$30,000 / 2010
P.O. Box 830706
San Antonio, Texas 78283
Genaro Rendon, Director
Website: www.swunion.org
Southwest Workers Union (SWU) was formed in 1988 on the principles of community-based organizing to empower people of color, workers, the poor, and youth to organize and build power to speak for themselves to achieve dignity and justice. In 2001, the SWU built a base of students in schools within the San Antonio Independent Public School District (SAISD) to address student issues and be a more powerful and legitimate voice inside the school system. For the past two years, Youth Leadership Organizations (YLO) have focused on the school-to-prison and school-to-military pipelines. Youth membership has represented SWU at national and international conferences, including the US Social Forum and the United Nations Forum on Racism. Hazen’s $30,000 grant in 2010 will support the organization’s work in building a strong base of youth leaders working to achieve social justice through its Youth Leadership Organization (YLO).