Massachusetts Communities Action Network (MCAN)

Massachusetts Communities Action Network (MCAN) is a network of faith-based community organizations in MA working for economic and racial justice. We are inspired by our faith traditions’ deep and enduring call to justice. We do grassroots organizing with faith and community leaders across the state, working with those who are most affected by the issues of racial injustice and economic disparity. 

Our organizing approach includes story telling, relationship building, and using the power of bringing large numbers of people together in action meetings to gain commitments from community and political leaders. Training and developing the skills of our leaders is a key focus. Everyday people from all religious, racial and economic backgrounds lead our organizing efforts.

We are a co-founder and co-chair of the Raise Up Massachusetts Coalition, which won the campaigns to increase the MA minimum wage to $11/hr, the highest state-wide minimum wage in the country. We also won the ballot initiative for a state-wide earned sick time policy for all workers. During all phases of both campaigns, we were the most effective organization of volunteer-based leaders, gathering over a quarter of the total petition signatures and significantly more than any other group state-wide, and talked to the most voters among volunteer-led community groups. We're currently a steering committee member of the Jobs Not Jails coalition, and are working on racial justice and mass incarceration issues, as well as continuing to organize around state-wide economic issues. 

Our network was started as a community organizing training center called OLTC in 1985 and has evolved into a powerful movement of faith leaders throughout MA acting prophetically on collective campaigns. Within MCAN there are local organizations in Brockton, Lynn/North Shore, New Bedford & Fall River, Springfield and Worcester. MCAN is an affiliate of the PICO National Network.