Francine Streich
Francine Streich worked for ACORN from the 1970s through the early 2000s before starting work at the United Federation of Teachers in New York as a community and parent organizer. While at the UFT, she continued to partner with ACORN on a number of campaigns, including the campaign to organize daycare workers across the city. Originally from New Jersey, Streich moved to Philadelphia to become an occupational therapist. While at the University of Pennsylvania, she met Jon Kest, who had worked for ACORN the previous summer. Together, they started the ACORN Philadelphia branch and, later, the Brooklyn branch. In this interview, Streich talks about the ACORN organizing model, the work culture at ACORN (including around race and gender), the Philly and Brooklyn squatter campaigns, and the campaign against charter schools in Brooklyn. The interview may be of interest to those who want to learn about the affordable housing campaigns, education organizing, the early ACORN model, and the culture of ACORN.