National People's Action
Encyclopedia
National People’s Action (NPA) is a network of metropolitan, regional, and statewide organizations that build grassroots
power. NPA works to build the collective political will to advance racial and economic justice. National People’s Action has over 135 organizers and support staff working in communities across the country. Headquartered in Chicago
, NPA was founded by Austin neighborhood activist Gale Cincotta
and professional organizer Shel Trapp
in 1972 and was originally named "National People’s Action on Housing."
National People's Action conducted a series of "Showdown" events starting in October 2009. The events, dubbed "Showdown In America," "called for the end of corporate lobbying and too-big-to-fail financial institutions."
According to National People’s Action, it exists as a network to create a society in which "racial and economic justice are realized in all aspects of society, resulting in more equity in work, housing, health, education, finance, and other systems central to people's well-being."
NPA's big ideas – based on NPA's beliefs – are those policies that NPA fights for as a network. NPA fights for policies that:
Grassroots
A grassroots movement is one driven by the politics of a community. The term implies that the creation of the movement and the group supporting it are natural and spontaneous, highlighting the differences between this and a movement that is orchestrated by traditional power structures...
power. NPA works to build the collective political will to advance racial and economic justice. National People’s Action has over 135 organizers and support staff working in communities across the country. Headquartered in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, NPA was founded by Austin neighborhood activist Gale Cincotta
Gale Cincotta
Gale Cincotta , a community activist from the Austin neighborhood of Chicago, led the national fight for the US federal Home Mortgage Disclosure Act and the Community Reinvestment Act...
and professional organizer Shel Trapp
Shel Trapp
Shel Trapp was a community organizer based in Chicago, co-founder of National People's Action , and author of several books and pamphlets on community organizing. Trapp and Cincotta are widely credited with writing the Community Reinvestment Act...
in 1972 and was originally named "National People’s Action on Housing."
National People's Action conducted a series of "Showdown" events starting in October 2009. The events, dubbed "Showdown In America," "called for the end of corporate lobbying and too-big-to-fail financial institutions."
According to National People’s Action, it exists as a network to create a society in which "racial and economic justice are realized in all aspects of society, resulting in more equity in work, housing, health, education, finance, and other systems central to people's well-being."
Platform
The following beliefs were developed by NPA community leaders. According to NPA, these beliefs are the building blocks for achieving its mission:- Every person has innate dignity, beauty, and worth, and thus is entitled to basic human rights;
- All people, regardless of race, class, gender, and national origin must be ensured a high quality of life;
- Society should be organized on the basis of mutual responsibility, cooperation, and community self-determination achieved through political and economic democracy.
NPA's big ideas – based on NPA's beliefs – are those policies that NPA fights for as a network. NPA fights for policies that:
- Take back our power to use the government as our tool to promote the common good, correct the injustices of the past, and redistribute resources equitably and sustainably.
- Democratize the market to put people above profits.
- Enforce fundamental human rights standards that prevent exploitation of people and the environment.
- Take action to ensure racial, gender, economic, and immigrant justice in all social and economic systems.