Our offices are always hopping and especially so now.
Here is what is going on!
1. Our organizers drive all over North Carolina and beyond and need a place to stay. Our North Carolina organizers are wondering if those in the Triangle area would allow them to sleep on a couch or in spare room so they don’t have to drive home 2,3,4 hours in the wee hours of the morning. They have to be available when our farm worker members are available and that is in the evening. If you can help, please call our Dudley, Office at:
919.731.4433
2. Do you know that our Homies led the way in getting the city of Toledo to provide better street lighting for our neighborhoods which affects not only us but everyone else? Good lighting helps our children feel safe and lowers crime! The LED lights have helped curb crime nearly 10% in the neighborhoods in which it was installed! We are going to push until the whole city is lit. We have a commitment from the City of Toledo and Toledo Edison, but we are going to follow it through to make sure it happens!
3. As a member of the Black Brown Unity Coalition, FLOC is fighting to get the City of Toledo to pick up its pace in addressing lead paint poisoning. How can anyone with a good conscience let landlords drag their feet in addressing lead paint poisoning? Presidente Velasquez pointed out that while land lords drag their feet, children are being poisoned in their homes. Once a child’s system is poisoned, there is no going back and it affects school performance. And guess what? The poorest kids suffer. Presidente Velasquez noted that if it were in our richer neighborhoods like Perrysburg or Sylvania, they wouldn’t stand for it! Does the city of Toledo not care for its own children? Or does it care more for landlords?
4. With increasingly cruel immigration enforcement along with what is going on at the border, we recently informed our members of their rights and what to do. We have instructions for those in different immigration categories on our website as a resource. All to say, the color of our skin can put us in danger if the current administration’s draconian policies continue.
5. We had University of Findlay students come to FLOC and help clean our local neighborhoods and interview FLOC members. The students cleaned the path kids walk to school, the teachers’ lot for Queen of Apostles teachers and much more. We care deeply about our neighborhood and our doing our part to help it flourish. The Homies regularly pick up neighborhood trash and appreciated the help. We were thrilled to have the University of Findlay students and campers from The Well Summer Theology Camp with us.
*This is just three days of FLOC Toledo. Our organizers in North Carolina, Kentucky, and Mexico and friends all over are in constant motion fighting for human rights and addressing grievances. We keep busy because there is much work to do. Thank you for joining with us.
*If you want to know how to get involved please contact Chibuzo Petty our Lead Family Advocate and Organizer in Toledo. Call our Toledo offices at (419) 243.3456 or our Dudley, North Carolina offices at
919.731.4433 and visit www.floc.com