Heartland Workers Center

THE MISSION OF HEARTLAND WORKERS CENTER IS TO DEVELOP AND ORGANIZE LEADERS, PROMOTE WORKERS' RIGHTS, AND FOSTER A CULTURE OF CIVIC ENGAGEMENT TO BUILD POWER AND CREATE CHANGE WITH IMMIGRANT AND UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITIES.THE HEARTLAND WORKERS CENTER (HWC) ENVISIONS BECOMING A RECOGNIZED AND SELF-SUSTAINING ORGANIZATION THAT PROVIDES LEADERSHIP TRAINING TO IMMIGRANTS AND WORKERS. THE HWC AIMS TO DELIVER STRONG PROGRAMS THAT BUILD SELF-SUFFICIENCY AND NURTURE THE GROWTH OF IMMIGRANT AND UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITIES TO CREATE A MORE EQUITABLE LEADERSHIP LANDSCAPE IN NEBRASKA. HWC ORGANIZER STAFF BUILD COMMUNITY MEMBERS' CAPITAL AND OTHER IMMEDIATE NEEDS.

CIVIC ENGAGEMENT - HWC INCREASES UNDERREPRESENTED AND MINORITY PARTICIPATION IN PUBLIC LIFE BY PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES TO EFFECTIVELY ADVOCATE ON ISSUES IMPORTANT TO THEIR COMMUNITY AT ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT. HWC'S MAIN GOAL FOR CIVIC ENGAGEMENT IS TO ACTIVATE LOW PROPENSITY AND NEW VOTERS WHO ARE TYPICALLY EXCLUDED FROM TRADITIONAL LEADERSHIP MODELS AND PUBLIC SPACES BY TEACHING THEM ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF VOTING AND HOW TO BE CIVICALLY INVOLVED. HWC STANDS FOR PEOPLE USING THEIR POWER TO CONNECT WITH INSTITUTIONS IN THEIR COMMUNITIES TO EFFECT CHANGE.EDUCATING ON WORKERS' RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES IS A CRITICAL PART OF ACTIVATION OF LOCAL COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN OTHER CIVIC ACTIVITIES. HWC WILL CONTINUE ITS WORKERS' RIGHTS TRAININGS WHICH INCLUDES GROWING THE HEALTH AND SAFETY TRAINING INSTITUTE THROUGH WHICH AN HWC OSHA-CERTIFIED TRAINER OFFERS TAILORED SESSIONS FOR EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES IN SPANISH AND ENGLISH. WE HAVE HOSTED A TOTAL OF 8 OSHA TRAININGS, PROVIDING OSHA CERTIFICATION TO 102PARTICIPANTS. WE HAVE ALSO SUPPORTED 57 LABOR CLAIMS.

LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT - HWC'S LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM FOCUSES ON CAPACITY BUILDING IN UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITIES BY DEVELOPING INDIVIDUAL COMMUNITY MEMBERS' CAPITAL. DURING 2023 WE HAVE ENGAGED WITH 935 LEADERS INDIVIDUALLY. HWC RECENTLY ADOPTED THE FAMILY LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE (FLI) CURRICULUM TO ENHANCE ITS LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM. THE CURRICULUM PROVIDES INDIVIDUALS WITH THE SKILLS, ABILITIES, AND ATTITUDES NECESSARY TO ENHANCE THEIR EFFECTIVENESS AS PROFESSIONALS AND ROLE MODELS TO THEIR CHILDREN. WE CAN OFFER THIS CURRICULUM ONCE A YEAR FOR A TOTAL OF FIVE(5) COHORTS, SO FAR THERE HAVE BEEN TWO(2) COHORTS. THE FIRST COHORT INCLUDED 90 FAMILIES AND THE SECOND COHORT WAS COMPRISED OF 156 FAMILIES.IN 2024, HWC WOULD LIKE TO RAISE ADDITIONAL FUNDS TO SEND 20 FAMILIES WHO HAVE GRADUATED FROM THE FAMILY LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE TO THE FLI PRACTITIONER'S CONFERENCE. THIS SUPPORTS THE ORGANIZATION'S GOAL TO BUILD COMMUNITY CAPITAL BY SUPPORTING COMMUNITY LEADERS IN BECOMING TRAINED FLI FACILITATORS WITH CERTIFICATION TO DELIVER THE CURRICULUM TO THEIR LOCAL CORE TEAMS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS. THROUGH THE PADRINOS PROGRAM, HWC IS ALSO FOCUSING ON ENHANCING THE CAPITAL OF FIRST-GENERATION COLLEGE STUDENTS ACROSS THE STATE BY SUPPORTING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES OUTSIDE OF THE CLASSROOM.

COMMUNITY ORGANIZING - HWC EDUCATES COMMUNITY MEMBERS SUCH THAT THEY EXPERIENCE A SENSE OF AGENCY, LEADERSHIP, AND CONFIDENCE IN ORGANIZING AROUND ISSUES OF IMPORTANCE TO THEM AND THEIR COMMUNITIES. HWC ACTIVATES COMMUNITY MEMBERS THROUGH CORE TEAM ORGANIZING EFFORTS. THERE ARE 22 TEAMS WITH 335 LEADERS. EACH TEAM IS MADE UP OF LOCAL COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO CONCENTRATE ON SPECIFIC TOPICS OF INTEREST TO THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD. CORE TEAM MEMBERS EXPERIENCE GRASSROOTS-LEVEL ORGANIZING AND COALITION BUILDING TOWARDS A SINGLE GOAL. HWC EDUCATES MEMBERS ON THE DIFFERENT LOCAL AND NATIONAL BODIES OF POWER, HOW TO SUCCESSFULLY NAVIGATE THEM, AND HOW TO ADVOCATE FOR CHANGES THAT REPRESENT THE INTERESTS OF THEIR COMMUNITIES.THE FOLLOWING ARE EXAMPLES OF CORE TEAMS AND THEIR INITITATIVES:1.- BROWN PARK: A GROUP OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS HAS BEEN WORKING WITH THE OMAHA CITY OFFICIALS, AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS ON THE REVITALIZATION OF BROWN PARK IN SOUTH OMAHA. THE RIBBON CUTTING FOR THE FIRST PHASE OCCURRED EARLY IN THIS SPRING.2.- SCHOOL BUS STOP: THIS GROUP HAS BEEN ADVOCATING THE ADDITION OF A BUS STOP IN NEBRASKA CITY, WHICH WOULD BENEFIT LOW-INCOME STUDENTS AND THEIR SAFETY.3.- CORAZONES AZULES WEEK : THIS COMMUNITY INITIATIVE LEAD BY THE SCHUYLER CORAZONES AZULES CORE TEAM, WORKING WITH THE CITY OF SCHUYLER AND OTHER AUTHORITIES, ORGANIZED A WEEK OF AWARENESS FOR FAMILIES OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES. THIS INITIATIVE GOT RECOGNITION BY SCHUYLER'S CITY COUNCIL. ADDITIONAL CHAPTERS OF CORAZONES AZULES HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED IN OMAHA, COLUMBUS, AND FREMONT.4.- MORAL MONDAY RALLY IN COLLABORATION W/ NEBRASKA POOR PEOPLE'S CAMPAIGN: ONE OF OUR LEADERS SPOKE AT THE RALLY ASKING OUR LEGISLATURE TO PASS LAWS THAT BENEFIT WORKING PEOPLE.5- SCHUYLER FAMILY COMPLEX FOUNDATION: A GROUP SEEKING TO BUILD A SPORTS COMPLEX IN SCHUYLER NEBRASKA. THEY HAVE ESTABLISHED THEMSELVES AS 501 (C) 3 AND IS ESTABLISHING A PLAN TO BUILD A COMPLEX THAT WOULD ALLOW THEM TO HOST SOCCER TOURNAMENTS.