Josh Lerner

Josh Lerner is Director of The Participatory Budgeting Project, an organization that works with elected officials, public agencies, and community groups to open up public budgets to public participation. He completed his PhD in Politics at The New School for Social Research and a Masters in Planning at the University of Toronto, and he has taught at Fordham University and The New School. He has published in venues such as “The Christian Science Monitor”, “The National Civic Review”, “YES!” Magazine, “The Good Society”, “Shelterforce”, and the “Journal of Public Budgeting, Accounting and Financial Management”.

Justin Levitt

Justin Levitt is counsel at the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law, focusing on redistricting, election administration, and other voting rights concerns. Mr. Levitt is the author or co-author of articles in both law reviews and peer-reviewed publications, and has also written many shorter commentaries for a more public audience. His Brennan Center monographs, including A Citizen’s Guide to Redistricting (2008), The Truth About Voter Fraud (2007), and Making the List (2006), have been cited extensively in the courts and in the media. He worked with CUP to produce the MPP Know Your Lines.

The Longshore Worker’s Coalition

The Longshore Worker’s Coalition (LWC) is a movement of ILA members and retirees organizing to build a stronger and more democratic longshore union. They have ports up and down the East and Gulf Coasts. They were partners with CUP on The Cargo Chain MPP.

Brendan McBride

As a researcher in Brazil, El Salvador, and Mexico, Brendan began to understand the powerful role immigrant remittances play in improving economic opportunities and standards of living in immigrants’ hometowns. Back in his native New Jersey, Brendan coordinated an outreach team that connected migrant farmworkers to medical services, an experience that that got him thinking about the transformational power of well-targeted information. Brendan has also worked in affordable housing development for over ten years, mostly in cities in the US. In 2010, he founded Remás, a nonprofit organization motivated by the belief that people everywhere, no matter who they are or where they come from, should have access to information that improves their financial options in life. He has written about microfinance, housing, and immigration issues for United Nations Habitat, Habitat for Humanity and as a Fellow at Kiva. Brendan earned a B.A. in Anthropology from Amherst College and a M.Sc. in Urban Development and Management from Erasmus University in the Netherlands. He enjoys cooking, biking, and embarrassing himself in foreign languages. 

New Economy Project

New Economy Project (NEP) is a resource and advocacy center for community groups in New York City. Its mission is to promote community economic justice and to eliminate discriminatory economic practices that harm communities and perpetuate inequality and poverty. NEP employs multiple strategies – including community outreach and education, advocacy, coalition organizing, policy research and analysis, media outreach, technical support for community groups, and direct legal services – to expand access to fair and affordable credit and financial services needed to develop and sustain healthy and safe communities. NEP will be worked with CUP on the Change It Up! MPP.

New Immigrant Community Empowerment

New Immigrant Community Empowerment (NICE) is a community-based, non-profit organization that works to ensure that new immigrants can build social, political and economic power in their communities and beyond. Over the years, NICE has built community power to effect change for our base, made up primarily of day laborers in the construction industry and domestic workers. We have markedly increased the visibility of the issues facing our base, including wage theft, and have taken the lead and/or joined forces in key campaigns for immigrant workers’ rights, for the rights of immigrant consumers, and for just and humane immigration reform. NICE worked with CUP on ¡No me han pagado!, a guide for day laborers about how to prevent wage theft.

New York Foundation

is a steadfast supporter of community organizing and advocacy. Their grants support community-initiated solutions to solve local problems, constituents mobilizing for adequate and equitable resources, and groups organizing a collective voice among those whose voices have not been heard.

The New York Immigration Coalition

• The New York Immigrant Coalition (NYIC) aims to achieve a fairer and more just society that values the contributions of immigrants and extends opportunity to all. NYIC is made up of more than 150 member organizations serving New York’s low-income immigrant communities. Their work includes advancing more equitable policies, building immigrants’ political power, empowering immigrants through community education, and providing training and technical assistance to other community groups and advocates.

New York Lawyers For Public Interest

New York Lawyers For Public Interest (NYLPI) pursues equality and justice for all New Yorkers. In our vibrant and diverse New York, millions confront bias and barriers based on race, poverty, disability, and immigration status. NYLPI works activate the power of these communities as they lead the fight to make equal justice a reality. CUP teamed up with New York Lawyers for Public Interest (NYLPI) to create Sign Up!, a pocket-size foldout. The colorful guide helps Deaf New Yorkers let others know that they are Deaf and what their communication rights are. The guide contrasts illegal and appropriate practices used by service providers when providing an interpreter and what to do in case of discrimination. Using simple illustrations and high contrast colors, the guide is accessible to Deaf individuals with low vision. https://nylpi.org/

Newtown Creek Alliance

is a community-based organization dedicated to restoring, revealing and revitalizing Newtown Creek. The Newtown Creek Alliance represents the interests of community residents and local businesses who are dedicated to restoring community health, water quality, habitat, access, and vibrant water-dependent commerce along Newtown Creek.

The Participatory Budgeting Project

The Participatory Budgeting Project (PBP) is a non-profit organization that helps communities decide how to spend public money. PBP’s mission is to empower community members to make informed, democratic, and fair decisions about public spending and revenue. PBP works with governments and organizations to develop participatory budgeting processes, in which local people directly decide how to spend part of a public budget. CUP has worked with PBP since 2011 to develop maps, outreach materials, and ballots for Participatory Budgeting in New York City.

Partnerships for Parks

is a joint program of NYC Parks and the City Parks Foundation that helps New Yorkers work together to make neighborhood parks thrive.

Dave Powell

Dave Powell has worked as a tenant organizer and tenant advocate for the Metropolitan Council on Housing, The Fifth Avenue Committee, and Tenants & Neighbors. He is currently working on a documentary film, “It Took 50 Years: Frances Goldin and the Struggle for Cooper Square”. In 2001, CUP interviewed Dave for the “Building Codes” exhibit at the Storefront for Art in Architecture. While at the Fifth Avenue Committee, Dave collaborated with CUP on workshops about housing and land use.  These workshops utilized the first proto-type of CUP’s Affordable Housing Toolkit.

Prisoner Reentry Institute

Prisoner Reentry Institute (PRI) works on a range of issues, including reentry from jail, entrepreneurialism and reentry, employing formerly incarcerated people, and siting residential facilities in the community. PRI creates access to higher education and pathways to satisfying careers. PRI advocates for the right to housing, employment, healthcare, and other human rights too often denied people with criminal convictions. CUP collaborated with the Prisoner Reentry Institute to create Is College For Me?, a foldout poster that breaks down the process of enrolling in college for incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals. https://justiceandopportunity.org/

Pro Bono Net

Founded in 1998, Pro Bono Net works with a broad network of access to justice partners to close the “justice gap,” which leaves millions of low income and vulnerable people cut off from vital legal assistance and their ability to exercise their legal rights. Through innovative technology solutions and expertise in building and mobilizing justice networks in New York City and nationally, Pro Bono Net transforms the way legal help reaches the underprivileged. Our comprehensive programs enable legal advocates to make a stronger impact, increase volunteer participation, and empower the public with resources and self-advocacy tools to address legal issues.