Contact Information
events@slu.cuny.edu
Main: 646-313-8517
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The Quest for Governing Power: 2024 Elections and Beyond
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Civic Engagement & Leadership Development – Virtual Spring 2024 seminar
CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies @CUNYSLU
All sessions will be held via Zoom.
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Seminar Description:
“The Quest for Governing Power: 2024 Elections and Beyond” — SLU’s Civic Engagement and Leadership Development virtual seminar for Spring 2024 — will examine a range of on-the-ground organizing in light of their potential and the challenges they face. With every election cycle, the choices and consequences seem more dire and require voters to “pull out all the stops” and “dig deep” to do all we can to save democracy…again. In this series, we will examine local races with national consequences and national organizing strategies with local implications. Speakers will discuss strategic choices taken to build power for workers and the role of elections in advancing that work. They will address past and upcoming local, state, and national elections and share lessons from their wins and losses. Join us to learn how worker-driven electoral and governing agendas are developed and pursued.
The seminar will be led by Dr. Alethia Jones, Distinguished Lecturer in Labor Studies at the CUNY School of Labor & Urban Studies. All sessions will be held via Zoom.
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Framing Questions:
What will it take to consolidate governing power that serves the interests of workers?
What are the biggest internal and external obstacles we have to overcome?
What are unique advantages and strengths that we possess that we can leverage further?
What are key strategic lessons learned over the last 10 years?
What do we need to learn to grow our successes?
What innovations excite you? Which ones concern you?
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Participating in the Seminar:
- The CELD seminar is free and open to all. Registration is mandatory to participate.
- Please register to participate in the seminar and receive all relevant information.
- All seminar sessions will be held via Zoom meeting.
- All sessions will take place Wednesdays in March 2024 at 6:30pm – 8:30pm (U.S. Eastern Time).
- Participants must attend at least 3 of the 4 sessions and complete an evaluation form after each session to qualify for the leadership certificate from CUNY SLU.
- Sessions will not be recorded in order to promote free, open, and respectful dialogue among seminar participants.
- Spread the word – please encourage your networks to register!
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Seminar Schedule:
Please note that sessions begin promptly at 6:30pm ET. Participants are strongly encouraged to join the Zoom meeting by 6:20pm.
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Wed. March 6, 2024 – 6:30pm – 8:30pm (ET) – Session #1:
“What’s the Matter with Florida?”
Guest speaker:
Roxey Nelson – Executive Vice President, 1199SEIU – Florida Region
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Wed. March 13, 2024 – 6:30pm – 8:30pm (ET) – Session #2:
“Lessons from the Campaign Trail: Running for Office”
Guest speakers:
Amber Cano-Martin – Learning Coordinator, Service Employees International Union (SEIU)
Eunic Epstein-Ortiz – Executive Vice President, Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights
Julia Mejia – City Councilor At-Large, City of Boston
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Wed. March 20, 2024 – 6:30pm – 8:30pm (ET) – Session #3:
“Building for the Short Term and Long Term”
Guest speaker:
Patrick Gaspard – President, Center for American Progress
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Wed. March 27, 2024 – 6:30pm – 8:30pm (ET) – Session #4:
“Re-Making Elections: New Rules for Winning”
Guest speakers:
Maria Poblet – co-editor, Power Concedes Nothing; Executive Director, Grassroots Power Project
Max Elbaum – co-editor, Power Concedes Nothing; Member, Convergence Magazine editorial board
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Please register to receive the Zoom link.
The Zoom link will be shared with registrants in late February, before the seminar begins.
All seminar sessions will be held as a Zoom meeting.
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Spring 2023 - ``The Battle for Democracy: Voting Rights, Labor and Electoral Power``
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Civic Engagement and Leadership Development – Spring 2023:
“THE BATTLE FOR DEMOCRACY: VOTING RIGHTS, LABOR, AND ELECTORAL POWER”
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REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED.
CHECK BACK SOON FOR INFO ABOUT UPCOMING LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS.
COMING SOON TO SLU.CUNY.EDU/VIDEO — FULL VIDEO OF SPRING 2023 SESSIONS.
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Participants attending all three Saturday sessions will receive a Leadership Certificate from the CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies.
Seminar Description:
SLU’s spring 2023 Civic Engagement and Leadership Development Saturday sessions will examine a range of on-the-ground organizing in light of their potential and the challenges they face. Speakers will discuss the work of organized labor and social justice organizations to advance racial, gender, and economic justice and environmental sustainability. Particular attention will be paid to ongoing challenges related to aligning electoral work with the priorities of ongoing grassroots organizing and issue-based coalition-building. The seminar will be led by Dr. Alethia Jones, Distinguished Lecturer in Labor Studies at the CUNY School of Labor & Urban Studies.
Framing Questions:
- What are the chief challenges and opportunities confronting progressive forces currently seeking to bolster and deepen democracy?
- How have statewide organizations worked to expand the voter base, particularly among voters of color and poor and working-class voters?
- What role can unions play in building multi-racial coalitions and large-scale public support for progressive policy goals?
- What obstacles stand in the way of greater labor-community collaboration?
- How can electoral engagement be carried out in ways that maximize labor-community cooperation?
SESSION 1: Sat. March 11, 2023 * 10am – 12pm E.T.
“The Complexities of Electoral Power in New York”
Guest Speakers:
Sochie Nnameka – New York State Director, Working Families Party
Hae-Lin Choi – Political Director, Communication Workers of America, District 1
Seminar Introduction:
James Steele and Alethia Jones, former and current SLU Distinguished Lecturers & CELD directors
SESSION 2: Sat. March 18, 2023 * 10am – 12pm E.T.
“How and Why the Political Tides Are Turning in Georgia”
Guest Speakers:
Nsé Ufot – Former President, The New Georgia Project
Gerry Hudson – Former Secretary-Treasurer, Service Workers International Union
SESSION 3: Sat. March 25, 2023 * 10am – 12pm E.T.
“The Battle for Democracy in Michigan”
Guest Speakers:
Art Reyes III – Executive Director, We the People Michigan
Jennifer Root – Executive Director, SEIU Michigan
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Click here to register: slucuny.swoogo.com/CELD-Spring2023
Spring 2022 - ``Democracy in Peril?``
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DEMOCRACY IN PERIL: Leadership Challenges in a Time of Crisis
Civic Engagement & Leadership Development (C.E.L.D) – Spring 2022 civic leadership seminar
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REGISTRATION IS CLOSED.
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The virtual Spring 2022 C.E.L.D. seminar will take place on five Saturday mornings starting on Sat. March 5, and held via Zoom.
The seminar is led by Professor James Steele of the CUNY School of Labor & Urban Studies, and each session features special guest presenters.
Click here to view the seminar schedule.
Questions? Suggestions? Email us: events@slu.cuny.edu
The CUNY School of Labor & Urban Studies offers civic leadership workshops and seminars that build the capacity of working-class people to engage at all levels of the democratic process. As corporate interests hold increasingly greater sway in national politics, CUNY SLU provides educational resources to enable working-class voters and communities to exercise the influence concomitant with their numbers.
To receive updated information about upcoming programs and trainings, email: events@slu.cuny.edu
Past Courses
Housing Justice — Saturdays in October 2021
The newest addition to civic leadership offerings at CUNY SLU, the Housing Justice mini-course — held on Saturday mornings — addresses the long-standing crisis of unaffordable and substandard housing that NYC and other working-class families face. The Housing Justice series helps participants understand the role that racism and corporate investment play in the displacement and gentrification of working-class communities.
CLICK HERE to view the Fall 2021 syllabus and to register for the Housing Justice leadership seminar.
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Electoral Activism & Leadership Academy Class — fall semester
Every fall, CUNY SLU collaborates with the Latino Leadership Institute to host a series of Saturday morning classes on the electoral process and civic activism. The series seeks to empower Latinos and other minority groups by increasing their participation in the democratic process by training, organizing and mobilizing leaders. To register, or for more info, visit the Latino Leadership Institute website.
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Civic Engagement and Leadership Development — spring semester
Each Spring, CUNY SLU hosts a popular civic leadership mini-course on Saturday mornings. Each session features CUNY faculty and veteran practitioners with years of experience and expertise in public leadership, electoral politics, mass movements and policymaking at the local, state and national levels of government.
Past Courses