History AND GOALS
History
(South Suburban Action Conference) Committed to act against Injustice
HISTORY
The South Suburban Action Conference (SSAC) is a grassroots non-profit organization made up of 15 member organizations. Upon its founding in June of 1986, SSAC adopted a mission of reconciliation, dedicated to building an inclusive membership, reaching across all lines of race, religious denominations, social and economic class and geography throughout the South Suburbs and South Chicago land. SSAC is one of the founders of Gamaliel of Metro Chicago (GMC) a partnership between South Suburban Action Conference (SSAC) and Pilsen Neighbors Community Council (PNCC). From that mission, more than 1,000 leaders have emerged from the organization.
SSAC leaders remain at the forefront of leading campaigns around issues that require a local, regional, and national approach. Issues such as Civil Rights of Immigrants, Universal Health Care, Funding of Public Education, Senior Friendly Banking, Workforce Development and Economic Development continue to be priorities of SSAC leaders. SSAC fought for, and won, inclusion of language in the Capital Bill to provide jobs for women, minorities, and poor people.
SSAC has been the leading community organization behind the signing of the South Suburban Airport bill that will employ more than 11,000 construction workers to build and 14,000 people when operational. In order to ensure the community benefits from this project, SSAC kicked off its "100 Ready Workers Campaign to connect community residents to jobs created by the airport. Additionally, SSAC has adopted a Gamaliel initiative, Rekindling Our Congregations (ROC) to revitalize and strengthen local congregations to participate in the public arena.
SSAC partnered with Gamaliel of Chicago that is an organizing and training institute, established to train leaders and organizers for the difficult task of building strong stable and effective institutionally based power organizations that can transform congregations and communities. Today we stand on the threshold of a new era in social justice work. The South Suburban Action Conference (SSAC) along with Gamaliel of Metro Chicago (GMC) and our state wide affiliates: Faith Coalition for the Common Good (FCCG) in Springfield, United Congregations of Metro East (UCM) in Madison County, Quad Cities Interfaith (QCI) in Davenport have become a statewide organization. This will increase our power, reduce our administrative burden and allow us to have greater influence at every level of our fight for justice.
SSAC FOR JUSTICE GOALS
- Strengthen individual member institutions by developing and supporting a core team of leaders in each member institution.
- Empower leaders to clarify and deliver on the interest of their institution both internally and in the public arena.
- Train leaders to build stronger relationships inside of their institution to identify new leaders, raise important concerns and develop real solutions.
- Create local leadership training opportunities that equip leaders and pastors to act locally.
- Make available National Leadership Training for all dues paying members to support their growth and development as leaders.
- Recruit new members annually so that SSAC reflects the ever growing communities in the City of Chicago and its Suburbs.
- Hold large public meetings annually of over 1,000 people with public officials and decision-makers to take action on important issues.
- Continue organizing at the Local, Statewide and National levels on the issues that affect our neighborhoods and/or communities.
- Bring justice and equity to all people in the City of Chicago and its Suburbs