Susan Zimet has been the Executive Director of Hunger Action Network of New York State since February, 2015. Hunger Action Network is a membership organization of emergency food providers, advocates, faith groups and low-income individuals whose goal is to end hunger and its root causes, including poverty. Hunger Action Network has the dual goals of reducing hunger in the short term (e.g., increase funding for emergency food, stronger food stamp programs, more community gardens) while promoting long-term solutions such as universal health care, living wage jobs, and affordable housing. Susan has a long career in government and in media relations and marketing. She has dedicated herself to advocating on public policy issues such as property tax reform, protecting the environment, women’s rights and veteran’s rights. Prior to joining Hunger Action Network, Susan served as an elected official, representing the Town of New Paltz in both the Ulster County Legislature and as the Town Supervisor. She also served as Vice President, Associate Media Director at Grey Advertising and taught advertising and media at SUNY New Paltz. In addition to Hunger Action Network, Susan is also President of Zimet Group, Inc., a consulting and lobbying group, dedicated to bringing business and government together for the public good. Working in cooperation with many environmental partners, Susan was instrumental in helping to push through the historic moratorium in NYS on Fracking, back in 2007. The Zimet Group executive produced media campaigns against hydro-fracking, including; ‘I Love My New York Water” celebrity commercial, as well as “Water Rangers”. Susan is also the President of ‘Votes For Women 2020’, a not for profit dedicated to educating, celebrating and promoting the upcoming 100 th anniversary of a women’s right to vote. Susan has authored a book for young adults on the subject, which is scheduled to come out this year.
NOREEN SADIK – Confiscating lives, one hectare at a time
On 17 August, Issa al-Shatleh, of Beit Jala, Palestine, started his day with news that Israeli soldiers were on the land that had belonged to his family for hundreds of years. When he arrived, he found ‘they were destroying the land, and cutting my ancient olive trees, some hundreds of years old’. ‘They came without a warning,’ he said. And it …