Joseph Phelan
Joseph Thomas Phelan is a communications strategist with more than 13 years of experience in communications and strategy development for racial and economic justice organizations and campaigns.
Most recently, Joseph founded and is a principle at WeAreNotTrayvonMartin.com, a website and meme that encouraged honest and raw conversations about race and pushed for commitments by participants to take action to end racism in the wake of the acquittal of George Zimmerman. The website went viral earning appearances in JET, TIME, and Chicago Public Radio.
Prior to consulting, Joseph was the Communications Director with Caring Across Generations (CAG), a campaign of Jobs with Justice and the National Domestic Workers Alliance.
Joseph also worked with the Miami Workers Center (MWC), a regional racial and economic justice grassroots organization. For five years he served as the MWC communications associate and then communications coordinator where he developed a model of integrated communications. During this time he was on the board of the Center for Story Based Strategy and was a fellow at the Center for Community Change. His last two years in Miami Joseph was as a founding staff member and communication coordinator for Florida New Majority, a state-wide voter organization, where he led a communications shop of four people, and eventually managed all program staff for the organizations first legislative campaign.
Originally from Long Island, New York, Joseph cut his teeth organizing in Burlington, Vermont where he did peer outreach work with homeless youth and on-the-street safe sex education with teen sex workers. His youth-centered activism doesn't sto there. He's also led high school workshops on harm reduction.[1]
National Leading From the Inside Out Alum
Joseph Phelan, Cofounder and Executive Director, ReFrame was a 2023 Rockwood Leadership Institute National Leading From the Inside Out Alum.[2]
Miami comrades
Sarai Portillo November 2005;
- My first pininos organizing a community event centuries ago almost 9 years ago... after meeting rent - tired but happy of the outcome... how time flies...
- — with Sushma Sh, Tony Romano, Joseph Phelan, Cindy Wiesner and Gihan Perera in Miami, Florida.
For May Day and Beyond
For May Day and Beyond: White People Stepping Up for Immigrant Rights! was a letter circulated in May 2006, among people mostly affiliated with the Freedom Road Socialist Organization.
Open Letter to White Communities
- In the past month, five million people, mostly immigrants of color, have mobilized for justice and are making history, flooding the streets in unprecedented numbers. Meanwhile, the most visible participation by white people is coming from the racist and right wing leaders who are defining and dominating the debate in the Federal government and in the news, radio and opinion pages. Where are the voices of anti-racist white people in this crucial moment, when the worst anti-immigrant legislation in decades is still poised to drop?
Signatories included Joseph Phelan, Miami Florida. [3]
Organizing Upgrade
Initiated by Sushma Sheth, Harmony Goldberg and Joseph Phelan, Organizing Upgrade was founded in 2009.
RoadMap
Joseph Phelan is a consultant with RoadMap, a Freedom Road Socialist Organization affiliated consultancy group .[4]
"BILL FLETCHER JR, ED OTT & OTHERS"
Left Labor Project held a forum at 1199 SEIU, 310 W 43rd St, 14 January 2016, 18:00 till Thursday 14 January 2016.
- The run-up to the Presidential primaries has unleashed a right-wing frenzy that's unprecedented in its naked scapegoating and repressive policy ideas. How do we analyze and respond to these developments, through our labor and community groups, and in the electoral arena? What new alliances, campaigns, and demands do we need?
Those signalling their support, or intention to attend on the events Wherevent page included Dara Silverman, Audrey Sasson, Jill Greenberg, Michael Dormo, Dennis Hart, David Mirtz, John Tarleton, Katrina Marie, Robert Ambaras, Ethan Frey, Maureen Silverman, Scarlett Ahmed, Caroline Unger, Emiljana Ulaj, Dahlia Goldenberg, Jessica Acee, Ferdinand Joseph, Kate Aronoff, Greg Dunkel, IrieAndrea LeDawes, Kristi Barnes, Nora Taggart, Mark Duran, Patrick Loman, Marion Lipshutz, Mindy Rubinstein-Rosier, Dego Adely, Marcus Meute, Gee Nimius, Mary Boger, Ellen Gurzinsky, Glorya Cabrera, Prince Manlaw King, Eric K. Ward, Joseph Phelan, Vince Kelley, Christine Williams, Plinio Cruz-Alvarez, Leon Pinsky, Dennis O'Neil, Eduardo Hugo Gil, John McCarthy, John Treat, David Salay, Kate Spaulding, Mohammad A. Khan, Charles Lenchner, Joshua Clennon, Chris Barron, Robel Tekleab, Jose Mangasha, Paolo Cremidis, John Dennie, Zach Liszka, Edgar E. Avalos, M. Dove Kent, Kristina Antonia Mazzocchi, John Ennis, Jon Zaccarini, L. Eljeer Hawkins, Bob Ratynski, Lorraine Barcant, Anne Mitchell, [5]
Revolutionary Strategies to Beat the Rising Right Wing
Revolutionary Strategies to Beat the Rising Right Wing, was a nationwide conference call organized by Freedom Road Socialist Organization, Sunday October 30, 2016.
- What's the nature of this right-wing threat? What has this election cycle changed about the political terrain we're fighting on? How do we need to prepare for whats coming after the election? Hear about these crucial questions from our panel of top political strategists, including Nelini Stamp, Bill Fletcher, Jr., Linda Burnham, and Sendolo Diaminah.
Those invited, on Facebook included Joseph Phelan.[6]
Now What? Defying Trump and the Left's Way Forward
Now What? Defying Trump and the Left's Way Forward was a phone in webinar organized by Freedom Road Socialist Organization in the wake of the 2016 election.
- Now what? We’re all asking ourselves that question in the wake of Trump’s victory. We’ve got urgent strategizing and work to do, together. Join Ash-Lee Woodard Henderson of the Movement for Black Lives and Freedom Road, Calvin Cheung-Miaw, Jodeen Olguin-Taylor of Mijente and WFP, Joe Schwartz of the Democratic Socialists of America, and Sendolo Diaminah of Freedom Road for a discussion of what happened, and what we should be doing to build mass defiance. And above all, how do we build the Left in this, which we know is the only solution to the crises we face?
- This event will take place Tuesday November 15, 2016 at 9pm Eastern/8pm Central/6pm Pacific.
Those invited, on Facebook included Joseph Phelan.[7]