The home page of New Haven Legal Assistance Association (LAA) states in bold letters:

 “It is illegal for someone to be treated differently because of their immigration status, national origin, or religion.”

Despite the law, attorneys at LAA see employers repeatedly fail to pay immigrant workers what they are rightfully owed, otherwise known as wage theft. Over a recent three-year grant from The Community Foundation, LAA expanded its efforts to combat this rampant problem along with other workplace abuses and fight for policy changes to help all low-wage workers. Continue reading.

In the summer of 1987, I graduated from a public high school in Austin, Texas, and headed northeast to attend Yale. I then spent nearly 15 years studying at various universities—the London School of Economics, the University of Oxford, Harvard, and finally Yale Law School—picking up a string of degrees along the way. Today, I teach at Yale Law, where my students unnervingly resemble my younger self: They are, overwhelmingly, products of professional parents and high-class universities. I pass on to them the advantages that my own teachers bestowed on me. They, and I, owe our prosperity and our caste to meritocracy...

https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2019/09/meritocracys-miserable-winners/594760/

Building Affordable Housing and Stabilizing Neighborhoods Habitat for Humanity of Greater New Haven has a long history of reversing blight and stabilizing neighborhoods as it builds and renovates homes for low-income families. Its work has focused on people with specific barriers, including veterans and people with histories of incarceration. In a recent trend, it is also providing home ownership opportunities to Greater New Haven’s newest residents. 

The nonprofit has seen increasing numbers of applications coming from refugees, who now comprise 30 percent of its home ownership program. The organization attributes the increase, in part, to its strong partnership with IRIS, the New Haven-based refugee agency. While a majority of refugee applicants to Habitat are from African nations, an increasing number are from Syria and other Middle Eastern countries. Continue reading.

By Nikole Hannah-Jones, AUG. 14, 2019 New York Times

My dad always flew an American flag in our front yard. The blue paint on our two-story house was perennially chipping; the fence, or the rail by the stairs, or the front door, existed in a perpetual state of disrepair, but that flag always flew pristine. Our corner lot, which had been redlined by the federal government, was along the river that divided the black side from the white side of our Iowa town. At the edge of our lawn, high on an aluminum pole, soared the flag, which my dad would replace as soon as it showed the slightest tatter....

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/08/14/magazine/black-history-american-democracy.html

The 1619 Project is a major initiative from The New York Times observing the 400th anniversary of the beginning of American slavery. It aims to reframe the country’s history, understanding 1619 as our true founding, and placing the consequences of slavery and the contributions of black Americans at the very center of the story we tell ourselves about who we are. Read all the stories.

When one mentions the name Bryan Stevenson in social and criminal justice spaces, it is met with reverence and respect.

Stevenson, 59, founder of the Equal Justice Initiative based in Montgomery, Alabama, has been in the trenches and at the front lines in the fight against the death penalty. He has argued five cases before the United States Supreme Court and, through EJI, has won reversals, relief or release from prison for more than 135 wrongly condemned death-row inmates, people abandoned by society at-large and left to die in cages...

https://www.essence.com/feature/bryan-stevenson-true-justice-hbo/

Are you looking for a bank account that works for you? Are you tired of surprise fees? These accounts are safe and affordable because they have no overdraft fees, no minimum balances, and a low or no monthly cost.

Flyer is attached below for info about the accounts.

Bank%20On%20Community%20Outreach%20Flyer.pdf

The Community Action Agency of New Haven has an eight-week program called "The Father F.A.C.T.O.R." The program is aimed at strengthening families while building a network of resources for fathers.

The Father Factor, a program sponsored by New Haven Healthy Start

 Rosco Shiefield Jr. is a father of 13 who loves the game of chess.  Today he talks about some of the trials and tribulations of having a large family, and how he has incorporated the game of chess to help him through the hard times that life sometimes throws at you.  What is so cool about this father of 13, is that his love for family is so evident and clear,  and given the opportunity, he wouldn't change one damn thing.   I learned so much from this man, this superhero father, and  I sure that you will to. 

13 Kids, a game of chess and a lot of love.

Judicial Panel Meets with Fathering Organizations at The Community Foundation in New Haven

I would like to thank the Inner City News paper for the ad.  I am meeting so many wonderful parents and kids who are interested in playing the game of chess.  If you live in Hamden or New Haven and you have/know a child (ages 8 - 16) please reach out to davidasbery@fixingfathers.org for a FREE chess set.

https://issuu.com/johnthomas45/docs/01-17-19/9 

Fixing Fathers and mettle entertainment group would like to thank everyone who has help to make our trip to the Malcolm Bernard HBCU College Fair a huge success.  In 2016 we started out with 20 students.  We had so much room on the bus that we actually wondered if it was worth it.  Then in 2017 our bus was filled to capacity, and in 2018 with the help of the COMMUNITY we filled two buses.  Donor%20Card%20black.jpg  WOW!  We are looking forward to our next trip to the Malcolm Bernard HBCU College Fare in November 2019.  If you are interested in supporting this program, please reach out to Dr. David Lee Asbery.  davidasbery@fixingfathers.org  or you can click on the link below.

https://secure.squarespace.com/checkout/donate?donatePageId=5ac7602af950b7346fc8ae1c&ss_cid=d262967c-0367-4c4a-9951-d6baa6d64257&ss_cvisit=1564769552969&ss_cvr=65e85dab-350d-4cdf-a1aa-0dc0dfc154b2%7C1511981764984%7C1564761646998%7C1564769552764%7C11

Thanks

The New Haven Early Childhood Department still has openings for students in the PreKindergarten.

Requirements: 

• MUST be a New Haven resident.
• MUST be 3 or 4 years old and
• Must NOT already enrolled in a PreK program OR be on the NHPS Magnet Pre-K waitlist

If you meet these criteria call 475-220-1463 for information about available free and low cost Pre-K programs.