Heartland Workers Center Imagines Change

The Heartland Workers Center 2nd Biennial Political Convention kicked off last Sunday at the Stockyards exchange building. Over 200 people attended the convention including a number of political and community leaders. The overall theme of the convention: Imagining Change.
The event started with a convocation by Pastors Sarah Dickinson and Sergio Amaya and after the introductions by Master and Mistress of Ceremonies Emiliano Lerda and Abbie Kertz, keynote speaker, Katie Weitz of the Weitz Family Foundation addressed the crowd.
“Our physical safety as well as our basic freedoms as people of color, as immigrants are openly threatened in the light of day. We are here to clamor together to use our voice for a better future, and we see that we are a part of that change,” Weitz said.
Weitz advised the crowd about the importance of being aware of issues and problems that are happening in the community. “We know that the number of minorities is increasing in the state of Nebraska, but this will mean nothing unless we organize ourselves. We don’t need to look to anyone to do it for us, we can do it. We must believe in this shared vision so fiercely it takes a hold of our hearts, and minds and we must act,” Weitz stressed.
Weitz also underscored the active role the Heartland Workers Center plays in the community. “We must recruit and develop agents of change with the help of the HWC and their strong ties to coalitions. Developing policy will help make change in our community,” Weitz said.
Weitz’s family foundation seeks to break the cycle of poverty in Omaha by empowering individuals, agencies, and organizations to create a more equitable and peaceful society. The foundation seeks to identify and address the institutional and systemic injustices and gaps which fuel poverty through ideas and innovations in social change to address core issues.
Weitz concluded with a call to action for the crowd and readdressed they are not alone in the fight for imagining change.
The event continued with a roll call from delegates representing various neighborhoods and districts in Omaha, as well as Schuyler, Nebraska City and Young Nebraskans in Action.
Delegates like Evelia Gutierrez, who represented West Omaha, called for the continued support of legislation towards DREAMers and DACA youth and supporting the HWC. Gutierrez drew from her firsthand experience coming to the U.S. as an undocumented immigrant.
“I was able to benefit from amnesty through my mother when she came to this country with me and my siblings for a better future.” Gutierrez said. “My mother fled from violence in our native state of Michoacan, Mexico. That is why we must keep pressuring our representatives to support permanent immigration status.” Gutierrez also asked for help in developing allies in her district of West Omaha to advocate for the growing Latino community there.
“This convention is a little bit different than most,” Abbie Kertz said. “The whole point was to give the delegates representing their specific neighborhoods/communities the opportunity to address their needs to some of the political and community leaders who attended. It was their chance to have a voice.”
Political leaders like State Senator Tony Vargas who represents District 7 was pleased to hear firsthand from some of his constituents. “I think the HWC put on a great event. We are definitely seeing community organizations and activism going to a new level thanks to the efforts of the HWC,” Vargas said. “I enjoyed being able to listen to what people are passionate about in their communities.”
The event highlighted some of the ties between the HWC and other organizations fighting for change such as Nebraska Civic Engagement Table, Young Nebraskans in Action and Habitat for Humanity.
Amanda Brewer who is the Executive Director and President of Habitat for Humanity Omaha expressed her gratitude towards her organization’s partnership with the HWC. “The HWC does great work in the community through outreach and engagement. Rejuvenating a neighborhood takes investment and relationship building,” Brewer said. “Habitat provides the investment through houses and repairs, the HWC makes the important neighborhood relationships.”
Habitat for Humanity currently has a restore store on 22nd and Leavenworth streets for people looking for affordable building materials. Brewer shared with the crowd information about the active role her organization has taken. “Habitat will be constructing and renovating 25 houses in South Omaha in the coming year,” Brewer said as the crowd applauded.
As the convention drew to a close Sergio Sosa the Executive Director of the HWC recognized the communities of Schuyler and Nebraska City who traveled just to attend the convention and exemplified them for their organizing efforts. “We must continue to organize and register to vote in our communities,” Sosa said. “We will keep imagining and inspiring change.”