News

National Action Network Highlights 2011

• NAN leads a mass march for Jobs in Washington, DC along with partners in labor, education, civil rights, and clergy from across the country.  Thousands attended the march as a rallying cry for jobs and justice (October 2011)
• NAN leads a 25-city rally for Jobs and Justice in key cities including Ohio, Wisconsin, New York, Detroit, Houston and more (December 9, 2011)
• NAN leads national effort for Immigration reform and leads a march to the capitol of Arizona against the Immigration Bill that would allow authorities to stop and question people that they suspect may be illegal immigrants
• NAN launches a nationwide Labor tour with leading labor organizations including AFSCME (American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees) to defeat the proposed bill SB5 (Senate Bill 5) that was an assault on workers rights. Rev. Sharpton has said that NAN and activists cannot allow the state of Ohio or any other state to rob people of their given human and civil rights, and that’s the right to collective bargaining to protect workers. The legislation would have hurt teachers, students and communities in the state.  (March 2011)
• NAN leads anti-violence campaigns across the country and works on a local and national level to bring attention to the crisis of gun violence. NAN worked with the police on a local level to initiate gun buy back programs and on a national level to urge the federal government to shed light upon the crisis.
• National Action Network along with the NAACP and the National Urban League announce an agreement with Comcast and NBC Universal (Memorandum of Understanding – MOU) to expand current diversity initiatives intended to increase diversity in a wide range of areas including programming and employment. This Agreement is the largest Agreement with civil rights groups in history and commitments were made with at least eight new independently owned and operated networks where minorities have substantial participation either through ownership or operational control will be launched. According to Rev. Sharpton:”This historic agreement is a template for how major corporations should commit to concrete ways they will make equity and fairness part of their business plan. This agreement supports workers, businesses, artists, and charities in our community. It is a major step toward changing the corporate culture in how it relates to our community and will help define 2^1st century Civil Rights,” stated National Action Network President Rev. Al Sharpton. (January 2011)
• President Barack Obama delivers a keynote address at National Action Network’s 20^th anniversary national convention and applauds NAN’s activism by saying: “National Action Network is not the National “Satisfaction” Network; it’s the National “Action” Network.” (April 2011)
• Multiple  Cabinet members and Senior Aides from the United States Administration speak at NAN’s 20^th Anniversary National Convention including Arne Duncan, U.S. Education Secretary, Hilda L. Solis, United States Secretary of Labor, Attorney General Eric H. Holder, Jr., Shaun Donovan, Secretary of Housing & Urban Development, Lisa P. Jackson, Environmental Protection Agency,  Kathleen Sebelius, US Secretary of Health and Human Services, Valerie Jarrett, Senior Advisor to President Barack Obama & Assistant to the President for Intergovernmental Affairs and Public Engagement, and David Axelrod, former Senior White House Advisor to President Obama (April 2011)
• The National Action Network Board approves funds as requested by NAN’s General Counsel to resolve tax liens and outstanding tax issues (April 2011)
• NAN announces a capital drive to build a permanent House of Justice headquarters and activism library and resource center in Harlem, New York. The goal is to build a structure that will house a public auditorium for rallies, and to build archives to have as an open library of activism featuring material from the Abolitionist Age to the “No Justice No Peace” movement of the 21^st Century. It will also be a resource center to train activists on how to organize in urban and suburban communities in an array of challenges in the 21^st century including areas of social justice, education equality, immigration, and women’s, gay and lesbian rights. (April 2011)
• National Action Network (NAN) hosts the 2^nd annual Triumph Awards on October 19^th, 2011 at Jazz at Lincoln Center and the star-studded event was highlighted by Tyler Perry writing a personal check for $200,000 and funds and pledges raised over a million dollars for NAN. Mr. Perry received the Chairman’s Award for Historic and Transformative Service. Other highlights included an awards presentation to Chris Rock who received the President’s Award for Service and Humanitarian efforts for the work that he and his wife Malaak have done in the community, the 2^nd annual event that celebrates individuals that have used their art and creativity to make a positive impact on humanity. (October 2011)
• NAN  opens a Washington, DC Bureau to monitor and work on social policy issues that involve the Congress and White House (May 2011)
• Rev. Al Sharpton becomes an official MSNBC anchor and the only African-American in prime time to host a news television show called PoliticsNation (September 2011). Rev. Sharpton’s radio show “Keepin it Real” allows him to talk to over 30 cities daily
• Results from the Sean Bell departmental hearing are released and the cop who touched off the 50-bullet shooting rampage that resulted in Sean Bell’s death in 2006 was found to have violated NYPD rules after panicking and blowing his cover, authorities said. NAN has been active with this case since Sean Bell was shot and killed by Police the day he was supposed to get married in 2006 (December 2011)
• Reverend Al Sharpton, and the National Action Network’s Board of Directors appealed to NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo to sign the historic five-borough taxi legislation and a day after the appeal was made, Governor Cuomo signed the bill.  It brought justice and fairness for 40,000 livery drivers in New York who can finally be earn a living without hiding in the shadows. (December 2011)