Archive for June, 2015

Leaders of the OTOC Environmental Sustainability Action Team organized a meeting with Sen. John McCollister (Dt. 20–South Central Omaha) on Friday, June 26th which was held a Countryside Congregational Church. Immigration Action Team Co-Chair Kathleen Grant thanked Sen. McCollister for his critical support for LB 423 which allow young adult dreamers the opportunity to qualify for a driver’s license in Nebraska. Sen. McCollister named the bill  his sole priority bill and then worked to get the bill out of the Transportation Committee. Once out, the bill received the support of Unicameral which easily completed and override of Governor Ricketts’ veto of the bill.

Mark Hoeger, Co-Chair of the OTOC Medicaid and Taxes Action Team thanked Senator McCollister’s for his ongoing  support for Medicaid Redesign in the recent session. The group discussed OTOC’s ongoing determination to  see the State of Nebraska expand the coverage of Medicaid permitted by the Affordable Care Act so the more Nebraska families can afford to purchase health care.  OTOC leaders agreed to continue educating congregations members about why this legislation would be a priority for the state.Read More . . .

Sixty people from 21 different congregations and community organizations attended OTOC’s 2nd summer training session on community organizing. IPL Executive Director and OTOC organizer/trainer Joe Higgs provided and quick summary of two two topics:

OTOC is a Broad-based Organization. How does this differ from Civic Organizations or Movements?   Are there other Broad-based organizations?

The Cycle of Organizing.   How do we move from self-interest to shared–interest, to research that moves toward an action and solution we can win?

Rev. Marshall Johnson of the OTOC Clergy Caucus gave a training session on:

Qualities of Leaders.   Are leaders born that way or are there skills we can learn? Leaders in organizing are often not the obvious ones.   Is anger ever a virtue?Read More . . .