Volunteer and Community Service
Detroit Newspaper Strike
As an employee at the Detroit Newspaper Agency, I was an active member of the Communications Workers of America. During the ensuing labor dispute I assisted in publishing the Detroit Sunday Journal. My strike duties included distributing products at the food bank to support the families, assisted staff members at the United Way to aid workers managing financial hardships. I was assigned to the speakers bureau, traveling around the country presenting the position of the newspaper unions. While working with the bureau we raised approximately $30,000 selling a poster, I created, titled ‘Standing Strong in Detroit’. See the 'Standing Strong in Detroit' poster.
Democratic Party
- Assisted in phone banking for the 2008 Obama campaign.
- Worked on the successful 2008 Democratic State Representative Vicki Barnett campaign.
- Helped on two successful campaigns to help Democrat Aldo Vagnozzi get elected as a Michigan State Representative.
- Worked with Marietta Robinson, in her bid for a position on the State of Michigan Supreme Court.
Environmental
With my neighbors I helped create a grass roots environmental campaign to stop the building of a medical waste incinerator near the schools in Highland Park, MI. With the help of community members, local church leaders and the NAACP the proposed project was defeated within one year
.
Humanitarian and Educational
- After solicited and obtaining donations for teaching materials and text books for the Three Hills Primary School in Ocho Rios, Jamaica. I oversaw their distribution. Visist photo essay.
- Growing from that experience I helped to create and currently assistance in the maintenance of the IssaTrustFoundation web site.
The Foundation provides a system of health promotion
and education for the people of Jamaica.
- As classroom assistant I participated in the reading program with Head Start in Highland Park, Michigan.