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The Newsletter for the Movement for Economic, Climate, and Racial Justice |
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On September 5, 1882, the first recorded Labor Day parade was held in New York City’s Union Square, during the height of America’s Gilded Age. This site continued to be a nexus of labor struggle in the early 20th century. On a hot, summer day, ALIGN staff members went to Union Square to ask the same question New Yorkers were asking themselves over a century ago: Is New York City affordable? (This time with a smartphone and mic in hand). The responses were unanimous across race, age, gender, and even class lines. Rent is too high. Wages are too low. Not a single person said that the City’s current minimum wage, $17, is enough. Today, we have our own robber barons. A new report by the AFL-CIO shared that 500 CEOs received $340.1 million on average in 2025, about a 1,700% increase over the previous year. Our campaign for a $30 minimum wage is our response to the age of rampant inequality. It’s a response to the call from the labor movement that came before us. Now it’s our turn to fight for our fair share. |
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Take Action |
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Join ALIGN at our annual Movement Builders Awards on October 22, 2026 for a powerful celebration of the people and organizations building a more sustainable economy and environment across New York. This year, we are also thrilled to be celebrating ALIGN’s 15th anniversary — you won’t want to miss it! |
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Save the Date for Street Works Earth on September 20th! Join the 3rd annual street arts and climate action festival, bringing together artists, neighbors, and changemakers to co-create, share stories, and learn about how we can care for our planet and each other. |
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People Over Packages |
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The Delivery Protection Act is gaining momentum and the world’s biggest corporate bully is starting to get nervous. This month, NYS Focus revealed that Amazon is spending $5 million under the guise of a “small business” coalition to lobby against the bill that would end the company’s dirty sub-contracting scheme and force them to take responsibility for their own delivery drivers. The implications are enormous for workers and communities. The DPA will bring stronger worker protections, safer streets, and more opportunities for Amazon workers to unionize. Mayor Mamdani joined the call to formally endorse the bill, adding to the support from unions, community organizations, and a majority of City Council Members. Earlier this month, we joined hundreds of Teamsters across the northeast to rally with Teamsters President Sean O’Brien for the DPA, where he highlighted the national implications of our local fight. At City Hall, we co-hosted a picket with Amazon Teamsters to call for a vote. Our communities are showing that Amazon can’t hide behind fake small businesses and avoid accountability. This is what speaking truth to power looks like. |
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Turning Subway Heat into Renewable Energy |
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That awful heat in the subway station you feel every summer? That’s a potential source of energy for heating and cooling New York. That’s the magic of Thermal Energy Networks (TENS), which use a shared network of water-filled pipes that transfer heat in and out of buildings and other infrastructure. This is a much cleaner, cheaper alternative to getting heating or cooling from burning natural gas piped from afar. This month, Mayor Mamdani announced a pilot program to install TENS in subway stations, which would move heat out of stations, store it, and use it in municipal buildings in lower Manhattan in the colder months. As part of the UPGRADE New York collaboration, ALIGN has successfully secured hundreds of millions of dollars for TENS in SUNY and CUNY schools. From subways to schools to buildings, TENS is another way to create thousands of green jobs, lower energy bills, and move us to a renewable energy future. |
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ALIGN in the News |
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Our new op-ed in the NY Daily News: |
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We Outside |
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ALIGN explores social movement history and art at the Interference Archive during our Summer staff retreat |
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Executive Director Theodore Moore meets Teamsters President Sean O’Brien at Delivery Protection Act Rally |
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ALIGN Staff catches the BRT at the NYC Transit Museum for our summer outing |
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ALIGN is celebrating 15 years of organizing labor and community for a just and sustainable New York! To celebrate our anniversary, we are launching the $15 for 15 Years campaign, and asking you to make a recurring monthly gift of $15. Make a donation to help us build a New York where everyone can thrive. |
Donate |
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