Tuesday, October 3, 2017 from 9 - 10:30 AM PT / 12 - 1:30 PM ET Sponsored by Grantmakers for Southern Progress, National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy, and the Institute for Southern Studies. Report funded by the Ford Foundation. SPEAKERS: • Nik Theodore, Report Author, University of Illinois, Chicago • Chris Kromm – Institute for Southern Studies • LaTosha Brown – Grantmakers for Southern Progress • Ryan Schlegel – National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy • Nsombi Lambright - One Voice, Mississippi What will it take to win successful economic justice campaigns in the South? With many families facing chronically low wages and economic insecurity, an understanding and attention to the political economy of the South can help funders and field organizations develop successful intervention strategies. Focusing on the southern states of Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee, the New Southern Strategies: Employment, Workers’ Rights and the Prospects for Regional Resurgence report assesses economic indicators affecting quality of life in the South, examines corporate strategies that are driving these changes, and presents some of the efforts underway in the region to improve the quality of economic opportunity through labor organizing and strengthening workers’ rights. On this webinar, hear from the report’s author Nikolas Theodore (University of IL, Chicago) who will share highlights from the report and his previous work to illuminate opportunities to advance and build worker power. Additional speakers will share their analyses of the political economy of the South, how the history of systemic racism has maintained corporate power and limited the ability to build strong and successful efforts by community groups and labor to improve workers’ rights, and how the recent unionization efforts impact the outlook for future efforts across the country.

1. New Southern Strategies: Employment, Workers’
Rights and the Prospects for Regional Resurgence
October 3, 2017
Co-
sponsors:

2. Welcome!

3. New Southern Strategies: Employment,
Workers’ Rights and the Prospects for
Regional Resurgence
Nik Theodore
Professor & Report Author

4. New Southern Strategies: Employment,
Workers’ Rights and the Prospects for
Regional Resurgence
Chris Kromm
Executive Director & Publisher

5. New Southern Strategies: Employment, Workers’
Rights and the Prospects for Regional Resurgence
Half of nation’s growth in South
Source: ISS analysis of US Census Bureau

6. New Southern Strategies: Employment, Workers’
Rights and the Prospects for Regional Resurgence
Share of population born outside the
SouthSource: Census Bureau/The New York Times

7. New Southern Strategies: Employment, Workers’
Rights and the Prospects for Regional Resurgence

8. New Southern Strategies: Employment, Workers’
Rights and the Prospects for Regional Resurgence
Source: National Interest, The Economist, Daily Beast

9. New Southern Strategies: Employment, Workers’
Rights and the Prospects for Regional Resurgence
45%
39% 39%
38%
32%
31%
26% 26%
20%
19% 19%
17%
15%
22%
Source: ISS/Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2017
Increase in foreign direct investment, 2007 – 2015

10. New Southern Strategies: Employment, Workers’
Rights and the Prospects for Regional Resurgence
Source: Good Jobs First, 2017
COMPANY STATE COST OF DEAL
Sempra Energy Louisiana $2.19 billion
Lakes Charles LNG Export Co. Louisiana $1.79 billion
Cheniere Energy Louisiana $1.69 billion
Nissan Mississippi $1.25 billion
ThyssenKrupp Alabama $1.07 billion
Boeing South Carolina $900 million
Nebraska Furniture Mart Texas $802 million
Texas Instruments Texas $600 million
Continental Tire Mississippi $596 million
Volkswagen Tennessee $554 million
Top Southern “megadeals” to lure
business

11. New Southern Strategies: Employment, Workers’
Rights and the Prospects for Regional Resurgence
“We discourage any company that
has unions from wanting to come to
South Carolina because we don’t
want to taint the water.”
- S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley (R), 2014
“[VW’s neutrality stance towards a union
is] unfair, unbalanced, and, quite frankly,
un-American in the traditions of
American labor campaigns.”
- T.N. State Sen. Bo Watson (R), 2014
“If you want to take away your job, if
you want to end manufacturing as
we know it in Mississippi, just start
expanding unions.”
- M.S. Gov. Phil Bryant (R), 2017

12. New Southern Strategies: Employment, Workers’
Rights and the Prospects for Regional Resurgence
Source: Prosperity Now/Occupational Employment Statistics, 2017
States where more than a
third of jobs are low-wage

13. New Southern Strategies: Employment, Workers’
Rights and the Prospects for Regional Resurgence
Areas with least economic mobility
Source: Chetty/Hendren, 2013

14. New Southern Strategies: Employment, Workers’
Rights and the Prospects for Regional Resurgence

15. New Southern Strategies: Employment, Workers’
Rights and the Prospects for Regional Resurgence
Source: ISS/US Census Bureau, 2017
Urban/rural shifts in the South

16. New Southern Strategies: Employment, Workers’
Rights and the Prospects for Regional Resurgence
Source: Economic Policy Institute, 2017
Anti-worker preemption laws, 2016-2017

17. New Southern Strategies: Employment, Workers’
Rights and the Prospects for Regional Resurgence
Source: ISS/States of Change, 2016
Growth in people of color voters, 2014-2060

18. New Southern Strategies: Employment, Workers’
Rights and the Prospects for Regional Resurgence
Percent Who View Unions “Very
Favorably” or “Mostly Favorably”
Whites 47%
Latinos 54%
African-Americans 73%
Percent Who Believe Unions “Are
Necessary to Protect Working People”
1987 2012
Midwest 75% 65%
South 59% 60%
West 65% 64%
Source: Apollo Group/National Journal, 2012; Pew Research Center, 2014

19. New Southern Strategies: Employment, Workers’
Rights and the Prospects for Regional Resurgence

20. New Southern Strategies: Employment, Workers’
Rights and the Prospects for Regional Resurgence
CHRIS KROMM
Executive Director/Publisher
chris@southernstudies.org
@chriskromm
INSTITUTE FOR SOUTHERN STUDIES
www.southernstudies.org
FACING SOUTH WEEKLY UPDATE
facingsouth@southernstudies.org
put “subscribe” in subject line

21. New Southern Strategies: Employment,
Workers’ Rights and the Prospects for
Regional Resurgence
LaTosha Brown
Director, Grantmakers for Southern Progress
Ryan Schlegel
Senior Research & Policy Associate, NCRP

22. TOTAL
Per Capita Grantmaking, 2010-2014
Alabama Black Belt
AL
MS
GA
United States
NY
New York City
Atlanta
$28
$130
$204
$329
$453
$451
$995
$1,966

23. CIVIC ENGAGEMENT
Per Capita Grantmaking, 2010-2014
Alabama Black Belt
AL
MS
GA
United States
NY
New York City
Atlanta
$0.51
$4
$20
$14
$19
$39
$92
$203

24. +
“As the South
Grows”=

25. The Goal:
To increase the size and sustainability of
funding to the South
. . . from Southern AND national philanthropy
. . . for strategies that strengthen the power and
quality of life of Southern marginalized
communities
. . . in ways that are accountable to and
informed by these same communities.

26. Intent:
Secure needed progressive wins.
Impact:
Dangerously limits what change can be.
Instead:
Prevent harsh backslides &
build long-term power.

27. Intent:
Get money to people who “know how to use
it.”
Impact:
Mistakes privilege for capacity.
Instead:
Value organizing skills over
grant seeking skills.

28. Intent:
Support what works, and quickly.
Impact:
Overlooks unfamiliar leaders and strategies.
Instead:
Prioritize relationships, and
trust existing (often unseen)
work.

29. Culture of fear
• What do funders need to understand about the
role of fear in Southern communities?
• How does that fear prop up bad leaders, bad
policies?
• How can funders support culture-shift?

30. What we’ve
learned

31. Why Does the South
Matter?
• What starts here, goes national
• The communities most threatened by injustice are
largely in the South
• It’s the birthplace of the resistance – and that
expertise is sharper now than ever

32. CIVIC ENGAGEMENT
Per Capita Grantmaking, 2010-2014
Alabama Black Belt
AL
MS
GA
United States
NY
New York City
Atlanta
$0.51
$4
$20
$14
$19
$39
$92
$203

33. The key to any lasting
progressive vision for the
country?
It’s the South.

34. Questions? Want to be
involved?
Ryan Schlegel – rschlegel@ncrp.org

35. Implications and Lessons Learned from
Canton
Nsombi Lambright
Interim Executive Director

36. Register to join us!
www.nfg.org/fje_alabama

37. Funder Strategy Discussion
• What will it take to win
successful campaigns in
the South?
• What can funders do
towards this effort?

38. Thank you!
Stay in touch with the
Funders for a Just Economy
Manisha Vaze
manisha@nfg.org