July-August 2005

MOP sweeps to victory

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Michigan Organizing Project (MOP) took major steps forward on three issue campaigns at its annual convention July 7. U.S. Congressman Vern Ehlers (R-Mich.), Grand Rapids Police Chief Harry Dolan and Grand Rapids Public Schools Superintendent Bert Bleke all responded with a resounding “Yes!” when faced with demands from MOP leaders.

“There is no stopping point of victory!” shouted Gloria Gonzalo, an Immigration Policies Task Force leader at the convention, quoting Martin Luther King Jr.

Audience celebrates as MOP wins commitments on education, policing and immigration policy.

Immigration concerns kicked off the evening as MOP Leaders Gloria and Gonzalo Verduzco asked Rep. Ehlers to co-sponsor the “Secure America and Orderly Immigration Act of 2005,” a comprehensive bill that legalizes undocumented workers and expedites the citizenship process, among other protections and benefits for workers and students. Much to the delight of the 350-plus people in attendance, Rep. Ehlers acquiesced. 

The second issue addressed that evening was the work of the Community-Police Relations Task Force, lead by Lanell James and Min. Lisa Vinson. The demands presented to Police Chief Dolan dealt with addressing racial profiling, police response time, increased foot/bicycle patrols as well as a commitment to meet with MOP quarterly. Chief Dolan said “Yes!” to all of the above.

Rep. Ehlers

The final issue that evening was a collaborative effort between MOP and the Community School Alliance (CSA).

MOP leaders Pearl Banks and Elijah Libbett teamed up with CSA leaders Charesse Williams and Frank Lynn to present Supt. Bleke with a laundry list of demands.

They asked for his commitment to work with MOP and CSA on monitoring the progress of reading scores, on establishing realistic goals for progress and a promise to implement successfully a program created by CSA to empower parents in every school. Like the two invited “guests” before him, Supt. Bleke said “Yes!”

He generated surprise on the parent involvement question by agreeing not to have the program implemented by the end of the June 2006, which is what was asked for, but by the end of this calendar year, December 2005!  The evening was a rousing success.