ACORN - Keeping us Accountable for Positive Change

Early beginnings: ACORN was founded in 1970 by a small group of welfare mothers in Little Rock, Arkansas. From the beginning, the organization aimed to unite Blacks and Whites by collaborating on issues of common concern. In doing so, it pioneered multiracial and multi-issue organizing.

The mission: Since 1970 ACORN has mobilized toward victories on a wide number of issues, both large and small, of concern to their members. Issues such as acquiring better housing options for first time homebuyers and tenants, improving wages for low-income workers, securing greater community investments from banks and governments, and improving the public school system.

Who they are today: Today, ACORN is the nation's largest community organization of low and moderate-income families, with over 175,000 member families organized into 850 neighborhood chapters in 80 cities across the country. Financially and actively supported by an involved membership, together they have achieved great wins by managing to build empowered community organizations that work together through direct action, negotiation, legislation, and voter participation.

Their legacy of achievements: The list of achievements made by this organization is extensive. From breaking down barriers to voter registration and registering a significant number of new voters, to upgrading school safety and school facilities in numerous cities, to expanding child immunization and healthcare, to improving neighborhood safety, to ensuring fair housing for all - the members of this organization have proven to be powerful agents of change.

Increasing awareness - breaking patterns of discrimination in housing: ACORN recently published a report detailing evidence of racism in the Long Island Real Estate market (Long Island is the 3rd most segregated suburb in the United States). They found that people of color were prevented from moving into White neighborhoods via a number of strategies employed by real estate professionals.

For example, ACORN members made over 160 visits to real estate agents and discovered that Whites were told that there were apartments available 93% of the time, while Blacks and Latinos were told of availability only 53% of the time.

In addition, almost a third of Latino and Black testers were referred to a less affluent, area, while only 2% of White testers were referred to a different area.

Third, in regards to matters of courtesy, Whites reported far superior treatment than Black testers who returned to ACORN offices emotionally distraught by the treatment they received - many reporting blatantly racist or discriminatory behavior.

A recent win: eliminating bias in neighborhood access to recreational facilities: Newsday writer Martin Evans reports that after having received complaints regarding discriminatory treatment at a neighborhood recreational facility, ACORN appealed to the Attorney General and conducted its own investigation. White volunteers received no challenge by park authorities, while Black volunteers were consistently turned away.

As a result of ACORN's intervention, authorities have agreed to adopt a uniform system for entry and to provide anti-discrimination training for employees.

Moving into the future: After 34 years of success, and many wins under their belt, ACORN is nowhere near complacent.

Their new vision for the future? To build strategic partnerships with grassroots organizations in other countries, particularly those from which our immigrant communities have come. And true to form, ACORN is moving forward quickly and already making it happen. ACORN now holds offices in Peru, the Dominican Republic, and Canada.