Racial Justice Campaign and 13th Panel Explore Indiana Diversity

Thanks to our panelists March 3 for our discussion about race and policing here in Indiana County preceding the screening of the Netflix documentary, 13th.

The discussion ranged from the reorganization of the Indiana County Chapter of the NAACP, to how to connect young students of color to careers in law enforcement. The upshot is to just do it.

The Racial Justice Campaign is engaged with the Indiana Police department to expand their internship program, focusing on students of color, and also to offer annual regional training on diversity and inclusion for police in our region. The Campaign meets again 3/22, 7pm at Commonplace Coffee shop. You are welcome.

You can watch the entire panel from last Friday right here.

Left to right, Gerald Smith – Codirector and moderator, Kelly Patchell – Racial Justice Campaign Chair, Dr. Carolyn Princes – NAACP of Indiana County, Amirah Macon – NAACP IUP President and Indiana Borough Police Intern, Stanford Webb – Former PA State Police

 

Leaders Commit to Sustainability at First Friday Films

Friday, Feb. 3, The Center For Community Growth teamed with the League of Women Voters, the Sierra Club and the Evergreen Conservancy to present a petition and request to Indiana County Commissioner Sherene Hess to commit to convening a county level task force develop an action plan for a sustainable economic. Here’s that petition.

Commissioner Hess said yes! Here’s what else she had to say about opportunity for economic development in our region.

Commissioner Hess is a great friend to the Center, and is a long time social justice supporter. We’ll have a chance to get our task for off the ground at a TBA Sustainability Summit for local elected and municipal officials. We’re planning for around Earthday – stay tuned for details!

You can hear more about the Center’s Sustainability Campaign, and all the work we’ve been doing on Center Radio, hosted by Dr. Cybil Moore. Cybil also interviews one of the producers of After Coal. Center Radio is available for replay here.

Stay tuned for more!

First Friday Films continues soon. March 3 we partner with the NAACP of Indiana County to bring you the documentary, 13th, and will include a panel of local folks talking about institutional racism right here.

 

 

The Megaphone Launches Now!

Saturday, January 28, 11:00am, The Center for Community Growth launches The Megaphone, a 6 month radio program and community film and discussion series.

Keep up to date on progressive organizing the last Saturday of each month at 11:00am, on Center Radio, hosted by Indiana, PA native, Dr. Cybill Peoples Moore on wiupfm.com.

First Friday Films starts February 3rd, with the 2016 documentary,  After Coal. The film is incredible, and we’re proud to welcome one of the producers to our stage.

Also, we’ll ask our country commissioners what they’re doing to ensure a climate resilient economy. 

Here’s who we’re expecting;

Sherene Hess – Indiana County Commissioner

Dr. Peter Broad – Indiana Borough Council President

Angela Wily –  Producer, After Coal

Dr. Susan Comfort –  Sustainability Studies Chair

Cindy Rogers – Evergreen Conservancy

Don’t miss this, or the rest of the series! This is local organizing.

What’s Next 2017 – Thursday 11/17

YOU ARE INVITED!

This year’s elections have highlighted the ever growing need for progressive minded individuals and organizations to come together and fight for social justice.

That’s what we do.

Join us Thursday, 11/17 6pm at the Artist’s Hand for What’s Next 2017.

Friends and members are invited to consider the last year, the policy implications of the 2016 election results, and to look forward in how to promote social justice in 2017. We’ll also have board elections, and figure out how to focus the work we do. And of course, we’ll have plenty of opportunities for you to renew and join the Center!

Let us come together to ensure our communities are supported, protected, and actively engaged in promoting better policy.

#thestrugglecontinues

 

Final 2016 Film Features Hellbenders!

This week the Center rounds out the 2016 Film Series: Getting Local, and we get SUPER local! If you’ve been following us, you’ll recognize the East Run HellBenders Society, a group of community activists in Grant Township, Indiana County so powerful they legalized civil disobedience.

These brave folks are featured in the lastest from IUP alum Melissa Troutman, and her production company Public Herald Films. This team of investigative journalists last brought us Triple Divide – which documented fracking across the Pennsylyvania

Their new film picks up locally, called Invisible Hand.  https://vimeo.com/152896957

“Free market forces have recently manifested as ‘fracking’ in Pennsylvania – a high risk method to extract natural gas – that state and federal governments support. But communities hell bent on protecting their rights are fighting back against state and corporate take over – some with success.

So what does it take to defeat a billion-dollar corporation with more rights than you? INVISIBLE HAND tells the story of people figuring out how. One method is by bringing about the Rights of Nature.”

The film documents the stories of Grant Township, and others who pushed back against the weight of big monied gas companies to protect their community. Indiana County is among the epicenters of a movement to reclaim our local authority from the unholy alliance between big gas and our state government. Join us to see how you can help!

Thanks to the IUP Sustainability Studies Program for co-sponsoring.

 

See you there!

Doors open- 6:00
Director Comments – 6:30
Film – 7:00