hard-hitting new documentary "Food, Inc." -- sent a strongly worded letter to Chipotle demanding that they "work with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) as a true partner in the protection of farmworkers' rights."  Now it's your turn to get in on the action.  Add your name to the letter to Chipotle CEO Steve Ells demanding real "food with integrity" and an end to the human rights crisis in Florida's tomato fields. To participate in this email action sponsored by American Rights at Work visit >>>  To read more about CIW’s campaign against Chipotle, read the NESRI prepared report "Challenging Chipocrisy" at >>>

Congresswoman Waters Introduces Resolution on Children's Right to Housing
Tuesday, June 23: Following up on a commitment she made at a Los Angeles Congressional Field Hearing on affordable housing in March, which was organized in cooperation with local members of the Campaign to Restore National Housing Rights, Representative Waters (D-CA) introduced a resolution today calling for a right to housing for children and their families. The resolution, House Resolution 582, affirms that housing for children is not just a value we share as Americans, it is a basic human right.  To view Congesswoman Waters’ press release about the resolution >>> 

Amnesty International USA Declares Health Care is a Human Right - Calls on Senate to Have a Real Debate on Single-Payer! 
Friday, June 19: In an E-Alert released today, AI USA stated that current draft health care reform legislation falls far short of fulfilling a human rights vision. AI USA suggests that one reason for this is that single-payer advocates, a crucial human rights constituency, have been largely excluded from the reform process. In fact, Senator Max Baucus' Senate Finance Committee, the single most important legislative grouping in the reform process, has yet to hold a public hearing on single-payer. The E-Alert references NESRI and NHeLP’s recent analysis of current single-payer proposals, which finds them to come much closer to fulfilling the human right to health care than the prevailing market-based reform plans. View the e-alert >>>  View the list of initial endorsers of Amnesty’s statement of principles >>>  Add your organization to the list of endorsers >>> Send a letter or email to Senator Baucus telling him to hold a Finance Committee Hearing on Single-Payer >>> Listen to a NESRI interview with Sameer Dossani of Amnesty International >>>

Frank/Waters Letter to HUD Urges National Moratorium on Demolition of Public Housing
Monday, June 15: Today U.S. Representatives Barney Frank and Maxine Waters signed and sent a letter to HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan strongly requesting a national moratorium on the demolition of public housing!  In the letter Frank and Waters state that in the last ten years “over 120,000 units of public housing have been demolished or disposed with only a portion being replaced by hard units.”  In light of this reality, Frank and Waters suggest that “now is the time to preserve this vital asset before more affordable homes are lost forever.”  This victory is the result of continuous hard work on the part of housing rights advocates and local community groups and leaders across the country, including the Campaign to Restore National Housing Rights.  The Campaign, of which NESRI is a founding member, is a coalition of national organizations and local groups advocating for the preservation and improvement of our nation’s public housing stock as a critical component to protecting the human right to housing for all. Read the letter >>>

National Conference Articulates “A Collective Voice for Dignity in Schools”
Monday, June 8: On June 5 and 6, 150 advocates, organizers, youth, parents and educators from 20 states around the country came together in Chicago for the first ever Dignity In Schools Campaign (DSC) National Conference. There they discussed positive alternatives to zero-tolerance discipline and school pushout. Amongst the core conference organizers and participants were NESRI and its partners CADRE and FFLIC (pictured here). The goal of the conference was to reframe the national dialogue on school climate and discipline within a human rights framework. The DSC is now working to finalize a National Resolution on Ending School Pushout. For more information on the DSC and the conference >>> To view a conference photo gallery >>> To participate in the ongoing work to finalize the National Resolution email the DSC >>>

New CIW Victory:  Two Florida Growers Now Support CIW’s “Penny-per-Pound” Program!
Thursday, June 4:  Whole Foods Markets, the leading natural and organic foods supermarket, has announced that two of Florida’s largest organic tomato growers, Lady Moon Farms and Alderman Farms, have agreed to implement NESRI partner Coalition of Immokalee Workers’ (CIW) “penny-per-pound” program designed to improve wages for tomato harvesters.  The move effectively breaks the stalemate established nearly two seasons ago when the Florida Tomato Growers Exchange threatened to fine any of its members that sold tomatoes under the terms of the CIW agreements. At that time, two Florida growers who had been passing on the penny-per-pound increase under the Taco Bell agreement ceased doing so. To read the press release >>>

New Release: A Human Rights Assessment of Single Payer Plans
Wednesday, May 20: NESRI has released an in-depth analysis of four single-payer bills that are currently in the U.S. Congress and State Legislatures. The assessment measures the bills against human rights standards, and shows that single-payer plans are superior to market-based proposals because they go further towards creating a system that is universal, equitable and accountable to the people. Read the assessment >>> Read the press release >>> Read a summary that explains the “single payer” approach and how it can contribute to realizing our human right to health care >>> Read a summary that analyzes the strengths and weaknesses of two key single payer bills >>> View a resource kit for the report release >>>

Campaign to Restore National Housing Rights In D.C.
Wednesday, May 13: NESRI along with the other national and grassroots core organizations involved with the Campaign to Restore National Housing Rights were in DC earlier this week for a strategy retreat and meetings with Congressional leaders. The Campaign is advocating for the U.S. to ensure the human right to housing. As part of this agenda, the Campaign is calling for congressional hearings in six cities across the country - Los Angeles, Chicago, Minneapolis, New York, New Orleans and Miami. During their days in D.C. the group met with staffers at Senator Schumer's and Representatives Waters, Frank and Cao's offices. Pictured to the left is the group with Charla Ouertatani of Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA) office. To view a photo gallery of the D.C. retreat and legislative visits >>> To view the Campaign's new blog >>>

Health Care is a Human Right Rally May 1st
Friday, May 1: NESRI ally the Vermont Workers’ Center (VWC) brought the human right to health care to the nation’s attention with a large rally at the State House in Montpelier. The “Healthcare is a Human Right” rally was endorsed by over 100 organizations, including NESRI, faith and labor leaders, and other national and state-based organizations. U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (VT) cheered the assembled crown on by telling them "You are saying loud and clear that healthcare is a human right for all people, not just the privileged or those who have a lot of money." Download NESRI's press release about the rally >>> View press coverage of the rally >>> Listen to a podcast of Bernie Sanders at the rally >>> View a photo gallery from the rally >>> Listen to Philadelphia's Labor Justice Radio podcast about the rally >>> Learn more about NESRI's work with VWC >>>

Montanans Fighting for Human Right to Health Care Featured on Democracy Now!
Thursday, April 22: Montana State Senator Christine Kaufmann, of NESRI partner the Montana Human Rights Network (MHRN), was featured on Democracy Now today. The MHRN has been leading a statewide campaign to achieve health care reform from a human rights perspective.  The campaign includes a legislative agenda and local initiatives. Kaufmann recently introduced a constitutional amendment in the State Senate to establish the right to health care in the state. Watch the interview >>> Learn more about NESRI's Human Right to Health Program's work with the Montana Human Rights Network >>>

United Workers March on Baltimore's Inner Harbor, Declare Human Rights Zone
Saturday, April 18: NESRI ally the United Workers of Baltimore marched 500 people strong as part of their Human Rights Zone March and B'More Fair. Nearly 60 organizations from across the country turned out to support the declaration of Baltimore's Inner Harbor as a Human Rights Zone where all workers can receive healthcare, education and work with dignity. United Workers highlighted workers rights abuses by 3 restaurants in the Harbor - The Cheesecake Factory, Phillips Seafood, and M&S Grill. View a video from the March >>>

Sign-On Letter Urges Education Secretary to Improve School Discipline, Achievement Through Stimulus Funds
Wednesday, April 17: NESRI and the Dignity in Schools Campaign (DSC) have asked the U.S. Department of Education to encourage school districts to invest federal stimulus money in Positive Behavior Supports (PBS), restorative practices and other innovative approaches to improve student behavior and achievement.  The organizations made the request in a letter to Education Secretary Arne Duncan. The letter outlined several steps to encourage the use of stimulus funds for effective programs that improve student discipline, achievement and school safety.  Twenty-four advocacy groups and 41 individuals signed the letter.  Read the letter and the complete list of participating organizations and individuals >>>  Read the press release >>>  Obtain more information about the DSC Alternatives to Zero-Tolerance Working Group >>> Listen to a recent DSC teleconference on "How Education Stimulus Dollars Can Be Used to Solve Part of the Pushout Problem" >>>

 
New Video: HUD Secretary Donovan Denies Community Participation
Tuesday, April 14: Congrats to NESRI partners May Day New Orleans and Rada Film Group for the short video they put together highlighting how public housing residents were shut out of HUD Secretary Donovan's March visit to New Orleans.  During that visit, which took place the week of March 2nd, Secretary Donovan met with developers, but when residents tried to schedule a meeting with him they were denied.  Donovan’s actions violated one of the key components of the human rights to housing and to development – community participation.  According to human rights standards development must regard the opinion of community members as of equal value to those of analysts, academics, planners, and the private sector. Read the "Why Weren't We Invited" press release from May Day New Orleans >>>

NESRI Launches New Podcast and Photostream!
Monday, April 6: Today NESRI launched two new web 2.0 tools. In podcast 3 (of 5) NESRI Executive Director Cathy Albisa and CADRE Executive Director Maisie Chin, a NESRI partner, address the opening plenary of the U.S. Human Rights Fund's January 2009 Convening in New Orleans. In the most recent photo collection NESRI visits with May Day New Orleans to collaborate on a Human Right to Housing Participatory Survey. Listen to presentations by NESRI staff, board, and partners on our podcast page >>> Look through our new photostream where we document through photographs key events and actions >>>

Sign Amnesty International’s Human Right to Health Care Petition!
Monday, March 30: Amnesty International has launched a petition calling on health reformers to recognize that health care is a human right, not a commodity.  NESRI is collaborating with Amnesty International in a new Health Care is a Human Right Coalition, which also includes the Opportunity Agenda and the National Health Law Program (NHeLP). The petition urges elected officials to deliver a U.S. health care system that fulfills the human right to health care and meets the core principles of universality, equity, and accountability. It states that “publicly financed and administered health care should be expanded as the strongest vehicle for making health care accessible and accountable to the people.” Sign the short version of the petition >>>  Download the full version of the petition >>> Download the principles >>> Listen to NESRI Executive Director Cathy Albisa's address to the Amnesty International USA Annual General Meeting >>>

CIW Wins Florida Governor Crist's Support For Fair Food Campaign!
Thursday, March 26: Today, following months of struggle and advocacy by the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) and the Alliance for Fair Food (co-founded by NESRI), Florida Governor Charlie Crist finally sent the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) a letter stating "I have no tolerance for slavery in any form, and I am committed to eliminating this injustice anywhere in Florida..." Crist went on to recognize the indisputable link between slavery and the failure to protect the economic and social rights of farmwokers, and stated "I support the Coalition's Campaign for Fair Food." Read the Governor's letter to CIW >>>

New Release: Ten Human Rights Principles for Financing Health Care
Tuesday, March 17: NESRI’s Human Right to Health Program, run jointly with the National Health Law Program, has developed ten human rights principles for financing health care. The ten principles set down markers for health care reformers to help them meet human rights standards. Taken together they provide a framework for realizing the goal of a healthy society in a financially sustainable way. Read the press release here >>> Download the principles here >>> (longer version) or here >>> (shorter version).

New Documentary on New Orleans Schools
Thursday, March 12: Families and Friends of Louisiana's Incarcerated Children (FFLIC) have released a trailer of their new documentary Stopping the School to Prison Pipeline. Watch the trailer and find out what's happening in New Orleans schools and FFLIC's work to end the school to prison pipeline. >>>