Hometown Action is a member-led organization, meaning our community members help shape our policy agenda. Different communities will have different needs and priorities and specific campaigns are determined through a collective decision making process.
Through member input and our shared commitment to anti-racism, class solidarity, and the recognition that all people have value, we have developed a broad Hometown Agenda to revitalize our towns, build community, and develop political leadership for our movement.
Racial Justice
Alabama has a long history of racial oppression and many of our communities have been perpetrators of that history. However there is also a long history of resistance, resilience, and progress. We are committed to dismantling systems in our communities that contribute to racial inequality as a core component of our working class movement building. This means working to end over-policing in communities of color, school policies that decrease student contact with the criminal justice system, protecting immigrant communities, developing community solutions to limit interventions by police in our neighborhoods, and public works that celebrate our history and commitment to racial justice.
Gender Equity
We recognize that gender has long been used as a means to discriminate against people who do not fit into narrow categories based on their social role, identity, sexual orientation, and family choices. Everyone should be afforded the opportunity to thrive. We will work for inclusive policies that bar discrimination on the basis of gender and sexual orientation, allow women to choose if, when, and how they will start a family, and develop solutions that honor the unpaid work many in our communities do without penalizing them in the economy.
Sustainable Communities
Our communities have deep roots that anchor us to a specific place. We shouldn’t have to leave to find jobs or sacrifice the unique character of our community to developers and big box retailers to create opportunity. We are committed to building place-based community that revitalizes vacant storefronts, incentivizes the creation of local businesses, invests in infrastructure including broadband internet and public transportation, promotes walkability and public spaces while contributing to the prosperity of our towns.
Fair Economy
Our economy has been dominated by giant corporations and the super rich who are sucking resources out of our small towns. We will work to democratize the economy by supporting the creation of locally-owned businesses and worker co-ops, incentivizing local employment while ensuring workers can earn a decent living and have a voice in their workplace. As we transition to a fair economy, we are committed to finding solutions that sustain our natural resources for future generations without harming individuals’ ability to live off the land. Investing in workers also means access to decent affordable housing and services that provide a decent quality of life. Furthermore we will work to create a role for residents in making decisions about local and state budgets to ensure our priorities receive the funding they deserve.
True Democracy
Politicians in Montgomery are attacking our towns by forcing them to get permission from the state legislature to make the most basic decisions about our communities. We will fight for home rule and systems that allow for greater participation in government by everyday people who live in our communities while actively building a civic culture that holds our elected officials accountable to the will of the people. We must ensure the right to vote is protected for all residents and that electoral participation is accessible.
Education
Our rural communities have consistently received inadequate funding for schools compared to urban communities. We believe everyone has a right to high quality, affordable education from preschool through college. We will work to establish programs that develop practical skills to help everyday people find work or start a business. We believe our youth and student workers deserve employment opportunities where they can earn a fair wage while also learning job skills and that higher education is a right for anyone willing to put in the work, not just a privilege for those who can afford it.
Healthcare
Healthcare is a human right. The for-profit medical industry has developed a system that maximizes their profits but is literally killing our friends and neighbors who cannot afford quality care. Our communities deserve access to preventative services, treatment programs to fight addiction and the opioid crisis that is ravaging our communities, and more hospitals and clinics in our rural communities.