Democracy Prep Public Schools’ Post

"The Leadership Conference Education Fund report — “Cause for Concern 2024: The State of Hate” — outlines the serious threat of an alarming rise in hate crimes since 2014. Each of the last four presidential election periods have shown an unmistakable pattern: Hate crimes increase during elections. The report, the most recent publication in The Leadership Conference Education Fund’s “Cause for Concern” series first published in 1997, covers this trend. And while not all hate crimes and hate incidents are committed by white supremacists, white supremacists have been particularly active during the last four national elections. From the mainstreaming of hate and the failure of social media platforms to adequately address disinformation, the current climate is rife with opportunities for the trend of increased hate to continue into the 2024 election — unless action is taken." Resource: https://lnkd.in/eJrWVEhQ #emanuelninememorial #emanuelnine #justice #love #nonprofit #community #hope

Not all of us want to speak up and out about injustice Doing it with others can make it more possible, manageable, powerful But imagine not having the right to Or being punished when we do Welcome to the new normal that is being deliberately created (didn't not exist before; just another level now) Time to speak up and out about our right to speak up and out? Here's a piece about the playbook/what's going on in the US and how some parts of philanthropy are engaging from the always on point Rajasvini B. - relevant and replicable in other contexts?

I’ve posted a longer article entitled “Building Power for Resisting Authoritarianism” that you can find at the link below. A summary: 1) The 2017 anti-Trump #resistance funneled money to national organizations, e.g. 350,000 people gave $24 million to the ACLU in one weekend; subscriptions for the NY Times and WashPost tripled. 2) Local groups did not raise money for themselves, incorporate, or hire. They vanished. 3) We need local groups that select leaders, make commitments, fundraise, hire, and form durable coalitions and federations. 4) They may be partisan, civic, green, human-rights-oriented, or have other identities. 5) They should deploy staff or volunteers to: a) Conduct 1-to-1 “relational” interviews and recruit new members b) Generate and curate reliable news c) Form relationships with established institutions d) Register voters and endorse candidates e) Train for and conduct civil resistance when necessary

I love seeing perspectives like this because it brings a dose of reality to many of the struggles and movements in the current day; concerning their relationships to the struggles of the past. The “divisiveness” brought about by calls for equality is no more divisive than the major upheavals of the civil rights movement nearly 60 years ago. Progress will always cause controversy, but leaders must examine pushback by the quality of the arguments being made, especially at a time when many of these arguments miss the point or are made in bad faith. Equality is a long-term project that benefits from both incremental progress and broader leaps forward. The bare minimum organizations can do is to take a clear stance. #Nonprofit #BlackLeadership #Justice

https://lnkd.in/giHV4JzT Small Summary: Please take the time to read the entire article. And use your $$$$ when choosing a place to buy your items. Do Not Continue to support their 'way' of 'making everyone 'meet their standards'. Diversity is the very thread that holds are Democracy together-to separate the fibers would result in an entirely new fabric, if any at all. #farright #religious #christian #democracy #diversity #civilwar #prejudice The little-known charity is backed by famous conservative donors, including the families behind Hobby Lobby and Uline. It’s spending millions to make a big political push for this election — but it may be violating the law An ultra-wealthy network of Christian donors is spending approximately $12 million in order to mobilize Republican-leaning voters, while purging over a million people from the election rolls in key swing states, directing votes toward ex-President Trump for the 2024 election. Donors include a fragment of the wealthiest conservative Christian families in the nation (top 1%), which includes the billionaire family of Uihlein, whose fortune is in office supplies; the Greens, owners of Hobby Lobby, and the Wallers, who own the Jockey apparel corporation. Recipients of this Ziklag’s group include Alliance Defending Freedom, a Christian legal group who led the overturning of Roe v. Wade, plus the national pro-Trump group Turning Point USA with a constellation of right-of-center advocacy groups. After studying emails, texts and writings, ProPublica found they reveal the group’s 2024 plans and its long-term goal to underpin every major sphere of influence in American society with Christianity. In the Bible, the city of Ziklag was where David and his soldiers found refuge during their war with King Saul. They state their endeavors are to wage a civil war here in the US with the ideology of belief “We are in a spiritual battle and locked in a terrible conflict with the powers of darkness,” says a strategy document that lays out Ziklag’s 30-year vision to “redirect the trajectory of American culture toward Christ by bringing back Biblical structure, order and truth to our Nation.”

Democracy is the bedrock upon which all else stands or falls. Now is the time for foundations and other funders to reinforce our dedication to its advancement. Civic engagement is the antidote to polarization, and philanthropy, its catalyst. Read more in my latest piece in the The Chronicle of Philanthropy: https://lnkd.in/eAethHvR

We are deeply saddened and outraged by the tragic death of Sonya Massey, a 36-year-old African American woman, who was unjustly killed in her home by police officers. This incident, captured on body camera, is yet another stark reminder of the systemic issues plaguing our society. We cannot afford to remain silent when such injustices occur. Each of us has a role to play in advocating for change and ensuring that every individual, regardless of their race, is treated with the dignity and respect they deserve. What if this was your mother, sister, daughter, niece, or friend? At Nonprofit Fundraising Management (NFM), we are committed to supporting efforts that address these critical issues—it’s one of the primary reasons we do what we do: support Black Churches in their efforts to increase education, health, prosperity, safety, and growth in their communities and beyond. We believe in the power of community action and the importance of standing together against injustice. How You Can Help Fight for Justice! - Get Involved: Join local advocacy groups and participate in peaceful protests. - Raise Awareness: Use your voice on social media and in your community to highlight these injustices. - Support Change: Donate to and volunteer for organizations dedicated to reforming the criminal justice system and supporting victims' families. By coming together, we can drive the change needed to prevent such tragedies in the future. Let's honor Sonya Massey by committing to justice and equality for all. #JusticeForSonya #EndPoliceBrutality #NFMforChange #BlackLivesMatter #DoSomething

Mic Drop 🎤 | TGNC communities are calling upon #philanthropy to resource more trans justice groups, provide more multi-year unrestricted and no strings attached #funding, shift from complex application processes, and #trust trans leadership and creativity. Center the voices, insights, experiences and needs of trans communities in your grantmaking and resource redistribution decision-making, especially this election year in which we are battling for our democracy and every current freedom and liberty is at stake. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gfxqmi4h

This Christian homeless ministry has faithfully served its community for 85 years. But if Washington state gets its way, Yakima Union Gospel Mission will soon be forced to lose the Christian character at the heart of everything it does. State officials say the mission must hire employees who don’t share its religious beliefs. But the Constitution protects religious organizations’ right to hire like-minded staff. That’s why we’re representing the mission in a lawsuit against Washington state. Since America’s earliest days, faith-based charity has played an essential role in our communities. We can’t let that end in Washington state. This Friday, July 19, our attorneys will appear before the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals on behalf of Yakima Union Gospel Mission. We’re asking the court to uphold the mission’s constitutional rights, so it can continue doing what it does best: giving life-changing hope and help to those who need it most. Learn more about this case, and all our work, at https://lnkd.in/ei9WGf-9