National Congress of Neighborhood Women
Encyclopedia
National Congress of Neighborhood Women is a support group for grassroots
women's organizations and community leaders involved in providing voices for poor
and working-class women.
and joined the Conselyea Street Block Association, which consisted of many local women from the Williamsburg
and Greenpoint
neighborhoods of Brooklyn
. Peter also volunteered at the Congress of Racial Equality
in Harlem and also participated in anti-poverty and feminist organizations. Her activism and experiences living in Brooklyn inspired her to explore opportunities to create a multi-ethnic, inter-racial community organization to help better the poor and working-class neighborhood she lived in. In 1973 Peterson met other grassroots activists and professional women at an event sponsored by the National Center for Urban Ethnic Affairs. This group, along with Peterson, created a national conference of working-class women, which was hosted in Washington, D.C.
in 1974. One year later, at their second conference, the "first national federation of blue collar, neighborhood women" formed.
Located in Brooklyn, the group made sought to give a voice to poor and working-class women, encouraging them to become community leaders. NCNW's first program was a community-based higher education project, which started in 1975. The organization worked with Empire State College
and community colleges
and helped design courses for adult women, active within their communities, seeking to become better leaders through knowledge and improved skills. The program, which worked with NCNW's first employment program, Project Open Doors, which provided participating women apprenticeship
experience with community organizations in New York City.
, and GED
training. In 1986, NCNW opened an alternative education, pre-employment, leadership training program for young people called "You Can" Community School. During this time, NCNW also formed the Leadership Training and Support Program. The program provided workshops and training at regional and national conferences, bringing in affiliated organizations from the United States to participate. These workshops formed support groups, which allowed neighborhood women, nationwide, to become aware about class struggle
, racism
, sexism
, and the affects of these issues on community leader empowerment. In the mid-1980s the organization under went a restructuring, expanding its national program. NCNW co-founded the UN-sponsored International Women's Conference which was first held in Nairobi
in 1985. In 1986, the Neighborhood Women of Williamsburg/Greenpoint (NWWG) was formed to administer local programming, allowing the national NCNW to offer national training and programming. During this time, NCNW expanded into Appalachia
, the Pacific Northwest
, Puerto Rico
, and Native American
communities.
In 1985, representatives from NCNW attended the United Nations Third World Conference, which focused on women in Kenya
. Taking notice on the lack of participation of poor and working-class women in Kenya, NCNW worked with other grassroots womens international organizations and formed GROOTS International (Grassroots Organizations Operating Together in Sisterhood). In 1986, NCNW began donating their archives to the Sophia Smith Collection
at Smith College
.
, opening an office at the headquarters.
The Leadership Support Group remains the organizations primary program, providing national support for women to share experiences and skills with their peers. Martha Ackelsberg summarized NCNW's work aim as "to unite women across differences in work to secure for all people decent jobs, wages, housing and other life basics."
Grassroots democracy
Grassroots democracy is a tendency towards designing political processes where as much decision-making authority as practical is shifted to the organization's lowest geographic level of organization: principle of subsidiarity....
women's organizations and community leaders involved in providing voices for poor
Poverty
Poverty is the lack of a certain amount of material possessions or money. Absolute poverty or destitution is inability to afford basic human needs, which commonly includes clean and fresh water, nutrition, health care, education, clothing and shelter. About 1.7 billion people are estimated to live...
and working-class women.
History
In 1969 Jan Peterson moved to New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and joined the Conselyea Street Block Association, which consisted of many local women from the Williamsburg
Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Williamsburg is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Brooklyn, bordering Greenpoint to the north, Bedford-Stuyvesant to the south, Bushwick to the east and the East River to the west. The neighborhood is part of Brooklyn Community Board 1. The neighborhood is served by the NYPD's 90th ...
and Greenpoint
Greenpoint, Brooklyn
Greenpoint is the northernmost neighborhood in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. It is bordered on the southwest by Williamsburg at the Bushwick inlet, on the southeast by the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway and East Williamsburg, on the north by Newtown Creek and Long Island City, Queens at the...
neighborhoods of Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
. Peter also volunteered at the Congress of Racial Equality
Congress of Racial Equality
The Congress of Racial Equality or CORE was a U.S. civil rights organization that originally played a pivotal role for African-Americans in the Civil Rights Movement...
in Harlem and also participated in anti-poverty and feminist organizations. Her activism and experiences living in Brooklyn inspired her to explore opportunities to create a multi-ethnic, inter-racial community organization to help better the poor and working-class neighborhood she lived in. In 1973 Peterson met other grassroots activists and professional women at an event sponsored by the National Center for Urban Ethnic Affairs. This group, along with Peterson, created a national conference of working-class women, which was hosted in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
in 1974. One year later, at their second conference, the "first national federation of blue collar, neighborhood women" formed.
Located in Brooklyn, the group made sought to give a voice to poor and working-class women, encouraging them to become community leaders. NCNW's first program was a community-based higher education project, which started in 1975. The organization worked with Empire State College
Empire State College
Empire State College, one of the thirteen arts and science colleges of the State University of New York, is a multi-site institution offering associate, bachelor's, and master's degrees. It is primarily oriented towards the adult learner...
and community colleges
Community college
A community college is a type of educational institution. The term can have different meanings in different countries.-Australia:Community colleges carry on the tradition of adult education, which was established in Australia around mid 19th century when evening classes were held to help adults...
and helped design courses for adult women, active within their communities, seeking to become better leaders through knowledge and improved skills. The program, which worked with NCNW's first employment program, Project Open Doors, which provided participating women apprenticeship
Apprenticeship
Apprenticeship is a system of training a new generation of practitioners of a skill. Apprentices or protégés build their careers from apprenticeships...
experience with community organizations in New York City.
1980s
In the 1980s the organization began pre-College adult education courses in math, literacy, ESLESL
ESL is a common abbreviation for English as a Second Language, see English language learning and teaching.ESL may also refer to:-Companies:...
, and GED
GED
General Educational Development tests are a group of five subject tests which, when passed, certify that the taker has American or Canadian high school-level academic skills...
training. In 1986, NCNW opened an alternative education, pre-employment, leadership training program for young people called "You Can" Community School. During this time, NCNW also formed the Leadership Training and Support Program. The program provided workshops and training at regional and national conferences, bringing in affiliated organizations from the United States to participate. These workshops formed support groups, which allowed neighborhood women, nationwide, to become aware about class struggle
Class struggle
Class struggle is the active expression of a class conflict looked at from any kind of socialist perspective. Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels wrote "The [written] history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggle"....
, racism
Racism
Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
, sexism
Sexism
Sexism, also known as gender discrimination or sex discrimination, is the application of the belief or attitude that there are characteristics implicit to one's gender that indirectly affect one's abilities in unrelated areas...
, and the affects of these issues on community leader empowerment. In the mid-1980s the organization under went a restructuring, expanding its national program. NCNW co-founded the UN-sponsored International Women's Conference which was first held in Nairobi
Nairobi
Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The city and its surrounding area also forms the Nairobi County. The name "Nairobi" comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyirobi, which translates to "the place of cool waters". However, it is popularly known as the "Green City in the Sun" and is...
in 1985. In 1986, the Neighborhood Women of Williamsburg/Greenpoint (NWWG) was formed to administer local programming, allowing the national NCNW to offer national training and programming. During this time, NCNW expanded into Appalachia
Appalachia
Appalachia is a term used to describe a cultural region in the eastern United States that stretches from the Southern Tier of New York state to northern Alabama, Mississippi, and Georgia. While the Appalachian Mountains stretch from Belle Isle in Canada to Cheaha Mountain in the U.S...
, the Pacific Northwest
Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest is a region in northwestern North America, bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains on the east. Definitions of the region vary and there is no commonly agreed upon boundary, even among Pacific Northwesterners. A common concept of the...
, Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
, and Native American
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
communities.
In 1985, representatives from NCNW attended the United Nations Third World Conference, which focused on women in Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
. Taking notice on the lack of participation of poor and working-class women in Kenya, NCNW worked with other grassroots womens international organizations and formed GROOTS International (Grassroots Organizations Operating Together in Sisterhood). In 1986, NCNW began donating their archives to the Sophia Smith Collection
Sophia Smith Collection
The Sophia Smith Collection at Smith College is an internationally recognized repository of manuscripts, photographs, periodicals and other primary sources in women's history. It was founded by Margaret Storrs Grierson in 1942 to be the library's distinctive contribution to the college's mission...
at Smith College
Smith College
Smith College is a private, independent women's liberal arts college located in Northampton, Massachusetts. It is the largest member of the Seven Sisters...
.
Current
After the formation of GROOTs, NCNW became the North American representation for the organization. They also began partnering with the Huairou Commission. In the 1990s NCNW gained consulting status with the United NationsUnited Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
, opening an office at the headquarters.
The Leadership Support Group remains the organizations primary program, providing national support for women to share experiences and skills with their peers. Martha Ackelsberg summarized NCNW's work aim as "to unite women across differences in work to secure for all people decent jobs, wages, housing and other life basics."