Hundreds of members and
supporters gathered at the Venus de Milo Restaurant in Swansea on June 19,
2015 for the Coalition
for Social Justice's (CSJ) Twentieth Anniversary Banquet and Awards
Ceremony. The event was emceed by Carl Nilsson, Coordinator of Rise
Up Massachusetts, and highlighted Keynote Speaker Ellen Bravo who
directs the Family
Values @ Work Consortium, a network of coalitions in twenty-one states
working for policies such as paid sick days and family and medical leave
insurance. The Ceremony included awards and recognitions of dozens of
volunteers who have worked on this and other issues over the past year.
Led by Executive Director Deborah Fastino and organizers including
Marlene Pollock and Dan Gilbarg, the Coalition for Social Justice is
dedicated to building grassroots movement for progressive social change,
rooted in low-income communities and communities of color that have been
excluded from the economic benefits of the current system. Its agenda
includes funding essential community services through progressive taxes,
workers' rights, housing, health care, education, welfare, criminal
justice reform, immigrant rights and environmental justice. Click
here for a two--minute 
video of the session opening. Click
here for photos of a 2008 dinner with Barney Frank. Click
here for a Herald News article about CSJ and the minimum wage
fight. For more information, contact
CSJ at 508-678-5497. |
|
(Top row) As
people sign-in for the event, CSJ Clerk Deborah
Roher joins Sarah Weed of Warren in celebrating the passage of the
minimum wage and earned sick time legislation before joining Valerie
Bassett, Executive Director at The
Women's Fund of Southeastern Massachusetts, for dinner. (Row two)
CSJ Organizer Dan Gilbarg listens as Rise
Up Massachusetts Coordinator Carl Nilsson opens the meeting after
CSJ Executive Director Deb Fastino and Organizer Marlene Pollock pose
for a photo. (Row three, right) Brian Pastori, top row, second from
left, of the New Bedford Community
Economic Development Center is one of dozens who received
recognition awards. (Bottom row) Massachusetts Water Program Coordinator
for Clean Water Action Becky Smith applauds as U.S.
Congressman Bill Keating reads a Congressional amendment about CSJ
to Deb Fastino and State
Representative Antonio Cabral and his daughter listens State
Senator Marc Pacheco speaks. |
