Strategic Concepts in Organizing and Policy Education

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The Strategic Concepts in Organizing and Policy Education was formed out of the Action for Grassroots Empowerment and Neighborhood Development Alternatives (AGENDA), a South Los Angeles based membership organization established in 1993.[1]

It is affiliated with the Freedom Road Socialist Organization.

Mission

The organization's mission is found on their website:[2]

"SCOPE builds grassroots power to eliminate the structural barriers to social and economic opportunities for poor and disenfranchised communities. SCOPE combines community organizing, leadership development, strategic alliance building, research, training and capacity building, and policy advocacy to pursue its mission at the local, state and national levels."

An Experiment 20 Years in the Making

“When we started AGENDA back in 1993, we characterized it as an experiment. Because we kind of knew where we wanted to go, but how to get there was less clear to us. This is still true today as we continue to build the movement for social justice.”

These are the words of Anthony Thigpenn, founder of SCOPE, and one of our respected honorees at a March 2014 celebration of SCOPE’s 20th anniversary. In his address to a room of over 300 allies and friends, Anthony reminded us that we didn’t have all of the answers when we first came together. But for SCOPE, “having the answers” was never the driving force behind our vision for change. Instead, we set out to empower the residents of our community to think for themselves, to design their own solutions, and to speak out on issues that affect the quality of their lives. Our founders believed that our community had the answers to the problems plaguing South LA—and from looking around the room last Thursday, it’s clear that they were right.

Attendees included Manuel Chavez, Gloria Walton, Lynette Steele, Patricia Livingston, Clementina Lopez, Latrece Jackson, Sherri Wallace, Anthony Thigpenn, Jennifer Speck, Chante Harriel, Maria Virginia Otero, Mari Mercado, and Juan Canto, Congress member Karen Bass, Shay Salter, Chris Nixon, Kevin de Leon, Antonio Villaraigosa, Manuel Pastor, Soloman Rivera, Manuel Hernandez, Veronica Carrizales and Maria Elena Durazo.

Many of SCOPE's members standing alongside activists, community organizers, elected officials, union leaders, academics, and educators attended. Proof that South LA’s progressive community is strong, thriving and growing.

The meeting honored Gerry Hudson, Paula Litt and Barry Litt and Anthony Thigpenn.

SCOPE and the newly formed Los Angeles Equity Alliance are launching a campaign to bring new revenue to the City of Los Angeles. To kick-off our efforts, we are holding a press conference on Friday, March 21st at 10:30am at City Hall Park to share with city officials the community’s vision for a more equitable Los Angeles. Additionally, on Wednesday, May 7th, SCOPE will co-host a candidates’ forum for the Los Angeles Unified School District 1 seat. The forum will aim to create a space for South Los Angeles residents to engage with each candidate on their vision for increasing the quality of education in the district and to make a more informed decision during the elections in June. [3]

Personnel

Staff

Executive:

Administrative:

Development:

Campaign:

Organizing:

Research & Training:

Strategic Initiatives:

Board of Directors

Funders

SCOPE 20th Anniversary

Karen Bass, Anthony Thigpenn, Kevin de Leon, Gerry Hudson, and Antonio Villaraigosa

“When we started AGENDA back in 1993, we characterized it as an experiment. Because we kind of knew where we wanted to go, but how to get there was less clear to us. This is still true today as we continue to build the movement for social justice.”

These are the words of Anthony Thigpenn, founder of SCOPE, and one of our respected honorees at a March 2014 celebration of SCOPE’s 20th anniversary. In his address to a room of over 300 allies and friends, Anthony reminded us that we didn’t have all of the answers when we first came together. But for SCOPE, “having the answers” was never the driving force behind our vision for change. Instead, we set out to empower the residents of our community to think for themselves, to design their own solutions, and to speak out on issues that affect the quality of their lives. Our founders believed that our community had the answers to the problems plaguing South LA—and from looking around the room last Thursday, it’s clear that they were right.

Attendees included Manuel Chavez, Gloria Walton, Lynette Steele, Patricia Livingston, Clementina Lopez, Latrece Jackson, Sherri Wallace, Anthony Thigpenn, Jennifer Speck, Chante Harriel, Maria Virginia Otero, Mari Mercado, and Juan Canto, Congress member Karen Bass, Shay Salter, Chris Nixon, Kevin de Leon, Antonio Villaraigosa, Manuel Pastor, Soloman Rivera, Manuel Hernandez, Veronica Carrizales and Maria Elena Durazo.

Many of SCOPE's members standing alongside activists, community organizers, elected officials, union leaders, academics, and educators attended. Proof that South LA’s progressive community is strong, thriving and growing.

The meeting honored Gerry Hudson, Paula Litt and Barry Litt and Anthony Thigpenn.[4]

Projects

SCOPE has led the formation of the following projects:

California Alliance

The vision of the California Alliance is to develop a progressive state alliance of organizations representing key issues and geographic regions of California, united behind a strategic state public policy agenda, and fueled by the collective power to win systemic reform. The alliance is currently comprised of 16 member organizations.[5]

Pushback Network

The Pushback Network seeks to put power and resources into the hands of people of color, poor and working class communities, and young people. It provides overall direction, coordination, technical assistance, accountability mechanisms, and evaluation processes for its state alliances. In turn, each PBN partner is committed to the program goals and components consistent with Pushback Network principles, models and goals.[6]

External links

References

  1. ↑ SCOPE website: History
  2. ↑ SCOPE website: Mission
  3. ↑ GLORIA WALTON ON MARCH 19, 2014, An Experiment 20 Years in the Making
  4. ↑ GLORIA WALTON ON MARCH 19, 2014, An Experiment 20 Years in the Making
  5. ↑ California Alliance website: About Us
  6. ↑ PBN website: Work
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