Laura Barrett

44 Posts

Laura Barrett is the executive director Interfaith Worker Justice.
Housing Advocacy

6 Reasons to Be Wary of Public-Private Partnerships

During his recent visit to Miami, President Obama praised Public Private Partnerships (“P3s”) and lifted up the idea of a national infrastructure bank.  While most Americans support the idea of […]

Housing Advocacy

What Immigration Reform Should Look Like

“Show me what democracy looks like!” is a favorite chant at grassroots rallies and progressive gatherings; and now Congress has an opportunity to do just that—to show all of us […]

Organizing

Sick of the Sequester? Learn from Michigan Organizers

The answer for Congress and the stalled action on the sequester? Michigan has some winning ideas. Detroit, Mich., home to a very depressed local economy as well as one of […]

Organizing

Time to Seize the Moment on Immigration?

Immigration is finally Topic A.  For many of us who have been working with low income people and disadvantaged communities, this day has been a long time coming.  Even more […]

Equity

Hawaii’s Train to the Future

The path to a walkable, livable urban future is filled with hurdles.  Take, for instance, the public transit battle being waged in Hawaii. Tourists to Hawaii are often transported deftly […]

destruction caused by Hurricane Sandy
Housing Advocacy

Solutions After Sandy: Rebuilding the Right Way

All around America, we've watched the devastation of Hurricane Sandy with a sense of shock and heartbreak. For millions of people who suffered from the storm, some of the hardest […]

Housing

The Hawaii Model Succeeds

Before Hawaii's new foreclosure prevention law passed, Hawaii had the 11th highest foreclosure rate in the nation. One in every 41 homeowners was losing their largest asset. Banks argued that […]

Organizing

Community Organizing Creates Jobs

The value of community organizing was perhaps never questioned as much as when Barack Obama became a candidate for president in 2007. A field that was largely misunderstood (or even […]