Our Victories
The Union of Minority Neighborhoods, its programs and people are changing the political landscape of Boston and region. Since November 30, 2001, when we began our work, the Union has, through organizing and training, helped people of color become more active, more effective and more visible on the issues and policies that affect us.

Since our founding we have:

• Broke the story; formed and coordinated the campaign that forced Gov. Romney to keep Affirmative Action as an employment policy for the state through our Massachusetts Alliance to Save Affirmative Action (MASSA).
• Trained over 300 people through our Institute for Neighborhood Leadership.
• Formed a coalition of organizations and people of color to fight the draconian state budget cuts disproportionately affecting communities of color through our Many Voices One Message Coalition. Bringing over 7,000 people to the statehouse to lobby on this issue, working with labor, faith, and social service agencies, we were able to help restore hundreds of thousands of dollars in critical funding.
• Held the first ever Black Advocacy Day at the statehouse, drawing folks from all over the state - 90% of whom had never visited their legislators before.
• Written, organized for and successfully past over 11 city council resolutions and orders for hearings on issues from ranging from increasing funding for non-profits to affirmative action to increased accountability from private foundations.
• Organized the Non-Profit Task Force, currently proposing a city office on non-profits and introducing legislation to create a special fund for small non-profits.
• Organized a series of tours for Boston city councilors and community organizers on housing and education resulting in $500,000 emergency funding to replace a sorely needed new roof at the Dearborn School in Roxbury.
• Provided technical assistance to scores of neighborhood groups and campaigns including Ben Franklin Institute, SEIU, Project HIP-HOP, Haitain Multi-Service Center and countless others.
• Created a network of Black and Immigrant organizers through our Sip & Chew's and the Organizers of Color Collective
• Formed and coordinates the Massachusetts Alliance to Reform C.O.R.I, a statewide campaign to improve the system of storing criminal records that needlessly keeps thousands from gaining employment, housing, loans and entrance to college.
• UMN organized the first ever Roxbury Sports Peace Jamboree, a weeks worth of activities promoting neighborhood sports as a community response to ending street violence. Raising funds and awareness, hundreds of young people and families participated.