The Metro Alliance

Together, working for a Better Community

The Metro Alliance, Communities Organized for Public Service (C.O.P.S.), and the Industrial Areas Foundation (IAF): "Power, Action & Justice"

The Metro Alliance and Communities Organized for Public Service (C.O.P.S.) are a coalition of congregations, schools, and unions coming together so that we can effectively act on behalf of families. C.O.P.S. and the Metro Alliance work within each of these institutions to identify a diverse, broad-based leadership that can connect to each other in new ways in order to act effectively on behalf of children, families, and neighborhoods. By learning to work together for the public good, C.O.P.S. and Metro Alliance leaders are able to work with the business community and elected officials to make San Antonio a better place for families.

As important as the issues that C.O.P.S. and Metro Alliance address are, the relationships that leaders develop and foster within their institutions and among leaders from the racially, ethnically, and religiously diverse institutions that comprise these organizations are the foundation of broad-based community organizing.

History

The Industrial Areas Foundation (IAF) began in Chicago in 1940 under the leadership of Saul Alinsky, author of Reveille for Radicals and Rules for Radicals. IAF Network organizations throughout the United States and England work on multiple issues and develop structures through which ordinary citizens can effectively negotiate with the government and private institutions that affect their lives. There are no individual members of IAF organizations; rather institutions make human and financial commitments to participate in these networks.

San Antonio has two IAF organizations. In 1974, Communities Organized for Public Service (C.O.P.S.) formed the first IAF organization in the Southwest Network. The Metro Alliance, which shares office space and many resources with C.O.P.S., formed in 1989 through a merger of the East Side Alliance, composed of African American and Hispanic low- and lower-middle income churches, and the Metropolitan Congregational Alliance. The latter organized in 1982 and included South, Central, and Northwest area Anglo and Hispanic Protestant lower-middle and middle-income churches. First UU was a member of this organization and has been a member of the Metro Alliance since its inception. The Metro Alliance, like other IAF organizations, is a broad-based citizens' organization comprised of churches and schools.

Unitarian Universalist Principles and the Metro Alliance

The Mission of First Unitarian Universalist Church of San Antonio is to: ...Engage in outreach and service to the wider community... (adopted by congregation May 20, 2001)

Several of the seven Unitarian Universalist Purposes and Principles apply specifically to First Unitarian Universalist's membership and participation in the Metro Alliance. These principles include:

We the member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association, covenant to affirm and promote:

• The inherent worth and dignity of every person;
• Justice, equity and compassion in human relations;…
• The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large;
• The goal of world community with peace, liberty and justice for all;
• Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.

Accomplishments of Metro Alliance

Some of the successful projects Metro Alliance and C.O.P.S. continue to work on:

After School Challenge Program:

Securing over $15.6 million in city funding for after-school enrichment programs throughout the city since 1992. The program is presently available in eight school districts at 161 schools and serves 34,000 children.

San Antonio Education Partnership:

Collaborating with businesses, communities, school districts, and universities, scholarships are awarded to public high school students who graduate with at least a B average and 95% attendance record. Since 1989, the San Antonio Education Partnership has invested more than $11 million in scholarships and produced more than 2,400 college graduates. It supports more than 3,300 current college students.

Project QUEST:

Developed and continue to place unemployed and underemployed high school graduates in a supportive, long-term job training program for high-skill, high-wage jobs available in San Antonio. Nearly 1,000 participants as of 1999.

Living Wages:

Worked with local city, county, hospital district, and school districts to require living wages be paid to all employees. Changed the City of San Antonio's tax abatement policy to require corporate abatement recipients to pay living wages to their employees.

Infrastructure:

Directed over $25 million of federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds to critical street, drainage and housing needs in the central, southern and eastern areas of the city. Leveraged over $2 billion in infrastructure and education bonds by working with the San Antonio, Harlandale, North East Independent School Districts, the Alamo Community College District, the City of San Antonio, and Bexar County in successfully shaping and passing important bond proposals.

C.O.P.S. and Metro Alliance leaders work with elected officials to ensure that promised services are delivered through regular meetings and accountability sessions. The organizations also meet regularly with business leaders, city staff, and other decision makers throughout the city and state.

Metro Alliance and You

Every member of First Unitarian Universalist Church is a member of Metro Alliance. Since the foundation of Metro Alliance is relationship, we need active participation of individuals within our institutions to be an effective organization. In our congregational strategic plan, we commit to promote social justice in our larger community through increased participation in Metro Alliance.

To get involved with the Metro Alliance, watch the church announcements, newsletter, web site and email list for upcoming events. To join the Metro Alliance/C.O.P.S. email list, send a message to MetroAlliance-subscribe@yahoogroups.com. Or contact Mike Phillips or Vicki Tullius. Help make a lasting difference in our local community while adhering to our UU mission and principles!

Selected Resources

Chambers, Edward T. and Michael A. Cowan. Roots for Radicals: Organizing for Power, Action, and Justice. New York: Continuum, 2003.

Gecan, Michael. Going Public. Boston: Beacon Press, 2002.

Greider, William B. Who Will Tell the People? The Betrayal of American Democracy. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1992.

Rogers, Mary Beth. Cold Anger: A Story of Faith and Power Politics. Denton: University of North Texas Press, 1990.

Warren, Mark R. Dry Bones Rattling: Community Building to Revitalize American Democracy. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2001.

The Democratic Promise:

Saul Alinsky and His Legacy (ITVS documentary)

Saul Alinsky and the Industrial Areas Foundation

Ernesto J. Cortés, Jr.

A brief biography of founding organizer of C.O.P.S. and present Southwest IAF Regional Director. He was the 1997 Heinz Award recipient for Public Policy.

 

Congregation Based Community Organizing and Unitarian Universalists

Nearly 12% of Unitarian Universalist congregations nationwide are members of congregation-based community organizations, similar to the Metro Alliance. To learn more about Unitarian Universalist involvement in congregation-based community organizations throughout the United States, subscribe to the CBCO-L email list. To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit http://lists.uua.org/mailman/ listinfo/cbco-l or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to cbco-l-request@lists.uua.org

Last updated July 7, 2009