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CWC
Accomplishments and Events
In addition to
the physical damage wrought by Hurricane Katrina, the storm also
threatened the social fabric of our community by displacing
residents and introducing financial hardship, stress, and
challenges to mental and physical health. While community
members struggled with these challenges, important decisions
were being made about the future of our city that would have
long lasting effects. Coastal Women for Change was formed
immediately after the hurricane to address these two challenges
and ensure that our community, which has a history of being
marginalized and underserved by city and state government, had
their immediate needs met and was able to participate fully in
the planning and decision making processes. Three years after
the storm, many residents are still living in FEMA trailers and
trying to put their lives back together. Important decisions
about the future of the Gulf Coast are being made every day, and
CWC works to ensure community participation in decision making
processes and to build back our community stronger than it was
before Katrina. The three tracts along which we work toward
that goal include: community development and advocacy,
leadership development, and capacity building.
Community
Development and Advocacy
Many mistook
the Gulf Coast for a “blank slate” after Katrina. Of course,
nothing could have been further from the truth. The Coast was
home to thousands of people whose families had lived in the area
for hundreds of years. It was where we could walk down the
street and see our friends and relatives. It was where we went
to church and where our children went to school. It was our
community and our history. While people were wrong about that,
they were right that the storm provided an opportunity for
building back our community even better than before. Within
days after the storm, however, it became apparent that there
were a number of different visions for the future of our
community. Some of which did not include us in it, and others
that did not take into consideration our concerns, needs, and
ideas. Because so many of us were busy providing the basics for
our families – food, shelter, and clothing – we had little time
to attend meetings or planning charrettes. Realizing this, CWC
worked to ease the burden of recovery for members of our
community to ensure that they had the time, energy and ability
to participate in these important decision making processes.
But we have also pushed hard to ensure our community members
participate, and when they do, that their voice is heard.
Toward that end, we have arranged a number of meetings with
local, state, and federal officials, attended countless meetings
to represent the needs, ideas, and goals of our community, and
importantly, developed programs that we think will ease the
burden of recovery and address the mental and physical health of
our community members. Our goal is to build a health community
which includes healthy bodies, healthy minds, and a healthy
engagement in the public sphere.
2005 and 2006
Ø
February 20, 2005; March 2, 2006; April 4, 2006 –
Meeting held at the Richmond Funeral Home with Mayor Barbour and
other local officials to discuss city plans
o
CWC further partnered with NAVASA and MIRA to get
local residents on the Reviving the Renaissance sub-committees
o
5 women from CWC served on the education steering
committee
Ø
March 2006 – 1,000 petition signatures for CDGB
money were hand delivered to Leland Speed, friend of Governor
Haley Barbour, at Mayor Brent Favre’s office during the Charter
on the Main St. Project in the down town area
Ø
May 8, 2006 – CWC childcare surveys designed and
door-to-door canvassing began
o
500 surveys completed for analysis by May 30th
o
Data was used to measure the community need for
childcare so that CWC could begin seeking a solution
o
Later in 2006, a childcare program launched
whereby women in the community get licensed through CWC to
become caregivers and low income families get subsidized
childcare expenses
Ø
June and July, 2006 – CWC attended the Mississippi
Housing and Community Development conference in Jackson, MS
Ø
August 29, 2006 – CWC marched at Katrina
Anniversary regarding Casinos vs. People, protesting unmet needs
and forgotten communities
o
Partnered with AMOS, MIRA, Visions, EBCRRC, Turkey
Creek, NAVASA, Boat People SOS, Low Income Housing Coalition, 21st
Century, Oxfam
o
15 CWC members marched
Ø
November 4, 2006 – Co-sponsored a political forum
and NAACP Radio-a-thon
Ø
November 7, 2006 – Financial literacy training
2007
Ø
March 2007 – Elderly preparedness project
o
Prepared packages with necessary items and
information for elderly residents to prepare for the upcoming
hurricane season
o
65 residents were provided packages
Ø
March 3, 2007 – International Women’s Day in John
Henry Beck Park
o
Lunch provided, activities for youth, and gifts
for all women in attendance
Ø
July 2007 – Homeowner mini-grants provided
o
Given to 32 families in the amount of $500
o
Used for home improvement materials to complete
home repairs
Ø
July 10, 2007 – Attended school board meeting at
the Biloxi Alternative School
o
Regarding the fate of Nichols Elementary and
disparate hiring practices of African American faculty and
staff.
Ø
August 21, 2007 – Attended march in Jackson, MS
sponsored by AMOS Network.
o
Purpose: to inform Governor and staff the need
for housing on the coast
o
Sister Monica Benjamin featured in Ebony magazine
due to coverage of the march
Ø
September 10, 2007 – Sponsored presentation by
Nurse Kathy Scott regarding HPV shoot
Ø
September 21, 2007 – Attended debate at Saenger
Theatre between Governor Haley Barbour and John Eaves
Ø
October 23, 2007 – Attended Housing Summit in
Biloxi, MS sponsored by Back Bay Mission
2008
Ø
February 2008
– Presented and facilitated Domestic Violence presentation
o
Speakers
included CWC members Professor Mary Capps and Mary Burkhart
o
Local
coverage by television station WLOX
Ø
March 2008 – Attended hearing in Jackson, MS
o
Local folks in attendance to give testimonies in
response to the continuation of lack of houses and jobs in the
community
Ø
March 2008 – Senior appreciation dinner for local
residents
Ø
June 2008 – Participated in American Heart walk
Ø
July 2008 – Prepared letter to Congressman Taylor
o
Letter regarded concern over 85 million supplies
locked away in a warehouse in Pearl, MS
o
People on the coast still in need, why are these
supplies locked away?
Ø
October 2008 – Active members of East Biloxi
neighborhood block captains program
Ø
November 2008 – Voter registration drive and free
transportation to polls on election day
Ø
December 6, 2008 – Participated in charity sale
o
Proceeds went to Children’s Hospital in Mobile, AL
o
Co-sponsored by Children of Domestic Violence and
The Children Home -Gulfport, MS
2009
Ø
January 2009 – Attended and participated in
Housing Summit with other MS supporters
o
Gave testimony for Housing Trust Fund
Ø
March 2009 – Attended Hunger Banquet at University
of Maryland
o
Viewed standard operating procedures for climate
change event
o
Sponsored by Oxfam America
Ø
March 2009 – Delivered presentation on Climate
Change at University of Loyola in Evanston, IL
o
Visit website at
www.oxfamamerica.org for more information
Ø
April 2009 - 2nd Annual Health
Fair
o
Partner with Asian Americans for Change
o
25 vendors have currently signed up to participate
Ø
April 4, 2009 – Youth project: Excursion to Congo
Square New Orleans, LA
Ø
May 2009 – Participated in panel discussions
o
Town hall meeting to discuss the eviction rate
across the 3 states: AL, LA, MS
o
Sponsored by the United Nations in New Orleans, LA
Ø
May 2009 – Attended training with CWC youth
o
Moving Forward organization facilitated by Mr.
Trap Bonner
o
Audio/video training
o
More training classes to be offered
Ø
- Voter campaign for local elections
o
Partner with Hope Coordination Center and local
NAACP
Ø
– 20th Annual Umjoa Village
Celebration of the American Child
o
For more information contact The Umoja Committee
at 504-483-8044
Leadership
Development
For too long,
other people have made decisions about what will happen in our
community. The storm laid bare many of the problems that we
face, and inspired our members to band together to ensure that
our voices were heard, our concerns addressed, and our ideas
implemented. While making noise comes naturally to some of us,
we need to ensure that others gain experience and confidence
participating in community development and advocating for their
community. Toward that end, or organization creates as many
opportunities as possible for our staff and our members to meet
other grassroots activists and leaders, and to empower
themselves to participate meaningfully in political decision
making processes.
2006
Ø
March 25, 2006 - Attended NAACP and MS Foundation
Women of Color Leadership luncheon in Jackson, MS
Ø
March 27, 2006 – Hosted community presentation and
film given by Gus Newport
o
Mr. Newport is a community activist and
organizer. He is also the first African American mayor.
Ø
June and July 2006 – Attended the MS Housing and
Community Development conference in Jackson, MS
Ø
November 17-18, 2006 – Attended Women’s Mental
Health retreat in Fairhope, AL
o
Purpose-mental release for women in the community
and people working with CWC to get down time and rejuvenate (25
people attended)
o
1st day – introductions and 16 block
quilt project representing events before and after Hurricane
Katrina. (the quilt is hanging in the NAACP office and is the
pictorial rendering of the women’s vision of wholeness)
o
2nd day – each person given $100 for
themselves to spend on spa treatment and
pampering. (those unable to attend were given money for spa
treatments in MS)
2007
Ø
May 14 –24, 2007 – Action Aid U.S. Delegation to
India
o
Share experiences, compare and contrast Hurricane
Katrina and the tsunami
o
Sharon Hanshaw was one of eight participants and
only one of two Mississippi residents on the trip
o
Other participants: Professor Bill Quigley(LA-Loyola
Law School), Nathan Schroeder(LA), Melody (LA), Angie (LA),
Saket(India, works with immigrants in LA), Gerald Taylor(MS –
AMOS Network)
Ø
June 26 –31, 2007 – US Social Forum
o
CWC joined the Freedom Caravan and hosted a
childcare press release in John Henry Beck park the day the
caravan came to Biloxi
§
Provided lunch for all the caravan riders
§
Sharon Hanshaw presented on behalf of CWC and MS
residents at the forum in Atlanta
§
Over 5,000 were in attendance and Sharon received
a standing ovation
§
Sharon’s testimony was also provided to the
Women’s Court
Ø
July 8 –13, 2007 – NAACP convention in Detroit, MI
o
7 delegates including CWC Executive Director,
Sharon Hanshaw, attended conference “Bury the N Word”
o
Supported to local MS NAACP President, James
Crowell
Ø
July 13 –14, 2007 – Undoing racism workshop hosted
by CWC
o
Presented by Dr. Kimberly Richards and Pastor
Tyrone Edwards of the People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond
Ø
August 27-31, 2007 – Indian Delegation Tour, New
Orleans and MS gulf coast
o
Exchange program
o
CWC sponsored the delegation upon their arrival to
Biloxi, MS
Ø
September 26, 2007 – Attended Apalache law school
to speak to students in Grundy, VA, regarding Hurricanes Katrina
and Rita recovery on the gulf coast
2008
Ø
January 2008 – Visited the Bay Area Women in
Alabama, sponsored by Regional Leadership Network
Ø
March 2008 – Chosen to be part of panel with New
Voices Scholarship
o
Organization that supports grass roots by paying
100% first year and 75% next year
2009
Ø
February 2009 – Panelist for Shift 2009
o
Sisters on the Planet Initiative
o
Sponsored by Energy Action Coalition
Ø
– Attended a Human Rights meeting on our film screening project
organized by Step’s Coalition
Ø
September – December 2009 – Making presentations
in D.C., Missouri, North Carolina, and Kansas City
Capacity
Building
While many of
our members were active in the community before the storm, the
challenges wrought by Katrina as well as the opportunities it
presented, dramatically intensified the pace of community
advocacy work. On the opportunity side, a host of national and
international funding agencies reached out to CWC out of a
desire to support our work. In order to work successfully with
these organizations, our young organization and its staff – each
of whom were community members before the storm – earnestly
pursued every opportunity to build the capacity of our
organization to work effectively and efficiently toward our
mission. While our organization was born out of the immediate
needs that Katrina posed, the recovery process has shown what a
clear need our community has for a strong nonprofit sector that
can continue to work toward the involvement and enfranchisement
of our community members. Toward that end, we continue to
pursue organizational capacity building opportunities to ensure
that our truly grassroots organization can continue to work
within our community, to ensure that it builds back better than
ever, and remains resilient in the face of future adversity. To
meet this goal, our staff and our members have attended a number
of seminars, training sessions, and networking events to ensure
that our community can continue to be represented and served by
a strong, vibrant, and truly grassroots nonprofit.
2006
Ø
March 25, 2006 - Attended NAACP and MS Foundation
Women of Color leadership luncheon, Jackson, MS
Ø
August 6 – 10, 2006 – Media training for CWC
sponsored by MS Foundation
o
Facilitated by Radio Production Curriculum
o
CWC interviewing community for their experiences
after and during Hurricane Katrina
Ø
August 29 - 30, 2006 - 2 members attended Housing
and Urban Development grant writing workshop
Ø
September 8 - 10, 2006 – Attended organizational
training form Southern Echo
2007
Ø
August 24, 2007 – Attended funder’s meeting for
grass root organizations facilitated by Delta State (Professor
John Green and Alkie Edwards)
Ø
October 11, 2007 – Attended meeting with Mid South
organization regarding programs available on the gulf coast for
CWC members
Ø
November 16, 2007 – First installment of CWC’s
3-year strategic plan presented at GCCC in Gulfport, MS
o
Facilitated by Alex Mercedes
2008
Ø
January 2008 – Established a CWC strategic
planning committee
Ø
June 2008 – Attended workshop on leadership,
affordable housing, and predatory lending practices
o
Sponsored by Neighborhood Works
Ø
Received scholarship for 3 CWC members to attend
Hylander Research Center’s 1 ½ year long training program
2009
Ø
January 2009 – Sponsored a human rights workshop
o
Facilitated by Monique Harden of the U.S. Human
Rights Network
Ø
January 2009 – Created advisory committee for 21st
Century Foundation 2-day workshop in New York
Ø
January 2009 – Attended meeting with the EPA to
discuss how we can strategically work together for a sustainable
community initiative
Ø
February 2009 – Participated in 2 day work shop
and Turkey Creek Land Trust tour
o
Areas of training: wetlands and creating
sustainable communities
o
Workshop sponsored by ISC
o
Held at Good Deeds Community Center – Gulfport, MS
Ø
March 2009 – Attended training in Washington D.C.
on lobby visits
o
Areas of training: mitigation on climate change
and funding climate change through legislation |
