Why United Power for Action and Justice

United Power for Action and Justice, on one level, is a living response to a request of the late Monsignor Jack Egan. As he neared the end of his life, Monsignor Egan made everyone aware of his dream that the Industrial Areas Foundation would organize a truly broad and diverse power organization in the region. He drew on a lifetime of relationships with leaders in the African American, Hispanic, Jewish, white ethnic, Asian, and newly emerging Islamic communities to advance this theme. He lived to see the massive founding assembly of United Power for Action and Justice in 1997.

On another level, United Power for Action and Justice represents an attempt by thousands of leaders within these diverse communities to reverse generations of division and decline in the Chicago metropolitan area. The region had been divided deliberately and deeply by race, by class, by immigration status, by city and suburban boundaries, and by faith. The United Power effort began the rebuilding of respectful public relationships across all of these boundaries. Today, ten years later, this rebuilding is still at an early stage.

On a third level, United Power provides training and development opportunities for the current and emerging generation of leaders in the region. Various forms of training – targeted for younger organizers, for professional religious leaders of congregations, for new neighborhood leaders seeking to understand the power dynamics of the city and the county -- take place on a regular basis. Experienced leaders and staff attend the intensive IAF training sessions held several times each year.

Finally, the organization seeks to build power systematically and wield power effectively. This power – the ability to act – enables the member institutions of United Power and the organization as a whole to operate with more impact and success with other power figures and power institutions in the private and public sectors. United Power leaders negotiate from a position of strength with others on the core issues that affect the quality of people’s everyday lives.