A LIST OF ACORN’s “new” groups
(updated July 1, 2012)
This list is a work in progress. It is compiled and regularly updated by Matthew Vadum at matthewvadum.com. Some of the below information was included in Vadum’s book Subversion Inc.: How Obama’s ACORN Red Shirts are Still Terrorizing and Ripping Off American Taxpayers.
These groups were created after ACORN filed for bankruptcy in New York on Election Day 2010 or were created before in anticipation of the bankruptcy.
State-level chapters that have incorporated as new nonprofit corporations and new organizations controlled by ACORN personnel:
ARIZONA
Living United for Change in Arizona (LUCHA) website (“lucha” is Spanish for “fight”)
Staff
Monica Sandschafer (former state director, Arizona ACORN)
Board
ARKANSAS
Arkansas Community Organizations website
Staff
Board
CALIFORNIA
Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (ACCE) website
Staff
Amy Schur (formerly with California ACORN)
Board
Home Defenders League website This group appears not to have been incorporated. It is a project of ACCE. Longtime California ACORN operative David Lagstein, now an ACCE employee, registered the League’s Internet domain name.
CONNECTICUT
See Massachusetts: New England United for Justice
DELAWARE
Delawareans for Social and Economic Justice website
Board (according to website)
Darlene Battle Executive Director
James Brunswick President
Nancy Willing Vice President
Hugh Alleyne Treasurer
Staff (according to website)
Angela Walker
Kimoko Harris
Earl Woodlen
Charles Boone
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
See Maryland: Communities United and Communities United Training and Education Fund
FLORIDA
Organize Now website
Staff
Board
LOUISIANA
A Community Voice website
Staff (according to website)
Marie Hurt State Director
Frenzella Johnson New Orleans Community Organizer
Beth Butler Executive Director of Special Projects (Butler is wife of ACORN founder Wade Rathke.)
Board (according to website)
Lanny Roy President
Beulah Labostrie President Emeritus
Vanessa Gueringer Vice President
Annie Falls
Loretta Thomas
Tanya Harris
Debra Campbell Secretary/Treasurer
Justina Frazier
Alliance Institute website Tax returns: 2010 Form 990
Staff (according to website)
Executive Director Stephen Bradberry
Operations Director Jeff Karlson
Organizer Crystal Dixon
Board (according to website)
Dr. Dennis Dillon
Fernand Jackson
Cleveland Rapheal
Keith Twitchell
Diana Winingder
MARYLAND
Communities United website
Staff
Board
Gloria Swieringa (?)
Communities United Training and Education Fund (website not found)
Staff
Board
MASSACHUSETTS
New England United for Justice website
Staff (according to website)
Noemi Mimi Ramos, Executive Director
Lucia M. Correia, Community Organizing Coordinator
Mary Garcia, Outreach Organizer
Yalonda Washington, Data Organizer
Korey Gray, Communications Organizer
Beatriz Stratter, Financial Consultant
Board (according to website)
Maude Hurd, President
Sandra Ramgeet, Vice President
Carla Stovell, Treasurer
Gladys Alexander, Secretary
Reggie Stovell, Community Liaison
Dora Vaughn
Olivia Hoskins
Alan Booth
Noemi Mimi Ramos, Assistant Clerk, Staff
MINNESOTA
Minnesota Neighborhoods Organizing for Change website Tax returns: 2010 Form 990
Staff
Board
MISSOURI
Missourians Organizing for Reform and Empowerment (MORE)website Tax returns: 2010 Form 990
Staff (according to website)
Executive Director Jeff Ordower (former ACORN organizer)
Lead Organizer Cathy de la Aguilera
Organizer James Houston
Organizer Hannah Allison
Board
NEW JERSEY
Communities United New Jersey website
Staff
Executive Director Trina Scordo (Change to Win organizer)
Board
NEW MEXICO
Organizers in the Land of Enchantment (OLÉ) website Tax returns: 2010 Form 990
Staff
Board
NEW YORK
The Black Institute (website). This is a 501c3 nonprofit corporation formed in 2010 in New York. Tax returns: 2010 Form 990
Staff (according to website)
Ebony Constant, Organizing Associate
Board
Bertha M. Lewis, President (former ACORN national chief organizer)
Arthur Schwartz, Secretary
Michael Anicette, Treasurer
Altagracia Pierre
Carmen Wallace
Selvin Bushay
James Heylinger
Advisory Board (according to website)
Jose Alvarez – Principal, Alvarez Porter Group, LLC
John Banks – Vice President, Government Relations, Con Edison
Brian Figeroux, Esq. – Figeroux & Associates, P.C.
Roger Green – Executive Director, DuBois-Bunche Center for Public Policy
David Jones – President & CEO, Community Service Society of New York (CSS)
Bill Lynch – President, Bill Lynch & Associates
Cheryl McKissack – President, McKissack & McKissack
Rev. Connis Mobley – Sr. Pastor, United Community Baptist Church
Mary Sobecki – Program Officer, The Needmor Fund
New York Communities for Change website. This is a 501c4 nonprofit corporation formed in 2009 in New York. Tax returns: 2010 Form 990
Staff
Board
Marie Pierre, President
Jean Sassine, Treasurer
Iona Emsley
Wilfredo Larancuent
Precilla Lockett
Ed Ott
Maria Polanco
Neva Shillingford
Leroy Johnson
Lorna Blake
Jon Kest, Executive Director
New York Communities Organizing Fund website (2010-2011 annual report). This is a 501c3 nonprofit corporation formed in 2010 in New York. Tax returns: 2010 Form 990
Staff
Board (according to website)
Mark Peters, Chair
Dorothy Amadi
Deborah Axt
Russell Carter
Regina Castro
David Daniels
Hazel Dasent
Steven Flax
Philip Giles
Skip Roseboro
NORTH CAROLINA
Action NC website
Staff (according to website)
Pat McCoy Executive Director
Gloria De Los Santos Durham Director
Michael De Los Santos Communications and Online Outreach Director
Luis Rodriguez Community Organizer
Kevin Rogers Policy & Public Affairs Director
Héctor Vaca Charlotte Director
Board
PENNSYLVANIA
Pennsylvania Neighborhoods for Social Justice (PNSJ) (website not found)
Staff
Board
Pennsylvania Communities Organizing for Change (PCOC) doing business as Action United. This is a 501c3 nonprofit corporation formed in 2010 in Pennsylvania. website Tax returns: 2011 Form 990
Staff (according to website)
Craig Robbins, Executive Director
Maryellen Deckard, Western Regional Director
Julia Ramsey, State Political Director
Jennifer England, Communications Director
Urell Spain, Financial Literacy/Tax and Benefits Director
Rosalyn Carroll, Administrative Assistant
Jasmine Rivera, SE Regional Field Director
Fred Jones, SE Community Organizer (on the Fight for Philly staff in 2012)
Amanda Koprowski, SE Community organizer
Desire Grover, Chester Community Organizer
Elly Porter Webb, SE Education organizer
Elizabeth Lassiter, SE Canvas director
Lindsey Duchac, SE Community organizer
Denise Johnson, PT western campaign organizer
Jordan Romanus, trainee, western Community Organizer
Board (according to website)
Pat Worrell, Chair
Rosa Chacon, Secretary/Treasurer
Justin Diberardinas, Politics Chair
Irv Ackelsberg
Vallie Still
Fabricio Rodriguez
Anita Drummond
Gaius Jenkins
Mike Healy
Louise Malakoff
Lucille Prater-Holliday
Carolyn Banks
Daisy Cruz
RHODE ISLAND
See Massachusetts: New England United for Justice
TEXAS
Texas Organizing Project website
Staff (according to website)
Ginny Goldman Director Texas
Michelle Tremillo Deputy Director Texas
Crystal Zermeno Director of Strategic Organizing Texas
Kimberly Olsen Director of Voter Engagement Texas
Chris Young Organizing Director Harris County
Allison Brim Organizing Director Dallas County
Resha Thomas Campaign Coordinator Houston
Gloria Villarreal Office Manager Houston
Jayne Junkin Lead Organizer Houston
Emi Zuniga Community Organizer Rio Grande Valley
Angelica Garcia Community Organizer Pasadena
Alain Cisneros Community Organizer Houston
Kevin Marshall Community Organizer Houston
Christina Hidalgo Community Organizer Houston
Durrel Douglas Communications Coordinator Texas
Adriana Collazo Community Organizer Dallas
Danny Cendejas Community Organizer Dallas
Oscar Boleman Special Projects Texas
Board (according to website)
Charlie Rodriguez, President Community Leader, El Paso
Steve Halvorson, Treasurer Community Leader, Pasadena
Robert Conley Community Leader, Irving
Melba Williams Community Leader, Dallas
Deborah Walker Community Leader, Houston
Humberto Garcia Community Leader, Pasadena
Advisory Committee (according to website)
Allan Van Fleet Partner, Greenberg Traurig Law Firm
John Henneberger Director, Texas Low Income Housing
and Information Services
Linda Bridges President, Texas Federation of Teachers
Stephan Fairfield Director, Covenant Community Capital
Sylvia Garcia Houston
Elena Marks Houston
Rosie Castro Civic Leader – San Antonio
Naomi Aberly Civic Leader – Dallas
Jackie Martin Principal, JS Martin Associates
Becky Moeller President, Texas AFL-CIO
Scott McCown Director, Center for Public Policy Priorities
Aimee Boone Civic Leader – Dallas
Texas Organizing Project Education Fund (website not found). This is a 501c3 nonprofit corporation formed in 2009 in Texas. (Guidestar.org file) Tax returns: 2010 Form 990
Staff
Board
Alex Guzman, President
Patricia Ward, Vice President
Sara Crockett, Secretary/Treasurer
Carol Barger
Zeph Capo
WASHINGTON
Organization United for Reform (OUR) Washington (known as OUR Washington) website
Staff
Board
Theresa Guerrero, President
Antonio Lewis, Secretary
Donnie Naes, Treasurer