About Us

WHY THE UNION OF MINORITY NEIGHBORHOODS (UMN)?

Although the election of President Obama has been a giant step towards equality and power for people of color, the truth is that nothing has changed in our daily lives. People of color continue to have less education, earn less, have more debt and vote less. Our organizations are grossly underfunded. Our neighborhoods are underserved. Our young men are more likely to be in prison than college.

The voices of poor people of color are muted in civic life.

Prior to UMN’s establishment, communities of color in the greater Boston area and throughout Massachusetts lacked any unifying organization that could effectively confront threats to their civil liberties and human rights. These communities were on the receiving end of legislation, public policies, and discriminatory practices that directly and repeatedly limited their access to economic opportunity and social justice. Without knowledge of the systems in play, they were unprepared to confront these policies. UMN was established to address this.

WHO ARE WE?

The Union of Minority Neighborhoods is the organization of color working to insure our collective power is heard and felt.
We are community organizers with political savvy and moxie.
We are grassroots activists working to improve our communitites.

Our programs are holistic and integrated. Participants in our trainings have become active in their communities, some are emerging leaders of color. Our advocacy work and efforts to increase advocacy by people of color has resulted in real power for communities of color. Our coalitions have successfully brought together broad interests around issues that affect communities of color -- strengthening the bridges between labor, non-profits, government, business and communities of color.

Our programs and people are changing the political landscape of the city and region. People of color are more active, more effective and more visible on the issues, institutions and policies that affect them. Through our approach and the integration of our programs - leaders are developed and networks are built. Our work and programs support long-term change, strengthening our democracy and re-building communities of color.

Our collective clout represents millions of voters and billions of dollars of real economic power. By working effectively in our communities on the issues that affect us, and by standing as one to address these issues on a national stage, communities of color can become a force that cannot be ignored.

We can secure justice. We can get results.