Community Voices Heard

Community Voices Heard (CVH) is a member-led multi-racial organization, principally women of color and low-income families in New York State that builds power to secure social, economic and racial justice for all. We accomplish this through grassroots organizing, leadership development, policy changes, and creating new models of direct democracy.

Community Voices Heard (CVH) was founded in 1994 as a member-led organization by low-income people, predominantly women of color, many receiving public assistance and fighting the welfare reform policies that threatened their families. Leading members like Gail Aska worked to build power in New York City and State to improve the lives of our families and communities. From these early beginnings CVH has evolved into a multi-issue statewide organization of low-income people.

Community Voices Heard organizes low-income New Yorkers around the issues of good jobs and access to them, a just social safety net, and truly affordable housing. To accomplish these goals we also work to strengthen our democracy by making it more participatory and by fighting for a fair share tax system that adequately funds the programs and services our communities need.