CNPI at the U.S. Social Forum in Atlanta

Several CNPI reporters headed south to attend and report on the first ever United States Social Forum in Atlanta, Georgia. In all, seven CNPI reporters attended the forum where their stories were featured on English, Spanish and French radio broadcasts. Our members also attended many of the workshops intended to build solidarity among grassroots movement and they trained other activists new to media how to make their own radio stories. From Teresa Gonzalez's ground breaking interview with a Peruvian guest-worker in New Orleans to Christine Lewis's heartfelt conversations with domestic workers from around the country, CNPI reporters covered the conference the only way it should be-from the ground up. Please, enjoy some of our highlights by clicking on the stories below.

USSF Kicks Off

The US Social Forum had over 10,000 activists from all types of struggles gathering for a common cause of social justice. CNPI's James Williams, with the Street Vendor Project, kicks off our coverage with the Forum's opening march where he caught up with several of the marchers.

Farmworkers Show Strength

Two of the major themes at the Forum was labor rights and immigration. CNPI's Teresa Gonzalez caught up with Lucas Benitez, an organizer with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, which is launching a new campaign for farmworker rights against Burger King.

New National Alliance of Domestic Workers

There was some major news concerning domestic workers at the Social Forum. Domestic workers are mostly immigrant women of color and what many may not know is that domestic workers are written out of many labor laws. One woman, Ai-jen Poo with Domestic Workers United in New York City, is trying to change that. She made this announcement in front of a packed crowdon Saturday night.

Why Atlanta?

Why have the USSF in Atlanta? CNPI's James Williams speaks with one of the main organizers of the forum Alice Lovelace to find out.

Guest Workers in NOLA

While the country debates the logic of a guest-worker program, many don't realize that such a program already exists: it's the H2B VISA program. The program has brought hundreds of people from Latin America to rebuild New Orleans. Many of these workers arrive with great expectations. But soon they see they're left with little worker rights and often times return home more indept than before. CNPI's Teresa Gonzalez speaks with one such worker, Daniel Castellanos Coordinator of Trajabadores Huespedes Por La Dignidad.

Homelessness in Atlanta

At the USSF conference there are informational tables staffed by people talking about an end to war, an end to racism, an end to hunger, an end to homelessness and poverty. But just stroll outside the conference and you are suddenly confronted with the reality that poverty and homelessness is all around us here in Atlanta, Georgia. This afternoon homeless and worker activists gathered down town to demand fair wages for many of the city's construction workers who are living either in the streets or the city's dilapidated shelter system. James Williams was there and he brings us this report.

Domestic Workers Coast to Coast

CNPI's Christine Lewis, Domestic Workers United, speaks with Guillermina Castellano, with the San Francisco Day Laborers Program, about domestic work from California to New York.

Abdulai Bah on French Radio

CNPI's Abdulai Bah, of Nah We Yone, speaks about CNPI on the French language community radio network AMARC.