OPERA America draws on resources and expertise from within and beyond the opera field to advance a mutually beneficial agenda that serves and strengthens the field through programs in the following categories: Creation: Artistic services that help artists and companies increase the creativity and excellence of opera productions, especially North American works; Presentation: Opera company services that address the specific needs of staff, trustees and volunteers; Enjoyment: Education, audience development and community services that increase all forms of opera appreciation. The association provides members with an array of publications and online resources, regional workshops, an annual conference and network-specific services such as conference calls, listservs and direct contact with staff with expertise in opera production, administration and education. OPERA America provides members with tools to maximize the effectiveness of financial and human resources, expand the scope of repertoire and programs, and extend their reach to new and diverse audiences. Founded in 1970, OPERA America has an international membership that includes nearly 150 Professional Company Members, 300 Associate and Business Members, 2,000 Individual Members and over 16,000 subscribers to its electronic news service.
Passionate, provocative, and deeply Jewish, CBST champions a Judaism that rejoices in diversity, denounces social injustice wherever it exists, and strives for human rights for all people. • We are a house of prayer, offering both traditional and liberal services and lifecycle events. • We are a house of learning, continually expanding our knowledge and deepening our understanding of our religious and cultural heritage. • We are a house of refuge and healing, offering community support and pastoral care. • We are a house of conscience, fighting for the full equality of LGBTQ people locally, nationally and internationally. • We are committed to Israel and engaged in supporting efforts to secure peace, justice and equality for all. Join us to celebrate Shabbat. Our main service meets every Friday night at 7:00pm at 296 9th Avenue at 28th Street. Everyone is welcome!
Established in 1971, the Shambhala Meditation Center of New York is part of an international community of urban meditation and rural retreat centers founded by Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche and further developed by his son and lineage holder Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche. Our center, located in Manhattan’s Chelsea district, offers daily public meditation, a core curriculum of Buddhist and Shambhala teachings, as well as training in advanced contemplative practices. We invite you to explore our diverse programs designed to help New Yorkers of all traditions discover their inherent sanity, gentleness and humor.
The Asian American Writers’ Workshop is the preeminent national literary arts nonprofit dedicated to the belief that Asian American stories deserve to be told. We’ve garnered coverage from the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Huffington Post, Associated Press, Atlantic, Slate and NPR. Invited to the White House, named one of the top Asian American groups nationally, we seek to invent the future of Asian American intellectual culture. Check us out at http://www.aaww.org. 1. WE CURATE UNFORGETTABLE ART EVENTS. We hold fifty events a year at our Chelsea space. They’re fresh, progressive, funny, interdisciplinary, and community-based. We have curated events with Salman Rushdie, Jhumpa Lahiri, Michael Ondaatje, Zadie Smith, Maxine Hong Kingston, Ha Jin, Das Racist, Eddie Huang, Tea Obreht, Junot Díaz, Roxane Gay, and other writers, activists, and scholars. 2. WE PUBLISH THE ONLINE MAGAZINES THE MARGINS AND OPEN CITY. The Margins magazine (aaww.org) seeks to invent the future of Asian American arts and ideas and imagine ethnic identity as counterculture, both aesthetically and politically. We have published Pulitzer Finalist Chang-rae Lee, National Book Award Finalist Jessica Hagedorn, and MacArthur Genius Vijay Iyer. Open City magazine (opencitymag.com) publishes stories about communities of color, those excluded from traditional power structures, and incubates the underprivileged writers who can write about them. Almost a third of a million readers have read our magazines. 3. WE INCUBATE EMERGING WRITERS OF COLOR. We give out grants to eight emerging Asian American writers a year. We hold open mics, writing workshops, and a big publishing conference. As Pulitzer Prize-winner Jhumpa Lahiri, arguably the most celebrated novelist in America, said at our 2009 PAGE TURNER literary festival: “I felt that AAWW was a secret door that opened and cared about and supported my work as a writer.”
Initiated as an organizing effort by a coalition of LGBTSTGNC People of Color, The Audre Lorde Project was first brought together by Advocates for Gay Men of Color (a multi-racial network of gay men of color HIV policy advocates) in 1994. The vision for ALP grew out of the expressed need for innovative and unified community strategies to address the multiple issues impacting LGBTSTGNC People of Color communities. ALP secured and moved into its Fort Greene home, in the parish house of the Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church, during the summer of 1996.
(RED) was created by Bono and Bobby Shriver in 2006 to engage millions of people in the greatest challenge of our time – the fight to end AIDS in Africa where 2/3 of the world’s estimated 37 million people with HIV/AIDS live. We work with the world’s most iconic brands and organizations to develop (RED)-branded products and services, that when purchased, trigger corporate giving to the Global Fund. These contributions are then invested in HIV/AIDS programs in Africa, with a focus on countries with high prevalence of mother-to-child transmission of HIV.
The Interdependence Project offers traditional trainings for modern people. We integrate contemplation, ethics, and wisdom to help you create a harmonious life for yourself and others. Incorporating multi-lineage teachings, western psychology, and practical philosophy, our Mindfulness Plus retreats and trainings help empower people to live in balance with our complex and interdependent world.
UNITE HERE boasts a diverse membership, comprising workers from many immigrant communities as well as high percentages of African-American, Latino, and Asian-American workers. The majority of UNITE HERE members are women. Through organizing, UNITE HERE members have made apparel jobs in the South, hotel housekeeping jobs in cities across North America, and hundreds of thousands of other traditionally low-wage jobs into good, family-sustaining, middle class jobs.
We build schools, support teachers and provide student scholarships that change lives. $25 educates a child and $25,000 builds a new school.
Fighting Discrimination against Gender Non-Conforming People: Focusing on People of Color and Poor People Transgender, transsexual, intersex and other gender non-conforming people face persistent and severe discrimination in employment, education, health care, social and legal services, criminal justice and many other realms. Simultaneously, all low-income people, and particularly those in communities of color, are suffering from the severe cutbacks to anti-poverty programs, increasing militarization of the police, and rising rates of incarceration. Low income people and people of color who experience gender identity discrimination are particularly vulnerable in this climate. Low-income people and people of color are overrepresented in systems such as prisons, group homes, shelters and detention facilities. Because so many of the systems are sex-segregated, many people face serious problems of inaccessibility, harassment or violence if their gender identity or expression does not conform to their birth sex. Many are turned away outright from essential services like homeless shelters, drug treatment or mental health services, while others experience discrimination or violence in these settings because of their gender identity or expression. Police harassment and violence, and mistreatment in juvenile and adult justice systems, are widespread in our communities. Furthermore, those who seek legal and social services to help get on their feet or fight for entitlements often encounter ignorance or discrimination at the door. The result is that transgender, transsexual, intersex and gender non-conforming people are disproportionately poor, homeless, and incarcerated, and are 7-10 times more likely to be a victim of murder. The Sylvia Rivera Law Project’s work seeks to address both the root causes and effects of discrimination and violence on the basis of gender identity and expression. The right to self determine gender identity and expression and be free from violence is only one facet of a multi-issue movement for justice and self-determination of al people. We believe that justice does not trickle down, and that those who face the most severe consequences of violence and discrimination should be the priority of movements against discrimination. Our agenda focuses on those in our community who face multiple vectors of state and institutional violence: people of color, incarcerated people, people with disabilities, people with HIV/AIDS, immigrants, homeless people, youth, and people trying to access public benefits. We work through a collective structure built on the idea that our work should be by and for our community, and should be focused on maximizing political voice and power while providing desperately needed services.
Every year, hundreds of journalists are attacked, imprisoned, or killed. For more than 30 years, CPJ has been there to defend them and fight for press freedom.
The Asian American Writers’ Workshop is the preeminent national literary arts nonprofit dedicated to the belief that Asian American stories deserve to be told. We’ve garnered coverage from the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Huffington Post, Associated Press, Atlantic, Slate and NPR. Invited to the White House, named one of the top Asian American groups nationally, we seek to invent the future of Asian American intellectual culture. Check us out at http://www.aaww.org. 1. WE CURATE UNFORGETTABLE ART EVENTS. We hold fifty events a year at our Chelsea space. They’re fresh, progressive, funny, interdisciplinary, and community-based. We have curated events with Salman Rushdie, Jhumpa Lahiri, Michael Ondaatje, Zadie Smith, Maxine Hong Kingston, Ha Jin, Das Racist, Eddie Huang, Tea Obreht, Junot Díaz, Roxane Gay, and other writers, activists, and scholars. 2. WE PUBLISH THE ONLINE MAGAZINES THE MARGINS AND OPEN CITY. The Margins magazine (aaww.org) seeks to invent the future of Asian American arts and ideas and imagine ethnic identity as counterculture, both aesthetically and politically. We have published Pulitzer Finalist Chang-rae Lee, National Book Award Finalist Jessica Hagedorn, and MacArthur Genius Vijay Iyer. Open City magazine (opencitymag.com) publishes stories about communities of color, those excluded from traditional power structures, and incubates the underprivileged writers who can write about them. Almost a third of a million readers have read our magazines. 3. WE INCUBATE EMERGING WRITERS OF COLOR. We give out grants to eight emerging Asian American writers a year. We hold open mics, writing workshops, and a big publishing conference. As Pulitzer Prize-winner Jhumpa Lahiri, arguably the most celebrated novelist in America, said at our 2009 PAGE TURNER literary festival: “I felt that AAWW was a secret door that opened and cared about and supported my work as a writer.”
UNITE HERE boasts a diverse membership, comprising workers from many immigrant communities as well as high percentages of African-American, Latino, and Asian-American workers. The majority of UNITE HERE members are women. Through organizing, UNITE HERE members have made apparel jobs in the South, hotel housekeeping jobs in cities across North America, and hundreds of thousands of other traditionally low-wage jobs into good, family-sustaining, middle class jobs.
(RED) was created by Bono and Bobby Shriver in 2006 to engage millions of people in the greatest challenge of our time – the fight to end AIDS in Africa where 2/3 of the world’s estimated 37 million people with HIV/AIDS live. We work with the world’s most iconic brands and organizations to develop (RED)-branded products and services, that when purchased, trigger corporate giving to the Global Fund. These contributions are then invested in HIV/AIDS programs in Africa, with a focus on countries with high prevalence of mother-to-child transmission of HIV.
NAC provides real help and real hope to thousands of children with disabilities and chronic illnesses and their families throughout New York City. Through an integrated continuum of health and social services, NAC keeps children safe from abuse or neglect and works with birth, foster and adoptive families to keep children out of institutions and in nurturing, loving homes. Beyond safety and permanency, NAC supports each individual and family served in reaching their full potential.
Initiated as an organizing effort by a coalition of LGBTSTGNC People of Color, The Audre Lorde Project was first brought together by Advocates for Gay Men of Color (a multi-racial network of gay men of color HIV policy advocates) in 1994. The vision for ALP grew out of the expressed need for innovative and unified community strategies to address the multiple issues impacting LGBTSTGNC People of Color communities. ALP secured and moved into its Fort Greene home, in the parish house of the Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church, during the summer of 1996.
Fighting Discrimination against Gender Non-Conforming People: Focusing on People of Color and Poor People Transgender, transsexual, intersex and other gender non-conforming people face persistent and severe discrimination in employment, education, health care, social and legal services, criminal justice and many other realms. Simultaneously, all low-income people, and particularly those in communities of color, are suffering from the severe cutbacks to anti-poverty programs, increasing militarization of the police, and rising rates of incarceration. Low income people and people of color who experience gender identity discrimination are particularly vulnerable in this climate. Low-income people and people of color are overrepresented in systems such as prisons, group homes, shelters and detention facilities. Because so many of the systems are sex-segregated, many people face serious problems of inaccessibility, harassment or violence if their gender identity or expression does not conform to their birth sex. Many are turned away outright from essential services like homeless shelters, drug treatment or mental health services, while others experience discrimination or violence in these settings because of their gender identity or expression. Police harassment and violence, and mistreatment in juvenile and adult justice systems, are widespread in our communities. Furthermore, those who seek legal and social services to help get on their feet or fight for entitlements often encounter ignorance or discrimination at the door. The result is that transgender, transsexual, intersex and gender non-conforming people are disproportionately poor, homeless, and incarcerated, and are 7-10 times more likely to be a victim of murder. The Sylvia Rivera Law Project’s work seeks to address both the root causes and effects of discrimination and violence on the basis of gender identity and expression. The right to self determine gender identity and expression and be free from violence is only one facet of a multi-issue movement for justice and self-determination of al people. We believe that justice does not trickle down, and that those who face the most severe consequences of violence and discrimination should be the priority of movements against discrimination. Our agenda focuses on those in our community who face multiple vectors of state and institutional violence: people of color, incarcerated people, people with disabilities, people with HIV/AIDS, immigrants, homeless people, youth, and people trying to access public benefits. We work through a collective structure built on the idea that our work should be by and for our community, and should be focused on maximizing political voice and power while providing desperately needed services.
Become an Upstander today. In the bullying scenario there are three roles that play out, the victim, the bully and the bystanders. In 70% of bullying situations there is a third party witness, or bystander, who tacitly condones the harassment of their peers by observing but not speaking up. We believe that bystanders have a responsibility to get involved and stand up for their peers. To learn how you can become an Upstander, take our Upstander pledge at our website: www.tylerclementi.org/pledge
The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (full name: International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Moving Picture Technicians, Artists and Allied Crafts of the United States, Its Territories and Canada) was founded in 1893 when representatives of stagehands working in eleven cities met in New York and pledged to support each others’ efforts to establish fair wages and working conditions for their members. Our union has since then evolved to embrace the development of new entertainment mediums, craft expansions, technological innovations, and geographic growth. Today, the IATSE is the largest union representing workers in the entertainment industry. Our members work in all forms of live theater, motion picture production, television production, television broadcasting, trade shows, exhibitions, and concerts, as well as the equipment and construction shops that support all these areas of the entertainment industry. We represent virtually all the behind-the-scenes workers in crafts ranging from motion picture animation to theater ushering. During a period when private sector union membership has been in sharp decline the IATSE has continued to flourish. Since 1993 our membership has increased from 74,344 to over 125,000 in 2016. This growth is attributable to our willingness to adapt our structure to protect our traditional jurisdiction and accommodate new crafts. But that alone is insufficient. The IATSE has maintained and enhanced its position in the vanguard of the entertainment industry through effective rank and file empowerment, political engagement, and our dedication to grass roots organizing. On both the International and local union levels, the motivating principle of the IATSE is to represent every worker employed in our crafts.