EARLY YEARS

For over 30 years, the Massachusetts Communities Action Network has worked across the state to train community based leaders to advocate for systemic changes that will impact not only their lives today, but for generations to come. Originally known as the Organizing & Leadership Training Center (OLTC), the network was established as faith based community organizing non-profits were founded with the engagement of organizing veteran Lew Finfer. Recent statewide impacts include:

  • Passing The Fair Share Amendment***/****
    in 2022 - places a 4% tax on income over $1million; revenue from this tax will be earmarked for transportation and education

  • Passing The Driving Families Forward Bill ****
    allows for undocumented immigrants to attain drivers’ licenses thus making it safer for them to care for their families, get to work, and contribute to the community

  • Passing the Eviction & Foreclosure Moratorium Bill Passing the Reentry Services Law During The COVID-19 Emergency
    in 2020 - this bill enables tenants, homeowners, and small businesses who cannot pay their rents or mortgages to not have to pay them during the next 4 months or 45 days after the health emergency ends -     read further details here

  • Passing of the Student Opportunity Act*
    in 2019 - this act makes an unprecedented $1.5 billion investment ensuring public schools have adequate resources to provide a high-quality education to students across the state, regardless of zip code or income level 

  • Increasing Funding for Pre-Apprentice Training
    in 2019 - organized the coalition that got $5 million in Pre-Apprentice Training to enable more people of color and women to get construction trades jobs

  • Increasing Access to VoTech Education
    in 2019 - organized the Alliance for Vocational Technical Education to increase access to vocational high schools that have 3200 students now on waiting lists

  • Passing Criminal Justice Reform Law**
    in 2018 - estimated 100,000 people are on probation or parole or weren’t even sent to prison because of this bill

  • Increasing the Minimum Wage***
    in 2018 - 974,000 low wage earners will see their wages increase from $11 to $15/hour between 2019-2022

    Passing Family Medical Leave Law***
    in 2018 - this law will be implemented in January 2021 and could impact an estimated 6 million people or an estimated 90% of the people in the state who are eligible or their family members

  • Increasing the Minimum Wage***
    in 2014 - 550,000 low wage earners saw their wages increase from $8 to $11/hour

  • Passing Earned Sick Time*** in 2014 - 900,000 low wage workers won five sick days per year

    * in partnership with Fund Our Future
    ** in partnership with Jobs NOT Jails

    ***in partnership with Raise Up Massachusetts
    (MCAN played a key role in founding the Raise UP Massachusetts Coalition
    and serves as one of its co-chairs)
    ****in partnership with the Delivering On Equity Collective (MCAN is a founding partner)

LEW FINFER’S DIGITAL LIBRARY