2024 was a year of significant victory and experimentation for ACCE. We made major strides toward protecting tenants in the cities where we organize, and dipped our toes into the worlds of climate and transit justice -re-establishing ACCE as a multi-issue organization nimble enough to take on campaigns on a myriad of topics. We made progress in aligning our work to our organizing north stars, and built out our organizing capacities with stronger communications, data, and finance teams. And we lived into our values of supporting workers unions by finalizing our first ever ACCE Union collective bargaining agreement. We certainly had a lot to celebrate.
Yet, despite our progress and victories, the country faces serious threats in the coming year with promises of mass deportations, massive budget cuts, and an economy that continues to leave too many struggling to make ends meet, not to mention the climate catastrophes and deep social divisions we are already experiencing. We are at a crossroads. There is a path prioritizing the wealthy few -paved with tax cuts for the ultra-rich, scapegoating of marginalized communities, and repression- that is being laid out before us. Alternatively, there is a path that we have been dreaming up and fighting for - a path defined by respect, equity, and dignity -that redirects our governing systems and our social life towards care and community. The battle for which path will win out is afoot. In this year of impending threats, we see pivotal organizing opportunities. Protection and mutual aid will be needed - but alone they are altogether insufficient.
The moment calls for BOLD demands and even BOLDER action. At ACCE we do not intend to hide from that call. We are prepared to take on bigger and more audacious battles, move more people into action, and forge even stronger and broader ally relationships than ever before. We know power concedes nothing without a demand, so we will spend 2025 organizing impacted people to make big demands, and building power across the movement to win them because when we fight, we win!
In power and solidarity,
Christina Livingston, Executive Director of ACCE Institute