About WeROC

WeROC engages in targeted action campaigns deeply rooted in our values, and develops new leaders who can effectively work for equitable outcomes and resources in:

• Education
• Housing
• Employment
• Veterans Issues
• Public Health
• Mental Health Services
• Economic Opportunity
• Criminal Justice Reform

WeROC’s People-Powered Victories for a Stronger Washtenaw, 2012-2019…and That’s Just the Beginning!

Here are some of WeROC’s lasting victories, won by united community leaders in grassroots campaigns at three Major Public Meetings and countless group meetings with public decisionmakers in recent years… DOWNLOAD WeROC Victories 2012-2019

• “Banning the Box” on job applications in five key County municipalities, to help ex-offenders re-enter the life of the community

• “Bus to the Clinics”: Achieved agreement with U of M transportation officials, so U of M and AAATA now work together to simplify getting people to their Domino’s Farm area medical appointments

• Resisting “7th Hour Fees”: Ensured Ann Arbor Public Schools found ways to avoid charging families for important classes

• Keeping kids in school: Won commitments from members of the Boards of the 3 urban school districts to measurably reduce unnecessary expulsions and suspensions (in alliance with Student Advocacy Center), leading to more focus on Restorative Practices and less on punishment

• AAATA millage: Organized volunteeres for targeted door to door campaigning for this winning ballot initiative which greatly increased bus service in eastern Washtenaw (in alliance with Huron Valley Area Labor Federation)

• Earned Sick Time and Regional Transit: Provided key local “feet on the ground” for 2016 ballot initiatives

• WeROC Mental Health Equity Campaign: Launched in 2017 in response to urgent concerns voiced by local clergy and County mental health worker unions, to demand serious improvements in mental health services, especially in eastern Washtenaw:
  • WeROC quickly engaged by building grassroots support for the County-wide Mental Health and Public Safety millage, which passed overwhelmingly across the County
  • Created a focused community voice at follow-on community meetings about how to most effectively spend the new money that was generously voted by residents
  • Pushed for and won regular meetings with County Community Mental Health director and her staff to support the community-identified need for coordinated mental health crisis services
  • Worked with Labor allies to strategically build a majority on the County Commission to save front-line mental health worker jobs and increase their wages

• Rising for Economic Democracy in Ypsi (REDY): Joined with new community leaders to create REDY, a new grassroots group that built a successful campaign to develop and pass a local Community Benefits Ordinance in the City of Ypsilanti — one of the first such successful efforts in the country to ensure the community is involved at every step of local economic development projects

• Veterans Action Team: Most recently, WeROC members have shone a light on the special issues of veterans, especially veterans of color, leading to this exploratory action team

WeROC is proud to be affiliated with the MOSES organization in S.E. Michigan and the National Gamaliel Network.

• The Mission of MOSES is to organize communities, develop faith-based leaders and build relationships to advocate for social justice through a group of diverse congregations.
• The Gamaliel network of community organizing projects (gamaliel.org) empowers ordinary people to effectively participate in the political, environmental, social and economic decisions affecting their lives. Gamaliel’s diverse members apply their faith and values to the pursuit of equal opportunity for all, shared abundance, and stronger, more prosperous communities.