East Orange, NJ – The People’s Organization for Progress (POP) held a protest here, Dec. 18 against the recently concluded ‘budget deal’ that will end unemployment benefits to 1.3 million people at the end of this month and to many more in months after.

Newark, NJ – The struggle to get justice for Trayvon Martin continued here, July 20. Over 500 people turned out at the Federal Building to demand a federal civil rights investigation of his murder by George Zimmerman. The rally was called by the National Action Network (NAN.) Speaker after speaker denounced the Zimmerman verdict and contrasted it with the 20-year sentence given Marissa Alexander in the same state of Florida for firing a warning shot in her own defense that harmed no one.

Irvington, NJ – A municipal hearing on foreclosure was held here, July 10. The main emphasis was placed where it belongs: on the testimony of distressed homeowners themselves. The council chambers were packed.

Harrisburg, PA – A rally here, June 25, protested school layoffs and closings in Philadelphia. Teachers, safety workers, librarians and others are affected. Arts instruction is especially targeted. Layoffs have reached 3783 and counting. A contingent of school employees has gone on a water-only fast in the capitol rotunda.

Newark, NJ – The People’s Organization for Progress (POP) put a Hands off Social Security picket line in front of the Essex County Social Security building, April 16. Hundreds of drivers blew horns. Passersby stop to talk and show solidarity. Other participating organizations included the International Action Center, One People One Nation, Veterans for Peace and the Coalition to Save Our Homes.

Irvington, NJ – The Coalition to Save Our Homes held Save Public Schools Night here on March 11. An outstanding panel spoke to a full room. There are many reasons why an organization dedicated to the struggle against predatory lending would give a program to oppose the destruction of public schools and their replacement by charter schools (private schools run with public school money).

Jersey City, NJ – Organized labor took a direct hand in the struggle against predatory lending here, on Jan. 24, at a Bank of America branch in the Harborside Financial Center.

Newark, NJ – Another mortgage ‘settlement’ between the government and 14 Wall Street banks is being pulled out of the hat. The little that the ‘settlement’ does for homeowners is on terms set by the banks. A few objections, among others, are:

Trenton, NJ, – The people’s struggle against foreclosures took a new turn before the New Jersey Court of Appeals here, Dec. 19.

Newark, NJ – Hurricane Sandy struck the New York/New Jersey/Connecticut area with full fury on Oct. 30. The region is the country’s largest and densest concentration of population. Sandy was the worst storm to hit it in recorded history.