History

Since 2000, NAIC has been organizing to improve the lives of families in Northern Arizona. For example:

  • NAIC advocated in 2013 for the expansion of Medicaid, which has now restored AHCCCS coverage for 50,000 childless adults.
  • Thanks to NAIC’s organizing efforts, Flagstaff and Sedona passed resolutions in 2013 in support of comprehensive immigration reform, sending a strong message to our Congressional representatives that our communities are impacted by the lack of federal reform.
  • NAIC supported the launch of the Northern Arizona Dream Fund in 2013, providing financial support for young people applying for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals.
  • NAIC helped launch the West Sedona Family Center, with English classes for immigrant parents and a homework club and childcare for kids at West Sedona School.
  • NAIC organized house meetings with employees and patients of North Country HealthCare to address concerns about translation and interpretation services, leading to the hiring of an additional, full-time, Spanish interpreter and the creation of
    a cultural competence committee to implement improvements to services.
  • In 2013, NAIC advocated for continued city funding for the FACTS afterschool program in Flagstaff. At that time, 38% of all K-5 students in FUSD participated in the FACTS afterschool program. On average, 597 students a day attended FACTS, and 221 received a scholarship or subsidy.
  • NAIC organized for the successful passage of school bonds and overrides in Flagstaff and Sedona in 2012 and 2013. Arizona’s per pupil funding has seen the largest cuts of any state in the nation over the past 5 years – 21.8%. Arizona is third from the bottom in state per-pupil spending nationally.
  • In 2014, NAIC worked with other Flagstaff organizations and City Council to save the Arrowhead Village trailer park, whose residents were threatened with displacement as a result of new development.
  • In September 2013, NAIC leaders organized a Prescott assembly where nearly 800 people gathered to show their support for local school bonds and overrides and increased state funding for public schools.
  • NAIC facilitated the creation of the Sedona Housing Commission to address the lack of affordable and workforce housing in Sedona. NAIC actively worked to encourage the Sedona City Council to approve the Accessory Dwelling Unit ordinance, allowing residents to receive income from rental housing on their property and opening up a source of affordable housing.
  • On August 11, 2016, more than 200 people attended a District 1 candidate forum on public education sponsored by NAIC and the Prescott College Social Justice Human Rights Program. PUSD Superintendent Joe Howard, who attended the forum said, “I am very appreciative of the forum’s purpose – to continue to work as a community towards the very best education system we can have for our students,” and expressed his hope that “our local legislators will once again step up for public education in the upcoming legislative session.”
  • In 2021, Housing Solutions of Northern Arizona , an NAIC participating institution, was able to administer $154,000 in assistance to first time homebuyers, house 27 adults and 40 children in their affordable rental units, and offer 91 individuals safety in Sharon Manor.
  • In Spring 2021, NAIC collaborated with Coconino County to sponsor bilingual vaccination clinics at San Francisco de Asis Catholic Church for the immigrant community who might otherwise had trouble accessing the vaccine.
  • NAIC leaders organized their institutions to help collect the necessary signatures for three education funding referenda to be added to the November 2022 ballot.
  • Sedona NAIC leaders gained commitments from the City of Sedona to support climate action
    solutions in July 2022.
  • NAIC Leaders are organizing in support of Proposition 308 for the 2022 election. The bill will be voted on by AZ voters in November and would provide in-state tuition to all students who have completed at least two years in an Arizona high school, regardless of immigration status.
2022 NAIC & NAICL Annual Report