The Path Ahead:
Follow-up to the Leadership Council Meeting
The ACTS Leadership Council Meeting is a place for social justice activists from all over Syracuse to convene. As the policy-making body of ACTS, the Leadership Council also makes important decisions for the future of ACTS. On Tuesday, March 21st at 7:00 p.m. we gathered at the University United Methodists Church and reaffirmed our commitment to various projects and new directions for ACTS. We confirmed a new “Voter Engagement” campaign for this year, as well as the promise to help organize public candidate forums for the upcoming elections. The conference room at the Church was packed with people from the ACTS Membership Community and beyond. Vito Sciscioli, a longtime Syracuse civic leader, made
an important statement on the Consensus Commission issue and urged us to make it a priority. Four mayoral candidates from both sides of the aisle also attended, and witnessed the ACTS Community come together.
Together we discussed the ACTS Youth Council, the 2017 Spring Banquet, our Communication and ACTS Community Building Strategy, the Consensus Commission and city-county consolidation, future plans for the new “Voter Engagement” campaign and public candidate forums for elections, ways to re-think our social justice work, and plans to train future social justice leaders. Finally we honed our efforts toward issues of race, power, and poverty through our Task Forces. Read below for a summary of the materials presented at the Leadership Council meeting.
Meeting Summary Items:
To view the ACTS Calendar for April 2017 and beyond,
To sign up for the ACTS Weekly Newsletter, "Beloved Syracuse Beacon,"
The ACTS Youth Council expressed their need for new members at the Leadership Council Meeting. For more information and to access the application
The ACTS 2017 Spring Banquet is coming up soon, on Tuesday, April 25th, at the Drumlins Country Club. The ACTS Leadership Council would like to remind all members of the importance of this wonderful event. To purchase banquet tickets for yourself or your organization,
Several upcoming events for the various ACTS Task Forces were promoted at the Leadership Council Meeting. Two of which are covered in the March, 27th, 2017 issue of the ACTS Newsletter. In addition, two interesting Membership Organization events were brough to our attention. The following issue, on April 3rd, 2017, will feature more exciting efforts from the ACTS Task Forces.
To learn more about the two upcoming events covered in this issue, as well as two Membership Organization events, click the corresponding buttons below.
Vito Sciscioli delivered a compelling speech detailing the Consensus Commission Report. In short, he stressed the importance of ACTS prioritizing this issue as it unfolds. To view the ACTS statement on the Consensus Commission from April 29th, 2016, which reflects our current stance until further statements our made,
New Allies:
The Leadership Council expressed a strong sentiment of cooperation with others in our community who share our vision of a compassionate Syracuse. Although we plan to foster partnerships with many organizations, two rose to prominence during our discussion last Tuesday. CNY Solidarity and the HOPE Anti-Poverty Initiative were recognized for their invaluable work in particular. Together, we could transform our community. We strive to forge alliances with these two organizations and others dedicated to social justice in the near future.
Looking Ahead:
We’d like to thank all those who showed up on Tuesday, March 21st, including Mayoral candidates Andrew Maxwell, Joe Nicoletti, Juanita Perez Williams, and Laura Levine (Ben Walsh attended an ACTS meeting in January). Although the next ACTS Leadership Council Meeting is not until May 18th, there are many opportunities to help forward the mission of ACTS.
The world of social justice advocacy is a vast ocean of challenges. The dialogue and planning at the Leadership Council Meeting on Tuesday, March 21st, acted as our compass. The meeting pointed us toward the fundamental mission of ACTS: to empower our community on the values of human worth, dignity, and justice. As we move ahead past our Leadership Council Meeting, it is important to remember what is on the horizon. Together, we will dismantle structural racism and poverty and establish a “Beloved Community.”
Let's Transform Syracuse Together!
