Blogs

As wildfires raged in California this summer, over 2000 of the firefighters on site were paid just one dollar per hour to battle the blaze. These firefighters were volunteers from inside of California's prison system. They're part of a national workforce of incarcerated people paid pennies per hour and sometimes nothing at all for hourly labor benefiting the U.S. economy. Driven in part by demands for better working conditions and wages, incarcerated workers last month began a nationwide prison strike. Today we're speaking with David Fathi, director of the ACLU’s National Prison Project, to learn more about the strike and the organizers’ demands. David is a longtime prison rights advocate who has spent his career fighting for incarcerated people and against the policies that have given the U.S. the highest incarceration rate in the entire world. We'll get his thoughts on what the nationwide prison strike reveals about America's prison culture. David, thank you so much for being with us today.

https://www.aclu.org/podcast/what-happens-when-prisoners-go-strike-ep-15

In April, a Starbucks manager in Philadelphia called the police on two black men sitting peacefully inside a coffee shop. The culprit, according to Starbucks’ CEO and the city’s mayor, was implicit bias—subconscious thought that can influence behavior. Headlines like CNN’s “What the Starbucks incident tells us about implicit bias” soon followed. In response, Starbucks closed its doors for half a day in May to put 175,000 employees through a program to educate them about racial bias...

https://www.citylab.com/equity/2018/09/is-there-effective-way-fight-implicit-bias/571399/

When Max Johnson saw an ad for a software coding school in San Francisco called Holberton, he was in a dead-end job and looking for a way out. The idea of being a computer programmer had been in the back of his mind since he was a teenager growing up in Camden, New Jersey. So, he took a chance and applied.  

Johnson had never thrived academically and was unsure he would get in. But Holberton looked for something else besides grades and degrees. What mattered was the motivation to learn. Having struggled to keep his head above water in the decade since college, Johnson was extremely motivated. And when he received his acceptance letter, he saw it as a chance to turn his life around.   

Living out of his car because he could not afford an apartment in the Bay Area, Johnson set himself to learning what is known as the “full stack” of software tools that are the building blocks for Google, Facebook, and Apple, and are in demand across every sector of the economy. As important as learning how to code, Johnson also absorbed what was expected at a typical professional job. The school’s lessons were simulations of typical high-tech work projects, which require teamwork and creative problem solving. He also learned how to compete for a job. More than just learning how to interview and write a resume, he rehearsed an entire multi-stage hiring process used by most big firms. 

Since graduating from Holberton, Johnson has leapt into a professional career path. He was hired by a New York City tech company and now has opportunities he that he describes as, “a miracle.” Continue reading.

Download your PDF copy of this flyer here.

There are a few prek spaces available in school readiness funded programs throughout the community.  Please share the flyer which you can download here with colleagues and New Haven families with children age 3 & 4 years old.  Below is a list of programs with openings as of September 11. For more info, contact me at denised@nhboe.net  or 475-220-1470. Denise

School readiness programs with openings as of September 11: 

• Catholic Charities

• Centro San Jose Child Care Center

290 Grand Avenue, 777-5068

• Child Development Center

790 Grand Avenue, 772-1131

• Creative ME

410 Blake Street, 859-2804

• Farnam Neighborhood House

162 Fillmore Street, 562-9194

• Friends Center for Children

225 East Grand Avenue, 468-1966

• Gateway Community College
• Early Learning Center

 20 Church St, 285-2130

• Little Schoolhouse

1440 Whalley Ave, 389-6372

• LULAC Head Start 836-5850

• Faye Miller Parent & Child Center

250 Cedar Street

• Mill River Center

375 James Street

• Morning Glory Early Learning Center

1859 Chapel Street, 389-4148

49 Parmelee Avenue, 389-4149

• New Haven Public Schools*
• New Haven Preschool Program
• New Haven Head Start

(*Multiple Sites throughout New Haven

For an appointment to register, call

475-220-1461 or 475-220-1482 )

• Aedan Elementary School

351 McKinley Avenue, 387-5693

• St Andrews Community Nursery School

 230 Townsend Avenue, 469-9000

• Francis Elementary School

428 Ferry Street, 777-5352

• United Community Nursery School

323 Temple Street, 782-0141

• YMCA Youth Center

52 Howe Street, 776-9622

For more info, contact me at denised@nhboe.net  or 475-220-1470

I'm Rick Crouse, a fourth year neuroscience graduate student at Yale and the co-president of Yale Student Science Diplomats, an organization dedicated to science communication, outreach, and advocacy. I'm writing this post to spread the word about Science Haven.

Science Haven is a collaboration between two Yale student-led science outreach groups: Yale Student Science Diplomats and Open Labs. We are interested in partnering with community leaders to bring science demonstrations and activities to neighborhood events. In addition to doing cool science activities with local families, Science Haven aims to foster a greater sense of community between scientists and their neighbors. 

This summer, we attended community management team meetings around New Haven and brought fun, hands-on science activities to events. Some examples of our activities include extracting DNA from strawberries, spinning on a stool with weights to illustrate angular momentum, throwing items in beakers of water to explain density, and listening to the nerve cells inside a cockroach's leg! We also have some cool temporary tattoos that we give to kids after completing a demo! 

If you are hosting an event--we want to bring a table, some scientists, and demos to be part of the fun! If the event has a particular theme, we can do our best to design a related special activity. If you're not having an actual event, we also have access to researchers that have prepared talks about interesting science topics geared for the public, that would love to come to your community center, church, etc. If you're feeling really adventurous, we could host a mini science fair where our graduate students and postdocs bring scientific posters they designed to explain their research to middle schoolers! And if none of this quite fits what you had in mind, let me know and we can figure something out because, more than anything, we want to bring science to where the people are. We want to put a face to the lab coat and hope to foster a sense of trust and communication between New Haven residents and their neighborhood scientific community.

Serena Williams, decidedly the greatest athlete of our generation, is no stranger to the obstacles of being a strong, Black woman. This past weekend at the U.S. Open in the final match between her and Naomi Osaka, Williams—who was competing for her 24th Grand Slam tournament win—was charged with three penalty code violations, contributing to her ultimate defeat and a victory for Osaka who became the first Japanese player in history to win a Grand Slam.

http://educationpost.org/what-happened-to-serena-williams-at-the-u-s-open-happens-to-black-girls-in-school-every-day/

Walter "Pop" Smith Little League builds friendships and teaches life lessons

When the Walter “Pop” Smith Little League first started in 1952, the kids played with wooden bats and the field was on the corner of Goffe Street and Sherman Avenue. Bat materials have changed since then and the field has moved up the block. Yet the game of baseball itself has remained the same and it still has that magical power to bring together children and families.

“Baseball has great appeal to kids in all communities,” says Walter “Pop” Smith President Lynair Walker. “You hear the kids in the dugout with their different chants during a rally. Those are the great things. Hearing the kids playing. The chink of the bat. Those are things that keep us going year after year.” Continue reading

Most every city resident has something that he or she wants to see improved. Be it a playground, an overgrown lot or a needed service that is unavailable, the best ideas for making the city a better place often come from local residents. Unfortunately, not everyone has the resources to take action. Twenty-seven years ago, The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven launched its neighborhood program to address this  very problem. Continue reading.

on the opening of our New Haven Skate Park at Edgewood Park. See the pictures made by two great New Haven photographers:

On the I Love New Haven blog by Leigh Busby: Edgewood Skatepark Grand Opening

and

On Facebook by Misty from Lotta Studios: Westville Village Renaissance Alliance

The opening was hosted by Savin Rock Skate & BMX Festival on September 9,2018. This is what and organized community can do for the benefit of all.

Here's some exciting news for our community - this week it was announced that The Community Foundation made a Mission Related Investment in the District Innovation Venture Center, which has brought in a Silicon Valley-modeled training program to address the talent gap and ramp up the region's tech sector. The program boasts a 100% job-placement rate and an application process that removes bias. Read more about it in the New Haven Independent

Synopsis: Many of the children who are presently gearing up for a new school year are also preparing to face police on a daily basis. The numbers of cops in schools is growing, which often means that instead of a detention or a timeout, routine misbehavior can result in arrest and criminal charges — with children of color disproportionately impacted. The U.S. Department of Education recently released data collected from America’s 96,000 public schools. That data shows that students of color make up the majority of public school students for the first time. It also details police presence in schools, the lack of social services in many schools, and the growing racial disparities in public school systems serving 50 million students.

The ACLU is partnering with the UCLA Civil Rights Project on a series of reports and data tools to enhance the public’s understanding of the Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC). Amir Whitaker, an attorney at the ACLU of Southern California and co-author of those reports, joins At Liberty to discuss the school-to-prison pipeline, how the Trump administration might address it, and what it all means for our children.

Listen, download the audio file or read the transcript here.

Synopsis: The emerging science of implicit bias is one of the most promising fields for animating the human change that makes social change possible. The social psychologist Mahzarin Banaji is one of its primary architects. She understands the mind as a “difference-seeking machine” that helps us order and navigate the overwhelming complexity of reality. But this gift also creates blind spots and biases, as we fill in what we don’t know with the limits of what we do know. This is science that takes our grappling with difference out of the realm of guilt, and into the realm of transformative good.

You can listen to this podcast or read the transcript here.

Gain a better understanding of your bias, take the Harvard test Implicit Bias here

The Disability Rights Storytellers Fellowship managed by Rooted in Rights and AAPD provides the opportunity for individuals with disabilities to learn and apply skills in digital media storytelling, and to connect with media professionals to prepare participants for advanced careers in media production, journalism, online advocacy, or digital design. The project combines hands-on training in cutting-edge technologies with a strong foundation in developing each individual’s voice and using story-driven videos in advocacy.

https://www.aapd.com/disability-rights-storytellers/

In 1940, a white developer wanted to build a neighborhood in Detroit. So he asked the US Federal Housing Administration to back a loan. The FHA, which was created just six years earlier to help middle-class families buy homes, said no because the development was too close to an "inharmonious" racial group. Meaning black people.

It wasn't surprising. The housing administration refused to back loans to black people — and even people who lived around black people. FHA said it was too risky. So, the next year...

https://www.vox.com/2016/6/6/11852640/cartoon-poor-neighborhoods ;

For 30 years, Elizabeth Hird was a pioneer in the local community for environmental preservation and education. Perhaps no single act demonstrated her commitment to environmental conservation as much as her donation of Outer Island to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 1995. 

Accepted entrepreneurs receive: 

• A spot in a 10-week workshop series on leadership and entrepreneurship
• Pre-seed funding of $1000
• Free coworking space
• 1-on-1 coaching sessions
• An assigned mentor from the Collab Mentor Network
• Case-by-case pro bono services from Corporate Partners (legal, marketing, etc.) 
• Opportunity to pitch in front of investors and community members.

Apply here.

OPEN POSITION

Fall Program Intern

Part time, 10-15 hours per week

Downtown Evening Soup Kitchen (DESK) seeks a dedicated and passionate intern who will be responsible for overseeing our weekly Food Pantry program.  You must be an advanced undergraduate or graduate student, or burgeoning professional in a field related to social work, nonprofit administration, public health, or nutrition.

Mission & Background Information

DESK serves people experiencing homelessness or living in poverty by providing food assistance and services that promote health, community, and equity.  We are located in downtown New Haven, just off the Green.  For more information on our programs, services, history, and vision, visit us online at www.deskct.org.

Core Responsibilities

• Program Execution – The Program Intern will be in charge of ensuring that the weekly Food Pantry program—serving up to 150 people weekly—is carried out under the standards and guidelines set forth by DESK staff.  You must be available on Wednesdays between 1:00 and 4:00 pm.
• Client Relations – The Program Intern will work directly with clients to ensure that their immediate needs are met (within program parameters).
• Volunteer Supervision – The Program Intern will oversee up to 10 volunteers at a time.
• Performance Measurement and Quality Assurance – The Program Intern will work with Executive Director to develop the standards and metrics to determine program success, and ensure that all requisite data are collected in an appropriate manner.

Compensation and Benefits

This is an unpaid internship position.  The primary benefit will be in the form of direct services experience and university credit, if applicable.

How to Apply

Interested candidates should email a cover letter and résumé to Steve Werlin at swerlin@deskct.org with “Program Intern Application” in the subjection line.

DESK is an equal opportunity employer who values greatly the role of diversity in the workplace and

Strongly encourages applications from people of all backgrounds and lifestyles.

Job Summary

United Way of Greater New Haven (UWGNH) brings people and organizations together to create solutions to Greater New Haven’s most pressing challenges in the areas of Education, Income, and Health.  We tackle issues that cannot be solved by any one group working alone.  

We are seeking candidates for this full-time position to lead the Greater New Haven Coordinated Access Network (GNH CAN), a collaborative housed at UWGNH, to prevent and end homelessness for individuals, families and youth experiencing homelessness in our nineteen-town region. The Director will work with partners and stakeholders to realize the GNH CAN mission: to make homelessness rare, brief and a one-time experience.

The ideal candidate will be experienced in leading work across organizations and sectors, using evidence and partnerships to deliver measurable results, and putting their passion into action to help people live their best possible lives.   

Reporting Structure: Reports to the UWGNH Chief Impact Officer

Essential Job Functions:   

The GNH CAN Director will be responsible for leading a set of strategies to reach the goals of preventing and ending homelessness, as well as the other priorities of the GNH CAN:

• Develop cross-sector collaborations with state agencies, municipalities, businesses, advocates and providers.
• Maintain relationships with local and statewide leadership, and work with GNH co-chairs to support members in developing and monitoring policies, priorities and goals.
• Advocate for issues affecting the GNH CAN goals, including expanding access to deeply affordable housing.
• Develop strategies to engage consumers in identifying opportunities for growth, assessing needs and identifying areas for improvement.
• Work with partners and funders to align existing resources and services to meet goals.
• Develop new resources and relationships to meet goals, including grant writing and fundraising activities.
• Provide oversight of operations, including: direct services, contracts, communications and use of CAN resources.
• Supervise and support a customer-oriented and effective team of staff.
• Monitor use of funds and manage budgeting and reporting, in conjunction with the finance department.
• Other job duties as assigned.

Qualifications 

• Master’s degree preferred.
• 5+ years experience preferred in leading collaborative or systems-change efforts.
• Experience with group facilitation, coaching and training.
• Effective public speaker and presentation skills.
• Experience managing budgets.
• Effective relationship management skills.
• Ability to use data to inform decision-making.
• Ability to lead a diverse, inclusive and collaborative work environment.
• Knowledge of the challenges/barriers homeless people face, and understanding of the systems with which they interact.
• Proficient with MS Office applications including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Local and Statewide travel is required; candidates must have a valid driver's license and reliable transportation.

Personal Characteristics    

Ideally, the successful candidate will be:

• Personally committed to advancing UWGNH’s values, mission, goals and programs.
• A proactive and strategic thinker with the ability to work both individually and

• A result-oriented problem solver, willing to learn and engage with diverse perspectives, and able to manage an aggressive workload.

• A superior communicator who shares information readily and concisely, and listens as well as gives advice.
• A team player who inspires collaboration and functions decisively.

Application Procedure

Interested candidates should submit a detailed letter of interest, resume, and contact information for three references to employment@uwgnh.org.  No phone calls, please. 

All applications are treated confidentially.  The position will remain open until filled.

**United Way of Greater New Haven is an equal opportunity employee. **