National People's Action

National People’s Action (NPA) is a network of metropolitan, regional, and statewide organizations that build grassroots power. NPA works to build the collective political will to advance racial and economic justice. National People’s Action has over 135 organizers and support staff working in communities across the country. Headquartered in Chicago, NPA was founded by Austin neighborhood activist Gale Cincotta and professional organizer Shel Trapp in 1972 and was originally named "National People’s Action on Housing." ^[1]

National People's Action conducted a series of "Showdown" events starting in October 2009. The events, dubbed "Showdown In America," "called for the end of corporate lobbying and too-big-to-fail financial institutions." ^[2]

According to National People’s Action, it exists as a network to create a society in which "racial and economic justice are realized in all aspects of society, resulting in more equity in work, housing, health, education, finance, and other systems central to people's well-being."

Platform

The following beliefs were developed by NPA community leaders. According to NPA, these beliefs are the building blocks for achieving its mission:

• Every person has innate dignity, beauty, and worth, and thus is entitled to basic human rights;
• All people, regardless of race, class, gender, and national origin must be ensured a high quality of life;
• Society should be organized on the basis of mutual responsibility, cooperation, and community self-determination achieved through political and economic democracy.

NPA's big ideas – based on NPA's beliefs – are those policies that NPA fights for as a network. NPA fights for policies that:

• Take back our power to use the government as our tool to promote the common good, correct the injustices of the past, and redistribute resources equitably and sustainably.
• Democratize the market to put people above profits.
• Enforce fundamental human rights standards that prevent exploitation of people and the environment.
• Take action to ensure racial, gender, economic, and immigrant justice in all social and economic systems.^[3]

References

1. ^ Martin, Douglas (2001-08-17). "Gale Cincotta, 72, Opponent Of Biased Banking Policies". New York Times. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9400E7DD123EF934A2575BC0A9679C8B63. Retrieved 2009-02-07. 
2. ^ Peck, Sara (2010-05-14). "National People’s Action, Unions Stage ‘Showdown on K Street,’ Push Financial Reform". In These Times. http://inthesetimes.com/working/entry/5999/national_peoples_action_unions_stage_showdown_on_k_street_push_financi/. Retrieved 2010-05-20. 
3. ^ "npa-us.org Who Is NPA?"

Bibliography

• Rachel G. Bratt, Michael E. Stone, Chester W. Hartman, A Right to Housing: Foundation for a New Social Agenda (Temple University Press, 2006). ISBN 1592134327
• Frances Moore Lappé, Democracy's Edge: Choosing to Save Our Country by Bringing Democracy to Life (John Wiley and Sons, 2005). ISBN 0787943118
• Jacqueline Mondros, Organizing for Power and Empowerment (Columbia University Press, 1994). ISBN 0231067194
• Kristina Smock, Democracy in Action: Community Organizing and Urban Change (Columbia University Press, 2003). ISBN 0231126727

External links

• About Us - Network
• Who Is NPA?