Study Shows Community Organizers Need Better Pay to Keep Fighting

A new report called 'Compensation and Beyond' looked at how much community organizers in New York City get paid and found that many don't earn enough to stay in their jobs long-term. Community organizers are people who help neighborhoods come together to solve problems and fight for change. The study shows that low pay makes it hard for these important leaders to keep doing their work. When organizers can't afford to stay in their jobs, communities lose experienced leaders who know how to create lasting change. The report gives specific steps that foundations and other funders can take to help organizers earn better wages and benefits. Two foundation leaders, including one from the New York Foundation, wrote about why this matters and how funders need to do better at supporting the people who organize communities. The goal is to help create movements that can last longer and win more fights for justice by keeping skilled organizers in the work.

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MoneyHow National Debt Affects Your Money and FutureThe national debt is money the U.S. government owes to people and other countries. When this debt gets too big, it can hurt everyone's finances. It could make it harder and more expensive to get loans for homes or start businesses. By 2053, the government will spend more money just paying interest on debt than on schools, roads, and research combined. This means less money for important things that help communities grow. Young people will be especially affected - one study showed families could lose $16,000 in income by 2048. The debt also takes money away from healthcare, education, and other vital services. About one-third of the debt is owed to other countries. The Up to Us organization teaches young people about this issue and encourages them to talk to their representatives. They believe everyone should care about fiscal policy, whether you care about healthcare, education, clean energy, or defense. You can sign a pledge to show you care about America's financial future and get involved in your community.

VoiceLeadership Houston: Training Leaders to Make Houston BetterLeadership Houston is a special program that has been training community leaders since 1982. It brings together professionals from all kinds of jobs and backgrounds to learn about Houston's biggest challenges and how to solve them. The program lasts 10 months and covers important topics like healthcare, education, energy, fairness, and public safety. Participants meet with city decision-makers and build friendships across different industries and viewpoints. The goal is to create leaders who know more about their city and want to take action to help. Over 2,000 people have graduated from this program and continue working together on projects that make Houston stronger, more welcoming, and better prepared for challenges. Leadership Houston also offers community projects where groups work on real problems, leadership events that bring people together to discuss urgent issues, and ways for graduates to stay connected. The program focuses on bringing different people together, understanding how systems work, telling powerful stories, building community, and having respectful conversations even when people disagree. This helps create the kind of informed, connected leadership that can make real change happen in Houston.

VoiceDaedalus Journal: War and American Democracy ResearchDaedalus is a scholarly journal published by the American Academy of Arts and Sciences that explores big questions about society. Their Fall 2025 issue examines how wars have shaped American democracy over time. The journal features essays by university professors and experts who study topics like how war has given more power to the president, how the Supreme Court handles security issues, and how war appears in movies and TV shows. Daedalus covers many subjects including democracy, justice, global affairs, and social health. Past issues have looked at changing rules of war, the common good in democracy, Indigenous knowledge, and immigration and race in America. This is an academic publication meant for scholars, researchers, and people who want to deeply understand complex social and political issues. Readers can browse current and past issues online, sign up for alerts about new publications, and donate to support the Academy's work.