Below is a sample of the emails you can expect to receive when signed up to ColorofChange.
|
Eugene,
This month, our Color of Change leaders are hosting back-to-school drives across the country because Black students deserve to walk into school armed with the supplies they need for success.
Our squad members have been working hard in cities like Orlando, Detroit, Flint, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Tampa and more to help buy the materials that teachers who work in predominantly Black schools are so often forced to pay for out-of-pocket with their own salaries1. Yesterday, our Orlando squad hosted our third back to school giveaway of the season. But we still have two giveaways left!�Will you donate $10 to help fund 1 backpack full of school supplies for a Black student in Flint?
Studies show that when students have the school supplies they need, �their grades and classroom behavior improve and they become more excited about school and learning.�2 However, in a new report from EdBuild, it was found that �school districts where the majority of students enrolled are students of color receive $23 billion less in education funding than predominantly white school districts, despite serving the same number of students.�3
Black students and teachers are fighting a widening racial disparity gap in education funding. Let�s show them that their community is willing to show up for them.
This means one thing: Black students suffer disproportionately when it comes to having the basic things they need to receive a quality education. Our squad leaders have been fighting for the structural changes we need within the education system to ensure it supports our communities the way we know it can and should. But they also recognize that we have a responsibility today to show Black students and teachers that they don�t have to do it all alone. By organizing these backpack and supply giveaways, we have the chance to prove to Black kids that their communities support and care about their dignity in education.
With your donation we will be able to give away:
We're fighting for equal funding, but right now our students deserve the support needed to fully participate in the classroom. These giveaways are important because they allow teachers who care about their students to ensure that they have the things they need to feel good about learning. We do this so that Black students can walk into school with their heads held high, knowing that they have the same right to a quality education as their classmates and peers.�
We�re hosting two more back to school events in the next month for OUR students. Will you chip in $10 for one backpack of supplies (or $20 for 2) to show Black students that you care?
Until justice is real,
�Kwesi, Rashad, Arisha, Shannon, Dominique, Imani, Sonya, and the rest of the Color of Change team
References:
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
Dear Eugene.
In just the last decade, predatory private equity firms have destroyed more than 1 million jobs in retail and related industries, and are threatening to eliminate a million more. They buy up large retailers� like Toys �R� US, Kmart, Payless, and Sears�load them with debt, and force them into bankruptcy while making millions in profit for executives. These predatory Wall Street executives slash worker pay, hours, and benefits, and then walk away with millions of dollars in bonuses. They drive companies to bankruptcy and leave workers with no job, no benefits and no severance.
Given that Black people, specifically Black women, disproportionately make up the retail market work force, our communities are hit the hardest by Wall Street plundering.1 Black families should not have to pay the price so Wall Street executives can earn more multi-million dollar bonuses. The financial stability of Black families and communities should not be balanced on the whims of the super rich and their shady business practices.�With the Stop Wall Street Looting Act, introduced by Sen. Warren, we can fight to protect more than a million at-risk jobs.�
Sign The Petition: Tell Congress to support the Stop Wall Street Looting Act.
Private equity firms have rigged the system so they benefit from the upside of high-risk investments by buying companies with pooled money from pension funds, wealthy investors and financial firms. These firms then buy companies in debt in an attempt to �turn them around,� to only sell off its assets, cut workers pay (or lay them off), then turn a profit from their destructive capitalism.2�
Democratic members of the House and Senate have introduced The Stop Wall Street Looting Act, and it finally plans to hold private equity firms accountable for the destruction they cause. The Stop Wall Street Looting Act will prevent private equity firms from destroying jobs for profit, protect worker retirement funds, and provide compensation for working people when their stores close in bankruptcy.�
We must stop corporate greed and protect our communities from losing jobs by pressuring congress to pass this legislation that will change tax and bankruptcy rules, and most importantly protect workers who are laid off.3�
Demand Congress hold private equity billionaires accountable.
Ten of the 14 largest retail bankruptcies since 2012 have been at private-equity owned companies, which has meant layoffs, bankruptcies, and benefit cuts for Black workers.4 The corporate greed of private equity firms disrupts the financial stability of Black families and guts communities of jobs.
Private equity firms are not only taking jobs out of communities, but also attacking nursing homes and major hospital systems. Accountability, legislation against tax loopholes, and protection for workers when employers go bankrupt must happen or we will be left with jobless communities with little or no access to proper healthcare. This could be any one of us or our family members. Now is the time to take a stand.
Demand Congress stop allowing Billionaires to harm Black people and our communities.
Until justice is real,
--Brandi, Rashad, Arisha, Evan, Johnny, Future, Sar�ya, Eesha, Samantha, Marcus, FolaSade and the rest of the Color Of Change team
References:
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
Eugene,
5 years ago, Mike Brown's body was left for 4 hours in the middle of the road after being murdered by a rogue police officer in Ferguson, Missouri.
The palpable outrage felt across the nation�turned into one of the most powerful uprisings against Black oppression in recent times.�Black people across the nation joined a powerful movement to stand up against police brutality, systemic oppression, political corruption, and white supremacy.
The weeks-long Ferguson Protests inspired an entire generation of people and put on display Black peoples� resiliency and willingness to put our bodies on the line for justice. Regular folks became freedom fighters that day. Ferguson is a historic moment that follows in the legacy of civil rights fights like the Montgomery Bus Boycott, Bloody Sunday in Selma, and the Chicago Freedom Movement. These pivotal points in civil rights history were times when Black people rallied against institutionalized violence caused by centuries of segregation, inequality, and state-sanctioned violence.�The fire that the nation felt from Black people during the Ferguson Protests is still burning and the movement continues.
Chip in $3 to continue the fight for justice.
We fought to turn Ferguson from a moment to a movement.�We fought to unseat Bob McCulloch, the prosecutor who failed to press charges against the officer who murdered Mike Brown in St. Louis. Wesley Bell, a Black reform-minded prosecutor now sits in that position and a new wave of district attorneys running on reform platforms across the country have been elected to office. We�ve successfully been fighting to hold all of them accountable to the promises they made to Black people during their campaigns.
While we have accomplished so much, we still have so much further to go. Our vision at Color Of Change is guided by the resiliency and efforts of activists, organizers, and communities in Ferguson. We�re centering Black women in all the work we do by fighting for the rights of pregnant women, Black trans women, and incarcerated Black women. We�re working to hold elected leaders and politicians accountable to Black people so they know there are consequences for letting us down. We�re fighting for incarcerated children just as hard as adults. And we�re exposing injustices in the criminal legal system at every level so our members have the tools they need to fight injustices in their own communities.�
Your support�$3 of will power our collective movement of holding police, elected leaders, and corporations accountable to Black people. Will you join us?
In the words of civil rights leader A. Philip Randolph, �Freedom is never given; it is won.� We owe it to the Black people we�ve lost during this movement to continue fighting and pushing beyond what we think is possible in the name of Black freedom and justice.�We are up against powerful people who want to stop our movement, so your support is needed to keep the movement going.��
Join and support the movement.�
Until justice is real,
--Scott, Rashad, Arisha, Erika, Clarise, Marybeth, Marena, Leonard, Madison, Tamar, and the rest of the Color of Change team
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
Eugene,
�I can�t breathe. I can�t breathe.�
5 years ago Eric Garner pleaded for his life1�and for NYPD officer Daniel Pantaleo to release him from a deadly and illegal chokehold. Officer Pantaleo never let go and eventually murdered Eric Garner all because he was standing on a street corner as he did daily minding his business.
Although Garner�s death was ruled a homicide, officer Pantaleo, and other officers who restrained him, walk free and are still employed by the NYPD,2 collecting their paychecks and carrying the same badge that gave them permission to murder a Black man in the street. In the 5 years since, Mayor de Blasio has done nothing to hold his department�s officers accountable, not even an investigation. Meanwhile, he is running to become president on promises of police reform and championing for justice when he can�t even hold his city�s officers accountable for the death of Eric Garner.�
At the second Democratic presidential debate, protestors rightfully shouted3 for Mayor de Blasio to hold Eric Garner�s murderer accountable by immediately firing officer Pantaleo.�It�s been far too long and de Blasio has had too many opportunities to take action. Enough is enough.�Just last week, an administrative judge recommended to the NYPD police commissioner that Officer Pantaleo should be fired from the force.4 This is a huge step in the right direction and the first time anyone with authority in the case has officially recommended his firing.�Mayor de Blasio�needs to use his power as the head of the NYPD and fire officer Pantaleo for killing Eric Garner. If we can get Mayor Bill de Blasio to fire officer Pantaleo, we can get justice for the Eric Garner family once and for all.�
Sign the petition: Demand Mayor Bill de Blasio immediately fire NYPD officer Daniel Pantaleo for killing Eric Garner.�
In July 2014, Eric Garner was slammed to the ground, threatened and placed in an illegal chokehold by NYPD officer Pantaleo because he was selling cigarettes on the street corner. Just this past May, the Department of Justice5 who investigated the incident declared that officer Pantaleo did nothing wrong. To be clear, it took a federal agency 5 years to bring forth no justice to the Garner family. In that same 5 year span, Mayor de Blasio did absolutely nothing to hold his officers accountable. Despite the video evidence, witnesses on the street, and the autopsy report declaring the death a homicide, de Blasio still has done absolutely nothing. Recently, de Blasio has stated that he waited on the DOJ to finish their investigation. But the reality is he could fire them today.
The Internal Affairs Bureau even recommended disciplinary charges be brought against Pantaleo for the illegal chokehold, and still, no actions were taken. This is negligence on de Blasio�s part. He is claiming Black lives matter on the national debate stage but signing a paycheck to a racist cop who murdered a Black man. For a city that is made up of 25% Black people and a political leader in the national landscape, we cannot allow our elected officials to act with such indifference to Black people and enable a system that protects killer cops.
Five years and no justice for Eric Garner. Mayor Bill de Blasio needs to finally take action now to fire officer Pantaleo.
Sadly, Garner�s death is not the first or last of its kind under de Blasio�s watch where a Black person was killed by an officer with no consequences. In July 2016, Delrawn Small6 was shot three times in front of his family by NYPD Officer Wayne Isaacs who was driving erratically and putting Delrawn�s family and other drivers in danger. Instead of calling an ambulance for Delrawn, he gave a false story to 911 and left Delrawn to bleed out in the street. Officer Isaacs was acquitted of all criminal charges and will face no disciplinary actions. And like Pantaleo, he is also still employed by the NYPD.
Tell Mayor de Blasio that he must immediately fire officer Pantaleo for killing Eric Garner.
De Blasio knows we�re watching and waiting on him to take action. He heard the chants of protestors loud and clear at the second presidential debate and he�s seen Eric Garner�s family in tears for the last 5 years calling for action. Since Garner�s death, Color Of Change members, activists, and protestors across the country have been calling for our leaders to stop enabling cops who abuse Black people. We�ve been calling for accountability on the part of leaders at every level, from police chiefs to district attorneys. De Blasio can no longer run from the tragedy that happened under his tenure because Garner�s family and Black people in New York can�t wait another day for justice to be served. Now is the time for us to continue elevating our voices as loud as possible to let him know it�s not okay to let Black people down.
Until justice is real,
Clarise, Rashad, Arisha, Scott, Erika, Leonard, Marena, Marybeth, Tamar, Madison, and the rest of the Color Of Change team
References:
1. "�I can�t breathe�: Five years after Eric Garner died in struggle with New York police, resolution still elusive". The Washington Post, 13 June 2019�https://act.colorofchange.org/go/156833?t=9&akid=34753%2E4804695%2EmPP83l
2. "�They have let us down�: Eric Garner�s family criticizes decision not to indict NYPD officer". Vox, 16 July 2019�https://act.colorofchange.org/go/156834?t=11&akid=34753%2E4804695%2EmPP83l
3. "Five years after Eric Garner�s death, he was a major topic at the Democratic debate". The Washington Post, 1 August 2019�https://act.colorofchange.org/go/156920?t=13&akid=34753%2E4804695%2EmPP83l
4. "An NYPD judge recommends that the officer accused of fatally choking Eric Garner should be fired, officials say". CNN, 2 August 2019�https://act.colorofchange.org/go/159232?t=15&akid=34753%2E4804695%2EmPP83l
5. "'Today we can't breathe.' DOJ will not bring civil rights charge against NYPD officer in death of Eric Garner". USA Today, 16 July 2019�https://act.colorofchange.org/go/156921?t=17&akid=34753%2E4804695%2EmPP83l
6. "Police Officer Found Not Guilty in Off-Duty Shooting of Unarmed Man". The New York Times, 6 November 2017�https://act.colorofchange.org/go/156922?t=19&akid=34753%2E4804695%2EmPP83l
�
�
�
�
�
�
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
Thank you so much for joining Color Of Change, and the fight to create a more human, less hostile world for Black people.
As your first action in the movement, can you invite 5 family members or friends to join us? You can click here to get email, Facebook and Twitter drafts that are pre-written for you to share.
I appreciate you so much, and can't wait to work together.
Until justice is real,
Arisha and the Color Of Change team
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
�
This weekend, people around the nation were devastated by double mass shootings, one of which was explicitly inspired by white nationalist ideology. The shooter in El Paso posted a racist �manifesto� to an anonymous online chat board, 8chan1, minutes before embarking on one of the deadliest mass shootings in modern US history.2 White supremacist violence has become more and more common around the country, because there is a system that allows hate to thrive. Violent demonstrations, propaganda, and attacks like El Paso demonstrate the bigotry that is, in large part, enabled by easy access to financial resources.3
Four of the most high-profile charities in our country � Schwab Charitable, Fidelity Charitable, Vanguard Charitable, and Donors Trust � allow millions of dollars to flow to hate groups through their Donor-Advised Funds (�DAFs�). A report released earlier this year shows that between 2014 and 2017 alone, nearly $11 million was contributed to 34 hate organizations through DAFs.4 Many of the white supremacist and anti-immigrant hate groups receiving these funds push the same dehumanizing message the El Paso shooter included in his manifesto. The contributions received by hate groups enable their violence both online and offline. THIS FUNDING OF BIGOTRY MUST END. Tell corporate charities to stop facilitating donations to hate groups.
While these four charities have failed to act, other Donor-Advised Funds, like Amalgamated Foundation, are joining with Color Of Change to fight the flow of money to white nationalist hate groups. Amalgamated Foundation adopted key anti-hate policies from our �Change the Terms, Reducing Hate Online� initiative. The foundation has organized more than 70 donor networks, foundations, and DAF providers that collectively represent over $1 billion in assets5 to exercise their legal discretion over grants recommended by their donors and adopt proactive policies to ensure that funds do not flow to organizations that promote hatred.6
Schwab Charitable, Fidelity Charitable, Vanguard Charitable, and Donors Trust should join Amalgamated Foundation in adopting and executing the policies needed to cut off hate.
Corporate charities must take a stand. SIGN THE PETITION to stop hate groups from receiving money through corporate charities� Donor-Advised Funds.
Companies and charities have the power and the responsibility to stop the spread of hate. Organizations that tout the importance of diversity & inclusion have a bare minimum responsibility to prohibit sending money to hate groups or accepting money from potential donors who intend to support or engage in hateful activities online or offline.
We cannot wait for the next white nationalist terror attack to hold these charities accountable.
Tell Schwab Charitable, Fidelity Charitable, Vanguard Charitable, and Donors Trust to stop the flow of donations to hate groups.
Until justice is real,
Brandi, Rashad, Arisha, Evan, Johnny, Eesha, Samantha, Marcus, FolaSade and the rest of the Color of Change team
References:
1.�'Uniquely Lawless': Security Firm Drops 8chan Website Following El Paso Shooting�, NPR, 5 August 2019, https://act.colorofchange.org/go/162835?t=13&akid=34801%2E4804695%2EVX9x3G
2. �4 of the 10 deadliest mass shootings in modern US history have taken place in Texas�, CNN, 3 August 2019,
https://act.colorofchange.org/go/162836?t=15&akid=34801%2E4804695%2EVX9x3G
3. �Charlottesville murderer Fields pleads guilty to hate crimes,� BBC, 27 March 2019,
https://act.colorofchange.org/go/157535?t=17&akid=34801%2E4804695%2EVX9x3G
4. �America�s Biggest Charities Are Funneling Millions to Hate Groups From Anonymous Donors,� Sludge, 19 February 2019, https://act.colorofchange.org/go/157533?t=19&akid=34801%2E4804695%2EVX9x3G
5. �Following Sludge Report, Coalition Launches Campaign to End Hate Group Funding,� Sludge, 20 March 2019, https://act.colorofchange.org/go/157534?t=21&akid=34801%2E4804695%2EVX9x3G
6. �Amalgamated Foundation Launches Hate Is Not Charitable Campaign�, Amalgamated Bank, 19 March 2019
https://act.colorofchange.org/go/162837?t=23&akid=34801%2E4804695%2EVX9x3G
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
Trump�s Attorney General William Barr just attacked our work at a conference of the Fraternal Order of Police, calling progressive district attorneys like the ones we�ve fought to elect �dangerous to public safety�.
Dear�Eugene,
Trump�s Attorney General William Barr just attacked our work at a conference of the Fraternal Order of Police, calling progressive district attorneys like the ones we�ve fought to elect �dangerous to public safety�.1
Attacks from powerful voices like this can distract from and harm our movement if we don�t have enough support. As we ramp up our work to elect even more transformative district attorneys in 2019 and beyond, we need to be able to defend ourselves from increasing attacks on our work. Will you chip in $5 now to help make sure we can protect ourselves and our movement can keep winning?
These words are not surprising coming from Barr, whose racist, �tough on crime� approach goes back decades. As attorney general under George H.W. Bush, he endorsed a Justice Department report titled �The Case for More Incarceration�.2�During that time, he vocally supported many policies pushing the war on drugs such as mandatory minimums, which incarcerated hundreds of thousands of Black and brown people from our communities.3
Now Barr is using his power to incite the Fraternal Order of Police, the most powerful police union in the country, against our movement. We�re going to need all our people with us to win in the face of this kind of opposition. If you�ve got our back, chip in to help us protect ourselves from increasing attacks and stay focused on electing the leaders we need in 2019 and 2020.
Eugene, this attack is infuriating, but here�s the truth: Trump�s administration is attacking us because they are scared of us winning. They are scared that under District Attorney Kim Foxx in Chicago, incarceration rates have dropped nearly 20%, and violent crime rates have dropped too.4�They are scared that Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell in St. Louis County fired the prosecutor that failed to charge Michael Brown�s killer, and is now re-opening cases of wrongful conviction and police abuse.5
They are scared because the more we prove that more cages and more police do not make our communities safer, the more we threaten their comfortable careers in mass incarceration. Our candidates are holding corrupt police, prosecutors and judges accountable for the harm they�ve done to Black communities. And to people like William Barr, that�s terrifying.
We want to keep doing the work that keeps William Barr up at night. But we also need to be ready for his attacks in response. Please, chip in $5 now to have our backs.
Until justice is real,
Arisha, Jenni, Charles, Reagan, Daniel, Tammi, Scott and the Color Of Change PAC team
Sources
| Donate |  |
 |
Paid Pol. Adv. paid for by ColorOfChange PAC, 1714 Franklin St., Oakland, CA 94612, independently of and not authorized or approved by any federal, state, or local candidate or candidate�s committee.
ColorOfChange PAC is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Contributions to Color Of Change PAC are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. This email was sent to @. If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
Dear�Eugene,
Black children across America are being humiliated because of racist policies that discriminate against natural hairstyles. Last year, 6 year-old Clinton Stanley Jr. was sent home from A Book�s Christian Academy for having dreadlocks,1�and 11 year old Faith Finnedy was sent home from her school, Christ the King for wearing box braids.2�These policies shape the way Black kids see themselves and give permission to racist institutions and educators to discriminate against them without repercussion.
Black kids deserve dignity! Join us as we push for legislation that ends hair discrimination across the nation.
We at Color Of Change know that the only way to truly end these unjust and racist practices is for a nationwide precedent to be set. That�s why Color Of Change has partnered with the CROWN Coalition to fight hair discrimination against Black folks across the country! We won in California and New York, now we are fighting for federal protections to end hair discrimination nationwide.
Every day, Black folks are being robbed of employment opportunities, educational opportunities, and our dignity because employers and institutions can code their racism in dress code policies and concepts like �professionalism� that were designed to keep us out.
Let�s fight for nationwide legislation that protects us from discrimination against Black hair!�
Hair discrimination is not just happening in schools. Earlier this year, Kerion Washington, a Black Texas teen, was denied a job at Six Flags because they deemed his shoulder length locs an �extreme� hairstyle.3� The only thing extreme here is the efforts that institutions� and corporations like Six Flags will take to control and regulate Black self expression.Black people are still expected to conform to white standards of beauty and expression. This shapes how we see ourselves and fuels the narrative that our hair and our skin are embodiments of our oppression, when they are actually embodiments of our pride. We deserve to wear our hair in ways that feel celebratory of our personal power who we are as a people.
Right now, it is completely legal to discriminate against Black people for wearing natural hair in 2019 in all but two states in America. Join us in creating real change in our lifetime. These policies shape the way Black kids see themselves and gives permission to institutions and bigoted educators to discriminate against them without repercussion. Let�s build a world where they can be who they are without facing hostility or backlash. We at Color Of Change know that the only way to truly end these unjust and racist practices is for a nationwide precedent to be set.
Until justice is real,�
--Janaya, Brandi, Rashad, Arisha, Jade, Evan, Johnny, Corina, Chad, Marcus, FolaSade, Eesha, and the rest of the Color Of Change team
�References:
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
Dear Eugene.
Twitter has turned a blind eye to white nationalism and now is a megaphone for hate speech. Twitter has yet to take action to change its terms of use to prevent the spread of white nationalist hate speech following the two-year anniversary of the deadly Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, and the recent white nationalist violence in El Paso, Texas. Twitter has failed Black and Brown people and continues to put us in danger. It�s long overdue for Twitter to adopt stricter policies to prevent the spread of hate speech online.
Sign the petition: Demand Twitter regulate the spread of hate speech.
For years, Trump has used Twitter to incite hate, mobilize white nationalism, and invoke fear and prejudice in Americans. Twitter, a platform designed to connect and share ideas, is now home to white nationalists and other hateful ideological groups that wish to push harmful ideas to the masses and organize around those ideas. Since the 2017 Unite the Right rally, the most deadly white nationalist march in years, Twitter�s failure to address hateful ideologies and enforce more comprehensive policies against hate speech has allowed white nationalist to organize, fundraise for, and normalize attacks on our communities.
Demand Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey adopt stricter policies to regulate hate speech.
Last month, Trump used Twitter to direct a wave of hate at Rep. Ilhan Omar, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Rep. Ayanna Pressley, and Rep. Rashida Tlaib, four Black and Brown American congresswomen, by demanding they "go back to their countries.� He followed that with more vicious and racist Twitter attacks against Rep. Elijah Cummings and Al Sharpton. Twitter announced last month it would label posts from world leaders when they violate company policies, but it has repeatedly failed to label Trump's racist tweets. Twitter has failed to combat racism and hate speech even according to the low bar it set for itself.
White nationalist violence continues to manifest across the country, fueled by unregulated social media platforms. As a result, real lives are at stake. Color Of Change, along Free Press and Media Justice, and other human, civil, and digital rights groups, have come together in a joint effort to form the Change the Terms coalition. Collectively we are demanding that Twitter adopt recommended corporate policies and terms of service to ensure that social media platforms, payment service providers, and other internet-based services are not places where hate speech and extremism can grow. It�s time we demand safe digital spaces for Black and Brown people to share, connect, inspire, and be free from hate speech and physical harm.�
Sign the petition: Demand Twitter regulate the spread of hate speech.
Until justice is real,
Brandi Collins-Dexter, Color Of Change
Jessica J. Gonz�lez, Free Press
Steven Renderos, Media Justice
References:
�Twitter Under Fire Again for Failing to Ban White Supremacists as Charlottesville Anniversary Nears,� Gizmodo, August 2, 2019, https://act.colorofchange.org/go/165079?t=14&akid=35176%2E4804695%2EYtoXXN
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
Dear Eugene.
This weekend, days before the second anniversary of the white supremacist violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, a white supremacist carried out yet another mass shooting. This time in El Paso, Texas. We are horrified that yet another act of mass white supremacist violence has been carried out. We must continue to hold those who enable this violence accountable.�
It comes as no surprise that the shooter�s white supremacist manifesto is built around talking points that can be heard nightly from Fox News� Laura Ingraham and Tucker Carlson. Ingraham and Carlson routinely engage in grossly dehumanizing generalizations about migrants, uplift statements from white supremacists such as Richard Spencer, and even defend neo-Nazis on air. Free speech has been abused to allow room for hateful ideology to take a mainstage. White supremacist ideology inspired by Trump, and echoed by these Fox News media personalities, has once again taken form by the way of violence, highlighting the need for advertisers to demand these peddlers of white supremacist propaganda be removed from the air. It is time advertisers stop enabling Fox News hosts who serve as representatives for white supremacist ideologies.
Demand advertisers drop "Tucker Carlson Tonight" and �The Ingraham Angle."
Over the past year Fox News has railed against immigration and sensationalized migration as an invasion of America � hateful actions that inspired this weekend�s act of mass violence and the contents of the El Paso shooter�s manifesto. Just minutes before the violence, channeling Trump's anti-Black, anti-immigrant, and anti-Jewish rhetoric, the manifesto was posted on 8chan, a message board that serves as a breeding ground for white supremacy and that has been reported to celebrate public, and harmful displays of hate.�
Online, 8chan gives hateful ideologies a place for analysis and indoctrination, and networks such as Fox News amplify these ideas and share them with millions � and the cycle of hate, violence, and indoctrination continues. Trump, Tucker Carlson, and Laura Ingraham have blood on their hands. The concept of free speech has been skewed and scapegoated to allow hate to fester.�
White supremacist violence continues to manifest across the country, fueled by Fox News hosts pumping white supremacist ideologies across the airwaves. As a consequence, real lives are at stake. Already, we�ve seen historically Black churches and civil rights training centers burned down, and lives across the country have been taken by white supremacists during the Charleston, South Carolina, church massacre; the murders and shootings at synagogues in Pittsburgh and Poway, California; and the deadly 2017 Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia.�
We must stand in solidarity with the families of the victims of these horrible crimes and demand advertisers drop "Tucker Carlson Tonight" and �The Ingraham Angle."
Act now.�
Until justice is real,
--Brandi, Rashad, Arisha, Evan, Johnny, Future, Eesha, Samantha, Marcus, FolaSade and the rest of the Color Of Change team
References:
|
With Tucker Carlson and Laura Ingraham on air, hate speech has two nightly platforms on Fox News.
Tucker Carlson, host of Tucker Carlson Tonight, recently launched into a racist hate fueled monologue against Rep. IIhan Omar calling her �a living fire alarm� for being a Black, immigrant, and Muslim Congresswoman fighting for our country to live up to its ideals. Tucker also made grossly dehumanizing generalizations about immigrants that would get most users banned from social media platforms. Smears like this are ripped directly from white nationalist talking points to otherize, paint us as threats, and engender violence towards Omar and Black migrants.
Advertisers should not be underwriting this hate speech.�We've stopped advertisers from funding hate on Fox before, and we're going to do it again.�Demand advertisers drop "Tucker Carlson Tonight" and �The Ingraham Angle."
Fox News Laura Ingraham recently defended white supremacist Paul Nehlen and dismissed the ongoing debate surrounding reparations for descendants of slaves with inflammatory coded remarks copied straight from white supremacist Richard Spencer. According to Laura Ingraham�s justification for the 250 years of brutal exploitation of Black people, white people �won,� and Black people �lost.��
Ingraham explicitly told the world that America is a white nation, white settlers have triumphed, and Black people must deal with the resulting exploitation.�Mythologizing the brutality and impact of slavery, and promoting mysgynistic anti-immigration racism should not be a depiction of American news.�
Fox News is an incubator of right-wing political propaganda. Demand advertisers drop �The Ingraham Angle" and "Tucker Carlson Tonight."
Ingraham and Carlson have made careers providing on-ramps for hateful ideologies. These two are much more than a foil characters in political theater. They are consistent political voices who scapegoat class theory to push hateful, racist remarks. Carlson and Ingraham�s comments are a chilling reminder of the power of media and the speed at which it can disrupt positive change and silence productive and progressive discourse. Allowing Tucker Carlson or Laura Ingraham to continue to broadcast hate speech on a national platform is not enabling freedom of speech, but promoting a dangerous ideology that has taken the lives of many within US borders.�
It is time advertisers stop enabling political pundits who serve as representatives for white supremacist ideologies.��
Stand with Rep. Omar and demand advertisers to drop these shows.
Until justice is real,
--Brandi, Rashad, Arisha, Evan, Johnny, Future, Eesha, Samantha, Marcus, FolaSade and the rest of the Color Of Change team
References:
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
Eugene,
Black women are already being punished under abortion bans. We're ramping up our fight against criminalization and we need your support.
Just a few weeks ago in Alabama, Marshae Jones, a 27-year-old Black mother, was shot five times in the stomach killing her unborn fetus. She was the one who was violently attacked yet an Alabama grand jury indicted her with manslaughter charges--under the flawed logic that because she engaged in the argument, she is responsible. It makes absolutely no sense and shows just how far the anti-abortion punishment will go.
Right now, the Tennessee state legislature is considering a bill that will completely ban abortion.1 And if passed, Tenessee will become yet another state where vital access to reproductive care for pregnant people is restricted, and where any pregnancy outcome can be criminalized. We can't afford to see more women like Marshae jones incarcerated. That's why we're building out a movement demanding prosecutors to use their discretion and refuse to criminalize pregnancy.
After news about Marshae Jones' arrest made national deadlines, we got to work pressuring local District Attorney Lynneice Washington to ensure Marshae was not prosecuted. Within 24 hours local organizers posted Marshae's bail and DA Washington made the decision to dismiss the ridiculous charges -- allowing Marshae to narrowly escape this nightmare.
DAs have the power to remove the fear that an abortion, miscarriage, or stillbirth could result in a prison sentence. Will you support our work to hold them accountable across the country?
Pregnant people are at risk. Chip in $3 to support the movement keeping DAs out of healthcare decisions.
There are at least 10 states that have considered or are currently considering laws that would restrict access to abortion and other forms of vital reproductive care.2 We can�t afford for prosecutors to remain silent. That is why we are organizing local campaigns urging them to make real commitments that would make sure no one is prosecuted for abortion, miscarriage, stillbirth or any other pregnancy outcome. And there's already momentum -- at least 50 elected prosecutors have said they won't prosecute abortion--including district attorneys in Alabama, Georgia, and Ohio, but there are still at least 38 states where plans to target pregnant people are either on the books or moving through state legislatures. These are the places where Black women especially are at heightened risk.
We have so much more work to do and every ounce of support makes a huge difference. Every dollar contributed would help us:
Marshae's story shows us why we must center Black cis and trans women, trans men, and gender non-conforming folks in the fight for reproductive freedom. The fear of imprisonment has and will continue to force pregnant people to avoid healthcare at the time they most need it, whether they want to end a pregnancy or are simply having complications with one. With the highest maternal and infant mortality rates in the country, Black communities are already in a maternal health crisis. Simply put, anti-abortion law enforcement is dangerous, and we can't afford to sit on the sidelines.�
Will you chip in $3 for Black reproductive freedom?
Until justice is real,
--Clarise, Rashad, Arisha, Scott, Erika, Marybeth, Marena, Leonard, Madison, Tamar and the rest of the Color Of Change team
Reference:
1. "Tennessee Republicans Aren�t Done Trying to End Most Legal Abortion." Rewire News. https://act.colorofchange.org/go/157258?t=10&akid=35268%2E4804695%2EQ6ZpwP
2. "Early Abortion Bans: Which States Have Passed Them?" NPR. https://act.colorofchange.org/go/151122?t=12&akid=35268%2E4804695%2EQ6ZpwP
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
Eugene,�
California�s legislators want to end the toxic debt trap for Black families, communities of color, and low-income families, and have proposed bill AB 539: the Fair Access to Credit Act, which aims to limit the damage to consumers caused by high-cost loans. This legislation could prevent California�s most financially vulnerable communities from being trapped in lifelong debt by placing an interest rate cap on loans and encouraging lenders to loan to consumers who are able to repay.�
AB 539 could end predatory lending practices in California. But to make this change, California senators must vote in favor of the bill during their floor vote in early September.�
We have only two weeks to convince senators to adopt legislation that will end immoral lending practices that disproportionately impact California�s Black families, communities of color, and low-income families. Tell California senators to adopt AB 539, the Fair Access to Credit Act!
Please see our previous email below for more details about this campaign.
Predatory lenders are hurting California�s most financially vulnerable communities. Help us put a stop to predatory lenders� harmful practices.
Predatory lenders are pushing financially vulnerable people into high-cost loans disguised as short-term relief, trapping communities of color and low-income families in a cycle of toxic debt. Between their high interest rates and easy access, predatory loans have the potential to financially destroy families through unmanageable terms, continual refinancing, and high default rates. Some consumers face annual interest rates as high as 244 percent, trapping them in debt that is impossible to repay and leaving consumers worse off than before they took out the loan.1
But California legislators want to change this. Legislators have proposed AB 539: The Fair Access to Credit Act, which aims to limit the damage to consumers caused by high-cost loans. By placing a 36 percent interest rate cap on loans that amount to $2500 or more, and by incentivizing lenders to loan to those consumers who are able to repay, California can ensure its most financially vulnerable families are protected from harmful, predatory loans.2 Low-income California's deserve protections from these predatory loan sharks.
Tell California legislators to adopt AB: 539: The Fair Access to Credit Act!
Predatory lenders take advantage of our families� most vulnerable moments to provide high-cost loans that can destroy consumers� credit and that drains more than $1 billion in interest and fees for our communities each year. With nearly half of all Americans unable to come up with $400 if needed for an emergency, millions of families are an unexpected medical bill, car accident, or job loss away from being trapped by the toxic debt of payday loans.3
For Black communities, this threat is even more pronounced, where .predatory payday lenders disproportionately set up brick-and-mortar shops in Black neighborhoods. In truth, these lenders trap Black people in large amounts of debt, and �systematically strip wealth from low-income communities.�4
We must put a stop to these immoral practices. Join us in calling on California State Senators to institute AB 539: The Fair Access to Credit Act!
Until justice is real,
�Brandi, Rashad, Arisha, Johnny, Evan, Future, Sar�ya, Samantha, Eesha, Marcus, FolaSade, and the rest of the Color Of Change team
References:
�
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
The San Francisco School Board voted to paint over a racist mural at George Washington High School. On Tuesday, they reversed their decision with a proposal to preserve it.
|
Mari Villaluna just started a petition to President, Stevon Cook and the San Francisco Board of Education Commissioners to: Paint Down Washington High School's Racist Mural!
|
|
Dear Eugene, I just started a petition titled "Paint Down George Washington High School's Racist Mural!" In 1968, the San Francisco chapter of the Black Panther Party, along with George Washington High School�s Black Student Union, initiated the �Take It Down� campaign to get the school�s racist �Life of Washington� mural permanently removed. The large-scale painting, which students walk past to get to class every day, depicts George Washington standing over the bodies of dead Indigenous people with enslaved, Black people working in fields in the background. After parents and students reignited the fight to have the mural permanently removed more than three years ago, the San Francisco school board finally voted to have it painted over to give Black and Indigenous students the clean slate they deserved. On Tuesday, after a month of being pressured by white nationalist publications like Breitbart, who have bashed the decision using the same logic being used to preserve Confederate symbols across the nation, the board, led by President Stevon Cook, has gone back on its word and submitted a proposal to have the painting covered up by wooden panels that can easily and eventually be removed. White nationalists have pressured the San Francisco School Board to save Washington High School's racist mural. Tell the board they have a duty to stand up for what's right. Across the country, Black students are facing increasing barriers to equity in education. Within districts that serve the largest concentrations of historically underserved students - Black, Latino, and Native American - funding gaps are nearly twice as large as those based on poverty.1 And according to the New York Times, data on San Francisco's public schools shows that schools were more racially segregated in this decade than they were in 1990, a pattern that's evident in cities across the country.2 President Stevon Cook should be reducing the discrimination his students face on a daily basis, not facilitating it. In a moment when he had the opportunity to fulfill the San Francisco Board of Education's stated values of being �fearless,� �student-centered,� and a vessel for �social justice,� Mr. Cook chose to reverse the positive impact of the board's original decision by moving forward with a temporary cover-up that can and will be reversed. Will you sign the petition and forward this email to make sure your voice is heard? Add your name here. For years, the students of Washington High School have used the phrase �the dead Indian� as shorthand for a meeting spot under the mural. For years, Black and Indigenous students have fought and organized to destroy a painful, daily reminder of the devastation so many of them and their families have suffered at the hands of slavery, genocide, and colonialism. School should be a place where students are challenged to learn about their history, but in a way that leaves them feeling confident about themselves and their ability to shape the future for the better. This mural normalizes the harmful logic that pervades so much of the world around Washington High School�s students: that Black and Indigenous people are subservient, inhuman, and less than. Let the San Francisco School Board know that they have a responsibility to honor their vote and follow the leadership of their Black and Indigenous students. Tell them to stand up for what�s right by moving forward with the permanent mural removal process today. Black and Indigenous students don't deserve to walk past a mural that glorifies slavery and genocide. Sign now to show you stand with them. Thank you, Mari Villaluna References:
|
�
�
|
Sign now
|
Join us and start your own petition on OrganizeFor today!
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
�
|
Dear�Eugene,�
Just a few weeks ago, we saw two deadly mass shooting happen within 24 hours of each other.1�
A shooting in Dayton, OH killed nine people and injured 27.2 The shooting at Walmart in El Paso, TX killed 22 and injured at least 24.3�Every single time a mass shooting happens, politicians strain their voices to say we need gun reform--and nothing happens. But we know all too well that mass shootings are not the only kind of gun violence plaguing America. Black communities have been dealing with gun violence happening in our communities every single day. In fact, gun violence is the leading cause of death for Black Americans under age 44.4
The fact of the matter is, people are dying every single day from guns. But companies like Walmart would rather stop selling shooting video games than stop selling the things that are actually killing people.5
That�s why we�re joining forces with Guns Down, to call on Walmart, the nation�s largest gun retailer, to stop selling guns, and stop making political contributions to lawmakers who take money from the National Rifle Association (NRA). We know that if Walmart stops selling guns, it will mean fewer guns on the street and fewer opportunities for tragedies to occur in our communities. We must come together and hold corporations like Walmart accountable for their role in making guns more available both to mass shooters, but also in Black communities. And if we succeed, it will send a message to decision-makers that the time for passive apathy and letting people die has come to an end.
Sign the petition: Call on Walmart CEO Doug McMillan to act now.�
Black and Brown communities are targeted by both white supremacist terrorists and inter-community violence--the harm is two-fold.�Six out of the nine people who died in Dayton, OH were Black.6�In the Charleston church Massacre of 2015, Dylann Roof waited until Black church members bowed their heads in prayer, before he fired over 70 shots, killing 9 Black churchgoers.7 In El Paso, Texas Patrick Crisius drove more than 10 hours to target Mexican people.8 His social media history even left a trail of blatantly racist posts directed at the increasing population of Latinx people in the U.S., especially at the Texas southern border.9
With almost 12,000 gun murders per year in the US, most of those young Black and Latino males, it�s crucial for us to implement real change.7�Black kids are 10 times more likely to be killed in a gun homicide than white children.8�And while Black men only make up 7% of the total population, we make up 53% of the people killed by guns.9 Simply put, this is not an issue we can afford to ignore. Getting companies like Walmart to end its gun sales and contributions to lawmakers who take money from the NRA is just one solution amongst many, including community cease-fire programs, that we need to stop gun violence. But it's a crucial step forward to get the attention of decision-makers and stop lining the pockets of the NRA.�
The NRA is a racist institution that has corrupted political leaders at the highest levels, and it�s what continues to give the gun lobby a foothold in our communities. It�s no coincidence that the top 10 recipients of NRA cash also receive donations from Walmart.10 The NRA has a history of pushing xenophobic narratives that the only way �law-abiding� Americans can protect themselves from a potential invasion of foreigners from Mexico is by stocking up on guns and weaponry.11 The only time we�ve seen the NRA promote gun regulation was in 1968 which was aimed at keeping guns out of the hands of Black people.12�The NRA poses the biggest threat to the safety of our communities -- they must be stopped!�
Our lives are on the line. CEO Doug McMillan must do his part and stop enabling these racist attacks on Black and Brown people.�
Over the years, Walmart has been forced to restrict firearms, and we can win if we pressure them now.�In 1993, they stopped selling handguns, in 2015 they phased out assault weapons, and in 2018 they raised the purchasing age13 -- we have a real opportunity to push them even further on this issue. Walmart doesn't care about gun violence. But they care about their bottom line. We have to call on CEO Doug McMillan to listen to his customers and move toward holding decision-makers accountable.�
Eugene, there have been at least 255 mass shootings this year, that means there have been more mass shootings this year than days in the year.14�This issue will only continue to get worse if we don�t demand action!�
Tell Walmart: Stop selling guns and donating to NRA-backed politicians.
Until justice is real,�
--Scott, Rashad, Arisha, Erika, Clarise, Marybeth, Marena, Leonard, Madison, Tamar, Malachi and the rest of the Color of Change team
�References:
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
... 1 year later.
Dear�Eugene,
5 years ago, Mike Brown's body was left for 4 hours in the middle of the road after being murdered by a rogue police officer in Ferguson, Missouri. Despite national outrage and eyewitness testimonies, St. Louis County prosecutor Bob McCulloch failed to press charges against the officer who murdered Brown.
Last year, we did something many people thought was impossible: we turned our justified outrage into game-changing political action by helping Wesley Bell defeat Bob McCulloch to become the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney.�
This was a monumental win for Black communities in Ferguson and the rest of St. Louis County. Unseating Bob McCulloch is a testament to the revolutionary Black political power we possess. To be completely honest, the odds were stacked against us. McCulloch had been in office for nearly 3 decades denying justice to Black and brown people and supporting an unjust money bail system that disproportionately harms our communities.��
We fought to turn Ferguson from a moment to a movement. And now, we�re turning our Wesley Bell victory into a nationwide movement to elect progressive prosecutors who will bring down harmful and racist practices.�Chip in $5 to help bring about a movement to help us elect more candidates like Wesley Bell throughout 2019 and 2020.
At Color Of Change PAC, we only ask you to support strategies that actually produce an impact in Black people�s lives. Since Wesley Bell took over, he has:
Helping Wesley Bell claim victory was not an easy feat. With the help of local partners at Organization for Black Struggle, Missouri Faith Voices, St Louis Action Council and Working Families Party, and the support of 8,000 local Color Of Change PAC members, we opened an office in St. Louis County, hosted two block parties, delivered direct mail straight to households, had thousands of in-person conversations, sent over 95,000 peer-to-peer texts, put up a billboard on a major interstate, and ran digital videos and ads to mobilize over 200,000 voters.
These tactics are the blueprint to our victories. And the only way we can continue to implement game-changing campaign strategies is if we receive support from folks like you. Already this year, we�ve had our first big win. We unseated a 24-year district attorney in Mississippi and claimed a primary election victory for Shameca Collins, a Black woman with a transformational vision for ending mass incarceration in her district.�
In order to help candidates like Shameca win in November, we need your support. Why? You might not have known this, but Color Of Change PAC does not accept money from large corporations. Our movements are backed by people power from folks just like you. Without your help, our electoral work is not sustainable.�Will you chip in to help us bring monumental change to Black communities?
Reforming America�s criminal justice system is as crucial as it has ever been. We've proven that we know how to win, and we'll keep winning with you. The future of criminal justice reform is at our grasp.�Eugene, do you want to see more racist and harmful Prosecuting Attorneys unseated from office in 2019 in 2020?�
Yes, I want to see more victories for Black people!
Until justice is real,
Arisha, Jenni, Charles, Tammi, Scott,�Daniel and the Color Of Change PAC team
References:�
1.�http://act.colorofchange.org/go/78109?t=10&akid=35347%2E4804695%2EHG0mzJ
2. https://act.colorofchange.org/go/111823?t=12&akid=35347%2E4804695%2EHG0mzJ
3. https://act.colorofchange.org/go/172606?t=14&akid=35347%2E4804695%2EHG0mzJ
4. https://act.colorofchange.org/go/172607?t=16&akid=35347%2E4804695%2EHG0mzJ
�
| Donate |  |
 |
Paid Pol. Adv. paid for by ColorOfChange PAC, 1714 Franklin St., Oakland, CA 94612, independently of and not authorized or approved by any federal, state, or local candidate or candidate�s committee.
ColorOfChange PAC is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Contributions to Color Of Change PAC are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. This email was sent to @. If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
Eugene,�
In 1619, a Black woman was the first enslaved African documented in America. They called her Angela. She survived war and capture in West Africa, a hundred mile forced march to the shore, the Middle Passage, and a pirate battle at sea, only to arrive in the colony of Virginia and have her name stolen too.1 Angela, first recorded as �Angelo a Negar,� was taken from Angola and we don�t know much else about her.2 But we do know that from the moment she took her first step on this stolen land, the dream of Black freedom was born.
It�s been 400 years and Black women are still leading the fight for freedom. America has yet to contend with the legacy of slavery or offer reparations�but Black women aren�t waiting on America. And neither is Color Of Change. We�ve been building Black political power in a way that centers Black women in everything we do. Every campaign we win, event we hold, or narrative we shift is the result of Black women refusing to wait.
From bailing Black mamas out of jail and ending the money bail industry, to organizing Black women into political office and hosting Black Women�s Brunches�none of Color Of Change�s brilliant work, led by Black women for Black freedom, would be possible without the contributions of Color Of Change members. We are in a crucial moment to leverage our resources as a community and invest in the longevity of independent Black organizations. Can you help?
Yes, I�ll make a $4 contribution to support Black independent political power and the leadership of Black women in the fight for freedom.
Much has changed since 1619 but for the past 400 years, Black people have been resisting the exploitation of their bodies for wealth�through labor and economic exploitation, appropriation and misrepresentation of our culture in media, and mass incarceration.
Institutions like the Cotton Exchange in New York City drove the American economy during slavery and it is still financial institutions and major industries like Wall St, Hollywood, the prison industrial complex, bail insurance companies, and private equity firms that profit the most from the exploitation of Black bodies. Relying on these same institutions to sustain our movements won�t get us free. That�s why Color Of Change doesn�t take any financial contributions from corporations. The donations of our members fuel our collective work to dismantle white supremacy.
Black women have never held our breath waiting for America to address the legacy of slavery. We�ve held down our families and entire communities. Color Of Change has supported Black women protesting in the streets, holding District Attorney's accountable, fighting for the right to wear our hair naturally, and across so many more issues that are important to US.�Despite centuries of violent oppression Black people have got each other, always have, and always will. Let�s claim this anniversary to celebrate the resilience of our people and 400 years of daring to dream of freedom in the face of unprecedented oppression.
Until justice is real,�
--Clarise, Rashad, Arisha, Scott, Erika, Malachi, Marybeth, Marena, Madison, Leonard, Tamar, and the rest of the Color Of Change team
�References:
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
California Senate Bill 464, The Dignity in Pregnancy and Childbirth Act, is on its way to being passed. In June, the bill passed out of Committee with bipartisan support, and the bill is almost to the finish line. But, the bill has hit a major hurdle;�The Department of Finance tagged the bill as too costly.�But we know that the lives of Black women matter, and $348,000 should not be the reason why this crucial bill does not pass.�
We need your help to get the Dignity in Pregnancy and Childbirth Act over the finish line. In order to get the bill passed, we need each one of our California members to write a letter TODAY to Assembly Member Gonzalez to let her know you support SB 464: The Dignity in Pregnancy and Childbirth Act. We must show her how important it is that Black moms receive the health care and the respect they deserve.�
We don�t have much time. Letters must be submitted to Assembly Member Gonzalez by the end of today. Write a letter to Assembly Member Gonzalez and show your support of The Dignity in Pregnancy and Childbirth Act.��
Until justice is real,
�Brandi, Rashad, Arisha, Evan, Johnny, Future, Samantha, Sar�ya, Eesha, and the rest of the Color Of Change team
Please see our previous email below for more details about this campaign.
In October of last year, Black mother Kira Johnson, tragically passed away after the staff at Cedars-Sinai disregarded her pain and delayed medical intervention for more than ten hours when she hemorrhaged after her C-Section.1 Implicit biases in health care are costing Black moms � and their babies � their lives. But we have a chance to fight this health crisis in the state of California.�
California bill SB 464, the Dignity in Pregnancy and Childbirth Act, will change the kind of health care Black moms receive in California. One of the first legislations of its kind, the Dignity in Pregnancy and Childbirth Act aims to reduce preventable, pregnancy-related deaths and severe illnesses associated with disparities in health care. By requiring medical institutions to train staff to unlearn biases and misinformation, and by tracking deaths in which the woman was pregnant within 42-365 days of death, this bill will more comprehensively prepare health care providers to care for and gather data related to mothers and the challenges they face.2��
Join us and bill sponsors Black Women for Wellness, ACT for Women and Girls, NARAL Pro-Choice California, and Western Center on Law and Poverty in telling CA legislators to pass the Dignity in Pregnancy and Childbirth Act.
Far too often, Black moms are not treated with the respect and dignity they deserve, particularly during childbirth. In California, Black moms are three to four times more likely to die during childbirth than white women.3 Because of pervasive and discriminatory myths about Black women and our bodies, medical staff hesitate to treat Black patients, even during life-threatening situations.4 We cannot allow Black moms to continue to suffer from racist medical treatment.
Black moms deserve to be treated with respect and dignity. Tell California legislators to pass bill SB 464, the Dignity in Pregnancy and Childbirth Act!
Black mothers face disparate outcomes regardless of wealth or class differences. Even superstars like Serena Williams and Beyonc� have faced life-threatening complications during the delivery of their children. When they told medical staff about their pain, the staff didn�t listen.5 This kind of behavior is not unusual. Medical staff have historically discriminated against Black people. In fact, supposed progress in the field has often come at the expense of Black women who were forced to endure inhumane medical treatments. For example, the so-called Father of Gynecology, James Marion Sims, conducted research on enslaved Black women without anesthesia.6 Today�s medical treatments are built on this racism, and harmful implicit biases remain pervasive in medical institutions.�
Implicit biases in health care are causing our people unnecessary suffering, and we must take action to hold medical institutions accountable. We cannot allow Black moms to continue to suffer. Take action to support Black moms, and tell California legislators to pass the Dignity in Pregnancy and Childbirth Act.
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
There is nothing entertaining about a white nationalist Trump enabler dancing with celebrities. As Trump�s official spokesperson, former Press Secretary Sean Spicer repeatedly lied to the public � defending Trump�s harmful policies and even lying about the impact of Hitler.1 Sean Spicer should be ostracized for the heinous acts he committed while in office, not given an opportunity to make six figures dancing on national television.
Demand that ABC drop Sean Spicer from �Dancing with the Stars�!
By including Sean Spicer on the family friendly show �Dancing with the Stars,� ABC is attempting to make viewers feel light-hearted about a disgraced white nationalist and about essentially endorsing the racism and violence of the Trump administration. In recent mass shootings, white nationalist terrorists quoted hate speech used by Trump and defended by Spicer.2�
Having Sean Spicer on the weekly show would be an endorsement of the white nationalism and dangerous violence that has increased as a result of Trump�s presidency.
THIS IS NOT NORMAL. Such action is expected from a far-right network such as Fox News. But ABC, a subsidiary of the Walt Disney Company, claims to be a socially responsible corporation. We will not let them normalize white nationalism.
A typical cast of �Dancing with the Stars� consists of music icons, former pro-athletes, and reality TV stars � actual celebrities. It shouldn�t include a nefarious former government official who failed the country. Even the show�s host was against including Spicer, but ABC chose to �go in a different direction.�3
Whether ABC intends to attract and engage white nationalist viewers or to rebrand white nationalists leaders as members of society with differing views, the result of ABC�s actions is an endorsement of white nationalist ideology and culture and an integration of those viewpoints into mainstream society. We will not let them normalize white nationalism.
Demand that ABC drop Sean Spicer today!
Until justice is real,
Brandi, Rashad, Arisha, Evan, Johnny, Eesha, Samantha, Marcus, FolaSade and the rest of the Color of Change team
References:
1. �Sean Spicer Raises Outcry With Talk of Hitler, Assad and Poison Gas�, New York Times, April 11, 2017,
https://act.colorofchange.org/go/174363?t=10&akid=35412%2E4804695%2Ecw6DKW
2. �Trump rhetoric freshly condemned after mass shootings�, Politico, August 4, 2019,
https://act.colorofchange.org/go/174364?t=12&akid=35412%2E4804695%2Ecw6DKW
3. �Sean Spicer on 'Dancing with the Stars?' ABC staffers say 'it's a slap in the face'�, CNN Business, August 22, 2019,
https://act.colorofchange.org/go/174365?t=14&akid=35412%2E4804695%2Ecw6DKW
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
Dear�Eugene,
�
GoFundMe is continuing to allow police officers that murder Black people to use its platform to profit!
I�m upset. Shortly after hearing the news that Daniel Pantaleo, the man who killed Eric Garner, would finally be fired from his job as a New York City police officer, I came across a GoFundMe fundraiser stating it was raising money for Pantaleo and his family. This isn�t the first time GoFundMe has allowed killer cops to profit from Black death. Back in 2014, the site hosted numerous fundraisers for Darren Willson, the police officer who shot and killed Mike Brown, an unarmed Black teenager. Back then Color of Change members helped us gain over 400,000 petition signatures and we got GoFundMe to donate all of the profits they made off of the racially motivated fundraiser, to the Ferguson-Florissant School District. This time we need them to do better for Eric Garner and his family, by shutting down the fundraiser immediately and returning all the funds back to donors ASAP.
GoFundMe: Shut down the Pantaleo Fundraiser, and stop letting killer cops profit!
Pantaleo�s fundraiser currently has over 2,500 donors and has raised over $150,000, and I�m sure that both of those numbers will have increased by the time you read this email. The description of the fundraiser reads like a cruel joke, stating �Let's help an officer in need who was only doing his job!� �But no matter what kind of spin Pantaleo and his supporters want to put on it, the facts are clear. Eric Garner�s death was ruled a homicide, and the NYPD�s own investigation determined he lied and both things led to him being rightfully fired from his job.�
Daniel Pantaleo is now attempting to use GoFundMe to profit and skirt responsibility for his own actions, instead of taking this time to do some deep reflecting on his own actions and how they landed him in a position of being unemployed with a newborn. I�m sure the irony isn�t lost on you, that a man who choked another man to death as he exclaimed � I can�t breathe,� 11 times is asking for the compassion and kindness of strangers, something he never afforded Eric Garner. This is a slap in the face of the Garner family, organizers, and Color of Change members, who have fought to get justice for Eric Garner over the last five years. �
For GoFundMe to allow this fundraiser to continue is not only morally indefensible, but it is also in clear violation of the platform's own policy which clearly states that they prohibit, �items that promote hate, violence, racial intolerance, or the financial exploitation of a crime.�4 That�s why we need your help in telling GoFundMe to immediately suspend the fundraiser and to stop letting killer cops profit!�
Tell GoFundMe to enforce its own policy, and shut this disgusting fundraiser down!
We know that a fundraiser like this only exists to further demoralize Black people in our pain and in our death. It�s a final grasp of power, that says not only can the police kill Black folks and get away with it, but that they can also profit from that death. But we know the only way to stop the war against Black people, is to organize, take action, and fight back! We won in 2014, and with your help, we can win again.
GoFundMe has the power to stop Daniel Pantaleo from profiting from his crimes. I�m urging you to fight with me and demand GoFundMe act as a leader in the digital crowdsourcing space, by telling GoFundMe to take a stand against state-sanctioned violence against Black people and to suspend Pantaleo�s disgusting fundraiser. If GoFundMe does not act, it will send a dangerous message to Black people, our allies and those who seek to harm us. So join in this fight for justice, because I refuse to let Eric Garner down.�
Sign the petition now and make sure your voice is heard.
Until justice is real,�
--Malachi, Rashad, Arisha, Scott, Erika, Clarise, Marybeth, Marena, Madison, Leonard, Tamar, and the rest of the Color Of Change team
�
�
�
�References:
�GoFundMe for Officer Who Killed Eric Garner Reaches Nearly $100,000 in 2 Days� The Root August 21,2019 https://act.colorofchange.org/go/177748?t=9&akid=35415%2E4804695%2EMtNPSO
�People Are Urging GoFundMe To Shut Down A $200,000 Campaign Supporting The Officer Who Killed Michael Brown� Business Insider August 22, 2014,�https://act.colorofchange.org/go/177749?t=11&akid=35415%2E4804695%2EMtNPSO
�Daniel Pantaleo, Officer Who Held Eric Garner in Chokehold, Is Fired� New York Times August 19,2019�https://act.colorofchange.org/go/173131?t=13&akid=35415%2E4804695%2EMtNPSO
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
Dear�Eugene,
Imagine paying $10 a day to be monitored by the police.
Hundreds of people in St. Louis are forced to do this. For these innocent people awaiting trial, electronic monitoring bracelets cost them $300 up front, $10 per day, plus a $50 installation fee. People often have to start second jobs, sell TVs and laptops, or take kids out of childcare just to pay these fees.1
And all of this money goes to a private company Eastern Missouri Alternative Sentencing Services (EMASS). This company is profiting off of innocent, low-income Black people under the facade of offering �alternatives� to money bail.
The St. Louis court system's business partnership with EMASS is undermining our work to transform criminal justice, and we won�t stand for it. We�re training community members in St. Louis as Court Watchers so we can collect proof of the electronic monitoring crisis and force lawmakers to confront it. Our program is scheduled to run through November, but we already know it will take more time to win. Will you donate $5 so we can continue our Court Watch program to expose this blatant exploitation of innocent Black people?
Electronic monitoring puts people in an electronic cage. If you�re wearing an EMASS electronic ankle bracelet, you have to charge it for an hour and a half every day while it�s still on your leg, making it difficult to work full-time jobs or travel for extended amounts of time. In a 2011 survey, 22% of people reported being fired from a job because of their ankle bracelets.2�And that�s if they�ll even hire you in the first place with a bulky bracelet in plain view. Over 200 people in St. Louis were forced to wear these bracelets last year.1
To push back, we need the data to prove how this is impacting Black people in St. Louis. Since this information isn�t easily available to the public, we�re gathering it ourselves. So far, we�ve trained over 30 St. Louis community members in our Court Watch program: they attend hearings and take notes on every decisions judges make, including when people are put on electronic monitors.
In November, we�ll be releasing a public report of our findings, which will:
It's rapidly nearing time to launch the next phase of our campaign to end electronic monitoring in St. Louis.�Will you chip in $5 to help us keep our Court Watch program going after our report releases?
Our work has already uncovered some alarming patterns. Different judges are inconsistent, some assigning electronic monitors all the time while others rarely do. Some waive the monitor fees, others don�t. Some issue arrest warrants if people don�t pay their debt to EMASS, others turn their head.1�These choices are all in the hands of individual judges who can only be held accountable if people know what they�re doing.
Our Court Watch program is the most powerful tool we have to expose electronic cages for the racist, profiteering scam they are. Your support will help us implement the findings from our November report, train more people in St. Louis to be Court Watchers, and hire more staff to run the program.
Please-- help us tear down these electronic cages. Donate $5 to keep our St. Louis Court Watch program going now.
Until justice is real,
Arisha, Jenni, Charles, Daniel, Tammi, Scott and the Color Of Change team
Sources
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
Hey�Eugene, I'm writing to see if you saw my message about our campaign to end electronic monitoring of innocent Black people in St. Louis.
Last week, I had the opportunity to go to St. Louis as our amazing organizers Dominique and Melanie trained a new cohort of court watchers. They learned how to observe courts and record information about how many people are assigned electronic monitors before their trials. This is crucial data that's not easily available, and as long as it's hidden, this system will continue targeting low-income Black people without oversight.�
Unfortunately, after looking at the numbers, it looks like a lot of people I sent this email to missed it over the Labor Day weekend. We raised less than we hoped to keep this program going, but after meeting our hardworking members in person, I felt inspired to ask again: will you support them as they hold these courts accountable and train Black people to stand up for our own communities?
Read below to learn more about how we're fighting electronic monitoring of innocent people through community skill-building in St. Louis, and please donate here if you can.
Until justice is real,
Arisha
P.S. Check out some photos of our members being trained that I took while I was there!
�---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Arisha Michelle Hatch, Color Of Change
Date: August 30, 2019
Subject: Over 200 people in St. Louis are in electronic cages.
Dear�Eugene,
Imagine paying $10 a day to be monitored by the police.
Hundreds of people in St. Louis are forced to do this. For these innocent people awaiting trial, electronic monitoring bracelets cost them $300 up front, $10 per day, plus a $50 installation fee. People often have to start second jobs, sell TVs and laptops, or take kids out of childcare just to pay these fees.1
And all of this money goes to a private company Eastern Missouri Alternative Sentencing Services (EMASS). This company is profiting off of innocent, low-income Black people under the facade of offering �alternatives� to money bail.
The St. Louis court system's business partnership with EMASS is undermining our work to transform criminal justice, and we won�t stand for it. We�re training community members in St. Louis as Court Watchers so we can collect proof of the electronic monitoring crisis and force lawmakers to confront it. Our program is scheduled to run through November, but we already know it will take more time to win. Will you donate $5 so we can continue our Court Watch program to expose this blatant exploitation of innocent Black people?
Electronic monitoring puts people in an electronic cage. If you�re wearing an EMASS electronic ankle bracelet, you have to charge it for an hour and a half every day while it�s still on your leg, making it difficult to work full-time jobs or travel for extended amounts of time. In a 2011 survey, 22% of people reported being fired from a job because of their ankle bracelets.2�And that�s if they�ll even hire you in the first place with a bulky bracelet in plain view. Over 200 people in St. Louis were forced to wear these bracelets last year.1
To push back, we need the data to prove how this is impacting Black people in St. Louis. Since this information isn�t easily available to the public, we�re gathering it ourselves. So far, we�ve trained over 30 St. Louis community members in our Court Watch program: they attend hearings and take notes on every decisions judges make, including when people are put on electronic monitors.
In November, we�ll be releasing a public report of our findings, which will:
It's rapidly nearing time to launch the next phase of our campaign to end electronic monitoring in St. Louis.�Will you chip in $5 to help us keep our Court Watch program going after our report releases?
Our work has already uncovered some alarming patterns. Different judges are inconsistent, some assigning electronic monitors all the time while others rarely do. Some waive the monitor fees, others don�t. Some issue arrest warrants if people don�t pay their debt to EMASS, others turn their head.1�These choices are all in the hands of individual judges who can only be held accountable if people know what they�re doing.
Our Court Watch program is the most powerful tool we have to expose electronic cages for the racist, profiteering scam they are. Your support will help us implement the findings from our November report, train more people in St. Louis to be Court Watchers, and hire more staff to run the program.
Please-- help us tear down these electronic cages. Donate $5 to keep our St. Louis Court Watch program going now.
Until justice is real,
Arisha, Jenni, Charles, Daniel, Tammi, Scott and the Color Of Change team
Sources
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
Eugene,
Walmart, the country�s largest retailer, recently announced that its stores will discontinue the sale of ammunition for assault rifles and handguns -- but this does not go far enough. While the new policy will make ammunition less accessible to white nationalists who want to kill Black and Brown people, Walmart will continue selling long barrel deer rifles and shotguns.1
To make matters worse, Walmart has not addressed its complicit relationship with the NRA. The NRA is a racist institution that has corrupted political leaders at the highest levels, and it�s what continues to give the gun lobby a foothold in our communities.�It�s no coincidence that the top 10 recipients of NRA cash also receive donations from Walmart.
That is why, in less than one week, we are going straight to Walmart's headquarters to deliver our petition demanding CEO Doug McMillon stop selling guns and donating to NRA-backed politicians.�Over 25,000 Color of Change members have already joined the call -- but Eugene, your name is missing. Will you join our movement to hold major corporations like Walmart accountable for gun violence in our communities?�
Tell Walmart: Stop selling ALL firearms and donating to NRA-backed politicians.
Until justice is real,�
-- Scott, Rashad, Arisha, Erika, Clarise, Marybeth, Marena, Leonard, Madison, Tamar, Malachi and the rest of the Color of Change team
P.S. Read our previous email for more information below.
�
|
Dear�Eugene,�
Just a few weeks ago, we saw two deadly mass shooting happen within 24 hours of each other.1�
A shooting in Dayton, OH killed nine people and injured 27.2 The shooting at Walmart in El Paso, TX killed 22 and injured at least 24.3�Every single time a mass shooting happens, politicians strain their voices to say we need gun reform--and nothing happens. But we know all too well that mass shootings are not the only kind of gun violence plaguing America. Black communities have been dealing with gun violence happening in our communities every single day. In fact, gun violence is the leading cause of death for Black Americans under age 44.4
The fact of the matter is, people are dying every single day from guns. But companies like Walmart would rather stop selling shooting video games than stop selling the things that are actually killing people.5
That�s why we�re joining forces with Guns Down, to call on Walmart, the nation�s largest gun retailer, to stop selling guns, and stop making political contributions to lawmakers who take money from the National Rifle Association (NRA). We know that if Walmart stops selling guns, it will mean fewer guns on the street and fewer opportunities for tragedies to occur in our communities. We must come together and hold corporations like Walmart accountable for their role in making guns more available both to mass shooters, but also in Black communities. And if we succeed, it will send a message to decision-makers that the time for passive apathy and letting people die has come to an end.
Sign the petition: Call on Walmart CEO Doug McMillan to act now.�
Black and Brown communities are targeted by both white supremacist terrorists and inter-community violence--the harm is two-fold.�Six out of the nine people who died in Dayton, OH were Black.6�In the Charleston church Massacre of 2015, Dylann Roof waited until Black church members bowed their heads in prayer, before he fired over 70 shots, killing 9 Black churchgoers.7 In El Paso, Texas Patrick Crisius drove more than 10 hours to target Mexican people.8 His social media history even left a trail of blatantly racist posts directed at the increasing population of Latinx people in the U.S., especially at the Texas southern border.9
With almost 12,000 gun murders per year in the US, most of those young Black and Latino males, it�s crucial for us to implement real change.7�Black kids are 10 times more likely to be killed in a gun homicide than white children.8�And while Black men only make up 7% of the total population, we make up 53% of the people killed by guns.9 Simply put, this is not an issue we can afford to ignore. Getting companies like Walmart to end its gun sales and contributions to lawmakers who take money from the NRA is just one solution amongst many, including community cease-fire programs, that we need to stop gun violence. But it's a crucial step forward to get the attention of decision-makers and stop lining the pockets of the NRA.�
The NRA is a racist institution that has corrupted political leaders at the highest levels, and it�s what continues to give the gun lobby a foothold in our communities. It�s no coincidence that the top 10 recipients of NRA cash also receive donations from Walmart.10 The NRA has a history of pushing xenophobic narratives that the only way �law-abiding� Americans can protect themselves from a potential invasion of foreigners from Mexico is by stocking up on guns and weaponry.11 The only time we�ve seen the NRA promote gun regulation was in 1968 which was aimed at keeping guns out of the hands of Black people.12�The NRA poses the biggest threat to the safety of our communities -- they must be stopped!�
Our lives are on the line. CEO Doug McMillan must do his part and stop enabling these racist attacks on Black and Brown people.�
Over the years, Walmart has been forced to restrict firearms, and we can win if we pressure them now.�In 1993, they stopped selling handguns, in 2015 they phased out assault weapons, and in 2018 they raised the purchasing age13 -- we have a real opportunity to push them even further on this issue. Walmart doesn't care about gun violence. But they care about their bottom line. We have to call on CEO Doug McMillan to listen to his customers and move toward holding decision-makers accountable.�
Eugene, there have been at least 255 mass shootings this year, that means there have been more mass shootings this year than days in the year.14�This issue will only continue to get worse if we don�t demand action!�
Tell Walmart: Stop selling guns and donating to NRA-backed politicians.
Until justice is real,�
--Scott, Rashad, Arisha, Erika, Clarise, Marybeth, Marena, Leonard, Madison, Tamar, Malachi and the rest of the Color of Change team
�References:
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
Insulin manufacturers are charging hundreds of dollars for life-saving medication that costs a few dollars to produce. Together, we can stop them.
|
Theo Chayegan just started a petition to Eli Lilly, Novo Nordisk and Sanofi to: Lower the price of insulin now!
|
||
Dear Eugene, I just started a petition titled "Affordable Insulin Now!" Antavia-Lee Worsham should still be here. Instead, two years ago at the age of just 22 years old, she passed away because she could no longer afford her insulin, a medication that costs companies less than the price of a sandwich to produce. Before Antavia�s death, she was covered under her mother�s high deductible health plan, but aged off of Children with Medical Handicaps (CMH), a Government funded program secondary insurance that covered all of the medication and equipment that she needed to manage her Type I diabetes. This could at times be as costly as $1000 a month. She began borrowing insulin from her grandfather, and then her sister, before they could no longer afford to share their medication with her. It was after she started rationing her own insulin that one day she died in her home as a consequence of diabetic ketoacidosis also known as DKA. We must protect our families. Sign now to tell Eli Lilly, Novo Nordisk, and Sanofi that we won't allow them to profit from the deaths of our loved ones. Each and every day, millions of people across the country depend on insulin to survive. While insulin has been around for decades, pharmaceutical companies are getting away with charging astronomical prices that place insulin out of reach for millions of Americans. Eli Lilly, Novo Nordisk, and Sanofi, three of the nation�s largest insulin manufacturers -- are responsible for some of the worst price gouging the industry has seen in recent times, raising their prices by 150 percent in just the last five years. In fact, they are facing a class action lawsuit right now from over 60 plaintiffs who hope the case will expose these companies� deceptive pricing practices and corporate greed. Will you sign the petition and forward this email to make sure your voice is heard? Add your name here. If you've ever talked to someone who's said they have �the sugars,� then you know which community is impacted by diabetes at the most disproportionate rates. According to the U.S. Department of Health, Black American adults are 80% more likely than non-Hispanic white adults to have been diagnosed with diabetes by a physician; 3.5 times more likely to be hospitalized for lower limb amputations; and twice as likely to die from diabetes. While Eli Lilly, Novo Nordisk, and Sanofi continue to make millions of dollars in profits from arbitrary insulin prices that keep going up, it�s our aunties, uncles, grandparents, cousins,brothers and sisters who are forced to make the dangerous decision to ration life-saving medication, or to go without it in the first place. Rising insulin costs are a matter of life and death for our community. Take action to demand these companies lower the price of insulin now. Enough is enough. It is completely within these companies� power to reduce their prices dramatically while still maintaining healthy profits. Yet at every turn, they have denied the fact that they are unnecessarily hiking their own prices, and have refused to comply with the public�s demand for transparency about the costs of production. That�s not business -- it�s an abuse of power that needs curbing immediately. The fight for fair, transparent pricing in the insulin industry is the fight for the dignity, health, and safety of the Black community and of our loved ones. Take action to demand that Eli Lilly, Novo Nordisk and Sanofi be transparent about their costs of production and lower their prices now! Thank you, Theo Chayegan � �
|
Join us and start your own petition on OrganizeFor today!
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
Dear Eugene.
Facial recognition technology uses algorithms to replicate the racial bias in policing that has had life-threatening consequences for Black people and our communities. This invasive technology is racist and inaccurate, misidentifies women and people of color, and reinforces a system of oppression that surveils and targets Black people on baseless grounds, while also demonizing our physical appearance.1 Widespread use of this technology by law enforcement will lead to even more police encounters, wrongful arrests, harassment, and deportation. With error rates as high as 98%, facial recognition is one of the most dangerous forms of surveillance for our communities, and we must tell lawmakers to ban this technology.2
Tell your members of Congress to ban facial recognition.�
Facial recognition technology, at its core, is a flawed form of surveillance that comes at the expense of basic civil rights, security, and privacy. It has been scientifically proven that this form of surveillance is inaccurate and miscategorizes the faces of women and Black people.3 In a test recently conducted by the American Civil Liberties Union, the facial recognition technology Rekognition, used by Amazon on the general public, incorrectly matched the photos of 28 members of Congress with mug shots of individuals with previous arrests. Alarmingly, these false matches also disproportionately identified six members of the Congressional Black Caucus.4 With police violence against Black people at an all-time high, allowing lawmakers to implement facial recognition programs will result in increased and potentially violent interactions with the police.�
Protect our civil rights and tell your lawmakers to ban facial recognition.�
Currently, there are no legal safeguards for this technology.5,6�It is being abused in the New York City police department, with the images of children and teenagers uploaded into a database despite evidence that facial recognition technology has a higher risk of being inaccurate on children. The technology even lacks the ability to account for changes in facial structure.7 In the face of a lack of legislative oversight for this technology the city of Detroit, a predominantly Black city, is also battling with the harms of facial recognition technology and refuses to share how many arrests have been made due to the technology. With no oversight of facial recognition technology, Black people run the risk of having their images saved and ran through these databases, or they could even be arrested and prosecuted due to the inaccuracy of this technology.�
Color Of Change has fought for the San Francisco Board of Supervisors to adopt the Stop Secret Surveillance Ordinance, banning San Francisco agencies from acquiring or using facial recognition technologies. We are expanding our efforts to hold elected officials accountable for racially biased technologies by partnering with over 30 organizations to ensure this evasive technology does not further oppress and harm our communities.�
Take action and tell your lawmakers to ban facial recognition technology.�
From COINTELPRO to the FBI's use of the baseless �Black identity extremist� term, Black people are continuously being targeted through laws and legislation. Facial recognition technology is unjust and dangerous, and circumvents the law. We must take a stand to protect our civil rights and prevent unnecessary interactions with the police that can be traumatic or have deadly consequences. Tell your lawmakers to ban facial recognition technology.
Until justice is real,
--Brandi, Rashad, Arisha, Evan, Johnny, Future, Eesha, Samantha, Marcus, FolaSade, Jamila and the rest of the Color Of Change team
References:
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
Eugene,
Back-to-school season is in full effect! Students are breaking in new clothes, gathering their school supplies, and getting back into the swing of their school-day routines. But some students aren�t able to have a carefree return to school because they are confronted with their lunch debt from the previous year. This is unacceptable; no child should have to return to school with lunch debt. Chip in $5.19 to help eliminate lunch debt for students as they return for the 2019-2020 school year.�
Too often, students whose families have low incomes are shamed by school administrators because they can�t afford to pay for lunch. Sometimes, students are even prevented from having a hot meal at lunchtime, or they�re forced to throw out their lunch entr�es. At Minnesota�s St. Paul Public School, for instance, students� unpaid school lunch debt can result in extreme consequences. Seniors were prevented from graduating at the end of the year.�That�s not okay, and we at Color Of Change want to help shift the unjust status quo. Chip in $5.19 to make sure that students are able to go back to school this year without lunch debt.�
Students and their parents don�t deserve to be shamed because they can�t afford the cost of lunch, and they definitely don�t deserve to have lunch debt from previous school years haunting them. This is unfair, and it disproportionately impacts the Black and Latinx students whose families have low incomes due to systemic economic barriers. This inequity is why we want to clear students� lunch debt altogether.�
When Color Of Change members band together, we�re able to fight back against systems that hurt our people. And schools inflicting lunch debt on low-income students and their parents year after year, adding to the pressures our communities already experience, hurts our people. Chip in $5.19 so that students and their families do not have lunch debt following them into a new school year.
Until justice is real,�
�Brandi, Rashad, Arisha, Evan, Johnny, Future, Samantha, Eesha, Marcus, FolaSade, Jamila, and the rest of the Color Of Change team
References:
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
�
Dear Eugene,
|
After years of fighting against the NCAA�s exploitation of Black student-athletes, the California Assembly approved the Fair Pay to Play Act this week! If signed into law, this historic bill would allow student-athletes to earn profit from their own names, images, and likenesses for the first time.
But the NCAA is doing everything in its power to keep the bill from being signed by the governor.�This is a manipulative attempt to scare legislators into not passing the bill so that the NCAA can continue to make billions of dollars off of the backs of Black student-athletes.�Enacting this bill in California would pave the way for similar legislation throughout the country, advancing ethical treatment of our student-athletes.
Send a letter directly to Governor Newsom demanding he sign this bill into law!
Because of thousands of Color Of Change members like you, who took action, we sent hundreds of letters to the California Assembly and over 20,000 petition signatures supporting the Fair Pay to Play Act.
Now, we need the voices of all Color Of Change members to demand that the Governor signs the bill to make it the law.�
Color Of Change members have been fighting against the NCAA�s exploitation of Black student-athletes for years. This is our moment to secure victory for our Black student-athletes.
Demand that Governor Newsom sign the Fair Pay to Play Act today!
Until justice is real,
Brandi, Rashad, Arisha, Evan, Johnny, Eesha, Samantha, Marcus, FolaSade and the rest of the Color of Change team
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
Dear Eugene,
|
We're about to end the exploitation of California's student-athletes. Last week, the California Assembly approved the Fair Pay to Play Act.�In the final step, Governor Newsom must sign the bill into law. This historic bill would, for the first time, allow student-athletes to earn profits from their own names, images, and likenesses.
But the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is doing everything in its power to keep the bill from being signed by the governor.�This is a manipulative attempt to scare legislators into not passing the bill so that the NCAA can continue to make billions of dollars off of the backs of Black student-athletes.�Enacting this bill in California would pave the way for similar legislation throughout the country, advancing ethical treatment of our student-athletes. We have to make our voices louder than the NCAA.
We are asking that you make one phone call to Governor Newsom's office. After you click the link to begin the call, a script of what to say will appear on your computer or phone screen. The call will take only two minutes, but the impact could be life-changing for Black student-athletes.�
Call Governor Newsom's office to tell him to sign this bill into law!
Because of thousands of Color Of Change members like you who took action, we sent hundreds of letters to the California Assembly and over 20,000 petition signatures supporting the Fair Pay to Play Act.
Now, we need the voices of all Color Of Change members to ensure that the governor signs the bill to make it the law.�
After years of fighting against the NCAA�s exploitation, this is our moment to secure victory for our Black student-athletes.�
Demand that Governor Newsom sign the Fair Pay to Play Act today!
Until justice is real,
Brandi, Rashad, Arisha, Evan, Johnny, Eesha, Samantha, Marcus, FolaSade, Jamila and the rest of the Color of Change team
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
They�re fighting voter suppression on their campus by demanding an early voting site for their over 12,000 students.
Dear�Eugene,
Almost 60 years ago, 4 Black students at North Carolina A&T State University sat down at a whites-only Woolworth�s counter near their campus in Greensboro, NC and refused to move.
These students sparked a mass movement of sit-ins in over 70 cities across the South, and broke open the potential of youth to be leaders in the Civil Rights movement.
Just this week, NC A&T students were at it again. They�re fighting voter suppression on their campus by demanding an early voting site for their over 12,000 students. The 2020 primary elections are scheduled during NC A&T�s spring break, meaning many students will need to vote early in order to be counted. But the early voting site that was on campus in past elections was eliminated in 2018, meaning students have to walk over a mile to the nearest site.1
Click here to chip in $1 to support Black student organizers like sophomore Cole Riley, who started the petition (that's him testifying to the Greensboro board of elections below!).
North Carolina has a history of Black voter suppression. District maps drawn in 2011 were tossed after being proven to disadvantage Black voters. But when Republicans redrew the maps in 2016, they split NC A&T�s campus in two, meaning students who live on north campus have to register and vote in a completely different place than those living on south campus. This move diluted the voices of A&T students, dividing them between two districts represented by white Republican state representatives.2
But like the bold student organizers before them, A&T students are refusing to stay silent in the face of injustice. We�re so proud of their fight, and in 2020 we�ll be educating and organizing supporting students like them nationwide to make sure they show up for elections and demand elected leaders who care about them.
Support Black students with us by donating $1 today.
Last year, we reached hundreds of Black students at Florida A&M, Bethune-Cookman University, and NC A&T through our HBCU brunches. We registered students to vote, gave them information about candidates in their states, and decked them out in �Young, Black, and Voting� t-shirts.
But most importantly, we got them thinking about the power they have as young people to change their communities. When Black youth get organized, from sit-ins to voter suppression, they�re sending a message that they expect to have a seat at the table, regardless of their age. This is their world to shape, and they�re not going to sit back and wait for the previous generation to hand it over.
To make the urgent change we need for Black people to thrive, we need young people to be at the forefront. If you agree that young Black leaders are essential to changing our world, click below to support them with $1 today.
Support Black Students
Until justice is real,
Arisha, Jenni, Drew, Charles, Tammi, Daniel, Scott and the Color Of Change PAC team
Sources
| Donate |  |
 |
Paid Pol. Adv. paid for by ColorOfChange PAC, 1714 Franklin St., Oakland, CA 94612, independently of and not authorized or approved by any federal, state, or local candidate or candidate�s committee.
ColorOfChange PAC is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Contributions to Color Of Change PAC are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. This email was sent to @. If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
LeeAnn Bienaime was feeling nervous and excited to become a new mom. But late last month, when LeeAnn went to the hospital with �intense� contractions, she was sent home by the medical staff at Naval Medical Center Portsmouth. Just a few hours later, she gave birth to her baby in her bathtub.1 Luckily, her baby is healthy, but this situation could have been dangerous. Too often, Black women are forced to make do with health care professionals who don�t respond to our needs and don�t believe our pain. This is the result of implicit biases in health care, which cost Black moms � and their babies � their lives. But, through implicit bias training, hospitals can reduce the number of Black women who are having negative experiences while in their care.�
Naval Medical Center Portsmouth must institute implicit bias training and ensure no other Black moms have to face what LeeAnn experienced.��
Black moms are not being treated with the respect and dignity they deserve, particularly during childbirth. But, implicit bias training has the potential to change this for Black moms across the country. In California, for instance, Color Of Change recently helped to pass a maternal health care bill that will reduce preventable, pregnancy-related deaths by requiring medical institutions to train staff to unlearn biases and misinformation.2�This kind of training is crucial, and can be the difference between life and death for Black moms.�
Tell Naval Medical Center Portsmouth to institute implicit bias training for its staff!��
Black mothers face disparate outcomes regardless of their wealth or class. Even superstars like Serena Williams and Beyonc� have faced life-threatening complications during the delivery of their children. When they told medical staff about their pain, the staff didn�t listen.3 This kind of behavior is not unusual. Medical staff have historically discriminated against Black people. In fact, supposed progress in the field has often come at the expense of Black women who were forced to endure inhumane medical treatments. For example, the so-called Father of Gynecology, James Marion Sims, conducted research on enslaved Black women without anesthesia.4 Today�s medical treatments are built on this racism, and harmful implicit biases remain pervasive in medical institutions.�
Implicit biases in health care are causing our people unnecessary suffering, and we must take action to hold medical institutions accountable. Join us in calling on Naval Medical Center Portsmouth to provide implicit bias training for its staff.
Until justice is real,�
�Brandi, Rashad, Arisha, Evan, Johnny, Future, Samantha, Eesha, Marcus, FolaSade, and the rest of the Color Of Change team�
References:�
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
If you've moved, gotten married or changed your name you may need to register again
Hey Eugene,
Today is National Voter Registration Day!
So far this year, Color Of Change PAC organizers, partners and members have worked tirelessly in races from Mississippi to Michigan to connect with Black voters and turn out the vote. We�ve hosted Black Joy Brunches, mixers, back-to-school drives and other events where people came out to eat, dance, and learn about the crucial issues affecting their communities. We�ve launched volunteer teams who mobilized Black voters to show up to the polls.
We�ve made it through some big primary races this year, and now we need people like you to turn out and keep winning in 2019�s General Elections.
Today is National Voter Registration Day. Make sure you�re registered to vote today.
In order to win this November and elect officials who care about Black people and our allies, we�re going to need to mobilize as many voters as possible. If you've moved, gotten married or changed your name you may need to register again, and you can click the link below to use our easy online voter registration tool.
Register to vote or update your voter registration here.
Every vote makes a difference, and your ballot could be the one that helps tip the scales in a critical race. If you�ve already voted or you�ve confirmed that your registration is up to date, please share this link with your family and friends to make sure they have a chance to vote too!
Let�s keep winning in 2019 and beyond,
-- Jenni, Arisha, Kwesi, Shannon, Drew, Sabrina, Charles, Scott, Daniel and the Color Of Change PAC team
| Donate |  |
 |
Paid Pol. Adv. paid for by ColorOfChange PAC, 1714 Franklin St., Oakland, CA 94612, independently of and not authorized or approved by any federal, state, or local candidate or candidate�s committee.
ColorOfChange PAC is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Contributions to Color Of Change PAC are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. This email was sent to @. If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
�
|
Dear�Eugene,�
It�s time to free the thousands of Black women and girls who are behind bars.�In partnership with the National Council for Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls,�we are calling on governors around the country�to grant clemency to women and girls who need it most.
The impact of mass incarceration on Black women and girls cannot be overstated -- locking up Black women and girls for decades at a time devastate families and by extension destabilize entire communities while costing taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars.�And the women and girls who are most impacted are often survivors of violence themselves.�This includes the stories of women like Tondalao Hall, Liyah Birru, and Natalie Pollard.
Tondalao is a Black mother who suffered at the hands of her abusive boyfriend for years. After her abuser pleaded guilty to physically harming her children, Tondalao was prosecuted and later sentenced to 30 years in prison for "failing to protect" her children.1 Tondalao's abuser, Robert Braxton, walked free after two years in prison. Liyah is a Black woman who immigrated from Ethiopia. She was incarcerated for defending herself against her abusive husband and now faces deportation.2�And Natalie is a Black mother who was sentenced for manslaughter for defending herself against a boyfriend who viciously attacked her while pregnant.3�All of these stories demonstrate a painful reality -- Black women are often forced to decide between living under the threat of physical violence or spending the rest of their lives in prison.�But�with your help, we can urge governors to use their clemency power to begin to right these terrible wrongs and set free the thousands of Black women and girls who are still behind bars.��
Eugene, if you join us in demanding governors exercise their�clemency�power then we will be one step closer to freeing the thousands of Black women and girls who are in cages.
Sign the petition: Join us in demanding that your governor use their power for good.
Clemency is an effective tool for reducing mass incarceration that so few governors actually use.�Both Democratic and Republican governors alike have fallen short of utilizing their clemency powers to benefit our communities. In New York, Gov. Cuomo pardoned 22 immigrants who faced deportation because of previous state convictions, but with almost 200,000 New Yorkers within the criminal justice system, this isn't enough.4�In California, Former Gov. Jerry Brown�commuted 283 by the end of his term, which was significant compared to the usual 1-2 people commuted per term by past governors.5 It was only through the work of groups like the California Coalition for Women Prisoners and Survived and Punished CA that we have seen this shift.6 The current Gov. Gavin Newsom�could restore dignity to the roughly 10 percent of the prison population that is dying or elderly simply by initiating this clemency process.7 To date, he has only pardoned seven people.8�
And the truth is: the impact of incarcerating a Black woman is oftentimes two-fold.�Most women in prison are mothers or the primary caregivers of their children -- deepening poverty and wreaking havoc on the physical, emotional and mental wellbeing of both mother and child.9�In places like NY, 75% of imprisoned women are mothers, and most lived with a minor child before prison.10�As a result of incarceration, children are literally taken away from their mothers.�We owe it to these women to call on governors to do their part.�
Eugene, you can urge your governor to end this criminalization by freeing our women and girls.
A prison will never be a place for rehabilitation.�Hundreds of thousands of women and girls are currently incarcerated as a result of criminalization for what should be addressed as public health issues stemming from violence, poverty, mental health problems, and drug addiction.�And Black women are even more vulnerable. Black women are the fastest-growing segment of the prison population in the United States -- making up 29 percent of the incarcerated population but only around 7 percent of the total population.11�
That's why there is a growing number of supporters who are organizing statewide coalitions demanding their governor to free Black women and girls from cages. We are urging governors to exercise their power to grant�clemency�and seriously consider commuting the sentences of women and girls who are survivors of violence, often imprisoned for defending themselves, their children, or their loved ones, those who are enduring sentences of more than 10 years, elderly women who can barely walk, and lastly those living with long-term or life-threatening illnesses.�The truth is, these women deserve to go free.�Join us in making sure�the stories and lives of these women are heard.
Eugene, will you call on your governor to exercise their�clemency�power?
Until justice is real,�
--Clarise, Rashad, Arisha, Scott, Erika, Malachi, Marybeth, Marena, Leonard, Madison, Tamar and the rest of the Color Of Change team
�References:
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
Women and girls impacted by the criminal legal system (and those who love and support us in many ways) will gather in Montgomery, AL, October 3-6, at the Free Her conference held by the National Council for Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls. We're offering full scholarships to Black Mamas who were freed during this year�s Black Mama�s Day Bail Out to attend the conference. Can you chip in to help cover the cost?
Eugene, when was the last time you felt fully supported, understood, completely seen by people you�ve only just met? Have you ever been in a room full of people validating your lived experiences because they�ve been through it too and they just get it? Do you remember the absolute relief in being able to put away any masks for survival you might wear daily and just keep it all the way real? Have you ever found your people in these kinds of rooms? I have. And I know first hand the transformative power and creative brilliance of found community. That�s why I�m so excited to be reaching out to you today with the opportunity to pay that feeling of community forward: October 3-6 incarcerated and formerly incarcerated women and girls will be �Reimagining Communities� by co-creating one together in Montgomery, AL.
The gathering will be a sacred space to really love one another, share learnings, and strategize about how to get more of us free. And here�s the best part: Black Mama�s who YOU have helped to get free as part of this year�s Black Mama�s Day Bail Out will be in attendance. Since getting bailed out, these 16 Black Mamas have been participating in a fellowship centered on their healing, art, resistance and building a community of practice. At Free Her, the fellows will have a booth where they will talk about their experiences, share reflections, and make connections with other formerly incarcerated Black women. If we raise enough funds together, we�ll be able to support their airfare, hotel, transportation, and all participation related costs.
Make a contribution to fund a Black Mama�s scholarship to attend Free Her 2019 and build power.
The amount of women under carceral control is a crisis this country cannot afford to ignore any longer. Between 1980 and 2017, the number of incarcerated women has increased by more than 750 percent.1 Women�s incarceration has grown at twice the rate of men�s incarceration in recent decades and there is a disproportionate representation of women in local jails.2 Half of all incarcerated women are caged in local jails and 60 percent are not yet convicted and awaiting trial.3 Interlocking oppressions mean that women are even less likely than men to be able to afford high bail bonds that often amount to an entire year�s salary.4�
Since 2015, the National Council for Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls has held space for those closest to the pain of mass incarceration to build power and community together and to win justice. This vital work has had a huge impact in the movement to end incarceration and return women and girls home to us.�
Eugene, will you pitch in $4 to help a Black mama attend FreeHer2019?
Until justice is real,�
--Clarise, Rashad, Arisha, Scott, Erika, Malachi, Marybeth, Marena, Madison, Leonard, Tamar, and the rest of the Color Of Change team
�References:
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
Dear Eugene.
Comcast and the Trump administration are working to strike down key provisions of one of the oldest and most important civil rights laws in the country: the Civil Rights Act of 1866.
For more than 150 years, this law has been a bedrock protection from racial discrimination in employment, housing, banking, and consumer and business transactions. Now, Comcast is petitioning the Supreme Court to allow racial discrimination in business transactions as long as racism is not the only reason for denying someone a service.1,2 If the Supreme Court sides with Comcast and the Trump administration, it will strike down one of the most important tools we have for protecting our communities from discrimination. Such a decision has the potential to fundamentally change how racial discrimination claims are decided for decades to come.
We cannot allow Comcast�s board and executive leadership to quietly dismantle civil rights laws so that it can pad its bottom line by discriminating against Black people. We still have time to force Comcast to withdraw its petition from the Supreme Court. But we need to act fast to turn up the pressure on its board of directors before it�s too late!�
Demand Comcast withdraw its Supreme Court petition challenging the Civil Rights Act of 1866, our oldest civil rights statute.�
Color Of Change has reached out to Comcast executives and board members directly to request its Supreme Court petition to be dropped. However, Comcast and its executives refuse to accept its legal defense will roll back civil rights protections. For a company that prides itself on being dedicated to diversity and inclusion in all facets of its business, it is clear these efforts may be contradicted at any time to protect the Comcast�s bottom-line.�
Black people already face extensive barriers in accessing justice and economic equality in this country, and this petition would serve only to allow corporations off the hook for their discriminatory practices.
For Tatiana Denson, a 40-year-old Black woman who had the police called on her for trying to open a business checking account at a PNC Bank, or Judi Brown, a Black transgender woman who was subjected to transphobic and racist slurs and harassment by her manager and coworkers at a Circle K, this law is their only pathway to justice.3,4�Comcast�s petition would make it so that Black people like Tatiana and Judi would have to prove that racism was the only driver of a decision or denial. Instead of affirming that racism has no place in the negotiation of a commercial contract, Comcast is partnering with a Department of Justice that is openly hostile to the civil rights of Black people. Together, they condone the inclusion of racism as a legitimate basis for refusing to enter into a contract with Black people � as long as racism is not the "only reason."5
We must ensure there are proper protections for our people now and for years to come. Demand Comcast drop its Supreme Court petition for a Civil Rights Act of 1866 hearing.�
Section 1981 of the Civil Rights Act of 1866 places Black people on equal footing with white Americans by outlawing conduct that would prevent our communities from developing the means to work, build wealth, or have access to the justice system to vindicate our rights. Comcast is using an important piece of legislation to win a legal battle in an effort to disregard the large-scale effects of an adverse Supreme Court decision.6 What is at stake is more important than television programming.
Comcast's persistent pursuit of a ruling undermining civil rights laws, despite our efforts to engage the corporation directly, places it at the forefront of coordinated efforts by this administration to strike down centuries of civil rights progress. Comcast must be held accountable for attempting to reverse legislation enacted to ensure the economic and civil protections of Black People. Demand Comcast drop its Civil Rights Act of 1866 Supreme Court petition.�
By leveraging a relationship with an administration that pursues white nationalist ideals to block Black economic and media power, Comcast is standing on the wrong side of history, and this cannot go without consequence. It is critical that Comcast reconsider its petition to the Supreme Court, given the extensive harms that a ruling in its favor could extend to Black people, Black businesses, and Black economic equality.���
Stop Comcast from setting an oppressive precedent that would make proving racial discrimination practically impossible.
Until justice is real,
--Jade, Rashad, Arisha, Evan, Johnny, Future, Eesha, Samantha, Marcus, FolaSade and the rest of the Color Of Change team
References:
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
Dear�Eugene,�
Governor Larry Hogan has denied the four HBCUs in his state the resources they are owed for decades of unequal funding. Instead, he has offered Bowie State, Coppin State, Morgan State and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore less than half of the funding they need to settle a lawsuit that has been ongoing for 13 years. HBCUs, the vast majority of which began when white institutions had the legal right to deny Black people an education, have traditionally been starved of resources. This lack of investment persists despite the fact that Black students at HBCUs are up to 16 percent more likely to graduate within 6 years than at PWIs.1 Not only are private philanthropists much less likely to donate to schools that traditionally serve Black students, but the state of Maryland has historically invested a disproportionate amount of its public funds into the infrastructure and programming of its PWIs.2 From rising student debt to weakening infrastructure, this all means one thing: 65 years after the Brown v. Education ruling, the educational opportunities available to Maryland�s Black community are still separate and unequal.
Demand Governor Hogan stop denying HBCUs the funding that they are owed for decades of inequity.
HBCUs have laid the educational and cultural foundation for so many of our people. With a legacy of training community members, teachers, and Black scholars, they represent how much is possible when we come together and invest what we have into each other. These HBCUs are not asking for a handout; they�re fighting for the same support that PWIs receive. Now, despite a federal judge�s ruling that Maryland is in fact responsible for creating inequities in higher education that it must address, Governor Larry Hogan has made the insulting offer of $200 million to settle the lawsuit. That is less than half of the $577 million the four schools are requesting, and it is far less than the $500 million dollar settlement that three HBCU�s in Mississippi won in 2017 after an almost identical ruling.3
From Ida B. Wells to Martin Luther King, Jr., HBCUs have cultivated leaders who have gone on to transform the landscape of American life and history. They are institutions that serve a higher proportion of first-generation college students than any other schools in the country, and that are committed to protecting the cultural legacy of Black Americans in a society that has tried to violently stamp it out. This is why it is absolutely shameful that despite a Democratically-controlled legislature in a state where up to 97% of Black voters have voted for the Democratic party, Governor Hogan is still choosing to deny these four HBCUs the resources they are owed. This comes just weeks after reports that he is also seeking to raise more than $2 million dollars in unregulated funds for his campaign from external organizations with their own political agendas.4 Tell Governor Hogan that he answers to the people of Maryland, not to private donors. If he cares about equity in education as much as he claims, he will stop holding up the resolution of this lawsuit. Tell Governor Hogan to pay Maryland�s HBCU�s what they are owed now!
Until justice is real,�
-- Jade, Johnny, Rashad, Arisha, Evan, Amanda, Future, Imani, Eesha, Marcus, Folasade and the rest of the Color Of Change team
�References:
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
�
Eugene,WE DID IT! Last Monday, after more than 20,000 petition signatures, 3 billboards, and 10,000 combined letters and phone calls made by Color Of Change members, California�s governor signed the Fair Pay to Play Act into law. Finally, after decades of being exploited, student-athletes in California have the opportunity to make money from endorsements, hire agents, and earn profits from their own names, images, and likenesses. This historic law is a major step forward in our fight against the National Collegiate Athletic Association�s (NCAA) �amateurism� policy, which disproportionately exploits Black players.
But while the Fair Pay to Play Act has opened the doors for economic opportunity in California, student-athletes in the other 49 states and Washington, D.C. will continue being exploited, unless this legislation becomes federal law. Several states, including New York and South Carolina, are already looking to pass similar laws.1 But the NCAA is still aggressively fighting to maintain full control of the student-athletes they call amateur players. They are using scare tactics and threatening to ban schools from competitions to prevent states from enacting similar laws. So we need to pressure Congress to make fair pay the standard for college athletes in every state.
Demand that the U.S. Congress guarantee fair pay for college athletes in every state.
Passing the Fair Pay to Play Act in California is the beginning of a national movement for fairness in collegiate sports, and will hopefully mark the end of the NCAA�s stranglehold on the wealth created by student-athletes. This movement transcends geographic and partisan lines - even Republicans like North Carolina Representative Warner think the NCAA has gone too far in their exploitation. He recently introduced a bill in Congress, the Student-Athlete Equity Act (HR 1804), which would strip the NCAA of their tax-exempt status unless they begin allowing athletes to profit off their likenesses.2 Building on the momentum from California, we now have the opportunity to force open the doors of economic opportunity for Black student-athletes across the country.
By passing a federal law, we can force an end to the NCAA�s long exploitation of Black student-athletes and usher in a new golden era of collegiate sports. By opening the door to fair pay, we can empower Black student-athletes to better navigate the balancing act of college sports, honoring the demands of their team while staying on top of schoolwork. It�s time to change the rules of the game and allow student-athletes to cash in on their hard work. It�s time to #PayThePlayers.
Demand that your Congressmembers guarantee fair pay for student-athletes!
Until justice is real,
Jade, Rashad, Arisha, Johnny, Evan, Future, Amanda, Eesha, Samantha, Marcus, FolaSade and the rest of the Color of Change team
References:
1. �What's Next After California Signs Game Changer Fair Pay to Play Act into Law?,� Sports Illustrated, September 30, 2019,
https://act.colorofchange.org/go/196862?t=9&akid=37089%2E4804695%2EV2PDTT
2. �Student-Athlete Equity Act Would End NCAA�s Tax-exempt Status Unless They Allow Athletes to Profit,� Medium, June 5, 2019,
https://act.colorofchange.org/go/196863?t=11&akid=37089%2E4804695%2EV2PDTT
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
Net neutrality is vital to our struggle for civil rights in the digital age. It allows for a free and open internet for all people, with internet speeds that are not impacted by how much someone can pay. But Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has been blocking net neutrality legislation, which means that large telecom companies, like Comcast and Verizon, can throttle online services, blocking and slowing traffic or interfering with our choices online. This has the potential to harm millions of Black, Brown, and low-income communities, who benefit from a free and open internet.�
Without net neutrality, people like us will lose the ability to access websites and blogs, run our businesses, and tell our stories, which, too often, are ignored by mainstream media. But the 2020 presidential candidates have the power to commit to restoring net neutrality. By pledging to restore net neutrality, presidential candidates commit to leading the fight to ensure that the internet works best for our needs, not the needs of corporations.�
Tell the 2020 presidential candidates to pledge to restore net neutrality.�
Because of net neutrality, we are able to uplift Black and Brown voices into mainstream media without needing the approval of gatekeepers. For instance, many Black journalists and cultural commentators are able to be heard as a result social media platforms, blogs, and other platforms they�re able to access without paying extra fees. Without net neutrality, Black and Brown expression will be stifled. We cannot let this happen.�
Every presidential candidate should support net neutrality. Tell the 2020 presidential candidates to protect net neutrality. �
For years, Color Of Change members like you have helped fight to ensure the internet remains free and open. You got the most comprehensive net neutrality bill signed into law in California, and you helped pass the Congressional Review Act (CRA) in the Republican-controlled Senate. But, we need to ensure that every presidential candidate is committed to maintaining a free and open internet.�
Join us in telling the 2020 candidates to protect net neutrality.
Until justice is real,�
�Jade, Rashad, Arisha, Evan, Johnny, Future, Samantha, Eesha, Marcus, FolaSade, and the rest of the Color Of Change team
References:�
Photo: Rolling Stone.�
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
Wow! We�ve been able to deliver over 30,000 electronic signatures to GoFundMe�s CEO, demanding they stop allowing Daniel Pantaleo to profit from killing Eric Garner. This is huge! And yet, GoFundMe still hasn�t taken down Pantaleo�s fundraiser. We need your help to send a clear message to the executives at GoFundMe: It�s time to shut this fundraiser down!
If you and everyone else who took action by signing this petition donated $1, we�d be able to put a billboard like this up in front of all three GoFundMe offices. Will you help us deliver this message straight to GoFundMe�s front door by chipping in $25?
GoFundMe has the power to stop Daniel Pantaleo from profiting off his crimes, and we have the power of our voices to make our demands be heard. Donate now. Help us get justice for Eric Garner.
Chip in $25 now to help send GoFundMe a crystal clear message they can't avoid.
Until justice is real,
--Malachi, Rashad, Arisha, Scott, Erika, Clarise, Marybeth, Marena, Madison, Leonard, Tamar, and the rest of the Color Of Change team
P.S. If you haven't already, head over to this page, and sign the petition.
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
Eugene,
When over 2.2 million incarcerated people are separated from the ones they love, something as simple as a phone call can mean so much. Hearing the voice of someone we care about, sharing a story about their day, wishing them a good night, or telling them �I love you,� are invaluable moments but in some facilities, a 15-minute phone call can cost up to $21.801�That means that calling someone as infrequently as every other day could cost a family over $300 a month. Prison telecom companies like Securus, have sought to place a price on human connection--- and have been cashing out in the process.
The presence of prison telecom companies is not new but they have managed to operate under obscurity and by staying away from the public eye, they�ve remained on the periphery of national conversations about criminal justice reform. That�s why Color of Change is dragging these companies into the light by developing new online tools and campaigns that will target these corporate profiteers--� but we need to raise $25,000 to do it.�
We�re waging a massive fight against the predatory prison telecom industry. Will you chip in $5 to help us win?�
For over 4 years, Color Of Change has been in this fight against the prison telecom industry- and we�ve been winning:�
Now, we�re taking this work even further with new projects and campaigns targeting the prison telecom industry. This includes, Carceral Co., a website we�re developing that will expose the private companies that invest in, provide services for, and profit off mass incarceration. Users will be able to dive into different types of industries, such as telecom, and interact with features like monthly fee calculators, or simulations of what a Securus call sounds and feels like, in order to understand the financial and emotional impact of incarceration and learn what they can do to help mobilize against it. But we need your�help to make this groundbreaking tool a reality.
Securus may be a major player in the prison telecom industry, but it exists as just one of many companies that contract with correctional facilities to provide everything from prison meals to overpriced commissary products. Given that major companies are so deeply tied to the carceral system, Color Of Change refuses to accept money from corporations. That makes contributions from everyday people like yourself all the more crucial.�
We�ve shown that when we stand together, we can fight against prison telecom companies and create real change for our community. Will you chip in and help us continue this work?�
We already know that the criminal justice system is not �broken,� it�s operating exactly the way that it was intended to: stripping Black people of our freedoms, separating families, and exploiting the most vulnerable to turn a profit. Our next step is understanding every aspect of that profit incentive in order to expose who has the biggest stake in upholding the system as it currently stands. When we wield that knowledge and our collective power, we can realize a world where mass incarceration is not big business and where the liberation of our people takes precedence over protecting corporate bottom lines.�
Until Justice is Real,
--Clarise, Rashad, Arisha, Scott, Erika, Malachi, Marybeth, Marena, Madison, Leonard, Tamar, and the rest of the Color Of Change team
�
References:�
� � � � 1. "State of Phone Justice." Prison Policy Initiative. February 2019.�https://act.colorofchange.org/go/193707?t=6&akid=36387%2E4804695%2EwDk1rd
�
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
We have a chance to elect a mayor who is committed to easing that burden and helping us thrive.
Hi�Eugene,
My name is Ariana Hawk, and the city of Flint poisoned my children. My then 2-year-old son named Sincere became the face of the water crisis when he was on the cover of Time Magazine in 2016. Ever since then, our lives haven�t been the same.
It�s been five years and Sincere still deals with the rashes. He lives with the fear of being poisoned every single day, and it makes me furious. My daughter�s dad died of bacterial pneumonia in August 2015, before the state of Michigan confirmed it was Legionnaires� bacteria disease. I do not trust the water here, and why should I? From cooking to boiling water for baths to brushing our teeth -- we have no choice but to use bottled water to protect ourselves from diseases.�
Life is a battleground for me and my family. And it�s a battle for thousands of other �Flint-stones� just like me. That�s why every single day, I�m fighting for change as an organizer with Color Of Change PAC. Flint is the only home I�ve known. I couldn�t just sit back and wait for the government to fix things when they�re the ones responsible for poisoning my family and community.�
I truly believe the best way to make Flint a better place is through getting a new mayor elected. We need a leader that we can hold accountable, and the only person I trust to get the job done is Sheldon Neeley. Donate $5 to help me reach as many voters in Flint as possible, and win the mayor�s election.�
Since the crisis began, I�ve been in the streets organizing to get my community the basic resources they need to survive. When the state stopped funding water for Flint, I waited for hours in the cold to get hundreds of bottles of clean water from donations. When our hospitals said they�d stop saying the word �poisoned� when it comes to sick children, I reminded doctors that their words matter and that they cannot lie about our experiences.
People are tired of asking for help and having none of their needs met. It�s been five years. And it feels like asking for clean water is a full-time job when it shouldn�t be. Our local officials don�t care about what happens to us, and it shows. Karen Weaver has had 4 years to fix this problem, and she hasn�t. The city of Flint has received upwards of $600 million to clean up the water, and it�s still poisoned under Weaver�s mismanagement.1 She�s not doing her job properly. Why would we re-elect a mayor that sits back as hundreds of our community members suffer?�
We�re all the way fed up.
The lack of concern from the government makes my skin crawl. I couldn�t just wait for them to fix things when they�re the ones responsible for poisoning my family and community. The state wants to say that the water is fine, but we know that this is a bold lie. Even today, hundreds of residents are forced to choose between paying a water shutoff fee or buying clean water, because the tap water at home is too toxic to use.2 That�s why every single day, I�m fighting for change as the lead organizer in Flint to elect Sheldon Neeley for mayor.�
This will not be an easy fight. Right now, current Mayor Karen Weaver is trying to win votes by making plenty of promises to fix things-- but she's already had 4 years in office to fix them. I only have 30 days to reach as many voters as possible to vote for Neeley. I urgently need your help. Rush a $5 donation right now to support a new future for me and my family.�
Sheldon Neeley grew up in Flint just like me, and I�ve seen him fight for us for years-- from serving on Flint�s City Council to his current fight as our state representative to ensuring the people responsible for the water crisis are held accountable. He�s a stand-up guy that I trust. To get out the vote for Neeley, I have a plan, but I can only see it through with your support.�
To make sure Sheldon Neeley wins, over the next 30 days I will be:�
Flint is a predominantly Black community that has been forgotten about. I know, as you know, that if we were a predominantly white city, this crisis would�ve been solved much faster. Period. Every year, we are reminded that our health is not a top priority to the government.�
There�s only so much fighting we can do without a government that has our backs. I know that Sheldon Neeley does. It�s been 5 years too long, and as my children grow older I fear for the longterm effects that this crisis will bring to them. The children of Flint, Michigan deserve a shot at normal life with good schools, clean water, and safety. We need this win badly. Rush a $5 donation so that my community and I can finally make justice an everyday reality. We deserve it.
Until justice is real,�
-- Ariana, Sincere, and the Color Of Change PAC team
Sources
1. "'Were Flint water crisis funds mismanaged?", NBC 25 News, 11 February 2019,https://act.colorofchange.org/go/198187?t=8&akid=36879%2E4804695%2EFMKdZ-
2. "City of Flint to resume water shutoffs for non-payment.",�NBC 25 News, 12 March 2018,�https://act.colorofchange.org/go/198188?t=10&akid=36879%2E4804695%2EFMKdZ-
 |
 |
Paid Pol. Adv. paid for with regulated funds by ColorOfChange PAC, 1714 Franklin St., Oakland, CA 94612, independently of any candidate. Not authorized or approved by any federal, state, or local candidate or candidate�s committee.
ColorOfChange PAC is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Contributions to Color Of Change PAC are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. This email was sent to @. If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
My name is Ariana and the city of Flint poisoned my children.
Hi�Eugene,
It�s me, Ariana again. I emailed you last week about why I�m fighting for my community to help Sheldon Neeley become the Mayor of Flint.�
Last Saturday, we knocked on 278 doors on our first big day of door-to-door voter outreach. And this wouldn�t have been possible without the hundreds of donations from Color Of Change PAC members like you.
I�ve walked these same blocks many times, and on Saturday I learned that there�s still some major work to do. According to my neighbors, current mayor Karen Weaver is trying to cover up the damage she�s done and the problems she�s ignored while in office. We can�t let that happen. Donate $5 right now to help us scale up our voter outreach this week and expose the truth!
Starting today, we�re going to be knocking on doors day in and day out. Here�s a list of things we�ll have to pay out of pocket for:�
The list goes on and on. Costs are adding up and we are just getting started! Help us reach 3,000 Flint voters by November 5th with a $5 donation.
I love my community, and it�s been hard to listen to the stories of what we�ve gone through in the last five years. We�re tired of broken promises, and a lot of my neighbors have lost faith in the city government -- and rightfully so.�
Sheldon Neeley is committed to helping my people in real, tangible ways. The problem is, a lot of folks don�t know about all that he�s done. The only way for folks to know is if we have the resources to educate them and spread the word. We�re using our stories to remind each other of what�s at stake.��
We�ve already knocked on hundreds of doors. Help us knock on thousands of doors now for Sheldon Neeley by donating $5. Folks deserve to know the truth about someone who�s fought for real change in Flint for years.
Until justice is real,�
-- Ariana
P.S. -- Check out the email I sent last week about why we're fighting to get Sheldon Neeley elected mayor of Flint below.
�Hi�Eugene,
My name is Ariana Hawk, and the city of Flint poisoned my children. My then 2-year-old son named Sincere became the face of the water crisis when he was on the cover of Time Magazine in 2016. Ever since then, our lives haven�t been the same.
It�s been five years and Sincere still deals with the rashes. He lives with the fear of being poisoned every single day, and it makes me furious. My daughter�s dad died of bacterial pneumonia in August 2015, before the state of Michigan confirmed it was Legionnaires� bacteria disease. I do not trust the water here, and why should I? From cooking to boiling water for baths to brushing our teeth -- we have no choice but to use bottled water to protect ourselves from diseases.�
Life is a battleground for me and my family. And it�s a battle for thousands of other �Flint-stones� just like me. That�s why every single day, I�m fighting for change as an organizer with Color Of Change PAC. Flint is the only home I�ve known. I couldn�t just sit back and wait for the government to fix things when they�re the ones responsible for poisoning my family and community.�
I truly believe the best way to make Flint a better place is through getting a new mayor elected. We need a leader that we can hold accountable, and the only person I trust to get the job done is Sheldon Neeley.�Donate $5�to help me reach as many voters in Flint as possible, and win the mayor�s election.�
Since the crisis began, I�ve been in the streets organizing to get my community the basic resources they need to survive. When the state stopped funding water for Flint, I waited for hours in the cold to get hundreds of bottles of clean water from donations. When our hospitals said they�d stop saying the word �poisoned� when it comes to sick children, I reminded doctors that their words matter and that they cannot lie about our experiences.
People are tired of asking for help and having none of their needs met. It�s been five years. And it feels like asking for clean water is a full-time job when it shouldn�t be. Our local officials don�t care about what happens to us, and it shows. Karen Weaver has had 4 years to fix this problem, and she hasn�t. The city of Flint has received upwards of $600 million to clean up the water, and it�s still poisoned under Weaver�s mismanagement.1 She�s not doing her job properly. Why would we re-elect a mayor that sits back as hundreds of our community members suffer?�
We�re all the way fed up.
The lack of concern from the government makes my skin crawl. I couldn�t just wait for them to fix things when they�re the ones responsible for poisoning my family and community. The state wants to say that the water is fine, but we know that this is a bold lie. Even today, hundreds of residents are forced to choose between paying a water shutoff fee or buying clean water, because the tap water at home is too toxic to use.2 That�s why every single day, I�m fighting for change as the lead organizer in Flint to elect Sheldon Neeley for mayor.�
This will not be an easy fight. Right now, current Mayor Karen Weaver is trying to win votes by making plenty of promises to fix things-- but she's already had 4 years in office to fix them. I only have 30 days to reach as many voters as possible to vote for Neeley. I urgently need your help. Rush a $5 donation right now to support a new future for me and my family.
Sheldon Neeley grew up in Flint just like me, and I�ve seen him fight for us for years-- from serving on Flint�s City Council to his current fight as our state representative to ensuring the people responsible for the water crisis are held accountable. He�s a stand-up guy that I trust. To get out the vote for Neeley, I have a plan, but I can only see it through with your support.�
To make sure Sheldon Neeley wins, over the next 30 days I will be:�
Flint is a predominantly Black community that has been forgotten about. I know, as you know, that if we were a predominantly white city, this crisis would�ve been solved much faster. Period. Every year, we are reminded that our health is not a top priority to the government.�
There�s only so much fighting we can do without a government that has our backs. I know that Sheldon Neeley does. It�s been 5 years too long, and as my children grow older I fear for the longterm effects that this crisis will bring to them. The children of Flint, Michigan deserve a shot at a normal life with good schools, clean water, and safety. We need this win badly. Rush a $5 donation so that my community and I can finally make justice an everyday reality. We deserve it.
Until justice is real,�
-- Ariana, Sincere, and the Color Of Change PAC team
�
Sources
1. "'Were Flint water crisis funds mismanaged?", NBC 25 News, 11 February 2019,https://act.colorofchange.org/go/198187?t=9&akid=37564%2E4804695%2EpIhcUc
2. "City of Flint to resume water shutoffs for non-payment.",�NBC 25 News, 12 March 2018,�https://act.colorofchange.org/go/198188?t=11&akid=37564%2E4804695%2EpIhcUc
 |
 |
Paid Pol. Adv. paid for with regulated funds by ColorOfChange PAC, 1714 Franklin St., Oakland, CA 94612, independently of any candidate. Not authorized or approved by any federal, state, or local candidate or candidate�s committee.
ColorOfChange PAC is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Contributions to Color Of Change PAC are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. This email was sent to @. If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
Dear Eugene.
Protect our history and our future.
Eugene, we need you to protect the Civil Rights Act of 1866 � one of the oldest civil rights statutes to date and one of the most important tools we have for protecting our communities from discrimination.1�
We have over 25,000 petition signatures to demand Comcast drop its Supreme Court petition, but more must be done. The Supreme Court will hear this case on November 13, and we need to act fast to pressure Comcast's board of directors and executives before it's too late!�
Will you donate $1 so we can pressure Comcast�s leadership to drop their Supreme Court petition, using billboards near Comcast�s corporate headquarters?�
Comcast�s board and executive leadership are steadfast at defending their bottom line, with the support of the Trump administration.2 The Civil Rights Act of 1866 is a pathway to justice for all discriminatory cases involving employment, housing, banking, and consumer and business transactions.3 Comcast�s case may be heard by the Supreme Court, and we know that the conservative justices are itching to make it easier for businesses to get away with racial discrimination. We cannot allow Comcast, a company that claims to pride itself on being dedicated to diversity and inclusion in all facets of its business, to set such a harmful precedent.4
Comcast must be held accountable. A $1 donation will help us expose the executives who support setting our rights back 150 years.
Color Of Change has reached out to Comcast executives and its board directly. However, Comcast refuses to accept the greater implications of challenging a hallmark piece of legislation � the oldest form of law created to acknowledge our humanity � that protects Black economic equality, including Black artists and independent contractors.
Challenging the Civil Rights Act of 1866 has grave consequences for Black people in the arts who are creating content to reshape the narratives of Blackness and Black culture. Without this hallmark statute, it would be difficult for Black creators to protect themselves against discrimination in already majority-owned and -led creative spaces. A Supreme Court decision eliminating this protection has the potential to fundamentally change how racial discrimination claims are decided for decades to come in multiple areas affecting us.5��
Comcast�s petition would put the burden on Black people to prove that racism was the only driver of a decision or denial in cases seeking to expose racial discrimination. We cannot allow Comcast and the Trump administration to strike down key provisions of one of the oldest and most important civil rights laws in the country.
Donate $1 so we can place billboards at Comcast�s corporate headquarters and show how much this important piece of legislation means to Black people.
Ignoring our efforts to engage it directly, Comcast believes a legal defense is more important than protecting civil rights. Justice and economic equality have been part of a constant fight for us, and we cannot let a corporation reverse protections that ensure our communities have the means to work, build wealth, and access the justice system to vindicate our rights.
Honor the ancestors that sacrificed for our freedoms and for Black economic liberation by donating $1 to stop Comcast from reversing one of the most critical civil rights protections that we have.
Until justice is real,
--Jade, Rashad, Arisha, Evan, Johnny, Future, Eesha, Samantha, Marcus, FolaSade, and the rest of the Color Of Change team
References:
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
Eugene,
Color Of Change invites you to our first #BlackFamilyCookout in Los Angeles on October 19, 2019! Next year we have the opportunity to shift the course for our communities, and it�s time for us to level up to get ready. Join us as we celebrate our community with delicious food, fun, and conversations.���
Will you join us for our first cookout on Saturday, October 19th at 4:30pm?
As we gear up to win in 2020 and beyond, we�re prioritizing community action rooted in joy. We have a continued commitment to putting our people and our values over politics as usual. This is the time to reclaim our communities, uplift local leaders and take action around the issues that deeply impact our families.�
Can we count you in for the first #BlackFamilyCookout?
We�re hosting this cookout in Los Angeles to build a stronger, more connected community that�s dedicated to supporting and centering Black people!� It�s time to start dreaming of the ways we can make the world a less hostile place for Black people.� Feel free to invite your family, friends, allies and networks to make this cookout a memorable one!
Join us on October 19th to experience the fun.
�--Shannon, Corina, Arisha, Kwesi, Chad, Dominique, Calyssa, Quiana, Ariana, Sonya and the rest of the Color Of Change team
�
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
Instead of standing up against this racist hit job against a prominent Black leader at the university, the University of Alabama threw him under the bus.
|
James Rucker just started a petition to the University of Alabama� Stop empowering racists and silencing Black people who tell the truth
|
||
Dear Eugene, I just started a petition titled "Stop empowering racists and silencing Black people who tell the truth " The University of Alabama has seemingly pushed for the resignation of its dean of students and assistant vice president � a Black man who had been in the job just seven months � for past tweets that made honest, straightforward statements about racism in America. It�s outrageous. Dr. Jamie Riley was apparently forced to resign after the �alt-right� website Breitbart � a favorite of white nationalists, known for its racism, antisemitism, and dishonest smear campaigns � published an article with Dr. Riley�s old tweets. Instead of standing up against this racist hit job against a prominent Black leader at the university, the University of Alabama threw him under the bus. It looks like an effective firing, with the university refusing to give details, only saying that there was �mutual agreement� around his resignation. Dr. Riley has been targeted for speaking plainly about racism! While Riley�s tweets might make some people uncomfortable, they�re based in fact and well within the mainstream conversation about racism. Here are two of them: � "The [American flag emoji] flag represents a systemic history of racism for my people. Police are a part of that system. Is it that hard to see the correlation?" Sign now and make your voice heard! When the dean of students can lose his job for a couple of old tweets about racism that many people would agree with, the message sent to Black students and faculty couldn�t be clearer: if you want to keep your job and stay at the university, you better keep your mouth shut. It�s chilling, and it conveys a lack of interest in protecting the academic freedom of Black people at the university and an unwillingness to protect Black members of its community when racists come after them with baseless accusations. Demand the University of Alabama stand behind Black faculty and staff! Rehire Dr. James Riley now! Thank you, James Rucker �
|
Join us and start your own petition on OrganizeFor today!
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
Eugene,
We are excited to invite you to Black Family Cookout in Los Angeles on October 19 from 5:00 to 7:00!�
RSVP today, and share with your friends and family too!�
WHERE: Jim Gilliam Rec Center and Park
WHEN: Saturday, October 19, 5pm - 7:00
Join us for the #BlackFamilyCookout.� Come through to learn more about who Color Of Change is and how we plan to reclaim our communities while eating BBQ, playing basketball and laughing with our family and friends.�
Here's the schedule:
5:00pm-5:45pm: Cookout will start, you�ll learn more about what we�re doing locally, and we'll get to know each other over food and refreshments. Please wear comfortable shoes and clothes and bring the whole family out to eat and play.��
5:45-7:00pm: We'll head to the game area to play, laugh and dance as a family. � We'll have a good playlist, food, great activities and family fun - all free of charge.�
We can't wait to see you there!
Until justice is real,
--Shannon and the rest of the Color Of Change team
Below is the last email we sent.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Color Of Change invites you to our first #BlackFamilyCookout in Los Angeles on October 19, 2019! Next year we have the opportunity to shift the course for our communities, and it�s time for us to level up to get ready. Join us as we celebrate our community with delicious food, fun, and conversations.� �
Will you join us for our first cookout on Saturday, October 19th at 4:30pm?
As we gear up to win in 2020 and beyond, we�re prioritizing community action rooted in joy. We have a continued commitment to putting our people and our values over politics as usual. This is the time to reclaim our communities, uplift local leaders and take action around the issues that deeply impact our families.�
Can we count you in for the first #BlackFamilyCookout?
We�re hosting this cookout in Los Angeles to build a stronger, more connected community that�s dedicated to supporting and centering Black people!� It�s time to start dreaming of the ways we can make the world a less hostile place for Black people. Feel free to invite your family, friends, allies and networks to make this cookout a memorable one!
Join us on October 19th to experience the fun.
�--Shannon, Corina, Arisha, Kwesi, Chad, Dominique, Calyssa, Quiana, Ariana, Sonya and the rest of the Color Of Change team
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
The Voting While Black Podcast goes beyond the rhetoric to reveal what the presidential candidates really think about race.
Hey Eugene,
I'm proud to announce that we just released a new podcast interviewing the 2020 presidential candidates called The Voting While Black Podcast.
The Voting While Black Podcast goes beyond the rhetoric to reveal what the presidential candidates really think about race. There have been tons of debates and forums on climate change, LGBTQ issues, and common-sense gun safety, and now it�s our time. This podcast is produced by and for us and hosted by Color Of Change PAC's spokesperson Rashad Robinson.
Check Out the Podcast
We�ve decided to interview the candidates because we need real, detailed answers about what they think about the issues that impact Black people��issues that are often ignored or glossed over on the national debate stage. We need the next president to take issues plaguing our community seriously like mass incarceration, police violence, reparations, voter suppression, health care, immigration, and reproductive rights.
We know Black voters want to make an informed decision when they go to the ballot box. But to do that, we need less political pandering and more clarity from these candidates.�We see this podcast as a way to make sure we have the information we need to decide which candidates really are committed to investing in Black people and communities.
Our first episode features an interview with Senator Bernie Sanders� we�d love to have you be one of the first to listen. Click here to dive in.
Until justice is real,
Arisha, Rashad, Jenni, Drew, Whitney, Charles, Tammi, Daniel, Scott, Devorne, Vanessa and the Color Of Change PAC team
P.S. If you like the episode, please rate and review us on iTunes! This will help us get bumped into Apple's "Top Podcasts" list.
P.P.S. Send us your reactions and comments to the podcast on social media using #votingwhileblack! You can Tweet at us @votingwhileblk, post on Instagram @votingwhileblack, or tag us on Facebook @colorofchangepac. You can also email us by responding to this email!
| Donate |  |
 |
Paid Pol. Adv. paid for by ColorOfChange PAC, 1714 Franklin St., Oakland, CA 94612, independently of and not authorized or approved by any federal, state, or local candidate or candidate�s committee.
ColorOfChange PAC is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Contributions to Color Of Change PAC are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. This email was sent to @. If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
�
Eugene,Facebook just reopened the Pandora's box of voter suppression and misinformation, giving Trump the green light to spread lies, hate, and election misinformation on its platform. Under Facebook's extraordinarily reckless new "Trump Exemption" policy, politicians' posts and advertisements are exempt from the platform�s rules.1
This change is already being exploited by the Trump campaign, which is running more than $1 million of Facebook ads a week, pushing conspiracy theories to deflect from Trump�s impeachment inquiry, and demonizing migrant communities.
With the 2020 election cycle already in full swing, there is no room for politicians� misinformation and voter suppression efforts on the world�s largest social media platform. The 2016 election already showed how Facebook can be exploited to target Black voters for suppression and promote white nationalist propaganda.2,3 This exemption does nothing more than give free license to Trump and the politicians with the most to gain from silencing our voices to spread misinformation.
Demand Facebook end the Trump exemption and restore bans on misinformation and hate from politicians!
When Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg testified in Congress last year, he admitted he was at fault for not protecting Facebook users against fake news, foreign interference in elections, and hate speech. And just last month, Color Of Change led dozens of advocates in the civil rights and Black tech communities in a town hall convening with Facebook senior leadership to address curbing misinformation and voter suppression on the platform ahead of the 2020 elections.4 Yet Facebook still made the decision to enact this dangerous policy, which contradicts the commitments the company has made to Congress and Color Of Change.�Including recent commitments Facebook made to Color Of Change and other civil rights leaders at Civil Rights x Tech townhall late last month.�
Facebook continues to pretend it is neutral in all this, but in the moral arc of history, it will be considered critically responsible for the normalization of politics that are harmful to Black people. As Trump expands his misinformation machine, Facebook executives like Vice President Nick Clegg continue to allow the company's powerful right-wing staff to make the company's policies increasingly friendly toward Trump. While Zuckerberg himself was just revealed to be secretly hosting far-right peddlers of white nationalist propaganda and misinformation like Tucker Carlson and Ben Shapiro in private, off-the-record dinners in his homes.5�This is no coincidence.
Facebook�s commitment to protecting Black voters and protecting our elections is called into serious question when some of its most important decision makers on election policy include former senior official in the George W. Bush White House and Brett Kavanaugh supporter Joel Kaplan, as well as former Rudy Giuliani staffer and Republican election consultant Katie Harbath. Facebook�s lax attitude toward blatant misinformation and its willingness to appease Trump are threats to our democracy and election security.
Demand Facebook end the Trump exemption and restore bans on misinformation and hate from politicians!
Under the Trump exemption, Facebook will allow Trump and any other politician to run ads misinforming Black voters about how and when they can vote, promote blatant white nationalist propaganda, and use fearmongering to push Black and migrant communities not to participate in the critically important 2020 Census. By enacting this policy, Facebook is not only denying that voter suppression is a problem on the platform but also openly welcoming it.
The stakes are too high for the Trump exemption to stand. Politicians cannot lie and misinform the public with impunity. If Facebook wants to show the civil rights community that it is committed to fighting voter suppression and election interference, it must immediately drop the Trump exemption and ensure that all politicians follow the same rules as every other user regarding content and advertisements.
Demand that Facebook immediately restore the bans on hate and misinformation from politicians!
Until justice is real,
Jade, Rashad, Arisha, Johnny, Amanda, Evan, Future, Eesha, Samantha, Marcus, FolaSade, and the rest of the Color Of Change team
References:
1.� �Facebook Says Trump Can Lie in His Facebook Ads,� Popular Information, October 3, 2019,
https://act.colorofchange.org/go/202799?t=10&akid=38100%2E4804695%2ElIdjoM
2.��Did Fake News on Facebook Help Elect Trump? Here�s What We Know,� NPR, April 11, 2018,
https://act.colorofchange.org/go/202800?t=12&akid=38100%2E4804695%2ElIdjoM
3.��Russian Trolls Tried to Convince African Americans Not to Vote in 2016, US Senate Says,� CNBC, October 9, 2019,
https://act.colorofchange.org/go/200865?t=14&akid=38100%2E4804695%2ElIdjoM
4.��Facebook�s Sheryl Sandberg Hears Concerns of Civil Rights Leaders but Offers No Promises,� Gizmodo, September 26, 2019,
https://act.colorofchange.org/go/202801?t=16&akid=38100%2E4804695%2ElIdjoM
5.��Inside Mark Zuckerberg�s Private Meetings with Conservative Pundits,�, Politico, October 14, 2010,
https://act.colorofchange.org/go/202802?t=18&akid=38100%2E4804695%2ElIdjoM
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
I sat down last night for the first time in what feels like weeks, kicking back at one of Flint�s favorite restaurants, Rube�s. We were there hosting a debate watch party to see Sheldon Neeley, our candidate for Flint mayor, face off against current mayor Karen Weaver.
Hey�Eugene, it's me, Ariana from Flint, with an update!
I sat down last night for the first time in what feels like weeks, kicking back at one of Flint�s favorite restaurants, Rube�s. We were there hosting a debate watch party to see Sheldon Neeley, our candidate for Flint mayor, face off against current mayor Karen Weaver.
One of my favorite moments of the debate was when Sheldon Neeley said: "We have to be able to build together, work together, strive together and recover together."
That quote, along with spending time with my community last night, reminded me why I do this work: it�s to improve the lives of my people.
This isn�t just some political battle. It�s people�s water, people�s paychecks, people�s kids. I wouldn't ask you if these weren't the lives of my people on the line: will you chip in $1 to support our needs in our final 20 days to elect the new mayor we need in Flint?
Me and some of my Squad members at the Debate Watch Party last night at Rube's
I�ve knocked on a lot of doors in the last few weeks, and one thing I�ve realized is that a lot of people in Flint don�t even know that this election is happening. And a lot of other people are exhausted with politicians promising solutions that they don�t deliver.�
I get it. In a town like ours, where even our basic need for clean water has been ignored for years now, it�s easy for folks to just give up on voting and politicians� promises.
I�m not out here for the political promises either. I�m out here to make some demands.
I�m out here to demand that me and my beautiful Black children have all the opportunities we need to thrive, and that we have them right here in Flint. Strong schools. Clean water. Safe neighborhoods.
Mayor Karen Weaver hasn�t met my demands. So I�m moving on to a candidate I believe will-- Sheldon Neeley.
If we get enough support here in Flint, we CAN win this election, and we CAN win our demands for a city where we can thrive. But that support depends on people like you,�Eugene. Donate $1 now if you�re with us in our final 20 days.
I believe in Sheldon Neeley because I�ve seen what he�s already done for Flint:
And I have to say, I�m feeling hopeful. The fact that so many people came out on a Thursday night to watch this debate is a testimony to the work we�re doing in Flint to get people excited about this race.�
You know how we got people to show up to the debate watch party? The same way we�re getting people to show up to vote: through real conversations, one door at a time.
And it�s not easy: last Saturday we were knocking doors for hours in 45 degree cold with clouds blocking the sun. But I was inspired to see how my people bundled up and stood out there with me, because they knew if they didn�t talk to their neighbors, maybe no one would.
Here�s what keeps me going out there in the freezing air: every person I talk to who votes for Sheldon Neeley could be the deciding vote-- the difference between a chance at getting what me and my kids need, and getting 3 more years of a mayor who hasn�t delivered.
I�m putting my money on someone new that I believe in. I hope you do too.
Help us win in flint
Until justice is real,
Ariana, Arisha, Jenni, Drew, Charles, Daniel, Tammi, Scott and the Color Of Change PAC team
Sources
| Donate |  |
 |
Not authorized by any federal, state, or local candidate or candidate�s committee. Paid for with regulated funds by ColorOfChange PAC, 1714 Franklin St., Oakland, CA 94612.
ColorOfChange PAC is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Contributions to Color Of Change PAC are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. This email was sent to @. If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
Dear�Eugene,
Only days ago, 8 year old Marian Scott was told she could not participate in her school picture day because of her hair,� humiliating her in front of her classmates.1�Across America, kids are being shamed for having hair that is too Black, telling them again and again they aren't good enough; that�Black isn't good enough. Black children everywhere deserve to be proud of who they are and our job is to pave the way for them.�That�s why Color Of Change partnered with the CROWN Coalition to fight hair discrimination against Black people across the country. We won in California and in New York.2 Now, we need your help to take this fight to the next level. Will you join us in taking this fight all the way to Washington?
Black children across America are being humiliated because of racist policies that discriminate against our hair. Last year, 6 year old Clinton Stanley Jr.3�was sent home from A Book�s Christian Academy for having locks and 11 year old Faith Finnedy4�was sent home from Christ the King for wearing box braids to school. These policies shape the way Black kids see themselves and give permission to institutions and bigoted educators to discriminate against them without repercussion. We cannot allow these practices to continue.
Help us bring the fight to the federal level and give our kids a chance for a future free from hair discrimination.
Your support will help bring this fight to the national level, where it needs to be. Right now, your support will:
Together, let's end hair discrimination in our lifetime
-- Future, Brandi, Rashad, Arisha, Jade, Evan, Johnny, Eesha, Sam, Marcus, Folasade and the rest of the Color Of Change team and the rest of the Color Of Change team
�References:
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
The Voting While Black Podcast goes beyond the rhetoric to reveal what the presidential candidates really think about race.
Hey Eugene,
Our 2nd episode of the�Voting While Black Podcast released today featuring an interview with Juli�n Castro!
Our spokesperson Rashad Robinson talked with him about his real thoughts on race and what he plans to do to support Black communities.
You can listen to the episode on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or stream it online!
Listen on spotify
Listen on Apple podcasts
Stream online
Check out our email from last week below to read more about the podcast and check out our first episode with Senator Bernie Sanders!
Until justice is real,
Arisha, Rashad, Jenni, Drew, Whitney, Charles, Tammi, Daniel, Scott, Devorne, Vanessa and the Color Of Change PAC team
Hey Eugene,
I'm proud to announce that we just released a new podcast interviewing the 2020 presidential candidates called The Voting While Black Podcast.
The Voting While Black Podcast goes beyond the rhetoric to reveal what the presidential candidates really think about race. There have been tons of debates and forums on climate change, LGBTQ issues, and common-sense gun safety, and now it�s our time. This podcast is produced by and for us and hosted by Color Of Change PAC's spokesperson Rashad Robinson.
Check Out the Podcast
We�ve decided to interview the candidates because we need real, detailed answers about what they think about the issues that impact Black people��issues that are often ignored or glossed over on the national debate stage. We need the next president to take issues plaguing our community seriously like mass incarceration, police violence, reparations, voter suppression, health care, immigration, and reproductive rights.
We know Black voters want to make an informed decision when they go to the ballot box. But to do that, we need less political pandering and more clarity from these candidates.�We see this podcast as a way to make sure we have the information we need to decide which candidates really are committed to investing in Black people and communities.
Our first episode features an interview with Senator Bernie Sanders� we�d love to have you be one of the first to listen. Click here to dive in.
Until justice is real,
Arisha, Rashad, Jenni, Drew, Whitney, Charles, Tammi, Daniel, Scott, Devorne, Vanessa and the Color Of Change PAC team
P.S. If you like the episode, please rate and review us on iTunes! This will help us get bumped into Apple's "Top Podcasts" list.
P.P.S. Send us your reactions and comments to the podcast on social media using #votingwhileblack! You can Tweet at us @votingwhileblk, post on Instagram @votingwhileblack, or tag us on Facebook @colorofchangepac. You can also email us by responding to this email!
| Donate |  |
 |
Paid Pol. Adv. paid for by ColorOfChange PAC, 1714 Franklin St., Oakland, CA 94612, independently of and not authorized or approved by any federal, state, or local candidate or candidate�s committee.
ColorOfChange PAC is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Contributions to Color Of Change PAC are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. This email was sent to @. If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
This year, we have the chance to bring some Halloween-themed Black joy to 224 economically disadvantaged Black children in New Orleans, who are dreaming of dressing up as their favorite heroes, movie characters, and spooky creatures. But they do not have access to costumes. With the help of Color Of Change members like you, we can ensure these kids have a Halloween to remember.
Yes, I�ll chip in $3�
Yes, I�ll chip in $5�
Yes, I�ll chip in $10�
Other amount
Black children do not get to live freely and experience joy in the ways that other children do. This was true when four young, Black and Latinx girls in Binghamton, New York, were strip searched for �being giddy� during lunch. It was true when a young Black girl was thrown down and pinned to the ground by a police officer in McKinney, Texas. It was true when Cyntoia Brown was arrested at the age of 16 for defending herself against a sexual predator. And it was true just yesterday when a school resource officer in New Mexico attacked an 11-year-old girl for �disrupting class� and �taking an extra milk.�4 But, we know Black kids are just that: kids. They do not deserve to be treated so cruelly.
Black children should be able to experience the joy and excitement of Halloween, just like any other kids. That�s why we�re partnering with �Ween Dream, an organization based in New Orleans that collects and distributes Halloween costumes to families who can�t afford them.�We�re almost at our goal of donating 224 costumes, but we need 25 more members to chip in!��
Yes, I�ll chip in $3
Yes, I�ll chip in $5�
Yes, I�ll chip in $10�
Other amount
In 2005, Color Of Change was founded in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, where Black families in New Orleans were left on their rooftops to die. Katrina continues to impact the area to this day; some of those same people who were abandoned when they were most in need are parents now, and they have children who are in need of some Black joy. Members like you have the unique opportunity to provide these kids with Black joy so they can have the best, most joyful Halloween possible.
Until justice is real,�
�Jade, Rashad, Arisha, Johnny, Future, Amanda, Evan, Imani, Samantha, Eesha, Marcus, FolaSade, and the rest of the Color Of Change team
�References:
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
We only have 9 days before the mayoral election in Flint!
Hey Eugene,�
My name�s Jennifer Edwards, and I�m the Senior Digital Director of Color Of Change PAC. As someone who has worked many years in the fight for Black political power, I can tell you this: the way we engage with voters is changing at an extreme pace, and outdated tactics just aren�t cutting it anymore.�
We�re living in the digital era, and we urgently need to prioritize meeting Black people where they are: online. That�s why in our final 9 days before the mayoral election in Flint, we�ve got to ramp up our digital ads to get out the vote for Sheldon Neeley.�
Victory in Flint is possible if we keep using innovative digital strategies to reach voters. But innovation isn�t possible without your support. Donate $9 right now to help us reach Black voters in Flint!
You might be wondering why digital ads are so important in our final push to elect Neeley. Let me explain. Our work in Flint is unlike any other political race. According to our field team and volunteers who live in Flint, awareness of the mayoral race was pretty low because Black folks in the community weren�t being properly reached, and folks are tired of being let down by broken promises.
That�s why since the primary election this summer, we�ve been running ads supporting Neeley to increase awareness of the race� and they�ve been working! In total, the ads have reached people over 1,000,000 times. In fact, Ariana Hawk, our lead organizer in Flint, just told me that a community member came up to her and said that after seeing our video ad online, they�ve decided to vote! That�s why my team is dedicated to making information about voting more accessible than ever before. It can make a difference in Black people�s lives every single day.
Before election day on November 5th, we�re committed to making this election more accessible to Black folks by:
Social media might not seem important for social change. But on a grand scale, it helps us reach Black voters in ways we never could�ve imagined ten, or even five years ago. We�ve gotten over 600 comments on our ads in the last month, and over 450 people have shared our graphics and videos. This means our ads are getting people talking about this election, and sharing it with their friends and family so they know too.
The proof is in the numbers, Eugene. We�ve got to continue innovative voter outreach in order to make victory a possibility for Black folks in Flint. If we aren�t funded properly, we will not be able to run public education and awareness ads urging hundreds of thousands of folks to get out the vote for Sheldon Neeley.�
Knowledge is power, and Flint deserves this win now more than ever before. If our digital program for Flint is funded from now until November 5th, victory could become an even closer reality. Rush a $9 donation right now before it�s too late.�
Until justice is real,�
Jenni
| Donate |  |
 |
Not authorized by any federal, state, or local candidate or candidate�s committee. Paid for with regulated funds by ColorOfChange PAC, 1714 Franklin St., Oakland, CA 94612.
ColorOfChange PAC is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Contributions to Color Of Change PAC are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. This email was sent to @. If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
�
Eugene,Teachers in Chicago are fighting for children�s lives and they are not backing down! Today marks the ninth day of cancelled classes for over 360,000 Chicago students. Teachers and support staff have taken to the streets, marching and protesting until they can secure bold, transformative investment in the Chicago public education system. These educators are fighting not just for themselves, but for children�s futures � the vast majority of whom are Black and Latinx.
Throughout the weeks, the teacher�s union has been in negotiations with first-time Mayor Lori Lightfoot, who pledged during her campaign to boost investment in neighborhood schools.1 The teachers are demanding that she put this commitment in writing in their contracts, but their top demands have yet to be met.
Demand that Mayor Lightfoot meet the Chicago Teachers Union deal and end the strike!
Here are the top five issues the teachers are fighting for:
None of these demands are outrageous, but the consequences of not meeting them are. Teachers are the backbone of our nation � they prepare children to become adults and members of society. Their work goes well beyond the classroom. They often act as counselors, mentors, and the most trusted adult in kids� lives besides a parent. Many teachers find themselves spending their own time and money outside of work to create lessons, grade papers, and tailor instructions to the various needs of their students. Yet these professionals are subject to inadequate working conditions while serving the most vulnerable citizens � our children.
Chicago�s students and teachers have suffered for too long and it is time to ensure their needs are met.
The majority of Chicagoans support the teacher�s strike, including some parents who had to find backup childcare or stay home from work.3 And several 2020 presidential candidates have come out to support the teachers as well. The wave of teacher strikes across the country � in Arizona, West Virginia, Kentucky, Oklahoma, and Los Angeles � have proven successful, inspiring Chicago�s teachers.4 And they are not going back to work until Mayor Lightfoot meets their needs for better working conditions, smaller classes, and more nurses and counselors. Our children deserve better.
Stand in solidarity with Chicago�s teachers and students. Demand Mayor Lightfoot meet the teachers� working requirements now!
Until justice is real,
Jade, Rashad, Arisha, Johnny, Amanda, Evan, Future, Eesha, Samantha, Marcus, FolaSade, and the rest of the Color Of Change team
References:
1. �A Tale of Two Strikes: Can Chicago Learn Anything from Its Past Teacher Walkouts?� Chalkbeat, September 24, 2019, https://act.colorofchange.org/go/208368?t=9&akid=38256%2E4804695%2EcYvjHM
2. �CPS Teachers Are on Strike. Here's a Look at the Big Issues at Stake,� Chicago Tribune, October 21, 2019, https://act.colorofchange.org/go/208370?t=11&akid=38256%2E4804695%2EcYvjHM
3.�Poll: Chicagoans More in Step with Teachers Than City over Walkout,� Chicago Sun Times, October 14, 2019,
https://act.colorofchange.org/go/208372?t=13&akid=38256%2E4804695%2EcYvjHM
4.�Teacher Strikes Are Changing. The Chicago Walkout Proves It,� Vox Media, October 17, 2019, https://act.colorofchange.org/go/208371?t=15&akid=38256%2E4804695%2EcYvjHM
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
Eugene,
Halloween is a special holiday where kids get to play dress up, experience unabashed joy, and, most importantly, munch on their favorite sweet treats! But some students won�t get to participate in these joyful activities. In fact, many students, particularly those in the state of Minnesota, can�t afford the cost of their lunch and are publicly shamed because of it. This Halloween, we want to make sure that children do not have to deal with the stress of the cost of their lunch. Chip in $5 to eliminate lunch debt for students in Minnesota.���
Too often, students whose families have low incomes are shamed by school administrators because they can�t afford to pay for lunch. Sometimes, students are even prevented from having a hot meal at lunchtime, or they�re forced to throw out their lunch entr�es. At Minnesota�s St. Paul Public School, for instance, students� unpaid school lunch debt can result in extreme consequences. Seniors were prevented from graduating at the end of the year.�That�s not okay, and we at Color Of Change want to help change this. Chip in $5 this Halloween to help alleviate these students� lunch debt.��
Students and their parents don�t deserve to be shamed because they can�t afford the cost of lunch. This is unfair, and it disproportionately impacts the Black and Latinx students whose families have low incomes due to systemic economic barriers. When schools shame families because of their lunch debt, it adds to the pressures our communities already experience.�
We want to end school lunch debt for students, once and for all. And we need the help of members like you to do it. Chip in $5 and help us ensure that Minnesota students are able to celebrate Halloween without the stress of school lunch debt.
References:
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
Across the country, low-income students are being shamed by school administrators in front of their peers because they cannot afford to pay for their lunch. Some students are forced to throw out their lunch entrees; other students go hungry. Some students have even been prevented from graduating high school as the result of accumulated, unpaid lunch fees.1 2 But we at Color Of Change believe that every student deserves to have a nutritious meal at lunch time, regardless of their race or income level. Tell Congress to end school lunch debt shaming.��
School lunch debt shaming is an unfair practice. It disproportionately impacts Black and Latinx students � students whose families are often low-income due to systemic and economic barriers. But, this past June, Representative Ilhan Omar and Senator Tina Smith introduced the No Shame at School Act, legislation that will protect students and families who can�t afford the cost of lunch. If adopted, this legislation will stop school districts from having collection agencies seek students� unpaid lunch fees, and would end humiliating practices, like wristbands and hand stamps, that schools often use to indicate a student owes fees for lunch. Tell Congress to protect families who can�t afford the cost of lunch.���
At Color Of Change, we make powerful changes all over the United States. With your help, we�ve fought for better health care for Black moms, changed pay restrictions for college athletes in California, and elected legislators who care about Black people. We now have the opportunity to use our collective power to end school lunch debt shaming for good, and push for policies that protect our people. Join us in demanding that Congress the No Shame at School Act, and end lunch shaming across our country.
Until justice is real,�
�Jade, Rashad, Arisha, Johnny, Future, Amanda, Evan, Imani, Samantha, Eesha, Marcus, FolaSade, and the rest of the Color Of Change team
�References:
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
Dear�Eugene.
Comcast and its executives are seeking to roll back landmark civil rights protections for Black people, while also seeking to profit from our pain and the history of our struggle.��
Just two weeks before its Supreme Court challenge to our oldest civil rights law, Comcast, the parent company of film production company Focus Features, is releasing the autobiographical film Harriet, based on the formerly enslaved and abolitionist hero Harriet Tubman. Tubman risked her life countless times to free hundreds of enslaved people and lived to see the nation�s first civil rights law come to pass: the Civil Rights Act of 1866 � the same civil rights act that Comcast is currently petitioning the Supreme Court to strike down.�
We cannot allow a corporation to set a dangerous precedent with our rights, while also profiting from the painful past that led to the passing of the very civil rights act it is challenging.
Donate $5 to fund our campaign demanding Comcast drop its Supreme Court petition of our oldest civil rights law.
Until justice is real,
--Jade, Rashad, Arisha, Evan, Johnny, Future, Eesha, Samantha, Marcus, FolaSade, and the rest of the Color Of Change team
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
Hey�Eugene,
It�s me, Ariana from Flint. I�ve been emailing you for weeks, and now here we are: 2�days left until we could elect a mayor who can change Flint.
It's been in the 40s and raining here in Flint, but I'm still heading out to door-knock for the fourth time this week, so I'll be brief:
To be honest with you,�Eugene, these last 2 days before Election Day could be more important than the entire last 5 weeks.
These are the days where we make sure that everyone knows where they need to vote, has a ride, and doesn�t forget their photo ID.�These are the days where we make sure that anyone who�s still on the fence hears from us one last time, and has Sheldon Neeley�s name in their mind when they cast their ballot.
This is when we need your help the most. Will you make an urgent donation to Flint now? It will help us:
Eugene,�it would mean so much to me if your first donation ever to our work went towards changing my hometown for the better. Can you make an urgent donation�to fund these needs and help us win this thing? Every $1 helps.
Ok, I need to get out on these doors before it gets too cold! Thank you for everything, and wish us luck!
Until justice is real,
Ariana and the Color Of Change PAC team
| Donate |  |
 |
Not authorized by any federal, state, or local candidate or candidate�s committee. Paid for with regulated funds by ColorOfChange PAC, 1714 Franklin St., Oakland, CA 94612.
ColorOfChange PAC is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Contributions to Color Of Change PAC are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. This email was sent to @. If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
Eugene, if we don�t stop Comcast, on November 13th, the Supreme Court will hear its petition to overturn the oldest civil rights law in the country � Section 1981 of the Civil Rights Act of 1866.1 A ruling in Comcast�s favor would take away our ability to achieve justice in cases of racial discrimination. It would allow businesses and people to once again block us from being full participants in the economic system.���
We cannot allow Comcast to challenge our first and oldest civil rights statute.2 We must act now. Call Comcast�s executives and demand they drop this dangerous challenge to civil rights protections.�
Until justice is real,
--Jade, Rashad, Arisha, Evan, Johnny, Future, Eesha, Samantha, Marcus, FolaSade and the rest of the Color Of Change team
(see our earlier email below for more details on this campaign)
References:
�Civil Rights Groups Slam Comcast for Trying to Weaken a Key Protection Against Racial Discrimination,� The Washington Post, October 2, 2019, https://act.colorofchange.org/go/199878?t=7&akid=38887%2E4804695%2E9a6flH�
Comcast and the Trump administration are working to strike down key provisions of one of the oldest and most important civil rights laws in the country: the Civil Rights Act of 1866.
For more than 150 years, this law has been a bedrock protection from racial discrimination in employment, housing, banking, and consumer and business transactions. Now, Comcast is petitioning the Supreme Court to allow racial discrimination in business transactions as long as racism is not the only reason for denying someone a service.1,2 If the Supreme Court sides with Comcast and the Trump administration, it will strike down one of the most important tools we have for protecting our communities from discrimination. Such a decision has the potential to fundamentally change how racial discrimination claims are decided for decades to come.
We cannot allow Comcast�s board and executive leadership to quietly dismantle civil rights laws so that it can pad its bottom line by discriminating against Black people. We still have time to force Comcast to withdraw its petition from the Supreme Court. But we need to act fast to turn up the pressure on its board of directors before it�s too late!�
Demand Comcast withdraw its Supreme Court petition challenging the Civil Rights Act of 1866, our oldest civil rights statute.�
Color Of Change has reached out to Comcast executives and board members directly to request its Supreme Court petition to be dropped. However, Comcast and its executives refuse to accept its legal defense will roll back civil rights protections. For a company that prides itself on being dedicated to diversity and inclusion in all facets of its business, it is clear these efforts may be contradicted at any time to protect the Comcast�s bottom-line.�
Black people already face extensive barriers in accessing justice and economic equality in this country, and this petition would serve only to allow corporations off the hook for their discriminatory practices.
For Tatiana Denson, a 40-year-old Black woman who had the police called on her for trying to open a business checking account at a PNC Bank, or Judi Brown, a Black transgender woman who was subjected to transphobic and racist slurs and harassment by her manager and coworkers at a Circle K, this law is their only pathway to justice.3,4�Comcast�s petition would make it so that Black people like Tatiana and Judi would have to prove that racism was the only driver of a decision or denial. Instead of affirming that racism has no place in the negotiation of a commercial contract, Comcast is partnering with a Department of Justice that is openly hostile to the civil rights of Black people. Together, they condone the inclusion of racism as a legitimate basis for refusing to enter into a contract with Black people � as long as racism is not the "only reason."5
We must ensure there are proper protections for our people now and for years to come. Demand Comcast drop its Supreme Court petition for a Civil Rights Act of 1866 hearing.�
Section 1981 of the Civil Rights Act of 1866 places Black people on equal footing with white Americans by outlawing conduct that would prevent our communities from developing the means to work, build wealth, or have access to the justice system to vindicate our rights. Comcast is using an important piece of legislation to win a legal battle in an effort to disregard the large-scale effects of an adverse Supreme Court decision.6 What is at stake is more important than television programming.
Comcast's persistent pursuit of a ruling undermining civil rights laws, despite our efforts to engage the corporation directly, places it at the forefront of coordinated efforts by this administration to strike down centuries of civil rights progress. Comcast must be held accountable for attempting to reverse legislation enacted to ensure the economic and civil protections of Black People. Demand Comcast drop its Civil Rights Act of 1866 Supreme Court petition.�
By leveraging a relationship with an administration that pursues white nationalist ideals to block Black economic and media power, Comcast is standing on the wrong side of history, and this cannot go without consequence. It is critical that Comcast reconsider its petition to the Supreme Court, given the extensive harms that a ruling in its favor could extend to Black people, Black businesses, and Black economic equality.���
Stop Comcast from setting an oppressive precedent that would make proving racial discrimination practically impossible.
Until justice is real,
--Jade, Rashad, Arisha, Evan, Johnny, Future, Eesha, Samantha, Marcus, FolaSade and the rest of the Color Of Change team
References:
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
Dear Eugene.
World Wrestling Entertainment Inc. (WWE) must be held accountable for using racist imagery while profiting from our image, likeness, and the physical labor of Black wrestlers.1�
Albert Hardie Jr. (aka Jordan Myles), a professional Black athlete and employee of the WWE, had his name used to sell shirts with highly offensive anti-Black �sambo� imagery. In addition, the WWE is blaming Hardie for the release of this racist merchandise.2 The WWE has been getting away with creating a racist work environment, in which Confederate flags are flown, racial slurs are the norm, and Black wrestlers are not paid equally to white wrestlers and are not given the same opportunities to compete for championships.3,4,5
Wrestling is a guilty pleasure that blurs the lines of reality; however, Black wrestlers are tired of their reality being an entertainment storyline that denies blatant racism. Four WWE major events are planned to take place in California this December.�
Demand California Attorney General, Xavier Becerra, investigate the racist workplace practices of WWE.
Sambo imagery was created during slavery and unfairly depicts Black people as being lazy and uneducated. It is a triggering reminder of the pain of our struggle.6 In the long line of WWE champions, there has been only one of mixed race, The Rock, whose father, Rocky Johnson, was a Black wrestler.7 This fact alone speaks to the internal racism that runs rampant in the WWE and to how the WWE uses controversy and racist tropes to its advantage. Racism in the WWE must be stopped, because entertainment spin does not make up for the damage of racism.8
The WWE reaps the benefits of Black viewership and Black physical labor, and it should not perpetuate racist storylines, imagery and toxic work environments.�We must hold the WWE accountable for continuously exploiting the work of Black athletes. With regular RAW, NXT and other high profile events hosted in California we can hold them to some of the highest workplace standards in the country by calling on California Attorney General, Xavier Becerra, to investigte the work place discrimination and racism happening within the WWE.
Demand California Attorney General, Xavier Becerra, investigate racism in the WWE.
Someone in your household may be tuning in to this week�s �WWE Raw,� believing that this is �just� entertainment. But on a closer look, you can see the WWE trafficking in harmful images and narratives. Anti-Black and negative narratives of Black people in media have led to police killings of unarmed Black people, tougher prison sentencing, unfair treatment in schools, and more.�
The WWE�s fan base is more than 25% Black, and we have the power to hold the WWE accountable.9,10�We have the opportunity to activate our political voice and effect change within an industry that profits from our labor and our viewership. It is time we challenge the status quo and shape the entertainment we deserve.�
Demand California Attorney General, Xavier Becerra, investigate the racism Black wrestling independent contractors experience in the WWE.
Until justice is real,
--Brandi, Jade, Rashad, Arisha, Evan, Johnny, Future, Eesha, Samantha, Marcus, FolaSade and the rest of the Color Of Change team
References:
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
Eugene,
I wish you could see my face right now, because I am BEAMING. After all our work, Sheldon Neeley won his race for mayor of Flint!
It�s been an amazing race, and the reason I�m smiling so big is because I�m so proud of everyone who made it happen.
Every one of us who worked on this race was a regular person in Flint, working for change because our lives and ability to thrive depend on it. And the work will go on after today, so I�m asking you: will you give a $5 victory donation to help replenish our resources as we plan for the next big elections in Flint and nationwide?
Let me give you an idea of the amazing work we, along with our all-volunteer squad, have been able to do in Flint in the last 6 weeks:
If we can do this much work in 6 weeks, imagine what we could do with enough support in the months to come as Sheldon Neeley takes office. We can hold the Mayor�s office accountable to ensuring people get clean water, that plans to improve our schools are in motion, and that they invest in real community safety. You know as well as we do that the election is only the beginning� donate $5 now to celebrate our victory and help replenish our resources for the work ahead.
This win literally would not have happened without my neighbors and friends in Flint getting out with me and spreading the word every single day for weeks now. Besides the campaigns, we were the only people working on this race� meaning many of the folks we talked to may not have heard about the election without us knocking on their doors, inviting them to events, and getting on their social media feeds.
And let�s be clear: we plan to be in Flint long after this election. This is our home. Which is why we�re already thinking about tomorrow and next month and next year. Because today, we go home to the same contaminated water, the same under-resourced schools, the same neighborhoods in need of care.
We�ve got a leader that will respond to our demands after this election. But things haven�t changed yet� now we need to get to work. Make a $5 victory donation now to replenish the resources we�ve used on this election, and help us gear up for everything that comes next to make change in Flint.
Before I go get a badly-needed night's sleep, I just want to give one more shoutout to my people in Flint. The everyday people like me in Flint who are balancing being moms, dads, aunties, uncles, teachers, coaches, breadwinners, caregivers, and so much more-- while also fighting to make Flint a better place.
This win is for them.
For my beautiful, joyful volunteer squad, who have been consistently alongside me door-knocking, event hosting, and doing all the work in-between.
For every last person in Flint who cast their vote in a resilient, defiant act of faith that we still have the power to change our realities.
And of course, for my kids, and every other child in Flint.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for standing with us.
Until justice is real,
Ariana and the Color Of Change PAC team (Arisha, Jenni, Kwesi, Shannon, Calyssa, Chad, Drew, Charles, Cristel, Daniel, Tammi, and Scott)
| Donate |  |
 |
Not authorized by any federal, state, or local candidate or candidate�s committee. Paid for with regulated funds by ColorOfChange PAC, 1714 Franklin St., Oakland, CA 94612.
ColorOfChange PAC is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Contributions to Color Of Change PAC are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. This email was sent to @. If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
Dear�Eugene,
As the lights went out across California this month, our impacted members wondered if Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) - the nation�s largest for-profit electric utility - will ever be fixed. This latest failure, resulting in the massive Kincade and Getty wildfires, is due to lack of investment in poor power lines and utility equipment. As a result PG&E has nixed the power to nearly two million homes, spanning Sonoma and LA counties.1�This move, not only disproportionately affects Black people, and other people of color, but illustrates why ownership of the for-profit utility company needs to shift from Wall Street to consumers.� If PG&E were owned by those who pay for its services, Wall street would not be able to rake in billions at the expense of Californians and these preventable wildfires would not have happened.
Tell PG&E enough is enough and it must dissolve its ownership
Currently, PG&E is facing bankruptcy as it faces $30 billion in liabilities�for the wildfires and they have no intention of reimbursing customers affected by their power outages.2,3�These fires will only become more detrimental and harmful for Black folks and other vulnerable populations as climate change grows. California�s dry air paired with� extreme, historic winds will only exacerbate PG&E-led fires.
A recent study by the University of Washington and the Nature Conservancy found that Black people are nearly 50% more vulnerable to wildfires than white people.4�In the mid-1940s, Black migration settled into fire-prone areas, with relatively poorer socioeconomic conditions.5 Wealthier people are more likely to be able to have cars to evacuate, buy fire insurance and create a defensible space around their homes. And have the resources to rebuild.
Handing over ownership is not far fetched. The city of San Francisco offered to buy PG&E for $2.5 billion.6There are more publicly-owned and cooperative electric companies than those owned by Wall Street.7�Abrams Capital, Knighthead Capital and Redwood Capital, PG&E owners, explicitly seek to siphon money from the companies they acquire- and as we have seen with PG&E, with little concern for the wellbeing of those harmed.
Tell Wall Street it�s time for PG&E customers to be first
These wildfires didn�t have to happen. PG&E owners ignored fire risks in favor of profits. Had the owners of PG&E upgraded its infrastructure, added weather, camera, and satellite stations and not intentionally placed power lines near vulnerable trees, the growing number of fires PG&E is responsible for would not have happened. Black communities deserve better than a focus on �the bottom line� approach from predatory investors. Deliberately putting our folks in harm's way with no restitution is true to Wall Street form and the worst kind of greed.
Tell PG&E investors this electric company should belong to Californians
�Until justice is real,�
-Jade, Rashad, Arisha, Amanda, Evan, Johnny, Eesha, Future, Marcus, Samantha, FolaSade, and the rest of the Color Of Change team
References:
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
Recently, Nigerian film �Lionheart� was nominated for the Best International Feature Oscar. Immediately following this milestone, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences disqualified the film from the category because the film has �too much English.� This decision is ridiculous. Because of British colonization, English is now the national language of Nigeria. To disqualify the film because of a refusal to understand Black and African experience is immoral and ahistorical. The Academy is using this reasoning as a way to continue to keep Black stories out of Hollywood spaces. Tell the Academy to add �Lionheart� back into the International Feature Film nominations!��
As with many aspects of Hollywood industry, the Academy�s decision to eliminate �Lionheart� from the International Feature Film category demonstrates a clear failure to understand Black and African history. Amidst the 500+ languages spoken in Nigeria, English is the country�s official language. This is the result of a long history of colonialism between European countries and Nigeria. It is unreasonable that the Academy would then use the film�s English dialogue � the nation�s official language � as a reason to eliminate it from an Oscars category that the film deserves.�
Tell the Academy to reverse their decision and add "Lionheart" back into the International Feature Film category. �
And this isn�t the first time the Academy has eliminated a film from the International Feature Film category for having �too much English.� In 2015, the Afghan film �Utopia� was also eliminated from the category for the exact same reason.�Ironically, the Academy recently changed the name of this award category from Best Foreign-Language Film to Best International Feature Film to make the category more inclusive. This change, and their subsequent decision to disqualify �Lionheart,� demonstrates the Academy�s hypocrisy and their commitment to diminish our stories.
It�s clear that the Academy has a history of gatekeeping for people of color. Restricting Black films that tell the stories of people of color from esteemed Hollywood spaces is a means of silencing us. But it is time for this to end. Black stories and the stories of people of color deserve to be considered for the same nominations, awards, and prestige as films that tell the stories of white people. That is why the Academy must restore �Lionheart�s� International Feature Film nomination and create clear, consistent rules for the category moving forward that don't come at the expense of Black people.�
Join us in calling on the Academy to restore "Lionheart�s" International Feature Film Oscar nomination. �
Until justice is real,�
�Jade, Rashad, Arisha, Johnny, Future, Amanda, Evan, Imani, Samantha, Eesha, Marcus, FolaSade, and the rest of the Color Of Change team
References:�
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
Dear Eugene.
Since the August 12th launch of the Popeyes chicken sandwich, Popeyes has sold more than 1,000 sandwiches a day--sparking a media frenzy that has led to millions of dollars in revenue.1 However, despite the wild success of the sandwich, Popeyes� employees have not reaped the benefits of their hard work--in fact employees report being forced to stand until their legs go numb for 10-hour shifts, work over 60-hour weeks, forgo state mandated breaks, and stand on the front line of customer harassment - all while making less than $10 an hour in some states.2 The success of the company wouldn�t be possible without Popeyes� employees who make the food, tend the registers, and in some cases, face social media humiliation in response to the popularity of the sandwiches. That�s why we�re asking Popeyes to pay its employees a living wage.�
Demand Felipe Athayade, Popeyes President, implement a living wage for its employees.
Popeyes happily used parts of Black culture and language through culturally appropriated branding and marketing, sparking a social media sensation that doubled it�s projected quarter sales this year.3,4 All while treating its Black fast food employees poorly while they stand on the front-line of labor exploitation due to corporate manipulation of supply and demand.5 Restaurant Brands International, who acquired the Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen brand in March 2017, benefits from increased dividends, but Black fast food employees are receiving the short end of the stick.6�
Demand fair wages for Popeyes employees.
Popeyes stores are individually franchised; therefore, making employee wages, hours, hiring, and retention of employees individual matters.7 However, Restaurant Brands International reaps the big bucks and should enforce stricter corporate policies to make a fair wages a mandate. Its moments like these where we can stand in solidarity to fight for the marginalized and powerless in the face of cultural appropriation and corporate greed. Popeyes and its parent company must be held accountable for the increased workload the demand this sandwich created.�
Demand Popeyes franchises increase its minimum wage for Black fast-food employees.
Until justice is real,
--Jade, Rashad, Arisha, Evan, Johnny, Future, Eesha, Samantha, Marcus, FolaSade and the rest of the Color Of Change team
References:
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
Eugene, if we don�t stop Comcast, on November 13th, the Supreme Court will hear its petition to overturn the oldest civil rights law in the country � Section 1981 of the Civil Rights Act of 1866.1 A ruling in Comcast�s favor would take away our ability to achieve justice in cases of racial discrimination. It would allow businesses and people to once again block us from being full participants in the economic system.���
We cannot allow Comcast to challenge our first and oldest civil rights statute.2 We must act now. Call Comcast�s executives and demand they drop this dangerous challenge to civil rights protections.�
Until justice is real,
--Jade, Rashad, Arisha, Evan, Johnny, Future, Eesha, Samantha, Marcus, FolaSade and the rest of the Color Of Change team
(see our earlier email below for more details on this campaign)
References:
�Civil Rights Groups Slam Comcast for Trying to Weaken a Key Protection Against Racial Discrimination,� The Washington Post, October 2, 2019, https://act.colorofchange.org/go/199878?t=7&akid=39004%2E4804695%2EpOO9lZ�
Comcast and the Trump administration are working to strike down key provisions of one of the oldest and most important civil rights laws in the country: the Civil Rights Act of 1866.
For more than 150 years, this law has been a bedrock protection from racial discrimination in employment, housing, banking, and consumer and business transactions. Now, Comcast is petitioning the Supreme Court to allow racial discrimination in business transactions as long as racism is not the only reason for denying someone a service.1,2 If the Supreme Court sides with Comcast and the Trump administration, it will strike down one of the most important tools we have for protecting our communities from discrimination. Such a decision has the potential to fundamentally change how racial discrimination claims are decided for decades to come.
We cannot allow Comcast�s board and executive leadership to quietly dismantle civil rights laws so that it can pad its bottom line by discriminating against Black people. We still have time to force Comcast to withdraw its petition from the Supreme Court. But we need to act fast to turn up the pressure on its board of directors before it�s too late!�
Demand Comcast withdraw its Supreme Court petition challenging the Civil Rights Act of 1866, our oldest civil rights statute.�
Color Of Change has reached out to Comcast executives and board members directly to request its Supreme Court petition to be dropped. However, Comcast and its executives refuse to accept its legal defense will roll back civil rights protections. For a company that prides itself on being dedicated to diversity and inclusion in all facets of its business, it is clear these efforts may be contradicted at any time to protect the Comcast�s bottom-line.�
Black people already face extensive barriers in accessing justice and economic equality in this country, and this petition would serve only to allow corporations off the hook for their discriminatory practices.
For Tatiana Denson, a 40-year-old Black woman who had the police called on her for trying to open a business checking account at a PNC Bank, or Judi Brown, a Black transgender woman who was subjected to transphobic and racist slurs and harassment by her manager and coworkers at a Circle K, this law is their only pathway to justice.3,4�Comcast�s petition would make it so that Black people like Tatiana and Judi would have to prove that racism was the only driver of a decision or denial. Instead of affirming that racism has no place in the negotiation of a commercial contract, Comcast is partnering with a Department of Justice that is openly hostile to the civil rights of Black people. Together, they condone the inclusion of racism as a legitimate basis for refusing to enter into a contract with Black people � as long as racism is not the "only reason."5
We must ensure there are proper protections for our people now and for years to come. Demand Comcast drop its Supreme Court petition for a Civil Rights Act of 1866 hearing.�
Section 1981 of the Civil Rights Act of 1866 places Black people on equal footing with white Americans by outlawing conduct that would prevent our communities from developing the means to work, build wealth, or have access to the justice system to vindicate our rights. Comcast is using an important piece of legislation to win a legal battle in an effort to disregard the large-scale effects of an adverse Supreme Court decision.6 What is at stake is more important than television programming.
Comcast's persistent pursuit of a ruling undermining civil rights laws, despite our efforts to engage the corporation directly, places it at the forefront of coordinated efforts by this administration to strike down centuries of civil rights progress. Comcast must be held accountable for attempting to reverse legislation enacted to ensure the economic and civil protections of Black People. Demand Comcast drop its Civil Rights Act of 1866 Supreme Court petition.�
By leveraging a relationship with an administration that pursues white nationalist ideals to block Black economic and media power, Comcast is standing on the wrong side of history, and this cannot go without consequence. It is critical that Comcast reconsider its petition to the Supreme Court, given the extensive harms that a ruling in its favor could extend to Black people, Black businesses, and Black economic equality.���
Stop Comcast from setting an oppressive precedent that would make proving racial discrimination practically impossible.
Until justice is real,
--Jade, Rashad, Arisha, Evan, Johnny, Future, Eesha, Samantha, Marcus, FolaSade and the rest of the Color Of Change team
References:
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
Dear�Eugene,
PG&E�s CEO, Bill Johnson recently stated in response to a question about the blackouts, �One of the things we did was give people the opportunity to refill their refrigerator cause their house is still there."1�Not only does Bill Johnson gets $2 million a year from Wall Street to make dangerous and reckless decisions to increase the vulnerability of Black communities, he�s just wrong. PG&E is responsible for at least 100 proven fatalities since 2018, destroying more than 20,000 homes and buildings, and immeasurable environmental catastrophes leading to food insecurity and the growing climate crisis.2
In addition to the harm caused with the most recent blackouts, there were at least 11,500 households3�that needed electricity to support medical devices like ventilators, CPAP machines and wheelchairs. Low-income and Black people disproportionately made up these households.4 �Losing power signifies much more than just an inconvenience: It can be life-threatening; and this is why Californians need Wall Street out of its utilities and the households of vulnerable, Black communities.
Tell PG&E enough is enough and it�s time to dissolve its ownership�
Since the city of San Francisco offered to buy PG&E, San Jose has also put together a proposal to buy the utility from Wall Street.5With there being more publicly-owned and cooperative electric companies than those owned by Wall Street, a public takeover of PG&E is gaining momentum!6
Mayors of more than 20 other California cities, including Oakland, Berkeley and Sacramento, have endorsed the idea of a public takeover while seeking intervention from state regulators.7�The mayors also sent a copy of the letter to Governor Gavin Newsom and other state officials.8� Additionally, Representative Ro Khanna of California�s 17th district has public expressed a public takeover of PG&E, stating �For-profit does not work!"9
Abrams Capital, Knighthead Capital and Redwood Capital, PG&E owners, explicitly seek to siphon money from the companies they acquire- and as we have seen with PG&E, with little concern for the wellbeing of those harmed. We cannot allow for�Black communities to fall prey and continue to be on the receiving end of �the bottom line� approach of #PGEProfits.
Tell PG&E this electric company should belong to Californians and not Wall Street
����
Until justice is real,�
-Jade, Rashad, Arisha, Amanda, Evan, Johnny, Eesha, Future, Marcus, Samantha, FolaSade, and the rest of the Color Of Change team
References
1. �PG&E CEO Makes $2 million a year.� Activist Post. November 7, 2019.https://act.colorofchange.org/go/214187?t=9&akid=38995%2E4804695%2EtO5um6�
2.��Camp Fire, deadliest in California history, caused by PG&E electrical transmission lines.� May 2019.https://act.colorofchange.org/go/214138?t=11&akid=38995%2E4804695%2EtO5um6�
3.��How PG&E�s Power Shutoffs Sparked an East Bay Disability Campaign.� KQED News. November 6, 2019.https://act.colorofchange.org/go/213538?t=13&akid=38995%2E4804695%2EtO5um6�
4."How�PG&E�s Power Shutoffs Sparked an East Bay Disability Campaign.� KQED News. November 6, 2019.https://act.colorofchange.org/go/213538?t=15&akid=38995%2E4804695%2EtO5um6�
5.�San Jose�s plan to turn PG&E into a coop gains backing from 20 mayors.�San Francisco Chronicle. November 5, 2019.https://act.colorofchange.org/go/213536?t=17&akid=38995%2E4804695%2EtO5um6
6."Investor-owned utilities served 72% of U.S. electricity customers in 2017.� August 15, 2019.
7.�San Jose�s plan to turn PG&E into a coop gains backing from 20 mayors.�San Francisco Chronicle. November 5, 2019.https://act.colorofchange.org/go/213536?t=20&akid=38995%2E4804695%2EtO5um6�
8.�San Jose�s plan to turn PG&E into a coop gains backing from 20 mayors.�San Francisco Chronicle. November 5, 2019.https://act.colorofchange.org/go/213536?t=22&akid=38995%2E4804695%2EtO5um6
9. �Rep.Ro Khana Backs Public Takeover.� Huffington Post. November 1, 2019.https://act.colorofchange.org/go/214200?t=24&akid=38995%2E4804695%2EtO5um6
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
Dear�Eugene,
The Missouri Attorney General is stopping Lamar Johnson, an innocent Black man, from reuniting with his family.
In 1995, Lamar Johnson was falsely accused, wrongly convicted and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.�More than two decades later, St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner discovered multiple instances of prosecutorial misconduct in Lamar�s case including the bribing of the prosecution�s key eyewitness, who later recanted his testimony.2�
Now as part of an effort to right the wrongs of tough-on-crimes policies, Kim Gardner has petitioned the courts to hear the evidence of innocence and grant Lamar a new trial.�But Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt is BLOCKING Lamar's new trial and release. Schmitt claims that Gardner has no authority as a prosecutor to correct a miscarriage of justice and that the state technically cannot request a new trial for a defendant.3�This is morally reprehensible � why wouldn't he want to support freeing an innocent man?�
It�s time for Schmitt to stop playing political games with people�s lives.�That is why we are demanding that Schmitt immediately end his efforts to block Gardner�s motion for a new trial and reverse course by joining hundreds of community advocates and legal experts in securing Johnson�s freedom.�
Tell Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt: Defend Lamar Johnson's freedom
It is not unusual for police officers to manipulate the evidence in order to lock Black people away. We have seen police officers and prosecutors coercing false confessions, tampering with evidence, and lying under oath all to keep Black people in cages. From the infamous case involving the Exonerated Five to more recently, Dontae Sharpe, a Black man wrongly convicted and incarcerated for two decades --� it is no secret that law enforcement will go to extraordinary and even unethical lengths to harm Black people. This blatant abuse of power needs to be addressed and stopped.
In Lamar�s case, the claims were downright ridiculous. Police officers claimed that Lamar miraculously left his home, traveled three miles to commit murder, fled on foot for three miles back to his apartment -- all under 5 minutes.4�Most shockingly, Johnson was not even released after the men actually responsible for the crime came forward and confessed, both in 1996 and 2002.5 The racist criminal justice system in Missouri has essentially robbed Lamar of his life and promising future. There are literally hundreds (if not thousands) of falsely accused people locked up in cages. However, in the past three years, there have only been 13 exonerations in Missouri.6
The last thing AG Eric Schmitt should be doing is blocking any time attempt to free this Black man. Gardner should be commended not bullied for her efforts. We need more elected officials doing the right thing and addressing the harm of mass incarceration, especially in the cases of those who are innocent.
All across the country, prosecutors are using conviction review units (CRUs) to free people from prison. For instance, as a result of the State�s Attorney�s Kim Foxx's investigation of prosecutorial misconduct, nearly 40 incarcerated people have been reunited with their families.7�In the same vein, AG Schmitt�can now correct the mistakes made by the criminal legal system 2 decades ago-- he can help reunite Lamar with his loved ones and return him to his beloved community. Lamar should not have to wait another day in prison.�
Until justice is real,�
--Scott, Rashad, Arisha, Erika Clarise, Malachi, Marybeth, Marena, Madison, Leonard, Tamar, Neosho, and the rest of the Color of Change team
�References:
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
Eugene,
We won historic legislation all but ending cash bail in New York--and now it�s under threat. Before the law could even be implemented, racists everywhere from law enforcement, to the media, and even Trump have launched a smear campaign against it. The hard work of thousands of community organizers, advocates, and Color Of Change members like you could go down the drain. But we won�t let the racists win--are you with us?
Because of our fight, thousands of people who have not been convicted of a crime will no longer suffer in jail simply because they can't afford bail. The law doesn't go into effect until January, but local officials are preparing to release people who are in stuck in jail because they couldn't pay bail early so there isn't too much of a backlog in January. It only makes sense. But last week the New York Post wrote multiple inflammatory articles claiming 900 criminals would be released onto the street and spread lies that New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio would be giving people Mets tickets and gift cards as a "reward." The city hasn't even determined what their supervised release program will need to look like for people released under the new law yet. And it's not even confirmed that Mets tickets are a part of the plan. These are clever lies that the NY Post is telling to scare people into thinking we need mass incarceration.�
We know the truth and we have a plan to defeat this smear campaign against justice. Meeting community needs is proven to increase community safety way more than jails ever could, but we need more people to know that. So we�re launching a campaign to spread the truth about what ending mass incarceration really means and we need your help to do it.�
Will you chip in�$4 to help us get the truth out about NY Post�s scare tactics?
The NY Post reaches over 400,000 people everyday and is the third most read paper in New York, following the NY Times and the Wall Street Journal. If we can�t stop them, what they�re doing will work. Lawmakers have already introduced new legislation to roll our bail reform win back--and the country is watching. But with the support of members like you, we can do full scale media advertising that will combat the lies NY Post and law enforcement is spreading--that looks like meeting everyday New Yorkers where they are to tell them the truth. With your donations we can do things like put up bus stop and radio ads, and hire staff to work on a media strategy full-time. We�re up against really powerful opponents with a huge platform, but if we all put our support together, one by one, person by person, we can defeat them.�
Releasing people pre-trial is working better than jail, which is costing taxpayers A LOT more without improving public safety. In fact, extensive research--and real-life examples from across New York State show that LESS reliance on incarceration actually delivers MORE public safety. For the past four years, NYC's supervised release program has helped people meet their needs in order to make it back to court. They get $10 gift cards to put food on the table, cellphones so they can get court reminders, and metrocards so they can show up to court. These are basic necessities that help families who couldn�t afford bail navigate the justice system and stay together. In New York City, the jail population has dropped from 22,000 to 7,000 over the past three decades but at the same time crime is lower than ever before. How? Legislators, advocates and stakeholders focused on keeping people out of jail, and investing more in community-based resources such as housing, treatment, services and care. The result? Less incarceration and more public safety.�
The real danger is inside of cages, not in granting people their rightful freedom. Kalief Browder nearly died spending two years in solitary confinement on Rikers Island and later committed suicide because of the trauma he faced there. He was innocent and should have never been jailed in the first place.�
Despite the New York Post�s racist scare tactics, we aren't scared. And we can't be silent. The stakes are really high in New York. If we can put an end to this smear campaign, it will mean this law gets implemented without hiccups and we can keep moving towards real justice in this country.
I support the TRUTH, not NY Post�s lies.
Until justice is real,
--Clarise, Rashad, Arisha, Scott, Erika, Malachi, Marybeth, Marena, Madison, Leonard, Tamar, Neosho, and the rest of the Color Of Change team
References:
1. "Highlights of New York's 2019 Bail Reform Law," Vera Institute for Justice, July 2019
2. "City Courts Are Getting A Jump Start on Bail Reforms Ahead of January," Gothamist, 4 November, 2019
3. "Nearly 900 city inmates may be freed before bail-reform law takes effect," New York Post, 3 November 2019
4. City Courts Are Getting A Jump Start on Bail Reforms Ahead of January," Gothamist, 4 November, 2019
5. Ibid
6. Ibid
7. "Comptroller Stringer: Despite a Decline in Incarceration, Correction Spending, Violence, and Use of Force Continued to Rise in FY 2018," NY Comptroller's Office, 22 January 2019
8.�City Courts Are Getting A Jump Start on Bail Reforms Ahead of January," Gothamist, 4 November, 2019
9. "Neighborhood Stat: Strengthening Public Safety Through Community Empowerment," Center for American Progress, 2 October 2019
10. "If We Left Everybody Go There Would Be No One In Prison," NY Times, 13 May 2018
11. "NY Bail Reform Would Be Curbed Under GOP Proposals In Legislature," New York Law Journal, 7 November 2019
12. "The New York Post's Craven Ilhan Omar Cover Was An Insult to All New Yorkers," GQ Magazine, 12 April 2019�
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
Eugene, imagine you've been arrested and are waiting for your day in court. The toilet doesn't work in a shared cell with standing room only because there's no running water at all. The floor is the only seating option for the 11 hours you're detained in the "bull pen." There's no one available to treat your medical condition and the bugs in the food have made you even more ill. A restrictive lockdown has been in affect for days, disrupting communication with your loved ones and triggering mental health symptoms. And you know your family just can't afford a $1500 bail bond right now.��
These are just some real-life examples of the many dangerous problems at Cuyahoga County jail. Nine people have died since 2018. Overall, the conditions are so inhumane that people are taking desperate measures to escape.1�This jail is "one of the worst in the country" and a local judge has vowed to stop sending people there who are charged with nonviolent offenses.2,3 �The jail is stealing futures every day but Prosecutor Micheal O'Malley has the power and discretion to immediately reduce the jail population and minimize the harm the system is having on our community. O'Malley's office is prosecuting�81 percent of the cases in Cuyahoga County jail.�As County Attorney, O�Malley holds the power to decide whether many of these people, especially those awaiting trial, can come home. And there's three ways he can that: 1)�stop detaining people because they can't afford bail, 2) treat children like children, and 3) stop sending people to jail for mental illness and addiction. Communities want more from their elected prosecutors across the country and O'Malley was recently targeted in public protests to take action on these very doable steps.4 If we can keep the momentum going, we can push O'Malley to make a commitment to using his power to reduce the jail population.
Eugene, add your name to the petition demanding Prosecutor O'Malley take action.
Chantelle Glass, a Black woman and mother of three, thought she was going to die when jail guards assaulted her with pepper spray causing her asthma to flare up.5 She was incarcerated for an unpaid traffic ticket and was brutalized when she asked to make a phone call. She is not alone in this experience. Several guards from Cuyahoga jail have been charged for their violence in recent years and there is a class action lawsuit pending.6
Regardless of whether the conditions and violence at the jail are resolved, basic decency and a real concern for public safety would oblige Prosecutor O�Malley to stop sending so many people to the Cuyahoga County Jail.
That's why we're joining with the Campaign for a Just Prosecutor to demand County Attorney Micheal O'Malley commit to do the following:�
Tell Prosecutor O'Malley that he has the power to transform the criminal system in Cuyahoga and help people escape the violence and conditions of the county jail.
�There is something critically wrong with our County Jail, and our criminal justice system, that when a non-violent detainee is booked into our county jail, they�re immediately placed in what could be considered Death Row,� LaTonya Goldsby, Black Lives Matter Cleveland, told The Appeal.10 Activists on the ground with our partners at the Coalition to Stop the Inhumanity at Cuyahoga County Jail have been leading the movement to transform the criminal system and hold officials accountable in Cuyahoga. Coalition members have been canvassing Cleveland neighborhoods to hear about people�s experiences with the jail and build its campaign against the county executive and other jail officials. They recently set their sights on the role of the prosecutor in overpopulating the jail and replicating wins from the prosecutor accountability movement all over the country.
Color Of Change members have been active in organizing for progressive prosecutors in Philadelphia, St. Louis, PG County, and more. We know that when we fight we win. There are thousands of Color Of Change members in Cuyahoga and our collective extended networks are even bigger. Together, we can build the kind of public pressure to get the attention of the elected prosecutor and get him to implement these demands by reminding him who he is supposed to work for.�Sign the petition now. Then share it with your friends and family and on social media.
Until justice is real,
--Scott, Rashad, Arisha, Erika, Clarise, Malachi, Marybeth, Marena, Madison, Leonard, Tamar, and the rest of the Color Of Change team
References:
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
Eugene,
At Color Of Change, we often talk about how district attorneys, while incredibly powerful actors in the criminal justice system, are also relatively obscure, flying under the radar and operating away from public scrutiny.�
That�s why we launched one of our biggest research projects Winning Justice, a first of its kind directory of each prosecutor in all 2,400+ counties across the country. Winning Justice brings greater visibility to the power of the DA�s office by featuring critical information about every prosecutor including their political party, race, gender, how long they�ve been in office, and where they stand on our 6 demands.1�
While this information has enormous potential for our organizing work, it also poses an enormous task in keeping it up to date.�
To meet that need, Color Of Change is hosting our first ever Sip & Search event this month in Washington, DC!2 We�ll be sharing some background on our prosecutor work and then delivering a free training on super effective research skills that our members can use to learn about their elected officials. For the rest of the evening, we will work together to start uncovering information about local prosecutors that will be featured on Winning Justice.�
Our Sip & Search will give our members the tools they need to learn about their elected prosecutors, while also keeping Winning Justice up to date and accurate. These events are such an exciting opportunity to meet this crucial need while also sharing research skills with our amazing members-- but to execute events like this, we need your support.
Will you chip in $4 to help fund our research trainings?
Prosecutor races occur every 4 years but they are not held uniformly across the country. Last year, over 1,000 counties in 25 states held prosecutor races and this year, counties in another 5 states held their own. That means that every year there are results from both primary and general elections and a new batch of candidates that must be reflected on Winning Justice so that it remains accurate.�
Without research on what elections are occurring each year, Winning Justice can quickly fall into disrepair and hold information that�s out of date. That makes the website not just ineffective but potentially harmful for organizers that rely on its information to hold their prosecutors accountable.�
These trainings present an opportunity to build out a squad of researchers to join us in maintaining this site� and that starts with our first Sip & Search this month and the 4 we hope to host throughout 2020.
$4 would go a long way to funding the creation of our research materials, securing venue spaces, and helping us train our members in how to uncover the truth about our local prosecutors. Will you help us?
Opportunities like this are new ways that Color Of Change is bringing together our members and sharing the tools needed for them to build power alongside one another and us. Making sure these events can remain free and as robust as possible is a huge part of how you too, can be a part of this movement to shine a light on these powerful actors in the criminal justice system and hold them accountable.
Eugene, will you help support us in training a new squad of researchers?
Until Justice is Real,
-- Erika, Rashad, Arisha, Scott, Tamar,�Clarise, Madison, Leonard, Marena, Marybeth, and the rest of the Color Of Change team
�References:
�
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
Eugene,
Last Wednesday, under Acting Oakland Unified School Board President Jody London�s watch, parents were physically barred from participating in a school board discussion that has the potential to completely change the trajectories of their children�s futures.1 In spite of escalating protests from teachers and parents, Oakland Unified School District is moving along plans to close up to 24 schools over the next three years.2 The vast majority of these schools, many of which are known for developing culturally competent curriculum and tight-knit relationships with the communities they serve, are located in predominantly Black and Brown neighborhoods in East and West Oakland.�
The fight to protect our schools is the fight to protect our communities.
When schools leave our communities, the vital resources they provide our students and their families leave with them. The underinvestment in Black students' education that Oakland's school closures represent has been mirrored in nearly every major city in the country. If we do not take action now, the complete disregard Black students are being shown in California will undoubtedly continue to go unchecked across the nation.�This is why we are demanding that Acting School Board President Jody London place a moratorium on all school closures in the Oakland Unified School District today.
Will you sign the petition and forward this email to make sure your voice is heard? Add your name here.
From Chicago to D.C. to Philadelphia, the rate of school closures in predominantly Black neighborhoods, especially those with rising rates of gentrification, has jumped dramatically in the past ten years3. Studies show that these closures hit Black students the hardest. While white students are �significantly more likely to transfer to high performing schools,� Black students who get displaced rarely benefit academically or otherwise from their new placements4, widening the achievement gap that the historic Brown v. Education decision to end racial segregation in education once sought to close. For so many of our communities, schools are one of the only institutions that still provide consistent support and resources to both Black children and their families5. Once those schools shut down, Black students get left behind, with no real plan in place to ensure that the new schools they attend have the appropriate resources to guarantee their success or their safety. What happens in the fight for both equity and equality in education in Oakland will set the stage for what's possible for our communities across the country for years to come.�We have to make it our business to support all Black students' right to a stable education today.
Black kids deserve stability in education. Take action to demand Acting President Jody London place a moratorium on all school closures in the district NOW.��
Systems built without our input will not meet the needs of our communities. Our children should not have to be shuffled out of their own communities for the false promise of a quality education - our fight is for a deeper investment in the schools that they already attend. While the Oakland Unified School District continues to spend well over 6 million dollars a year on hiring police officers at schools who criminalize, traumatize, and harshly punish our children, they refuse to meaningfully invest in the teachers, counselors, and nurses who have been proven to support their growth and potential 6. That isn�t right! Take action today to let President Jody London know that she has a responsibility to invest in the solutions her constituents want, not to ignore their concerns and lock them out of this process. Sign now to demand that Acting President London and the board of directors put a moratorium on all school closures immediately.
Sign now to let Acting President Jody London know we want a moratorium placed on Oakland school closures now.�
Until justice is real,�
�Kwesi, Arisha, Shannon, Chad, Dominique, Daniel, Corina, Imani, Quiana, Sadie, Ariana, and the rest of the Color Of Change team
References:
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
Over the last two weeks, there has been a series of racist incidents on Syracuse University�s campus.
|
A Black Syracuse Alum just started a petition to Syracuse University Chancellor Kent�Syverud�to: Hold Syracuse students accountable for their racist acts!
|
||
Dear Eugene, I just started a petition titled "Hold Syracuse students accountable for their racism!" A series of racist incidents have taken place on Syracuse University�s campus. Black students are being targeted with racist graffiti and racial slurs. A white supremacist manifesto from the New Zealand shooter was posted online to a Greek life forum and sent to several students� phones.1 And a Black woman was verbally attacked by white fraternity members, who shouted the N-word at her.2 These incidents are jeopardizing Black students� safety on campus. As an alum, I was disturbed. But I was not surprised. Join me in supporting Black Syracuse students as they demand accountability for students who commit racist acts.� This is not the first instance of racism at Syracuse. Earlier this year, it was reported that a white student used a gun to pistol-whip and terrorize Black students at a party.3 Last year, a group of Theta Tau fraternity members performed and posted racist skits online. Although the students were suspended, some of them were allowed to return to class and to continue to learn alongside the same Black students who were harmed by their actions.4�The University�s insufficient responses to this pattern of bigotry demonstrates a blatant disregard for the health and safety of Black students.� Join Black Syracuse students in calling on the University to implement anti-racist policies on campus. �� The University�s lackluster response here is unsurprising. Syracuse Chancellor Kent Syverud seems to care more about shutting down parties than protecting Black students. His vague commitments in response to these incidents show he�s not willing to take a strong stand against racism. Black students � people who have had to work two, three, four, or five times as hard to get into, and stay in, college � are having their college experience destroyed. � We cannot allow white Syracuse students to keep threatening their Black peers. We will continue to support the Black community at Syracuse as they push for changes to university policies and for a campus where every Black student feels safe.5�By signing the petition, you will support Black students as they demand:
Join me in demanding that Syracuse create a safe campus for Black students. Thank you, References:�
�
|
Join us and start your own petition on OrganizeFor today!
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
Eugene,
Imagine if the 2020 election was the first time you ever got to vote (maybe it is!).
For the past 4 years, you�ve had to watch as Donald Trump, his administration, and right-wing Congresspeople incited violence against people of color, threw children at the border in cages, threatened reproductive rights, refused to protect you from gun violence, and so much more. But now you�ve finally turned 18, and this is your first chance to use your voice and change the path of this country.
What a first election to be voting in, right?
We know these young people are angry, scared, and tired of not having a say-- and with your support, we could be the first people to reach them to turn that passion into action. Be one of the first to donate to our Black Youth 2020 fund today-- you can help us reach our Giving Tuesday goal of starting 2020 with $10,000 for this work!
Let us know what you chip in for Black youth. Even $1 makes a difference:
Young people today are part of the most racially diverse generation in our country�s history. In 2020, voters between 18 and 23 are expected to be 45% people of color; in comparison, voters 56 and older are projected to be about 75% white.1
And we know these young people want to vote. In the 2018 midterm elections, Black youth turnout was 35%, compared to just 24% in the 2014 midterms.2
With your support and the right plans, we can reinforce this rising tide of young Black voters. We�re launching new tools and resources to help flood the polls with new Black voters in 2020. Donate $5 to our Black Youth 2020 fund between now and Giving Tuesday and be a part of hitting our $10,000 goal!
We�ve been experimenting all of 2019 with new tools for young Black audiences. For example, we know that young people are much more likely to be on YouTube than Facebook these days, so we�ve begun testing YouTube ads to reach them. Another innovation is our Messenger chatbot, a tool that helps people learn more about our races and campaigns by chatting on an app, just like talking to a live person.
Your donation will allow us to deploy these tools far and wide in 2020, targeting young Black people in cities and states where their votes can literally change the course of elections-- meaning new district attorneys, new Congresspeople, and of course, a new president.
But to do all that, we need the funding to take our new tools to a national scale. Invest in Black youth this Giving Tuesday to support our Black Youth 2020 fund and help us start off 2020 with $10,000 to mobilize young Black voters!
Until justice is real,
Arisha, Jenni, Drew, Charles, Sabrina, Daniel, Tammi, Cristel, Scott and the Color Of Change PAC team
Sources
| Donate |  |
 |
Paid Pol. Adv. paid for by ColorOfChange PAC, 1714 Franklin St., Oakland, CA 94612, independently of and not authorized or approved by any federal, state, or local candidate or candidate�s committee.
ColorOfChange PAC is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Contributions to Color Of Change PAC are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. This email was sent to @. If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
Dear�Eugene,�
On November 8th,�we had a chance to witness something that rarely happens.�Tondalao Hall, a Black mother who was sentenced to 30 years for �failure to protect� her children from abuse was released from Mabel Correctional Facility in Oklahoma.�She served 15 years behind bars simply for surviving domestic violence while her abuser, Robert Braxton, was never held accountable.�
As I watched Tondalao reunite with her family I was both relieved and overjoyed. It was a special moment that so few incarcerated women get to experience.�And that special moment that was hard-fought and won by community organizations like Project Blackbird. Project Blackbird, led by Candace Liger, is an organization that works to reimagine freedom for people and communities impacted by the criminal legal system. For years, community organizers in Oklahoma and advocates across the country pressured the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board, District Attorney David Prater, and finally Governor Stitt to release Tondalao from prison. Without Black women's unwavering commitment to center and defend Black women, Tondalao may have never been released.�Now we need to raise $20,000 before 2020 to welcome her home and ensure her successful restoration.
Chip in $3 to support Tondalao and her family this Giving Tuesday.
Tondalao�s release happened one week after Governor Stitt approved the largest single-day mass commutation in the state's history, and just a few weeks after the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole board unanimously recommended Tondalao's commutation.1 As the result of a ballot initiative to declassify simple drug possession and low-level property offense,�over 400 incarcerated folks were�released to join their loved ones.2 And even though Tondalao's release didn't meet the requirements to be a part of the single-day mass commutation, it did create the momentum that Project Blackbird needed to demand her immediate freedom.3 There is no telling where Tondalao would be without other Black women leading the charge against this injustice and refusing to allow it to go unchallenged. The painful truth is this: Tondalao is just one of the thousands of Black women across the country who are criminalized for surviving abuse, incarcerated, and then separated from their families. While we continue to work to end these violent systems and institutions, we must do our part to ensure the people who suffer the indignity of incarceration are supported once they come home.
Tondalao is home. And she needs our support now more than ever. Will give�$3 to support her as she rebuilds her life?
The future is bright for Tondalao. In the 15 years she sat behind bars she became a licensed cosmetologist -- an important milestone that will undoubtedly help her get started on a career after her release. Still, this transition will be challenging. Formerly incarcerated people face real barriers to resources that many of us take for granted such as housing, employment, healthcare, and so much more. We want to make sure she and her family never have to worry about basic necessities during this time. Eugene, your contribution is crucial for Tondolao as she begins this next phase of her life.
Will you chip in to Tondalao's freedom fund?
Until justice is real,�
--Clarise, Rashad, Arisha, Scott, Erika, Malachi, Marybeth, Marena, Madison, Leonard, Tamar, Neosho, and the rest of the Color Of Change team
�References:
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
�
Eugene,The NCAA continues to criminalize Black student-athletes for not having money. Last year, Chase Young, a star defensive football player for the Ohio Buckeyes, sought after his dream of having his family see him play in one of the biggest football events of the year, The Rosebowl. He had to borrow money from a family friend to pay for airfare for his family to travel for the game, and he paid the family friend back. But the NCAA put Young under investigation, and suspended him two games, forcing him to sit out of games that jeopardized his chances of winning the Heisman trophy.1
In Memphis, the NCAA is sabotaging basketball star, James Wiseman, for the financial support that his family was given, without his knowledge, when he was in high school. Wiseman�s then high school coach, Penny Hardaway helped pay for him and his family to relocate to a better high school.2�But because of this, the NCAA started an investigation and is blocking him from playing.3
The Investigations of Chase Young and James Wiseman demonstrate that the NCAA cannot be trusted to manage the finances of Black student-athletes. This is why we need Congressional oversight on fair pay for Black student-athletes.
Demand that Congress institute legislation to end the exploitation of Black student-athletes across the country!
The dollar amount of Chase Young�s airfare and James Wiseman�s family support is miniscule when compared to the billions NCAA will make off of these athletes this season. The NCAA signed a TV deal with CBS Sports and Turner Broadcasting to air its March Madness tournament that will make them a billion dollars a year.4 Yet NCAA is criminalizing Chase Young and James Wiseman over thousand-dollar transactions meant to help their families.
The NCAA recently succumbed to national pressure to allow athletes to earn money from the use of their names, images, and likenesses. But because this is the NCAA, we know there will be arbitrary limitations for how and when players can earn and spend their own money. The scrutiny over student-athlete finances will only increase as the players are exposed to more economic opportunity, as seen in the cases of James Wiseman and Chase Young. We can�t leave it up to the NCAA to create fair rules for student-athletes.
Color Of Change members fought and won fair pay for our student-athletes in California. Now, we must make sure we do the same for student-athletes around the nation. Federal legislation must be created to limit the authority of the NCAA in determining economic opportunities for Black student-athletes. Several members of Congress are already on board to end NCAA�s dictatorship.
Demand federal legislation to protect them from NCAA�s exploitation!
Until justice is real,
Jade, Rashad, Arisha, Johnny, Evan, Future, Amanda, Eesha, Samantha, Marcus, FolaSade and the rest of the Color of Change team
References:
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
�
Eugene,The National Collegiate Athletic Association has taken its exploitative, anti-Black policies to the next level and is currently forcing a teenager to pay an $11,500 fine over a financial decision he did not make.
Freshman basketball star James Wiseman is the latest victim of the NCAA�s draconian amateurism rules. Wiseman was a high school senior when his coach, former NBA star Penny Hardaway, gave his family $11,000 to move to a better school district.1�The NCAA became aware of the situation and has been targeting Wiseman and his team, the Memphis Tigers, ever since: suspending the star from 12 games and requiring him to pay a fine of $11,500.2 The NCAA knows that Wiseman, an unpaid student-athlete, cannot afford to pay this fine. This is a vindictive move to control Wiseman the way the NCAA tries to financially control all Black student-athletes.
Demand that the NCAA drop this malicious fine immediately!
The NCAA is not only harming the young star�s financial well-being; it is also robbing him of future earning opportunities. Wiseman is a potential #1 pick in the upcoming NBA draft. This suspension could cause him to fall down the draft, costing him millions. The NCAA cannot continue to exploit and harm Black student-athletes.
NBA players, presidential candidate Andrew Yang, and sports influencers are calling the NCAA out for its ridiculous punishment.[3] The pressure to hold the NCAA accountable for its anti-player and anti-Black policies has intensified since the Fair Pay to Play Act was introduced and passed in California. And even though the NCAA recently succumbed to national pressure to allow athletes to earn money from the use of their names, images, and likenesses, the organization is still attempting to sabotage players financially. As we fight for a long-term solution to end the NCAA�s exploitation, we have to stop them from sabotaging this young athlete�s opportunity for success.
Demand that the NCAA drop its vengeful fine against James Wiseman today!
Until justice is real,
Jade, Rashad, Arisha, Johnny, Evan, Future, Amanda, Eesha, Samantha, Marcus, FolaSade and the rest of the Color of Change team
References:
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
�America�s Got Talent� fired Gabrielle Union for being �too black.� In a recent update, news was released that Gabrielle Union was not only fired from NBC�s competition show �America�s Got Talent� for speaking out against bigoted content, but was subjected to criticism because �her rotating hairstyles were �too black� for the audience.�1,2�This kind of behavior is dehumanizing to Union, Black viewers, and Black people everywhere, and America�s Got Talent must be held accountable.�
Demand that advertisers who sponsor �America�s Got Talent� immediately drop the show.�
Please see the email below for more information about this issue.�
�America�s Got Talent� must be held accountable. Recently, Gabrielle Union supposedly left her role at reality competition show �America�s Got Talent� because she was �busy.� Since then, it has come to light that Union was fired from the program for speaking out against the show�s racism and sexism. �America�s Got Talent� is a show that reaches millions of people. And Gabrielle Union is reported to have increased the show�s viewership.3�It is not only unacceptable that this show has a bigotry problem, but that they fired their wildly popular Black host for speaking out against it.
It�s 2019 and we believe it is about time for shows that permit bigotry to lose their platform � and their funding. Tell advertisers to drop �America�s Got Talent.��
This is not the first time �America�s Got Talent� has had problems. In 2017, Nick Cannon left the show because of their attempts to �silence and control [his] outspoken voice.�4�And, it�s been reported that the show �replace[s]...women and blacks at Simon [Cowell]�s whim.�5�This history of sexism and racism problems at the show demonstrate a blatant disregard for the wellbeing of the Black entertainers they hire, and shows a level of carelessness towards viewers that must change.�
One of the most effective ways to change behavior of TV executives and decision-makers behind-the-scenes is to eliminate a show�s funding source. Join us in calling on advertisers to drop �America�s Got Talent.��
But it is not only bigotry behind-the-scenes that�s a problem here. The decision to remove Gabrielle Union from �America�s Got Talent� sets a precedent that Black women � and our voices � don�t matter. Black women work tirelessly, today and throughout history, to make invaluable contributions to activism, politics, art, entertainment, and culture. Our successes come with great sacrifice, and are the result of perseverance, resilience, and hard work. America�s Got Talent�s decision to remove Gabrielle Union from the show sends the message that Black women are disposable. At a time when Black women are too often abused, ignored, or disregarded, this decision is not just wrong, it�s dangerous.6
Tell advertisers to take a stand against America�s Got Talent�s bigotry and drop the show for good.
Until justice is real,�
�Jade, Rashad, Arisha, Johnny, Future, Amanda, Evan, Imani, Samantha, Eesha, Marcus, FolaSade, and the rest of the Color Of Change team
References:�
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
Dear�Eugene,�
Since starting three years ago, the National Bailout Collective1�has bailed out over 450 Black women and caretakers across the country. In Maryland, over 50 Black women escaped the nightmare of a jail cell.
In preparation for next year�s Black Mama's Bail Out, local organizers in Maryland are taking their efforts to the next level by launching the first-ever #FreeBlackMamas house. The #FreeBlackMamas house will be a communal space for Black women to rest easy, breathe and clear their heads, get healthy, and most importantly, build their case for when they go back to court.
We know that getting released from jail is only half the battle. Once a Black woman is freed, she will need to find the resources to fight her charges, but that becomes increasingly difficult to do once her life has been disrupted by money bail. That is why we are raising money for #FreeBlackMamas DMV, so local activists can provide housing to recently bailed out Black women for at least one year. The #FreeBlackMamas house represents a chance to beat the odds.
On this Giving Tuesday, it would mean so much to have your first-ever donation go towards the #FreeBlackMamas house. Consider giving the gift of peace and stability to Black mamas today.
Black women often serve as anchors for many Black families. Once a Black woman is jailed, she is more likely to disappear into the system because there is hardly anyone to support her. She is often alone. And while a Black woman sits in a cage, awaiting trial, she could lose her job, her home and in some circumstances, even her children.�
Thankfully, we have another vision that is powered by our love for Black women. In the #FreeBlackMamas house, Black women will receive access to legal support, career coaching, and the chance to participate in wellness programs such as art, yoga, and so much more. Black women will also be able to connect with each other as they begin to navigate the criminal legal system. This is Black love in action. This is what true community looks like. And this is where you come in, Eugene. We need your support to make it happen.
If we raise $20,000 in the next 4 weeks, the #FreeBlackMamas House can get off to a good start. Here's how.�
For too long, the money bail system has wreaked havoc in our community. In fact, the two billion dollar bail bond industry is quite literally profiting from the separation and destruction of Black families. But we are creating something new -- something more powerful with the #FreeBlackMamas house. Since we started doing Mama�s Day Bailouts 458 women have been reunited with their families. We can do so much more -- but it starts with your contribution.
Until justice is real,�
-- Clarise, Rashad, Arisha, Scott, Erika, Malachi, Marybeth, Madison, Leonard, Marena, Tamar, Neosho and the rest of the Color Of Change team�
References:
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
Eugene,
Last week, a Minnesota school forced students to throw away their hot lunch if they had just $15 in school lunch debt. Not only were the students� lunches thrown away, but they were humiliated in front of their classmates as cafeteria staff called out students for their debt. School administrators are punishing students because their family can�t afford the cost of lunch. These kinds of actions are cruel, and we must do something to intervene.
We�re working to erase school lunch debts for Minnesota students. Chip in $5 to help erase a student's debt and ensure students are able to have a hot meal at lunchtime.�
Too often, students whose families have low incomes are shamed by school administrators because they can�t afford their lunch. But students and their parents don�t deserve to be shamed because they can�t afford the cost of lunch. Shaming practices are unfair, and they disproportionately impact the Black and Latinx students whose families have low incomes due to systemic economic barriers. This inequity is why we want to clear students� lunch debt altogether.
Chip in $5 to help eliminate school lunch debt for these students.�
Color Of Change members are powerful, and you continue to show up when we need to fight back against the systems that hurt our people. We need you now, more than ever, to help us as we work to ensure that every single day, Black and Latinx students in Minnesota are able to have a hot lunch to eat and won�t be shamed for it.
Chip in $5 to end school lunch debt for Minnesota students.
Until justice is real,�
�Jade, Rashad, Arisha, Johnny, Future, Amanda, Evan, Imani, Samantha, Eesha, Marcus, FolaSade, and the rest of the Color Of Change team
References:
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
Hey�Eugene,
We just wanted to send out a thank you note to all our members for your huge support this Giving Tuesday season!
We received over $35,000 in donations, which means we�ll be able to continue fighting on campaigns like:
Thank you so much again�Eugene,�for your support this week and all year long. We can�t wait to keep building, fighting and WINNING with you for Black people in the year to come.
Until justice is real,
Rashad and the Color Of Change team
P.S. Didn�t get a chance to donate for Giving Tuesday? You still have time! Chip in to join our movement for racial justice here.
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
Hi Eugene,
Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt filed a motion to block Lamar Johnson's chance at freedom -- an innocent Black man that has been locked up for a crime he did not commit. Lamar has been in a cage for 24 years. This unacceptable.�We need to move quickly.�A Missouri judge will hear Lamar's appeal for a new trial in just 2�days.�
Tell Attorney General Schmitt: Immediately end this obstruction of justice and defend Lamar's right to a new trial NOW.
Until justice is real,�
--Scott, Rashad, Arisha, Erika Clarise, Malachi, Marybeth, Marena, Madison, Leonard, Tamar, Neosho, and the rest of the Color of Change team
P.S. Read our email below for more information about Lamar's case.
|
Dear�Eugene,
The Missouri Attorney General is stopping Lamar Johnson, an innocent Black man, from reuniting with his family.
In 1995, Lamar Johnson was falsely accused, wrongly convicted and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.�More than two decades later, St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner discovered multiple instances of prosecutorial misconduct in Lamar�s case including the bribing of the prosecution�s key eyewitness, who later recanted his testimony.2�
Now as part of an effort to right the wrongs of tough-on-crimes policies, Kim Gardner has petitioned the courts to hear the evidence of innocence and grant Lamar a new trial.�But Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt is BLOCKING Lamar's new trial and release. Schmitt claims that Gardner has no authority as a prosecutor to correct a miscarriage of justice and that the state technically cannot request a new trial for a defendant.3�This is morally reprehensible � why wouldn't he want to support freeing an innocent man?�
It�s time for Schmitt to stop playing political games with people�s lives.�That is why we are demanding that Schmitt immediately end his efforts to block Gardner�s motion for a new trial and reverse course by joining hundreds of community advocates and legal experts in securing Johnson�s freedom.�
Tell Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt: Defend Lamar Johnson's freedom
It is not unusual for police officers to manipulate the evidence in order to lock Black people away. We have seen police officers and prosecutors coercing false confessions, tampering with evidence, and lying under oath all to keep Black people in cages. From the infamous case involving the Exonerated Five to more recently, Dontae Sharpe, a Black man wrongly convicted and incarcerated for two decades --� it is no secret that law enforcement will go to extraordinary and even unethical lengths to harm Black people. This blatant abuse of power needs to be addressed and stopped.
In Lamar�s case, the claims were downright ridiculous. The state suggested that Lamar miraculously left his friend's apartment, traveled three miles to commit murder, and traveled back -- all under 5 minutes.4�Most shockingly, Johnson was not even released after the men actually responsible for the crime came forward and confessed, both in 1996 and 2002.5 The racist criminal justice system in Missouri has essentially robbed Lamar of his life and promising future. There are literally hundreds (if not thousands) of falsely accused people locked up in cages. However, in the past three years, there have only been 13 exonerations in Missouri.6
The last thing AG Eric Schmitt should be doing is blocking any attempt to free this Black man. Gardner should be commended not bullied for her efforts. We need more elected officials doing the right thing and addressing the harm of mass incarceration, especially in the cases of those who are innocent.
All across the country, prosecutors are using conviction review units (CRUs) to free people from prison. For instance, as a result of the State�s Attorney�s Kim Foxx's investigation of prosecutorial misconduct, nearly 40 incarcerated people have been reunited with their families.7�In the same vein, AG Schmitt�can now correct the mistakes made by the criminal legal system 2 decades ago-- he can help reunite Lamar with his loved ones and return him to his beloved community. Lamar should not have to wait another day in prison.�
Until justice is real,�
--Scott, Rashad, Arisha, Erika Clarise, Malachi, Marybeth, Marena, Madison, Leonard, Tamar, Neosho, and the rest of the Color of Change team
�References:
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
Dear�Eugene,
The University of North Carolina (UNC) is currently providing financial support for the headquarters of the Sons of Confederate Veterans. Funding for this hate-filled group came at the expense of two university centers: the Center on Poverty and Workforce Development and the Center for Civil Rights. There's no mistaking what's unacceptable about this. A state university is prioritizing funding for a certified hate group,1�whose primary function is to promote white supremacy, over institutions that respond to the needs of Black people and vulnerable communities.�
Tell the University of North Carolina governing board it should not be funding the Sons of Confederate Veterans
�
In addition, UNC gave the Sons of Confederate Veterans $2.5 million to keep its �Silent Sam� Confederate statue after students and other university supporters removed it last spring2. The Sons of Confederate Veterans is a violent organization. The statue was erected in 1913 by a former UNC trustee as he whipped a Black woman for insulting it.3�Their mission statement, �committing to the vindication of the Civil War,4� is a continuous reminder that they are heavily invested in a return to slavery. The way the governing board has bent over backwards for neo-Confederates makes its actions loud and clear: the University of North Carolina system does not foster a community that cares about Black lives.
Sign our petition demanding the Board of Governors stop funding white supremacy with state university dollars.
After the governing board�s $2.5 million contribution was disclosed, the Sons of Confederate Veterans referred to the outcome as a victory, following their unsuccessful attempt to sue the university for the student removal of this tribute to slavery. The governing board insisted on secrecy surrounding their funding and did not want the $2.5million donation to be made public.5�The Board�s failed attempts to censor these dealings tell us even they knew they were wrong.�
The most shameful thing about all this is the university is funding hate at the expense of two essential centers that would truly support and grow the institution and surrounding community. The governing board fired the attorneys affiliated with the Civil Rights Center6�and had to return funds that supported its Center on Poverty and Workforce Development.7��For the Board of Governors to use the university's platform and money in this way is a slap in the face to justice-minded North Carolinians and any Black person affiliated with the university.The University of North Carolina Board of Governors is a part of a violent cornerstone of the white South that ensures Black people remain in political, economic, and social subordination. We must push back.
Tell the Board of Governors to stop funding Confederate hate.
�
�Until justice is real,�
-Jade, Rashad, Arisha, Amanda, Evan, Johnny, Eesha, Future, Marcus, Samantha, FolaSade, and the rest of the Color Of Change team
References:
1. �Neo-Confederates." Southern Poverty Law Center.https://act.colorofchange.org/go/220883?t=9&akid=39720%2E4804695%2EhNu-i-
2.��UNC's Deal to Give Confederate Group $2.5 million Comes Before Lawsuit.� News and Observer. December 2, 2019.https://act.colorofchange.org/go/220884?t=11&akid=39720%2E4804695%2EhNu-i-�
3. "Who is Silent Sam."University of North Carolina Library. 1912 - 1914. https://act.colorofchange.org/go/220884?t=13&akid=39720%2E4804695%2EhNu-i-
4."Sons of Confederate Veterans."�SCV.org. December 3, 2019. https://act.colorofchange.org/go/220886?t=15&akid=39720%2E4804695%2EhNu-i-
5.�Read the Victory Letter a White Nationalist Sent His Followers After Receiving $2.5 million from UNC.� BoingBoing.� December 5, 2019.https://act.colorofchange.org/go/220887?t=17&akid=39720%2E4804695%2EhNu-i-
6.�UNC Center for Civil Rights Attorneys Are Out of A Job.� News & Observer. October 19, 2017. https://act.colorofchange.org/go/220888?t=19&akid=39720%2E4804695%2EhNu-i-
7.�No More Poverty in North Carolina:UNC Governing Board to Close School's Poverty Center.� Washington Post.� February 5, 2015.https://act.colorofchange.org/go/220888?t=21&akid=39720%2E4804695%2EhNu-i-
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
Eugene,
Once again, Governor John Bel Edwards is allowing corporate greed to endanger Black people�s lives in Louisiana. Formosa Plastics has applied to Louisiana�s Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to build a 9.4 billion dollar petrochemical plant in the predominantly Black community of St. James Parish, Louisiana.1 And with several permits already moving through the department successfully, it looks like they are going to be approved. The problem? Formosa Plastic�s plant proposes to emit a chemical that a 2016 EPA study has proven causes cancer, �even with limited exposure.�2 There is no other way to say it. If this chemical plant is built, Black people will die. This is why we must speak up now, before it�s too late.
Let Governor John Bel Edwards know we won�t sit by while corporations poison our people. The time to protect our communities is now.
This isn�t the first chemical plant that has been approved in the region. The stretch of the Mississippi river where the company intends to build has long been referred to as �Cancer Alley� after the parish adopted a land-use plan that designated large swaths of agricultural land for industrial use in 2014.3 Since then, several multi-billion dollar companies have built major manufacturing plants that emit some of the highest levels of waste and pollution in the country in a region where Black people make up just under 50% of the population. This is unacceptable.�
Another Black community poisioned by corporate greed and abandoned by the government. We cannot allow this to happen. Sign now.
Time and time again, the state of Louisiana has demonstrated that it values profit more than it values Black people�s lives. According to a ProPublica analysis, the air around Formosa�s plants is more toxic with cancer-causing chemicals than 99.6% of industrialized areas of the country4. Just last month, Formosa Plastics was required to pay residents of Texas $50 million dollars for the impact of illegally dumping billions of plastic pellets and other pollutants into Lavaca Bay and other waterways. Still, despite the devastation the company has caused across the country, DEQ seems poised to grant them more land, resources and space. And despite the fact that Formosa�s currently-operating PVC site in Baton Rouge has been out of compliance with the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act for the past three years, Governor John Bel Edwards recently announced a 332 million dollar investment of taxpayer dollars into the company�s expansion in Louisiana.5 This isn�t right.
Formosa Plastics is counting on us to turn a blind eye to the disaster it is creating. Tell Governor John Bel Edwards that it�s his duty to stop them.
We�ve long known that pollution takes its greatest toll on the health of Black communities, who are often left with few resources or recourse. Environmental racism continues to place Black people in close proximity to pollution and other environmental hazards.6 Black children suffer disproportionately from asthma, and are seven to eight times more likely to die of asthma than white children.7 Communities of color face nearly 40% more exposure to toxic air pollution than white communities.8 Formosa Plastics is counting on environmental racism and to get away with their crimes and Governor John Bel Edwards is giving them the free pass they need to do it. We can�t let that happen.
Sign now to demand that Governor John Bel Edwards does his job and protects his constituents. Take action to stop Formosa Plastics from poisoning Louisiana�s Black communities.
Until justice is real,
�Jade, Rashad, Arisha, Johnny, Future, Amanda, Evan, Imani, Samantha, Eesha, Marcus, FolaSade, and the rest of the Color Of Change team
References:
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
Dear�Eugene,
You fought with us and together, we won! Earlier this year, we began to fight the injustice of hair discrimination against Black people across America. Because of your support, Color Of Change and the Crown coalition got bills passed in California, New York and New Jersey.1 And now, after weeks and months of work, federal legislation has finally been introduced to Congress!
We are almost there! Support us in getting federal protections passed to end hair hate in our lifetime!
�Hair discrimination isn't just a tool of gatekeeping, it has serious impact on our health as well. Just last week, we learned that hair straighteners are linked to higher cancer rates in Black women.2��The expectation that Black women conform for 'professionalism' and outdated standards of 'beauty' is literally killing us. We deserve a fair shake. We deserve to be unapologetically Black. We deserve better than this.��
Join us in getting is incredible legislation passed in our lifetime!
And it's not just Black women. Across America, kids are being shamed for having hair that is too Black, telling them again and again they aren't good enough;�that�Black isn't good enough. Black kids like 6 year old Clinton Stanley Jr.3�was sent home from A Book�s Christian Academy for having locks, 11 year old Faith Finnedy4�was sent home from Christ the King for wearing box braids to school, and�8 year old Marian Scott who was told she could not participate in her school picture day because of her hair.5
Black children everywhere deserve to be proud of who they are and our job is to pave the way for them.
Right now, we need your help to finish this fight. What's clear is that when we fight, we win. You made your voices heard for the first few rounds, and now it's time for us to stop hair hate in its tracks completely.�
Until justice is real,�
--Jade, Rashad, Arisha, Evan, Johnny, Future, Eesha, Sam, Folasade, Marcus, Amanda, and the rest of the Color Of Change team
�References:
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
Dear Eugene.
We have a major opportunity in our fight to protect our oldest Civil Rights law! Comcast�s problematic Chief Diversity Officer and Senior Executive Vice President, David Cohen announced that he is stepping down from his role in 2020.1 For more than 150 years, the Civil Rights Act of 1866 has been a bedrock protection from racial discrimination in employment, housing, banking, and consumer and business transactions.2,3 With Cohen out of his powerful position, there is a pivotal opportunity to stop Comcast from their Supreme Court challenge of basic Civil Rights.�
Demand that Comcast drop their petition against our Civil Rights!
This company�s systematic and horrific racial attacks must end! We cannot allow Comcast to quietly dismantle Civil Rights laws so that it can pad its bottom line by discriminating against Black people. It�s time for Comcast to put an end to their history of racism and honor the lives of the 100 million people who will be affected by their petition against our Civil Rights.�
Demand Comcast CEO and board of directors withdraw their Supreme Court petition today!
Comcast must be held accountable for attempting to reverse legislation that ensures the economic and civil protections of Black people.
Until justice is real,
--Jade, Rashad, Arisha, Evan, Amanda, Johnny, Future, Eesha, Samantha, Marcus, FolaSade and the rest of the Color Of Change team
(for more information on this campaign see below)
References:
|
Dear Eugene.
Comcast and the Trump administration are working to strike down key provisions of one of the oldest and most important civil rights laws in the country: the Civil Rights Act of 1866.
For more than 150 years, this law has been a bedrock protection from racial discrimination in employment, housing, banking, and consumer and business transactions. Now, Comcast is petitioning the Supreme Court to allow racial discrimination in business transactions as long as racism is not the only reason for denying someone a service.1,2 If the Supreme Court sides with Comcast and the Trump administration, it will strike down one of the most important tools we have for protecting our communities from discrimination. Such a decision has the potential to fundamentally change how racial discrimination claims are decided for decades to come.
We cannot allow Comcast�s board and executive leadership to quietly dismantle civil rights laws so that it can pad its bottom line by discriminating against Black people. We still have time to force Comcast to withdraw its petition from the Supreme Court. But we need to act fast to turn up the pressure on its board of directors before it�s too late!�
Demand Comcast withdraw its Supreme Court petition challenging the Civil Rights Act of 1866, our oldest civil rights statute.�
Color Of Change has reached out to Comcast executives and board members directly to request its Supreme Court petition to be dropped. However, Comcast and its executives refuse to accept its legal defense will roll back civil rights protections. For a company that prides itself on being dedicated to diversity and inclusion in all facets of its business, it is clear these efforts may be contradicted at any time to protect the Comcast�s bottom-line.�
Black people already face extensive barriers in accessing justice and economic equality in this country, and this petition would serve only to allow corporations off the hook for their discriminatory practices.
For Tatiana Denson, a 40-year-old Black woman who had the police called on her for trying to open a business checking account at a PNC Bank, or Judi Brown, a Black transgender woman who was subjected to transphobic and racist slurs and harassment by her manager and coworkers at a Circle K, this law is their only pathway to justice.3,4�Comcast�s petition would make it so that Black people like Tatiana and Judi would have to prove that racism was the only driver of a decision or denial. Instead of affirming that racism has no place in the negotiation of a commercial contract, Comcast is partnering with a Department of Justice that is openly hostile to the civil rights of Black people. Together, they condone the inclusion of racism as a legitimate basis for refusing to enter into a contract with Black people � as long as racism is not the "only reason."5
We must ensure there are proper protections for our people now and for years to come. Demand Comcast drop its Supreme Court petition for a Civil Rights Act of 1866 hearing.�
Section 1981 of the Civil Rights Act of 1866 places Black people on equal footing with white Americans by outlawing conduct that would prevent our communities from developing the means to work, build wealth, or have access to the justice system to vindicate our rights. Comcast is using an important piece of legislation to win a legal battle in an effort to disregard the large-scale effects of an adverse Supreme Court decision.6 What is at stake is more important than television programming.
Comcast's persistent pursuit of a ruling undermining civil rights laws, despite our efforts to engage the corporation directly, places it at the forefront of coordinated efforts by this administration to strike down centuries of civil rights progress. Comcast must be held accountable for attempting to reverse legislation enacted to ensure the economic and civil protections of Black People. Demand Comcast drop its Civil Rights Act of 1866 Supreme Court petition.�
By leveraging a relationship with an administration that pursues white nationalist ideals to block Black economic and media power, Comcast is standing on the wrong side of history, and this cannot go without consequence. It is critical that Comcast reconsider its petition to the Supreme Court, given the extensive harms that a ruling in its favor could extend to Black people, Black businesses, and Black economic equality.���
Stop Comcast from setting an oppressive precedent that would make proving racial discrimination practically impossible.
Until justice is real,
--Jade, Rashad, Arisha, Evan, Johnny, Future, Eesha, Samantha, Marcus, FolaSade and the rest of the Color Of Change team
References:
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
Eugene.
We have less than 30 days to raise $10,000 in order to put books written by Black authors into the hands of NYC public school students. Our children deserve an education that reflects and empowers them, and we can make a difference going into 2020. In this season of giving, will you chip in $10�to support our kids?
Black New York City public school children are about to complete yet another semester in school without having read a single book containing characters who look like them, live like them, or have similar experiences. Without curricula to reflect them, our history and childhood experiences are being erased.1�
Eugene, last year, in response to over 20,000 Color Of Change members taking action, the New York City invested $23 million to provide implicit bias and culturally responsive practice training over the next four years. And this year, thanks to you, NYC has adopted a formal definition for �culturally responsive education.�2 We won�t stop fighting until we have a curriculum change, but that doesn�t mean our children have to wait.�
Of the 42 authors in the Mayor's Pre-K for All curriculum, there are zero Black writers, and of the 121 in the Mayor's 3-K curriculum, only three are Black - while 109 are white.3 Children cannot be what they cannot see - will you join Color Of Change to provide them with books that provide a world of possibility and potential?�
Eugene, your donation could make a huge difference in a child's life. Here�s how:�
Racism and bias in schools constitutes a national crisis, and more work needs to be done to ensure that culturally responsive education policies and curriculum are implemented � not just defined.�
You can make a difference this school year by gifting a book that will provide cultural enrichment and the joy of reading to a New York City elementary school student.
Until justice is real,
--Jade, Rashad, Arisha, Amanda, Evan, Johnny, Future, Eesha, Samantha, Marcus, FolaSade, and the rest of the Color Of Change team
References:
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
...and an important request
Hey�Eugene,
2019 is coming to an end, and I want to thank you.
Thank you for all you�ve done this year to bring Black Joy into our world. Thank you for all the ways you�ve used your voice to build power in Black communities. Thank you for signing our petitions, for reading our emails, for engaging with us on social media, for sharing the word about racial justice with your people. A movement is nothing without the folks who make it up, and you have been a crucial part of our movement for Black people this year.
But�Eugene, there is one more thing you can do as a part of this movement: help make sure we have the resources we need to launch into 2020.
Please don�t hesitate to give anything you can today to invest in winning for Black people in 2020.�I�m not exaggerating when I say that even $1 helps.
In 2019, one of our biggest accomplishments was electing a new mayor in Flint, Michigan, Sheldon Neeley. Neeley is already in office, and we are holding him to his campaign promises to ensure clean water, good education and safe communities to the people of Flint.
We experimented with lots of new tactics in the Flint race, from YouTube ads to talking to folks through Facebook Messenger to community debate watch parties. Since then, we�ve been reflecting on everything we learned, and dreaming and strategizing together on how to scale it up everything for big races across the country in 2020.
In 2019, we refined our skills. In 2020, we�re bringing them to the front lines. In District Attorney races, Congressional races, and of course the presidential race, we�ll be engaging Black communities like no one else, building leaders and inspiring a massive Black wave at the polls.
Eugene, you have 12 days left to support us in 2019. Launch our 2020 movement by donating just $1, or whatever you can.�
2020 is going to be one of the most challenging years of our lives-- but with people like you standing with us, I have a pretty good feeling we can come out with some game-changing wins for Black people.
Thank you for all you do,�Eugene. Happy holidays, and have a new year bursting with Black Joy.
Until justice is real,
Arisha, Jenni, Drew, Charles, Tammi, Daniel, Cristel, Scott and the Color Of Change PAC team
| Donate |  |
 |
Paid Pol. Adv. paid for by ColorOfChange PAC, 1714 Franklin St., Oakland, CA 94612, independently of and not authorized or approved by any federal, state, or local candidate or candidate�s committee.
ColorOfChange PAC is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Contributions to Color Of Change PAC are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. This email was sent to @. If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
Dear Eugene,
We�re hosting our inaugural Black Mama�s Bail Out Toy and Winter Coat Drive!
This past May, Color of Change members like you helped us raise over 1 million dollars for National Bail Out�s1 third annual Black Mama�s Day Bail Out. Because of the support of people like you, we were able to bail out dozens of mamas and caregivers from jails across the country, just in time to spend Mother�s Day with their children and families. Your support didn�t end there, y�all helped us fund year-long fellowships with National Bail Out, that gave fellows resources to contribute back to their communities and bail out other Black people. This is the power we have as a community when we support each other, we can beat systems that were created to destroy us.��
The Black mamas and caregivers of the Bail Outs and ALL Black caregivers sacrifice so much for their loved ones day in and day out, so it�s only right that we give back to them so they have one less thing to worry about during the holidays. We�re gifting them, their children and families with toys, winter clothes, and other essential items all season long, and we need you to join our drive so we can bring as much Black joy to these families as possible.
Eugene, will you join our toy and winter clothes drive for the bailed-out Black mamas and caregivers by pitching in $15.
Community support and our deep-rooted love for one another are so vital to combat the trauma mass incarceration causes so many of our loved ones. We know that it�s our communities that keep us safe, protect us, and help us heal, and not systems of power like the police. This is how we as a community are showing up for Black families affected by incarceration -- first, we bailed them out so they can be in their family�s loving embrace, then we ensured they have the resources they need to thrive post-release, and lastly, we�re spreading much-needed Black joy during the holiday season and beyond. We�re showing up for Black families in ways that our elected leaders and governing bodies should be doing for us daily.�
And while it�s important that our Black caregivers and their babies wake up to gifts and toys this Christmas, we also have to rally as a community to provide them with winter clothes and essentials so basic things like getting to school daily is not a problem. Color Of Change will be collaborating with National Bail Out and their partners to get wish lists from bailed out mamas and caregivers for the things they need the most.
Give back for the holiday season by contributing�$15 so we can purchase gifts, winter clothes, and toys for the children of the Black Mama�s Day Bail Out.�
Beyond this holiday season, we will continue to support these Black mamas, their babies, their families, and free even more Black mamas and caregivers from cages. If we can provide them with the resources they need to thrive this holiday season and beyond, our next annual Black Mama�s Day Bail Out squad will be even stronger and we can ensure more bailouts for families.
Yes, count me in to support the Black families of the Bail Out!
Until justice is real,
--Scott, Rashad, Arisha, Clarise, Erika, Malachi, Marybeth, Marena, Madison, Leonard, Tamar, Neosho and the rest of the Color Of Change team
References:
1. The National Bail Out collective is a Black-led and Black-centered collective of abolitionist organizers, lawyers, and activists building a community-based movement to support our folks and end mass incarceration. Learn more, join their mailing list, and get involved at�http://act.colorofchange.org/go/122870?t=9&akid=40126%2E4804695%2E5K8LUv
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
Dear�Eugene,
Netflix is streaming a reality show called �Border Security: America's Front Line,� a series that follows Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents as they �safeguard the nation�s crossings,� despite the fact that CBP has demonstrated its dedication to harming immigrants and Black communities.
This program, and other reality programs about law enforcement, glorify the atrocities that law enforcement agencies commit. But, we at Color Of Change are working to stop programs like this from airing. Take action with us now and tell Netflix to stop streaming shows reality shows that portray law enforcement.���
Please see the email below for more information about this issue.
Netflix has been streaming a reality show called �Border Security: America's Front Line,� a series that follows Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents as they �safeguard the nation�s crossings.�1 But what CBP does is far from making this country safe. Time and time again, CBP has made it clear that it�s dedicated to carrying out Trump�s racist, xenophobic agenda. Its agents have been targeting racial minorities, separating children from their families, abusing LGBTQ+ people, and engaging in other heinous acts.2,3,4 Airing a program that glorifies these atrocities is disturbing.�
Tell Netflix to prohibit reality series that portray law enforcement.
CBP habitually demonizes Black and Latinx people. It creates fear in our communities and makes our people feel unsafe in their own homes. �Border Security: America�s Front Line,� however, make CBP agents look like heroes. But there is nothing heroic about an agency that tear-gassed refugees, continues to jail migrant children, and has even denied people necessities like soap and flu vaccines.5 What this show really does is perpetuate xenophobia and create fear and hysteria toward immigrants and Black communities.
Tell Netflix to stop streaming reality shows that glorify law enforcement.�
Increasingly, Black migrants are seeking safety through the United States-Mexico border, and law enforcement�s demonization of Black people knows no bounds.6 By racially profiling our people and creating fear among our communities, law enforcement agencies make Black Americans and vulnerable Black migrants feel unsafe in their own homes and unwelcome in this country. Despite these disturbing realities, Netflix�s �Border Security: America�s Front Line� glorifies law enforcement agents, and neglects to show the atrocities that agencies like CBP regularly commit. This show is perpetuating fear and hysteria toward Black communities and immigrants, and it is unacceptable that Netflix continues to stream it.
Join us in demanding Netflix remove programs portraying law enforcement from its platform.�
Until justice is real,�
�Brandi, Rashad, Arisha, Jade, Johnny, Future, Amanda, Evan, Imani, Samantha, Eesha, Marcus, FolaSade, and the rest of the Color Of Change team
References:�
Photo: Institute for Policy Studies.
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
Predatory lenders are showing up in places you might never expect.�
Payday lenders are no longer only providing loans through brick-and-mortar stores in Black communities. Payday lending mobile apps are experiencing a surge in popularity, and can be easily accessed through Apple�s App Store. Much like payday loan stores, payday lending apps market themselves as quick fixes for low-income people. In reality, these apps trap people in loans with outrageous interest rates and impossible payment schedules.1�
Call on Apple to restrict payday lending mobile apps and advertisements on their platform.
Although they may seem less manipulative because they charge less than brick-and-mortar payday loan stores, payday lending apps are just as bad. Much like payday stores, these apps use loans disguised as short-term relief to trap communities of color in debt and �systematically strip wealth from low-income communities.�2 Between their high interest rates and their easy access, payday loan apps have the potential to financially destroy Black families through unmanageable terms, continual refinancing, and high default rates.3,4
Black and low-income communities turn to payday loans because they advertise that they�ll help in financial emergencies. According to USA Today, 46% of Americans cannot come up with $400 if needed for an emergency.5 Payday lenders take advantage of our families� most vulnerable moments to provide high-cost loans that, over time, widen the wealth gap between Black and white families.6 We must put a stop to these immoral practices.
Tell Apple to ban payday lending apps.
As a Color Of Change member, you�ve supported us over the years as we�ve fought against payday lenders� harmful practices. But the popularity of payday lending apps shows us that our work is far from over. Tech leaders like Google and Facebook have already taken steps to prohibit payday lending stores from advertising on their platforms. We want to see Apple step up and join this impactful work. If Apple restricts payday lending apps from appearing in the App Store, they can help to protect families of color and low-income people from being trapped in lifelong debt.
We must protect our communities from lifelong debt. Tell Apple to keep payday lending apps out of the App Store.
Until justice is real,�
�Brandi, Rashad, Arisha, Jade, Johnny, Future, Amanda, Evan, Imani, Samantha, Eesha, Marcus, FolaSade, and the rest of the Color Of Change team
References:�
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
 |
 |
Paid Pol. Adv. paid for with regulated funds by ColorOfChange PAC, 1714 Franklin St., Oakland, CA 94612, independently of any candidate. Not authorized or approved by any federal, state, or local candidate or candidate�s committee.
ColorOfChange PAC is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Contributions to Color Of Change PAC are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. This email was sent to @. If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
 |
 |
Paid Pol. Adv. paid for with regulated funds by ColorOfChange PAC, 1714 Franklin St., Oakland, CA 94612, independently of any candidate. Not authorized or approved by any federal, state, or local candidate or candidate�s committee.
ColorOfChange PAC is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Contributions to Color Of Change PAC are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. This email was sent to @. If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
Dear�Eugene,
I�m Jade, Interim Senior Campaign Director for the Media, Culture, and Economic Justice team, and I hosted the first ever Color Of Change, Black People�s Brunch: AfroTech Edition at the nation's largest Black tech conference. It was empowering to see Black people come together to talk about how those working in the tech field and those working in civil rights organizations must collaborate. Not only did we laugh, dance, and sing together but we also broke down the barriers between Black people working in tech and those working in civil rights organizations who will shape the tech industry.
I�m truly grateful for the experience to discuss social justice and the challenges and triumphs of the tech space, and how these things overlap. The daily fight for racial and social justice can be exhausting and seeing the impact of our work in real time was deeply empowering. But I know my teammates would also be inspired, engaged, and energized about continuing to fight for Black liberation in tech spaces. Eugene, will you make a pledge of $10�to ensure my team can attend AfroTech 2020 and remain on the cutting edge of tech issues that directly affect Black people and Black communities?
Over the past year, we�ve accomplished major wins in tech accountability:
In 2020, we plan to take on even more tech accountability work. We all know that Silicon Valley has a diversity issue and it�s reflected in the policies and algorithms that shape our online experiences.1 As of today, Twitter continues to allow white nationalists to organize, harass members, and use its platform as a megaphone for hate speech.2� Facebook�s Mark Zuckerberg continues to give anti-Black forces the reach to promote their agenda by spreading racist ideologies.3 These are only three examples of why we must remain on the frontlines fighting for safe digital spaces for Black and Brown people to share, connect, inspire, and be free from hate speech and physical harm.�
This is where you come in, Eugene. We need your support to�send our team to AfroTech 2020 with a pledge of $10.
If we raise $20,000 in the next 2 weeks of December, we can send our entire team to AfroTech 2020 and host another Black People's Brunch: AfroTech Edition. Here is how you may support this important work:
No worries if you are unable to give the amounts above. No donation is too small. We need your help to bring this vision to life. Chip in what you can to support sending the Media, Culture, and Economic Justice team to AfroTech 2020!
Since AfroTech started, it has been a revolutionary experience for Black tech entrepreneurs, engineers, executives, computer programmers, and media moguls who are often the only Black people in the room at their jobs. This year�s conference brought 10,000 Black folks in tech to Oakland. In 2020, we want to make sure justice for Black people is a central theme in tech conversations - by having Color Of Change on the ground to tell about it.�
Help us make that happen. Chip in $10�to send the Media, Culture, and Economic Justice team to AfroTech 2020!
Until justice is real,
--Jade, Rashad, Arisha, Evan, Johnny, Future, Eesha, Samantha, Marcus, FolaSade, and the rest of the Color Of Change team
References:
Lauren Frias, �Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg had an undisclosed dinner with Trump and Peter Thiel at the White House,� Business Insider, November 20, 2019,�https://act.colorofchange.org/go/215616?t=14&akid=40145%2E4804695%2E5R7yFO.
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
It�s clear we�re going to need to come out stronger than ever before to protect Black voters and win for our people in this brand new decade. Are you with us?
Wow Eugene -- we only have a few hours left in this decade! Can you believe that?
Over 360 people have donated to support our end-of-decade push, but I�m reaching out because we haven�t heard from you.
You still have time-- join them to make sure we can come out stronger than ever to win for Black people in 2020. Donate today before the year ends.
Thank you,
Norm
Hey�Eugene,
You haven�t gotten an email from me before, but I wanted to introduce myself. My name is Norm, and I�m the new Chief Financial and Administrative Officer at Color Of Change PAC.
Usually, I stay behind the scenes, but with just a few days left in 2019 and a lot going down, I needed to speak up. 2020 is already shaping up to be a huge battle for us--this month in Georgia, over 300,000 voters were purged from the rolls, and another 230,000 are at risk in Wisconsin.�
These purges disproportionately affect voters of color, students, and low-income people.1
Stacey Abrams lost the governor�s race in Georgia in 2018 by 21,000 votes. The number of purged voters is 14 times more than that.1
Trump won Wisconsin in 2016 by 22,000 votes. The number of voters at risk of purge is more than 10 times that.1
It�s clear we�re going to need to come out stronger than ever before to protect Black voters and win for our people in this brand new decade. Are you with us?
Yes I�ll donate $20.20 before the year ends for a powerful 2020.
Yes I�ll donate another amount.
We�ve spent most of this year making plans for 2020, and it has the potential to be the biggest year in our history. Here�s some of our vision:
I�ll be honest with you�Eugene: my finance team and I know better than anyone that these plans are going to take a lot of money to pull off. But I�m reaching out to you because I know that if we can do all this, then 2020 could change the course of our history.
Eugene, the budgets I approve are largely made up of dollars from people like you. So I'm not exaggerating when I say this is one of the most important things you can do to support us. Will you make an end-of-decade donation so we can win big for Black people in 2020?
Yes, I�ll donate now to make this the decade of Black Joy and Black Power!
Thank you for all you do,
Norm
CFAO
Color Of Change PAC
| Donate |  |
 |
Paid Pol. Adv. paid for by ColorOfChange PAC, 1714 Franklin St., Oakland, CA 94612, independently of and not authorized or approved by any federal, state, or local candidate or candidate�s committee.
ColorOfChange PAC is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Contributions to Color Of Change PAC are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. This email was sent to @. If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
�I do not think of political power as an end. Neither do I think of economic power as an end. They are ingredients in the objective that we seek in life. And I think that end of that objective is a truly brotherly society, the creation of the beloved community.�
-- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Christian Century Magazine, July 1966
When Dr. King spoke of beloved community, he wasn�t referring to some unattainable goal far off in the future. How do we apply his idea of beloved community right now, in this moment, how do we love and support each other? What does beloved community mean to you, Eugene?
At Color Of Change, beloved community means standing up when there is an injustice against Black people. It means refusing to remain silent in the face of 400 years of interconnected, accumulative oppression and violence against us. Color Of Change staff and members design and implement the kind of campaigns that make it just a little easier for us to ultimately live in community together. We are doing the crucial work of engaging a critical mass of people to fight for justice with every petition signed, phone call made, and dollar donated-- we are changing the landscape and expanding what is politically possible for our people.
We are only able to do this work because our members pitch in what they can, as often as they can. Can you pitch in $3�today,Eugene?
The internet didn�t exist when Dr. King was doing his work against the triple evils of poverty, racism, and militarism. In attempting to honor his legacy and that of so many freedom fighters before him, Color Of Change has been a project to use modern digital tools to create space for that sense of beloved community. So that no matter where we are in this country, we can use the tools and networks built by this organization and our partners to have each other�s backs in these uncertain times.
Our work touches communities from coast to coast and everywhere in between. It is an honor and a privilege to get to serve our people and we are so grateful that we live in a time of heightened awareness of the challenges we face, the power we need to win, and an increasing willpower to win it. We know we have everything we need and we are dedicated to getting as close as we can to King�s vision of beloved community in our lifetimes.
Your support makes all of this work possible. Can you make an offering in the name of Dr. King, our ancestor in the fight for full civil rights?
Until justice is real,�
--Clarise,�Rashad, Arisha, Scott, Erika, Malachi, Marybeth, Marena, Madison, Leonard, Tamar, and the rest of the Color Of Change team
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
Dear Eugene.
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) Chairwoman Jelena McWilliams is supporting legalized money laundering, and must be held accountable for deceiving Black loan customers and widening the wealth gap.1 By supporting the �rent-a-bank� rule, the FDIC, in concert with the Trump administration, is attempting to overthrow legislation in order to allow predatory lenders to evade state interest rate caps and exploit our communities.2�
In a �rent a bank� scheme, payday lending loan sharks offer consumer loans claiming the bank is the true lender. Banks then sell these loans back to the lender allowing loan sharks to charge consumers whatever interest rate they wish, sometimes as high as 160% APR, forcing borrowers to repay inflated loans.3�
Allowing this dangerous practice to go unchecked permits predatory lenders to charge unlimited interest rates on loans, as long as they come through a chartered bank. Leveling the economic playing field and closing the wealth gap has been an uphill battle for us. Jelena McWilliams and her support of a proposal to allow lenders to side-step loan protections enacted by states, threatens financially vulnerable Black people, and sends a message to predatory lenders that it is open season to target them.�
Demand FDIC Chairwoman Jelena McWilliams, reverse her support of legalized money laundering.�
Regulation of interest rates has been a state function, however, the FDIC is attempting to change that and gut 200 years of states� rights that regulate interest rate limits.4 Black people already have a fraction of the wealth of white families, and predatory loan �rent-a-bank� schemes will only widen the wealth gap by systematically stripping wealth from our communities. This has been proven in the state of Florida where payday lenders are charging borrowers up to 278% APR for loans.5 We must put a stop to this anti-Black legislation that places financially strapped Black borrowers into debt traps.
According to USA Today, nearly half of all Americans could not come up with $400 for unexpected events such as a visit to the emergency room or a broken windshield.6 Yet Black people are far more likely to be targeted by unethical lenders. Allowing �rent-a-bank� schemes to go unregulated would make it nearly impossible for some to get out from under these toxic debt traps.�
Black people are directly targeted by these schemes because payday lenders are disproportionately located in Black neighborhoods over white neighborhoods.7 In 2013, Brandeis research found that nearly 50% of the wealth of Black families was stripped by the recession of 2008, due to the collapse of home ownership. And in 2017, the city of Philadelphia successfully sued Wells Fargo for steering Black borrowers towards riskier loans than white borrowers.8 The FDIC and banks play a critical role in the outcomes of Black economic success. We cannot allow Black people to fall into another iteration of lending discrimination.
Demand FDIC Chairwoman, Jelena McWilliams, stop predatory lenders from bypassing state mandated interest rates.�
As a Color Of Change member, you�ve previously supported our work to fight against the harmful practices of predatory loan companies, and now we need your support to hold the FDIC and Chairwoman Jelena McWilliams accountable. Fifty years after the federal Fair Housing Act and the Community Reinvestment Act banned racial discrimination in lending and forced banks to serve all communities, we now have to protect ourselves against legalized debt traps. Black consumers deserve a fair and just opportunity to build wealth and the right to borrow without deception.�
Demand FDIC Chairwoman, Jelena McWilliams be held accountable for supporting Black economic entrapment.
Until justice is real,
--Brandi, Rashad, Arisha, Evan, Johnny, Jade, Future, Eesha, Samantha, Marcus, FolaSade, Jennette,�Cierra�and the rest of the Color Of Change team
References:
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
Dear Eugene.
The New York City Police Department (NYPD) has targeted Black people, neighborhoods, and even children with the use of unregulated facial recognition technology and must be stopped.1,2�
On the second day of the new year, more than three weeks after the US House of Representatives voted to impeach him, President Trump ordered the assassination of Iranian Commander Qasem Soleimani.3,4 In response, the NYPD released statements in preparation for possible retaliation, but made no mention of how increased security will put Black communities in harm's way.5 With no oversight for the use of facial recognition technology, Black New York City residents run the risk of winding up in a unregulated police database, or even arrested and prosecuted, due to the inaccuracy of this technology and its disproportionate use against our communities.�
In the face of current events, now is the time for New York City Speaker Corey Johnson to sign the Public Oversight of Surveillance Technology (POST) Act into law and require the NYPD to submit information to the public about the surveillance technology it uses.
Demand New York City Speaker Corey Johnson pass the POST Act to rein in facial recognition technology.
NYPD surveillance tools present a danger to all New Yorkers, more specifically Black New Yorkers. The NYPD�s arsenal of spy tools, at its core, is a flawed form of surveillance that comes at the expense of basic human rights, security, and privacy. A recent study performed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology has scientifically proven that facial recognition technology is inaccurate, and miscategorizes the faces of women and Black people, who are one hundred times more likely to have a false positive reading.6,7��
In a test conducted by the American Civil Liberties Union, the facial recognition technology used by Amazon and known as Rekognition, incorrectly matched the photos of 28 members of Congress with mug shots of individuals with previous arrests. Alarmingly, these false matches also disproportionately identified six members of the Congressional Black Caucus.8 Police violence against Black people is at an all-time high and we cannot allow lawmakers to ignore how facial recognition programs and increased homeland security so often result in potentially violent interactions with the police.�
Demand New York City Speaker Corey Johnson prioritize Black New York City residents and regulate NYPD�s use of facial recognition technology.�
New York City Council members introduced the Public Oversight of Surveillance Technology (POST) Act, which requires the NYPD to disclose how it utilizes electronic surveillance tools, more than two years ago.9 Passing this bill comes with the overwhelming support of New Yorkers and a veto proof majority from Councilmembers. The POST Act has been championed by Speaker Corey Johnson since its inception and his continued support would come at the defense of Black New York City residents.
Police should never have access to highly invasive technology such as �X-ray vans� and �Stingray� cell phone towers that track cell phone user locations. However, since this technology is currently in use, there must be policies and procedures that control it.10 It�s long past time that Speaker Corey Johnson follow through with his commitment to the POST Act and enforce regulations requiring that the NYPD be transparent about its experimentation on its citizens.
Demand Speaker Corey Johnson pass the Public Oversight of Surveillance Technology (POST) Act.
Color Of Change successfully fought for the San Francisco Board of Supervisors to adopt the Stop Secret Surveillance Ordinance, banning San Francisco agencies from acquiring or using facial recognition technologies. Our efforts to hold elected officials accountable for racially biased technologies has the strength of 30 partner organizations to ensure this invasive technology does not further oppress and harm our communities. Cities such as Oakland, California and Somerville, Massachusetts have banned the use of facial recognition, and other cities are demanding oversight and accountability.11
Sign the petition: Demand Speaker Corey Johnson pass the POST Act.
Until justice is real,
--Brandi, Rashad, Arisha, Evan, Johnny, Jade, Future, Eesha, Samantha, Marcus, FolaSade,�Jenette,�Cierra�and the rest of the Color Of Change team
References:
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
Dear Eugene.
Twitter silenced Black comedian Jaboukie Young-White and suspended his account on Martin Luther King Jr. day because Young-White criticized the FBI�s role in King�s assassination.1,2�Yet Twitter refuses to suspend the account of Richard Spencer, president of the National Policy Institute, and other white-supremacist organizations that have been classified as hate groups by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC).3��
At the expense and safety of Black people, who make up 26% of Twitter users, Twitter has selectively applied the rights of free speech and the First Amendment.4 While CEO Jack Dorsey is the face of the multi-million dollar social media company, it is Vijaya Gadde, Head of the Twitter Legal and Policy team, who writes and enforces platform rules for millions of Twitter users and has the power to ban white nationalists from Twitter.5
SIGN THE PETITION: DEMAND VIJAYA GADDE BAN WHITE NATIONALISTS FROM TWITTER.
The suspension of a popular Black comedian who spoke truth to power demonstrates how Twitter selectively decides when its platform policies should be enforced. While Gadde�s team suspended Jaboukie�s Twitter account for calling out the FBI, Gadde hypocritically posted a famous Dr. King quote, �Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.�6 Like so many other companies, Twitter wants the reputation of uplifting Dr. King�s legacy, without taking steps to defend the Black users who actively carry it.�
Vijaya Gadde must exercise the full extent of her power as Global Lead for Legal, Policy, Trust and Safety at Twitter and ban white nationalists from the platform.�
SIGN THE PETITION: DEMAND VIJAYA GADDE BAN WHITE NATIONALISTS FROM TWITTER.
Until justice is real,
--Brandi, Rashad, Arisha, Evan, Johnny, Jade, Future, Eesha, Samantha, Marcus, FolaSade,�Jenette,�Cierra�and the rest of the Color Of Change team
References:
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
Join us for our first ever research happy hour in L.A!
Hey�Eugene, I just wanted to follow up to make sure you saw this invitation to our event this Sunday!
We're looking forward to sipping and searching with you!�Click here to RSVP now so we know how many people to expect.
See you Sunday!
-Shannon
|
�
Dear�Eugene,�
RSVP for Color Of Change PAC�s Sip and Search on Sunday, February 9, 2020!
We�re hosting our first electoral Sip & Search to learn more about what�s on the ballot in Los Angeles County.�Have you perfected the art of the 15-minute social media scan before your first date? Or maybe you�re the friend that cross-references restaurant reviews before landing on a place to eat dinner. Whether you�re going down rabbit holes on Google or getting lost in a Wikipedia search, more than likely you engage in research every day. In fact, you use research tools so often you may not realize how much of an expert you are.
Come research with us this Sunday to learn what�s on your ballot.
You�ve unwittingly developed strong research skills, so let�s put those skills to work for an even bigger purpose.�We have less than a month until the primary election and vote by mail ballots are now available. These ballots can be confusing and the language isn�t always obvious, so we�re hosting this social research event to ensure that Black and Brown voters have the vital information to reimagine their communities and make an informed vote.�
Join us for Sip & Search: A Research Happy Hour.
At our Sip & Search, you�ll learn more about Color of Change�s PAC efforts to engage with Black voters in the local community and our plan to elect a district attorney that will advance criminal justice reform in Los Angeles County.� Black voters have always pushed the needle towards progress and this election will depend on us making an informed choice and sharing what we know with others in our network. Join us while we laugh, dance, sip and search to educate ourselves and others on the impact of this election. This is an event for the whole family so sign up and bring the squad!�Are you down to Sip & Search with COCPAC?�
WHEN: Sunday, February 9th | 4:00-6:00 PM
WHERE: 4331 Crenshaw BLVD, Next door to The Metaphor Club
WHAT YOU'LL NEED: A computer, tablet, smartphone, and access to the Internet��
RSVP today to join us at Sip & Search. We need your help to change the system.
Until justice is real,�
Shannon
| Donate |  |
 |
|
Ad paid for by ColorOfChange PAC, colorofchangepac.org. Not authorized by any federal, state, or local candidate or a committee controlled by a candidate. |
ColorOfChange PAC is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Contributions to Color Of Change PAC are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. This email was sent to @. If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
�
Eugene,The International Olympic Committee (IOC) just implemented an oppressive policy to silence the free expression of Black athletes during the Summer Olympics.1�The policy bans athletes from kneeling, raising their fists, or wearing signs or symbolic armbands. At a time of heightened political awareness and the threat of a world war, athletes who take a stand for justice are being told to �shut up and play.�
There is no real peace in the absence of justice and there is no victory when individuals are silenced.
The policy is extremely problematic because, as we know, �taking a knee� and �raising fists� are directly associated with justice for Black people. And with no clearly defined consequences in the policy, the IOC has the power to come up with arbitrary punishments that can be implemented differently for individual athletes. The IOC�s policy is a direct attack on athlete activists like gold medalist Gwen Berry who boldly raised her fist in protest last year.2
It�s time for corporate sponsors as well as the US Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) to stand for the rights of athletes.
Demand that the USOPC and corporate sponsors of the Tokyo Olympics tell the IOC to drop this oppressive anti-protest policy.
The historical purpose of the Olympics was to bring humanity together, not only to celebrate athletic excellence, but also, to �to build up a strong and more valiant and above all, more scrupulous and more generous humanity�.3�Setting limits on political speech and censoring marginalized voices and populations - who are often denied access to global stages - is in direct opposition to the stated intention of the Olympics.
Black athletes and activism are inextricably linked. Since racial integration in sports began, Black athletes have been celebrated as representatives for their cities, states, and countries, while at the same time bearing witness to the horrific treatment of their people. Black athletes have earned the right to elevate their causes on the winners� platform and express their pride in winning. In 1959, high jumper Rose Robinson paved the way when she sat down during the national anthem at the Pan American Games in protest of the war, injustice, and hypocrisy.4�The world will never forget the 1968 photo of John Carlos and Tommie Smith raising their fists after winning the 200 meter-dash. Just last year, after decades of being shut out from the Olympics, these men were inducted into the USOPC Hall of Fame for their historic protest.5
Following in their footsteps, two gold medalists at last year�s Pan American Games - Gwen Berry and Race Imboden - continued the legacy of athlete activism by protesting during the national anthem of their medal ceremonies.6�And now, the IOC has created this oppressive policy, clearly in retaliation, while stating that the mission of the Olympic Games is to bring the entire world together and facilitate the understanding of different views.�
Olympics athletes train for decades and receive tiny stipends while generating billions of dollars for the IOC.7�The corporate sponsors of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics stand to make millions from ad campaigns that feature medalists. We must demand they respect the free expression of Black athletes.
Many of the corporate sponsors of the Olympics are industry leaders whose company missions and values that are in direct contrast with silencing free expression. We will not allow them to be complicit as the IOC attempts to control Olympic athletes. Additionally, the US Olympic & Paralympic Committee - a congressionally chartered non-profit organization - has a legal obligation to defend the right of Black athletes to protest. With the Olympics a few months away, we need to put as much pressure as possible on these companies and the USOPC to stand with athletes.�
Demand that Olympic Sponsors and the US Olympic & Paralympic Committee affirm their support for freedom of speech!
Until justice is real,
Brandi, Rashad, Arisha, Johnny, Amanda, Evan, Future, Eesha, Samantha, Marcus, FolaSade, Jennette, Ciera, and the rest of the Color Of Change team
References:
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
Dear�Eugene,
The country's leading publisher and bookstore, Penguin Random House and Barnes & Noble, just applied literary Blackface to celebrate Black History Month.
Earlier this week, Barnes & Noble and Penguin Random House announced the impending release of a project in honor of Black History Month. And just as quickly as they released the project, they canceled it due to massive online backlash. Titled �Diverse Editions,� the initiative aimed to increase engagement in �classic� books like Peter Pan, Frankenstein, Moby Dick, and Alice in Wonderland by releasing covers that reimagined characters as Black people and people of color.1 Although this may have seemed like an honest effort to promote diversity, in reality, the project was misguided and harmful. These so-called �diverse� covers didn�t highlight Black stories or Black authors, but instead pasted Black faces on top of stories that remain overwhelmingly white and undeniably racist.�
Tell Barnes & Noble and Penguin Random House to make real investments in promoting books written by Black authors, not literary Blackface.�
Despite what Barnes & Noble and Penguin Random House may think, putting the face of a person of color on the covers of white stories is not real inclusion. Instead, it sends a dangerous message to people all over the world that white stories are more acceptable, more valuable, and more worthwhile than Black stories. It also sets a harmful precedent that it�s okay for companies to take advantage of Black faces and diversity trends to increase their profit margins.�
Barnes & Noble and Penguin Random House should promote Black authors and stories, not profit from literary Blackface.�
Barnes & Noble and Penguin Random House�s decision has far-reaching impacts. Many of the �classic� books these companies chose to release in the �Diverse Editions� initiative originally became popular when Black authors and books with Black protagonists were frequently banned from publication. And books like Moby Dick and Peter Pan are not only overwhelmingly white, but contain harmful stereotypes of the characters of color they do feature. Some books, like The Secret Garden, for instance, were openly hostile toward Black characters. To place a Black version of a character on the cover of a story that is not only white, but promotes hostility toward Black people, is confusing, misleading, and harmful for the Black people who may opt to read them.�
Books have a great deal of power. Books help children and adults alike understand themselves and their history, embrace their identity and culture, and internalize positive representations of themselves. But when books are not representative of our communities, we lose out on powerful stories that can help us imagine and accomplish our greatest dreams. Because of their enormous power, it is necessary for Barnes & Noble and Penguin Random House to take additional steps to promote books by Black authors and authors of color, and ensure that our stories are being told. With just 6% of children�s and young adult books published in the U.S. in 2018 written by Black authors, these companies should be finding ways to get more Black authors published.2
Join us in telling Barnes & Noble and Penguin Random House to promote more Black authors and Black stories.
Until justice is real,�
�Brandi, Rashad, Arisha, Jade, Johnny, Future, Amanda, Evan, Imani, Samantha, Jenette, Ciera, Eesha, Marcus, FolaSade, and the rest of the Color Of Change team
References:�
Photo: AM New York
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
�
Photo Description: Incarcerated workers on Parchman Farm, taken by overseers, 1930s
�You ultimately judge the civility of a society not by how it treats the rich, the powerful, the protected and the highly esteemed, but by how it treats the poor, the disfavored and the disadvantaged....�
-- Bryan Stevenson
�
Dear�Eugene,
Parchman Prison is Mississippi�s oldest prison, and it�s also hell on earth. It�s plagued with a history of convict leasing, torture, systematic rapes, and inhumane conditions. And even though it�s been over 40 years since several whistleblowers, including incarcerated people, have sounded the alarm about the harmful conditions,1 little has changed for those confined behind the walls of the prison.
So it�s no surprise that over the last few weeks things took a turn for the worse. Five people were murdered in their cells.2 Traumatized and scared for their safety, incarcerated men took to social media for help and what they shared was horrific. Claims were made that it was prison guards who gave the assailants keys to people�s locked cells and aided in the attacks. Dozens of videos were shared from inside the prison showing people being stabbed to death. Pictures revealed dead and bloodied bodies filling cells, pipes leaking water and flooding cells, molded walls caving in on themselves, and up to six people sleeping side by side in a cell with nothing more than a sheet to cover their bodies.�
In spite of all the cries for help, the Mississippi Department of Corrections and Governor Philip Bryant have failed to address the documented inhumane conditions inside the prison. We need to take action now to protect the incarcerated folks at Parchman before someone else is harmed, or even worse another person killed.��
Eugene, we will not let the state of Mississippi sweep the Parchman Prison crisis under the rug. We need you to demand action, to demand answers and to demand accountability from the state of Mississippi RIGHT NOW!
Power concedes nothing without a demand, that�s why we need you to join us in the fight to bring justice to Mississippi. We can�t do this without you, Eugene.��
Until justice is real,�
--Scott, Rashad, Arisha, Malachi, Erika, Clarise, Marybeth, Leonard, Madison, Tamar, Neosho, and the rest of the Color Of Change team
�References:
1. "ACLU Strikes Deal to Shutter Notorious Unit 32 at Mississippi State Penitentiary", ACLU, 4 June 2010.�https://act.colorofchange.org/go/226226?t=8&akid=40326%2E4804695%2EFp-DBq
2. "Five Prisoners Have Died In A Notorious Mississippi Prison In 10 Days. Officials Blame Gang Violence, Activists Say There's More To It", Blavity, 8 January 2020.�https://act.colorofchange.org/go/226227?t=10&akid=40326%2E4804695%2EFp-DBq
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
Hi�Eugene,
We are proud to officially endorse George Gasc�n for Los Angeles County District Attorney in the March 3rd primary election. He�s an experienced advocate committed to leading criminal justice reform and ending mass incarceration.
This�DA�race is one of the most important races in the country. Black Angelenos, who make up only 8% of the county�s population, comprise a third of LA�s jail population, which is the largest in the country.1 To make matters worse, nearly a quarter of the people killed by law enforcement officers are Black.2 Since 2012, DA Jackie Lacey has continued to disproportionately send Black people to jail and refuse to prosecute officers who kill us.�
It�s time to rebuild our failed criminal justice system with a DA we can trust. Join me and sign the pledge to say you want Jackie Lacey out of office and George Gasc�n in as LA�s new District Attorney!
As the former San Francisco District Attorney and former Assistant Chief of the LAPD, Gasc�n has been at the forefront of innovative criminal justice initiatives. Some of the specific ways he�s fought for change in California include:�
George Gasc�n is committed to helping undo the damage Jackie Lacey has done to Black communities in LA over the past 8 years. As District Attorney, Jackie Lacey has made life significantly worse for Black people. Here are examples of what she has done:
Los Angeles deserves a District Attorney that is 100% committed to ending racial disparities in our criminal justice system, not perpetuating them. On March 3rd, we have the power to bring accountability, transparency, and integrity back to the LA District Attorney�s Office by voting for George Gasc�n in the District Attorney Primary Election. It�s time to say #ByeLacey once and for all. Are you in?
Yes, indeed. #ByeLacey! I stand for progressive criminal justice reform and will vote for George Gascon!
Until justice is real,�
- Arisha, Jenni, Drew, Charles, Scott, Daniel, Tammi, Cristel and the Color Of Change PAC team
References�
| Donate |  |
 |
|
Ad paid for by ColorOfChange PAC, colorofchangepac.org. Not authorized by any federal, state, or local candidate or a committee controlled by a candidate. |
ColorOfChange PAC is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Contributions to Color Of Change PAC are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. This email was sent to @. If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
Happy New Year, Eugene.�
We�re only a few days into a new year, and the news cycle is dominated by reports of Trump�s impeachment and an impending war. But we must remain vigilant and focused on the issues affecting our people and communities. It�s a new decade, a fresh start, and another opportunity for us to build on the foundation for Black liberation. Will you start your new year with a $5 donation to support our continued fight? If you can�t decide now, please keep reading.�
Last year exposed some of the most toxic and harmful ways that institutions and corporations attempted to target, surveil, silence, oppress, and marginalize us:�
These are only a few examples of why we must start the new year with a renewed commitment to fight systems of oppression on all fronts: government, technology, media, culture, and education. Will you donate $5 to support this urgent work? If you still can�t decide, Eugene, continue reading to learn how we plan to create our vision of the future.
Thanks to your support we had major wins last year that changed many of the written and unwritten rules of our society, but we still have so much to do. This year we plan to:�
Thank you Eugene, for reading this far.�It�s members like you who take the time to act and support our work that allows us to continue fighting to change the written and unwritten rules of society.
Start the new year with a $5 donation and support this urgent work so we can move closer to realizing the justice we all deserve.
Until justice is real,
--Brandi, Rashad, Arisha, Evan, Johnny, Jade, Future, Eesha, Samantha, Marcus, FolaSade,�Jenette,�Cierra and the rest of the Color Of Change team
References:
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
Dear Eugene,
The New Hampshire presidential primary happens today, and it's already shaping coverage about the candidates' futures in the race. And by now, I�m sure you�ve seen the headlines about the chaotic reporting process for the Iowa Democratic Caucus. But the scramble over a glitchy app is only a fraction of the much larger problem of letting two of our country's smallest, least representative states kick off our presidential election season.
Black people are the most consistent and reliable voting bloc in the Democratic party yet they make up only about 4% of Iowa�s residents and only 2% of New Hampshire�s population. Iowa still has one of the most restrictive voting bans that forces people with felony convictions to jump through hoops to have their voting rights restored, which disproportionately impacts Black and brown residents caught up in the criminal injustice system.
It�s time to stop allowing the least representative states in our nation influence over who is on our ballots.
Tell the Democratic National Committee (DNC) to switch to a fairer, more inclusive primary election process.
The outcome of Iowa and New Hampshire�s first-in-the-nation elections impacts the choices available to every voter. Candidates who are deemed unviable often drop out of the race in the days following these contests. Black voters should not be an afterthought and deserve to have an early say in setting the pace for the presidential race.
By rethinking the order of the primaries and allowing Black voters to be heard, the DNC could help make our presidential elections far more representative of all of us, rather than just a privileged few.
Raise your voice and urge them to make primary elections fairer and more accessible for all.
Until justice is real,
--Rashad, Arisha, Jennifer, Sabrina, Drew, Charles, Scott, Daniel, Tammi, Cristel and the rest of the Color Of Change team
�
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
![[photo of Jesse Williams]'Watch The Video. Learn The Truth'](https://images.registercheck.com/email/4677-b5e5d4c2-2f40eb2496.jpg)
Eugene--we are in a critical moment.
Our movement to end mass incarceration is winning, but scare tactics, fearmongering, and lies are threatening to roll back everything we've fought so hard for.�
Justice Not Fear is a powerful campaign we created with Jesse Williams to expose fear for what it is and spread the truth: jails and prisons don't make us safer but investing in our communities does.
We know you stand on the right side of justice--so we're counting on you to watch the video and then take action.�Now more than ever, we must protect the reforms that get us closer to safer and more just communities.�
Law enforcement is using fear to stop transformation and justice all over the country, but most recently and urgently in New York. For years communities fought hard and won monumental legislation that ended cash bail for most low-level offenses, meaning thousands would no longer be jailed simply because they were too poor to pay for their freedom. But prosecutors and police are launching a coordinated campaign to stoke fear about the changes to cash bail as part of an effort to roll back these reforms.
And the scary thing is, it's working. Just days into the new law, New York lawmakers are already pushing for changes that would completely unravel bail reform and send more people to jail than before.1�They're�using the same polarizing scare tactics that created mass incarceration to perpetuate it.
One thing we know is that to stop fear, we must spread the truth.�
Help us spread the truth and go to JusticeNotFear.org to take a stand against mass incarceration.
Until justice is real,�
--Clarise, Rashad, Arisha, Scott, Erika, Malachi, Marybeth, Marena, Madison, Leonard, Tamar, Neosho and the rest of the Color Of Change team
�References:
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
Eugene,
Every day, innocent Black people are imprisoned in our country, but we rarely see their stories on the big screen.�That�s why I�m so proud to have had an opportunity to work on Just Mercy,�a film that hit theaters on January 10 and tells the story about modern day hero Bryan Stevenson and his Equal Justice Initiative.�Will you join us to see the film in theaters?
As an actor and producer on the film, with my company Outlier Society, this is a story that I know has real implications in our world today.�Authentic storytelling can serve as a powerful deterrent to the fear and racism that drive our justice system. When faced with the human emotion and devastating impact of injustice, we must demand change.�We must work together to keep the story from repeating itself.
We hear too often of individuals who face or challenge unjust charges in the news. Meanwhile, entire families, communities and whole generations have been swept up into these necessary fights for freedom.�
The story of�Just Mercy�is one of community, justice and redemption on death row.�It's the story Black communities across the country face with evolution of slavery: our criminal justice system.�
Just Mercy�will bring the full story out of the shadows and I�hope you are able to come out on this weekend to see what hope and fight looks like.� �
See you in theaters,
Michael B. Jordan
�
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
Black women prosecutors are under attack
Dear�Eugene,
It�s the first week of Black History Month, and we�re thinking about the history-making work of Black women DAs across the country.
One of these women is Kim Foxx, Cook County State�s Attorney. Her work to change the criminal justice system in Chicago and its suburbs has already begun changing the lives of thousands of people, including so many Black families targeted and broken by the war on drugs.
Kim Foxx is changing the course of Black history in Cook County, but she�s facing a tough re-election race, with 3 opponents and attacks from the police and media. You can help us re-elect her-- will you make a $1 donation (or whatever you can give!) to support us as we fight for Kim Foxx?
Foxx was elected in 2016, and in her four years, she has:1
But Kim Foxx's historic impact extends beyond the ways she's changing lives in Cook County.
Since her election, a wave of progressive prosecutors nationwide have followed her lead, many of them Black women. Rachel Rollins in Boston, MA. Diana Becton in Contra Costa County, CA. Satana Deberry in Durham, NC. And more!
This wave is historic in a country where 95% of elected prosecutors are white and only 1% are women of color.2
These women not only are more representative of the communities they serve, they also often have experienced firsthand the devastating impacts that prosecutors can have on families and communities. They know the justice system has been broken in so many ways since its foundation, and are working to address that at its roots every day
If Kim Foxx is re-elected, she'll have 4 more years to transform the justice system and will continue inspiring more Black women prosecutors to do the same. But police and her opponents won't make this race easy-- donate $1 now to support Kim Foxx's re-election!
Eugene, thank you for supporting the transformative work of Black women prosecutors this month, and every month. Happy Black History Month from all of us.
Donate to Make History
Until justice is real,
Arisha, Jenni, Drew, Charles, Calyssa, Candice, Audrey, Cristel, Scotty, Daniel and the Color Of Change PAC team
Sources
| Donate |  |
 |
Paid for by ColorOfChange PAC, colorofchangepac.org, not authorized by any candidate or candidate�s committee, and no candidate is responsible for the activities of the committee.
A copy of our report filed with the State Board of Elections is (or will be) available on the Board's official website, elections.il.gov, or for purchase from the State Board of Elections, Springfield, Illinois.
ColorOfChange PAC is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Contributions to Color Of Change PAC are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. This email was sent to @. If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
�
Eugene,Facial recognition startup, Clearview has been scraping our user data from Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Venmo, and handing it over to law enforcement. Clearview is an inherently dangerous company that collects images of our faces from across the Internet - completely violating the terms of service agreements between users and the platforms.1�Even more dangerous is the fact that the CEO of Clearview has known ties to white nationalists.2
This is bound to disproportionately harm Black people. Facial Recognition Technology is proven to misidentify Black people more than other groups, and Clearview�s use of social media photos ensures that it will be even more inaccurate than already problematic government systems of identification. Since Clearview is directly sharing this information with law enforcement, Black people are bound to be wrongfully targeted for arrest. Even Attorney Generals recognize how dangerous this app is - the state of New Jersey has banned officers from using Clearview!3
Facebook, Venmo, LinkedIn and other social media companies that allowed Clearview to break their privacy agreements have a responsibility to do everything they can to rein in this exploitative company.
Demand that Facebook, Venmo, LinkedIn, and other platforms take legal action against Clearview for systematically violating their terms of service.
The potential for police to abuse this dangerous surveillance is already unfolding. Despite the fact that the NYPD�s facial recognition unit told its officers that it did not want them to use Clearview because of its lack of security and the potential for abuse, there are reports that at least 36 rogue NYPD cops have used Clearview thousands of times on their personal phones.4
Once again, tech companies are endangering our communities on a massive scale. So far, Twitter is the only social media company to send a cease-and-desist letter to Clearview, while Facebook - which also owns Instagram and WhatsApp, accounting for 2.1 billion daily users - has once again been slow to protect them. We are calling on every company involved to take legal action and demand that Clearview stop stealing their user data.
Demand that Facebook, Venmo, LinkedIn and other platforms take legal action against Clearview for systematically violating the terms of service.
When users sign up for these platforms, they are given an expectation of privacy, along with statements that these companies do not sell their data to other companies. Yet Clearview is completely disregarding these agreements and scraping user data for its anti-Black motives. If Silicon Valley�s self-proclaimed "good guys" can't protect us from "bad guys" like Clearview, then it�s time for government regulation that can prevent this type of harm.
It�s impossible for Silicon Valley companies to claim they can prevent and contain these problems on their own, when they are the ones behind them. Clearview was backed financially by Peter Thiel - a Facebook board member and loyal friend of Donald Trump. As a board member of Facebook who either knowingly or unknowingly compromised its user data - Thiel is violating his legal responsibility to protect Facebook users from predatory third parties.
Facebook must be held accountable for (once again) not protecting user data. LinkedIn, Venmo, and every other company involved must also take the necessary steps to secure the privacy of their users. While these companies must act now to stop Clearview before it is allowed to do any further damage, it�s also time for them to accept that strong regulation and oversight of their industry is needed to protect us.
Demand that Facebook, LinkedIn, and Venmo send, �cease and desist� letters to Clearview immediately, in order to protect their users from any further harm!
Until justice is real,
Brandi, Rashad, Arisha, Johnny, Amanda, Evan, Future, Eesha, Samantha, Marcus, FolaSade, Jennette, Ciera, and the rest of the Color Of Change team
References:
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
Dear Eugene.
Black History Month can be a traumatic time for Black school children.� Many Black and Brown students are instructed by teachers who don�t have enough knowledge or understanding of Black culture to adequately instruct them about our history. At Hamden, Connecticut�s West Woods Elementary, in a district where 90% of the teachers are white and 60% of the students are Black, a 10-year old girl was cast in a school play as �Enslaved African 2.� She was instructed to lie down as if in a slave ship and speak about how much pain she was in. Those were her only speaking parts in the play.1,2
There is no reason that Black school children should be subjected to violent Black History Month curriculums and activities every year. These cruel and ignorant practices inflict harm on their identity and self-esteem as a result of their teachers� lack of cultural competence and implicit bias training. Replicating the horrors of the Trans-Atlantic Slave trade as a method to instruct is an obvious misstep that has serious consequences on the educational experience of students, especially young Black girls. The Hamden Board of Education must consider the many incidents that have gone unreported and have directly affected the educational journey of Black students under Daniel M. Levy�s leadership.
SIGN THE PETITION: Demand the removal of principal Daniel M. Levy for allowing racist instruction at West Woods Elementary.
Racism and bias in schools is a crisis that requires district-wide support, curriculum changes, and teachers who reflect the student population in order to undo racism in classrooms. Eighty percent of public school teachers are white,3 while Black girls are 16% of the female population in U.S. public schools.4� Every year there are reported incidents of students being made to re-enact racial trauma. Research shows that white teachers have lower expectations for students of color, and are significantly less likely to expect Black students to finish high school and college.5 This event has illuminated the reality that Hamden schools, and public schools overall, require deep and intentional work to equip teachers with the training and resources to adequately instruct Black students. It is time for Hamden schools to acknowledge the history of racism in our society and the multi-pronged ways in which it manifests both explicitly and covertly in scholastic settings.
The tendency for white teachers to �not see color,� or to instruct using racially violent educational material, creates conditions for students to experience racial trauma that can have long lasting effects throughout their educational journey. As principal in a school district where more than half of the student body is Black, Daniel M. Levy was grossly negligent in ensuring his staff was adequately prepared to instruct during Black History Month.�
Demand the removal of principal Daniel M. Levy for allowing racist instruction at West Woods Elementary.
Eugene, you have never wavered in your commitment to our children, specifically young Black girls, and we know you will show up again for them. You�ve stood up for four 12-year-old Black and Latinx girls who were strip searched at their middle school.6 You�ve called on the Blue Valley Board of Education to investigate the racism Camille Sturdivant experienced when her dance coach said that, �her skin clashed with the color of the uniforms,� and her, �Black skin would cause the audience to look at [her] and not the other dancers.�7,8�Black girls will continue to face racist abuse in schools until those in power are held responsible for their actions. By demanding the removal of principal Daniel M. Levy we can begin the process of undoing racism within the Hamden Public School District and hold those in power accountable for denying Black girls the education they deserve.�
SIGN THE PETITION: Demand the removal of principal Daniel M. Levy for allowing racist instruction at West Woods Elementary.
Until justice is real,
--Brandi, Rashad, Arisha, Evan, Johnny, Jade, Future, Eesha, Samantha, Marcus, FolaSade, Jennette,�Cierra�and the rest of the Color Of Change team
References:
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
Hey�Eugene,
Are you registered to vote in the LA County District Attorney election happening March 3rd?
Check my Registration Status
This�DA�race is one of the most important races in the country. That's why we�re working hard to elect George Gasc�n. He's a progressive prosecutor committed to undoing the damage Jackie Lacey has done to Black communities in LA over the past 8 years.
We hope you�ll join us in voting for George Gasc�n, but in order to do that, you have to make sure you�re registered. Click here to check your registration status.�
If you�re not registered, here are 4 ways to get registered to vote:
OK, now that you know how to register, we need to get other people out to vote for George Gasc�n too! It will be way more convincing for your friends and family to hear about the importance of voting from you, someone they know and trust, than from us.�
Click one of the buttons below to share this graphic with at least 5 friends and family in LA!
Post to Facebook ?
Share on Twitter ?
Share by Email ?
Eugene, spreading this information is key to our victory. The more people in our communities know about the voter registration deadlines, the closer we are to having progressive criminal justice reform. Let�s keep fighting for the next 18 days to win for LA!
Until justice is real,
Arisha, Jenni, Drew, Shannon, Charles, Tammi, Scotty, Corina, Destanie, Daniel, and the Color Of Change PAC team
P.S. If you're excited to talk about why you're voting for George Gasc�n, we want to hear your story and share it on our social media! Click here to record a 30-second video about why you support Gasc�n for LA County District Attorney.
| Donate |  |
 |
|
Ad paid for by ColorOfChange PAC, colorofchangepac.org. Not authorized by any federal, state, or local candidate or a committee controlled by a candidate. |
ColorOfChange PAC is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Contributions to Color Of Change PAC are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. This email was sent to @. If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
Lies
Dear�Eugene,
We wanted to send you a message to address head-on the treatment of Cook County State�s Attorney Kim Foxx by politicians and the media this week in light of the new indictments against actor Jussie Smollet.
Let�s be clear: these attacks on Kim Foxx, just 1 month before the election, are about more than just the Jussie Smollett case.
They are a coordinated effort by police, conservative politicians, and others invested in upholding mass incarceration in Cook County to undermine Kim Foxx because she is a threat to their power.�
These attacks likely aren�t going anywhere-- but Kim Foxx isn�t going anywhere either, if we can help it. If you are as angry as we are about these manipulative smears, let�s prove them wrong by re-electing Kim Foxx. Chip in $1 (or whatever you can!) to help us reach thousands of voters in person and online in this last month before election day.
While police and Foxx�s opponents have spent a year now feeding the public sensational distractions related to Jussie Smollett, they�ve conveniently ignored all of the massive improvements she�s made to the lives of thousands in Cook County. In just four years, she has:
Kim Foxx has also admitted that she could have handled the Jussie Smollett case better, and has already made changes in her office to make sure nothing like that happens again. She apologized, took accountability, and is making changes. That�s about all we can ask of anyone who makes a mistake, and a lot more than most politicians will do.5
We�re choosing to prioritize the real, structural changes Kim Foxx is making to protect, heal and free thousands of Black and brown people over one sensationalized case. If you agree with us, then chip in $1 now to help us use these last 30 days to convince thousands of voters in Cook County to ignore the lies and re-elect Kim Foxx.
Attacks on people who dare to stand up to power are nothing new in this country, especially when they�re Black women. Kim Foxx has been under attack since the day she took office, especially by police and prosecutors. In April 2019, the Fraternal Order of Police in Cook County bussed officers into Chicago to protest for her resignation after the Smollett case, and were joined by multiple white supremacist groups like the Proud Boys.6�In July they released a public letter to continue to undermine her, saying they had a �deep mistrust� in her office.7
Now her opponents Bill Conway, Bob Fioretti, and Donna More are recycling the police�s talking points to attack Kim Foxx in debates and political ads.
Foxx�s opponents would rather spend their money and time on bringing Foxx down than on building up systems of safety and support for the people of Cook County.
Meanwhile, Kim Foxx is giving young kids and returning citizens second chances.
She�s reuniting families.
She�s clearing people�s names so they can get jobs, homes, and loans and live their lives again.�
Who would you rather see in the Cook County State�s Attorney�s office the next 4 years?
If your answer was Kim Foxx, then we�re on the same page. We have 1 month left to convince 1000s of voters to re-elect her. Please, donate $1 now to help us get there.
Donate to defend Kim Foxx
Until justice is real,
Arisha, Jenni, Drew, Charles, Daniel, Cristel, Tammi, Calyssa, Audrey, Scotty and the Color Of Change PAC team
Sources
| Donate |  |
 |
Paid for by ColorOfChange PAC, colorofchangepac.org, not authorized by any candidate or candidate�s committee, and no candidate is responsible for the activities of the committee.
A copy of our report filed with the State Board of Elections is (or will be) available on the Board's official website, elections.il.gov, or for purchase from the State Board of Elections, Springfield, Illinois.
ColorOfChange PAC is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Contributions to Color Of Change PAC are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. This email was sent to @. If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
Dear�Eugene,
Syracuse University has been suspending Black students for protesting, and blocking them from receiving food and feminine hygiene products.1 Yes, you read that correctly; instead of punishing the students on campus who are committing various racist, homophobic, and anti-Semitic hate crimes, the University is suspending the students who are protesting against them. This is a gross mistreatment of students who are fighting for their right to be safe on campus.�
Write a letter to University leaders Chancellor Syverud, Dolan Evanovich, Chief Maldonado, and Deputy Chief Sardino telling them to institute consequences for students who commit hate crimes.�
Since November, student protestors have been trying to get the administration at Syracuse to take action against the hate crimes occurring on campus. In support of the students, more than 21,000 Color Of Change members signed a petition that brought attention to student protestors� demands for accountability. The situation is so dire that the governor of New York, Andrew Cuomo, attempted to intervene, demanding accountability from Chancellor Kent Syverud.2 Despite these actions, the administration refuses to make changes to increase transparency around, and accountability for, hate crimes happening on campus.�
Syracuse students are demanding changes that are long overdue, and the students need our help to get the administration to respond to their demands.�
It�s time for the University�s administration to meet the demands of the students who are protesting against hate crimes. Write to University leadership and tell them to punish students who commit hate crimes and institute student protestors� demands for transparency and accountability.
Until justice is real,�
�Brandi, Rashad, Arisha, Jade, Johnny, Future, Amanda, Evan, Imani, Samantha, Jenette, Ciera, Eesha, Marcus, FolaSade, and the rest of the Color Of Change team
Please see our previous email below for more information on this issue.�
A series of racist incidents have taken place on Syracuse University�s campus. Black students are being targeted with racist graffiti and racial slurs. A white supremacist manifesto from the New Zealand shooter was posted online to a Greek life forum and sent to several students� phones.3 And a Black woman was verbally attacked by white fraternity members, who shouted the N-word at her.4 These incidents are jeopardizing Black students� safety on campus. As an alum, I was disturbed, but I was not surprised.
Join me in supporting Syracuse students as they demand accountability for students who commit racist acts.�
This is not the first instance of racism at Syracuse. Earlier this year, it was reported that a white student used a gun to pistol-whip and terrorize Black students at a party.5 Last year, a group of Theta Tau fraternity members performed and posted racist skits online. Although the students were suspended, some of them were allowed to return to class and to continue to learn alongside the same Black students who were harmed by their actions.6 The university�s insufficient responses to this pattern of bigotry demonstrate a blatant disregard for the health and safety of Black students.�
Join Syracuse students in calling on the University to implement anti-racist policies on campus. ��
The University�s lackluster response here is unsurprising. Syracuse Chancellor Kent Syverud seems to care more about shutting down parties than protecting Black students. His vague commitments in response to these incidents show he�s not willing to take a strong stand against racism. Black students � people who have had to work two, three, four, or five times as hard to get into, and stay in, college � are having their college experience destroyed. �
We cannot allow white Syracuse students to keep threatening their Black peers. We will continue to support the Black community at Syracuse as they push for change to university policies and for a campus where every Black student feels safe.7 By signing the petition, you will support Black students as they demand:
Join me in demanding that Syracuse create a safe campus for Black students.�
References:�
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
Extremely long lines, limited provisional ballots, broken voting machines, and understaffed poll workers. This is what voter suppression looks like in Georgia, Eugene.
Yesterday during the primary election, 4 out of the 7 largest voting precincts in Atlanta reportedly had zero working machines.1 One voter tweeted that Rep. John Lewis did not appear on her electronic ballot even though she lives in Lewis's District.2 In other cases, folks had to wait in line in the scorching sun for 6 hours to cast their ballots while wearing masks to protect themselves from the coronavirus.3 To make matters worse, some polling places ran out of provisional and emergency ballots within the first hour of voting because many new voting machines were "out of order".4
You might be wondering, "why didn't these folks just vote by mail?" The terrifying truth is, possibly thousands of absentee ballot requests have gone missing in Atlanta's Fulton County election office email system prior to the primary election.5?
Voter suppression is not a result of a freak accident or an "oversight"; it is architected by powerful leaders with malicious intent -- and Black communities are often hit the hardest.?
In the midst of this voting crisis, you have two choices,?Eugene:
Ultimately, it's your choice,?Eugene. And I hope you choose to invest in our fight against voter suppression fueled by Covid-19.?
So, will you select choice 1 and invest in our movement if you are financially able to support us?
DONATE $5
Donate $10
Donate $25
Donate $50
Donate $100
Donate another amount
Until justice is real,?
Arisha, Jenni, Drew, Charles, Cristel, Tammi, Alex, Scotty, Daniel and the Color Of Change PAC team
?
References:?
1.
?https://act.colorofchange.org/go/251708?t=14&akid=43127%2E4804695%2Er2fHws
2.?
https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/501845-voters-report-long-lines-lack-of-voting-machines-amid-georgia-primary
3.?
?https://act.colorofchange.org/go/251710?t=18&akid=43127%2E4804695%2Er2fHws
4.?
?https://act.colorofchange.org/go/251711?t=20&akid=43127%2E4804695%2Er2fHws
5.?
?https://act.colorofchange.org/go/251712?t=22&akid=43127%2E4804695%2Er2fHws
6.?
https://act.colorofchange.org/go/251672?t=24&akid=43127%2E4804695%2Er2fHws
7.
?https://act.colorofchange.org/go/251713?t=26&akid=43127%2E4804695%2Er2fHws
8.?
?https://act.colorofchange.org/go/251714?t=28&akid=43127%2E4804695%2Er2fHws
| Donate |  |
 |
Paid Pol. Adv. paid for by ColorOfChange PAC, 1714 Franklin St., Oakland, CA 94612, independently of and not authorized or approved by any federal, state, or local candidate or candidate's committee.
ColorOfChange PAC is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Contributions to Color Of Change PAC are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. This email was sent to @. If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
Dear?Eugene,
A week ago today marks the anniversary of the Tulsa Race Massacre. From May 31 to June 1, 1921, the affluent Black community of Greenwood was attacked by white supremacists who killed more than 300 Black people. As our people are depicted as looters and rioters in a rightful response to the murder of George Floyd, the truth is white supremacy looted us--our businesses, banks, and homes and continues to do so. Billionaires have accumulated an extra $434 billion in wealth. Corporations received $500 billion in stimulus money, and you and I?Eugene, received $1,200. This only scratches the surface. In addition to stolen wealth, Tulsa like all of our Black Wall Streets was looted.?Eugene, now is the time for reparations.
SIGN THE PETITION: Join us in demanding reparations for our Black Wall Streets.
For forty-eight hours, the fires raged and burned everything in their paths, leaving nothing but ashes. Where beautiful homes, businesses, and banks once stood, a proud and thriving Black Tulsa was destroyed by fire. The same systemic hate that targeted Tulsa is what's before us now. This is why now is the time for reparations.? The massacre of the Greenwood community along with the desecration of our relics and economic immobility continues to be part of a long history of racial terror and intimidation. As the spirit of Black Wall Street lives on, resilience is and continues to be the underpinning of our community. Today as we remember Tulsa, let's also demand a full redress. SIGN THE PETITION: Join us in demanding reparations for our Black Wall Streets.
More on the Black Wall Streets campaign below:
|
As HBO's series, The Watchmen reminds us, harm was done to the folks of Tulsa, Oklahoma. Angry at the economic success of Black people, on June 1, 1921, white residents of Tulsa attacked the all-Black, Greenwood neighborhood known as Black Wall Street. After looting Greenwood, attackers used dynamite and planes to bomb the city, leaving more than 8,000 people homeless.1?The white power structure did nothing to stop the massacre, as the intent was to let successful Black businesses and wealth burn. Tulsa's Black Wall Street wasn't the only city crushed by white terrorist violence - be it destruction, assault, or the orchestrated erosion of Black communities.? With few safe spaces for Black banking and business, Black people created safe havens to meet economic and financial needs.
That's why this Black History Month, we're lifting up our Black Wall Streets and calling for a combined $300 billion reparative investment to help reinvigorate the spirit of the pinnacles of Black success. Like Tulsa's Greenwood neighborhood, themes of entrepreneurship, ingenuity, and fullness resounded with Blackness.? Nearly all of the Black Wall Streets had banks, businesses, and residential homes. Most declined around the Great Depression, but the cities themselves still exist. While there aren't many records of each Black Wall Street's total asset holdings, one estimation indexed to today's inflation gives a value of around $195,000,000,2?totaling an equivalent value of?$300 billion. Sign our petition demanding economic redress for the once vibrant Wall Streets of Black America.
The municipal banks receiving the investments would house no-repayment business investment initiatives for Black businesses, zero percent interest loans, and equity funding for neighborhood stabilization efforts. $300 billion is the equivalent value of cited Black Wall Street holdings during their peak economic boom. Our Black Wall Streets are directly impacted by decisions made at the municipal level; therefore it would be their responsibility to ensure these neighborhoods remain a part of the local fabric. These are the Black Wall Streets we're calling on local municipalities to restore:
After the 1930s, despite their resilience,? Black communities couldn't keep up with urban renewal efforts. With inflated and unaffordable land, housing, and the number of Black-owned banks at their lowest number for the first time in history,13?the trail of ever-widening disparities can be traced to orchestrated attacks on Black Wall Streets. This trail will serve as the foundation for just repair. Join us by signing our petition demanding reparations for our Black Wall Streets.
?
Until justice is real,
--Brandi, Rashad, Arisha, Jade, Johnny, Amanda, Evan, Eesha, Samantha, FolaSade, Marcus and the rest of the Color Of Change team?
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
References:
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you''re absolutely sure you don''t want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
Dear Eugene,
We can't dismantle the system that allowed the murders of Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and George Floyd think that they could kill with impunity in one election, but if we work together now and win the Senate races in Georgia we can keep moving in the direction of justice.
Over the last few months, we''ve seen how powerful we can be when we work together. Thousands of Color Of Change PAC members, like yourself, came together to elect candidates up and down the ticket that will stand up for Black people across this country.
There's no time to lose -- from runoff elections, to holding the Biden-Harris administration''s feet to the fire to make sure they show up for racial justice, we can't take our foot off the gas now.
Will you commit to volunteering with Color Of Change PAC to make it happen?
Since the general election, Color Of Change PAC members have continued to show up in hotly contested runoff elections to elect Deborah Gonzalez for Athens-Clarke and Oconee counties District Attorney and Jason Williams for Orleans Parish District Attorney.
We have two races and 26 days left to ensure that we win the Senate. -- but we can only win if we work together. Click here to commit to volunteering with Color Of Change PAC to make it happen!
In 2020 we proved that when we work together, we''re an unstoppable force for justice. From the top of the ticket all the way down. We can''t slow up now.
Until justice is real,
Shannon, Andrew, Charles, Patrick, Naima, Charles, Olivia, Jamie, and the rest of the Color Of Change PAC team
| Donate |  |
 |
Paid Pol. Adv. paid for by ColorOfChange PAC, 1714 Franklin St., Oakland, CA 94612, independently of and not authorized or approved by any federal, state, or local candidate or candidate's committee.
ColorOfChange PAC is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Contributions to Color Of Change PAC are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. This email was sent to @. If you''re absolutely sure you don''t want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
In the LAPD's Metropolitan Division, police officers falsified records, misidentified Los Angelenos as gang members and presented false evidence to prosecutors. Over 750 people will have the once-in-a-lifetime chance to clear their names.
|
Eugene,
The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) has been caught lying AGAIN.
In the LAPD's Metropolitan Division, police officers falsified records, misidentified Los Angelenos as gang members and presented false evidence to prosecutors --- all of which may have resulted in the wrongful arrest, conviction, and incarceration of hundreds of Black and brown people in the County.1
Despite this new development, District Attorney Jackie Lacey refuses to reopen every single case handled by LAPD's Metropolitan Division. At a recent press conference, DA Lacey announced that her office would do an initial review and would intervene if the officer's statement was the sole piece of evidence.2 She goes on to express her disappointment with the officers'' actions as well as her concern that the public will view the criminal justice system in a negative light.
Don''t be fooled, Eugene. DA Lacey is just shifting blame and refusing to acknowledge the significant role her office played in upending the lives of hundreds of Black and brown people. DA Lacey holds the primary responsibility of checking the veracity of criminal allegations. Yet, she failed to do so. Instead, she treated the words of cops as the infallible truth.
DA Lacey's lack of oversight placed Black and brown people in cages and ruined their chance at a normal life. Hundreds of Black and brown people have been convicted, locked up in cages, and are suffering the collateral consequences of having a criminal record. Many who were coerced to take a bad plea deal in the first place, now have restricted access to jobs, housing, proper childcare, and no hope of upward mobility. Quite frankly, reopening all of these cases is the very least her office can do.
DA Lacey has an ethical obligation to address this police misconduct and blatant abuse of power. Yet, she continues to drag her feet, proving once again she lacks the moral clarity needed to hold corrupt police officers accountable.
Here is where you come in, Eugene. DA Lacey needs to hear directly from you. She needs to know that the community members are closely watching her office and will not tolerate any attempt to protect police officers who knowingly inflict harm on our communities.
Sign the petition: Demand DA Jackie Lacey reopens ALL cases handled by LAPD's Metropolitan division.
The Metropolitan Division is a police unit tasked with surveillance of crime "hotspots" in the community. LAPD officials claim the division is needed in order to monitor spikes in crime and keep community members safe from violent activity. But here is the truth: LAPD police officers repeatedly lied to justify their racial intimidation, profiling, and harassment of Black and brown people on an everyday basis. Several of the individuals falsely accused by the LAPD are sitting in a cage at this very moment.
This is not the first time that DA Lacey has chosen the police over the people of Los Angeles. In her seven years as lead prosecutor for LA County, DA Lacey has not prosecuted a single officer for a fatal shooting.3 Worst of all, DA Lacey places the final responsibility of correcting this most recent injustice on defense attorneys including public defenders who are already overworked, underpaid, and lack the resources to properly represent their clients. The District Attorney's office already receives SIX times the amount of money the Office of the Public Defender receives on a yearly basis. Now she wants to make some of our least supported community advocates work to reverse past convictions. It is outrageous and unconscionable.
Over 750 people will have the once-in-a-lifetime chance to clear their names of any wrongdoing. Therefore, it is absolutely critical for district attorneys like Jackie Lacey to intervene in this clear case of police misconduct.
The people of Los Angeles deserve better. Sign this petition demanding DA Lacey throw out ALL cases recommended by the LAPD's corrupt police unit.
It is no secret that law enforcement will go to extraordinary lengths to harm Black people. Police officers have a sworn duty to protect and serve, but time and time again, police will violate people's rights, tamper with evidence or testimony, take part in corruption or commit violence and harassment against Black communities. Simply put, the police cannot police themselves.
That is why prosecutors all across the country are starting conviction review units. In Cook County, State's Attorney's Kim Foxx investigated hundreds of cases of misconduct, resulting in nearly 40 incarcerated people reuniting with their families. State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby created a list of untrustworthy Baltimore police officers and worked extensively to wipe out 790 convictions. It''s time for District Attorney Jackie Lacey to follow the lead of reform-minded prosecutors.
Tell District Attorney Jackie Lacey: Do the right thing. Reopen LAPD's cases NOW.
Until justice is real,
--Scott, Rashad, Arisha, Erika, Malachi, Marybeth, Ernie, Leonard, Madison, McKayla and the rest of the Color Of Change team
References:
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Please help keep our movement strong.
Make a Donation
?
You can fund our work without giving a dime.
Dear Eugene,
We have great news! Color Of Change has been selected as one of three nonprofit groups that will receive upwards of $150,000 from CREDO this month.?In order to earn the most funding in our continued fight for racial justice, we need the support from Color Of Change members like YOU.
All you have to do is vote. No monetary donation necessary!
CREDO is a progressive activist network and a provider of mobile, energy, long distance and credit card services. They donate a portion of their revenue each month to a wide range of nonprofit groups. Each year, they donate roughly $2 million and, since 1985, CREDO has donated nearly $90 million.
Vote by midnight so that we all can continue to have real impact in the fight for Black lives.
This month, anyone is invited to vote for the groups they think should receive funding, without opening their wallet. This is where you come in.?The more votes we receive, the greater our share of funding. Color Of Change does not take money from big corporations or funders that don''t share our values, so this support from CREDO will go a long way toward achieving racial justice!
Voting is easy and free! Please be sure to vote before midnight.
Thank you for your continued support and engagement.
Until justice is real,
Arisha and the rest of the Color Of Change team
?
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Please help keep our movement strong.
Make a Donation
?
Eugene,
We just received great news to provide us all with a glimmer of hope! Since the outbreak of COVID, we knew we had to fight hard for incarcerated people because our elected leaders failed to make a humane plan to address those who would be hardest hit.?
So we decided to launch our fight.
Thousands of Color Of Change members joined us in pushing to make all communication free of charge for incarcerated people and their families during this crisis, and forever. As of last week, people incarcerated at federal prisons have finally been granted free phone calls during the pandemic, up to 500 minutes a month. Before we launched our campaign and more than 18,000 people signed our petition, many incarcerated folks were only given two fifteen-minute free calls per week, some received even less.
This is what's possible when we unabashedly fight for those most impacted, in the face of elected leaders who show indifference for incarcerated people. We win and keep families connected!
But?Eugene, we know we have much more to do to ensure ALL incarcerated people receive the humane response needed to ensure their wellbeing. Here is what we need you to do to continue fighting with us:
? 1.?Share the petition with your friends and family demanding elected leaders grant ALL incarcerated people with free calls. This includes state prisons, county jails, and all detention centers.
? 2. Start or join a local campaign and demand your elected leaders implement a humane plan for incarcerated people. We need mass releases and an end to the constant churn of people in and out of facilities across the country.
Until justice is real,
Scott, Rashad, Arisha, Clarise, Erika, Malachi, Leonard, Marybeth, Madison, and the rest of the Color Of Change team
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you''re absolutely sure you don''t want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
Dear Eugene,
We write this email with a heavy heart because once again we are asking you to join us to demand justice for another slain Black person. Last week it was Breonna Taylor, the week before it was Ahmuad Arbery, and this week it's George Floyd.?
On Monday, May 25th, a grocery clerk thought George was writing a fake check and then called the police. Shortly after the police arrived, officers choked George as he and a crowd of people pleaded with them to stop. The entire murder was captured on camera and shared widely across social media.1 The following day, after a national outcry erupted, the police chief announced that all four officers who were on the scene were fired from the force.2?
And while this is a step in the right direction, it does not absolve the officers of their blatant crime and we're demanding Mayor Jacob Frey and District Attorney Michael Freeman take further action to secure justice for George Floyd.?
Mayor Frey must:?
#JusticeforFloyd: Demand Mayor Frey and DA Freeman take action now to hold the officers accountable for murdering George.
George's death at the hands of the MPD is eerily similar to Eric Garner's. Both Black men uttered the same words as cops took their lives. Police violence, harassment, and assaults on Black people happen far too often. Just two months ago, officers in Louisville stormed Breonna Taylor's home and murdered her in a botched investigation. And the names of Black people murdered for simply existing goes on and on.?
But when we fight and hold powerful people to account, we win. After more than 43,000 Color Of Change members called for #JusticeforBre and more than 300,000 members #RanwithAhmaud, charges filed against Bre's boyfriend were dropped and Ahmaud's killers were charged with murder. And we can win justice for George, as well, if we keep up sustained pressure on Mayor Frey and DA Freeman to take action.?
Stand with George's family and demand that the officers are charged with murder.?
Officers rarely, if ever, are held accountable for inflicting harm on Black people. Even after viral videos are released, they continue to earn paychecks, collect pensions, and walk free as the Black bodies they took from us are gone. This must end. They should not be rewarded for egregious misconduct. Derek Chauvin, George's killer, and the Minneapolis Police Department have an ugly history of misconduct. Chauvin has been involved in at least three other incidents where he shot someone and has never been held accountable for any of them. And the MPD kills Black people at a rate 13x higher than white people - a larger racial disparity than almost anywhere else in the nation. It's imperative we fight to hold these officers accountable and push this department to reform their practices. Will you stand with us in our fight for justice?
Until justice is real,
--Scott, Rashad, Arisha, Erika, Malachi, Marybeth, Madison, Leonard, and the rest of the Color Of Change team
References:
1. "Video shows Minneapolis cop with knee on neck of motionless, moaning man who later died." CBS News.
2. "4 Minneapolis Police Officers Fired Over George Floyd Death." Huffington Post.
3. "Police Accountability Tool." Mapping Police Violence.
?
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you''re absolutely sure you don''t want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
Eugene,
Today, we celebrate Jalaiah Harmon, the highly-trained dancer and choreographer behind one of the most prolific viral dances in TikTok history -- the Renegade! Just a few weeks ago, the New York Times reported the story of the 14-year-old teen from Georgia who, despite creating a dance that would go on to be copied by dozens of influencers and celebrities, shared by millions, and used by several marketing campaigns, had not received any credit for her creation before the publication covered it. Black content creators like Jalaiah are the life and soul of so many of the social platforms we use in our everyday lives. But, too often, their labor is duplicated without credit and exploited for a profit that they never see. That's why we''re asking for your help. Will you chip in $5 to help fund our work to protect Black creativity?
Here at Color of Change, we are working hard to hold the tech industry accountable to the way their decisions impact the Black community. This means not only are we running campaigns to make online spaces safer for Black people, but we are fighting to ensure that Black people are fairly compensated for their innovations in digital and cultural space. We believe, now more than ever, that we have the opportunity to push the multi-billion dollar tech industry to implement creative business models that do not take advantage of our talents, skills, and unique ability to shape culture. But we can't do it without you. If you believe it's time to defend Black creativity in the tech space, consider chipping in to support our work today.
Until justice is real,
-Jade, Rashad, Arisha, Brandi, Johnny, Amanda, Evan, Imani, Samantha, Eesha, Marcus, FolaSade, and the rest of the Color Of Change team
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you''re absolutely sure you don''t want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
Dear Eugene.
The Los Angeles Times is withholding life-saving COVID-19 (also known as Coronavirus) information behind a subscription paywall and this unjust practice must be stopped.?Yesterday, a Los Angeles Times headline read "Gov. Gavin Newsom orders all?Californians to stay at home," yet only paying members can access this article because it is hidden behind a subscription paywall.1?
In the face of this deadly public health threat which the World Health Organization has designated a pandemic,2 major news publications are stepping up to allow full access to critical public health reporting on Coronavirus without paywall blocks, yet The Los Angeles Times is one of the few outlets refusing to drop its paywall. Even after over 40 million people have been ordered to stay home because of this virus.3
Eugene, Black people already disproportionately suffer from chronic illnesses,4?making those over the age of 60 even more susceptible to Coronavirus infection.5?The Los Angeles Times is making Black, low-income, and marginalized communities susceptible to misinformation and potential bodily harm, while hindering coordinated efforts to inform, quarantine, and eradicate this virus, by not making valuable public health information accessible.?
SIGN THE PETITION: Demand The Los Angeles Times drops its subscription paywall to allow all readers access to comprehensive Coronavirus news coverage.?
The Los Angeles Times has the fourth-largest circulation among U.S. newspapers, and is the largest U.S. newspaper not headquartered on the East Coast.6?Eugene, the state of California has more residents than any other state,7?and as cases of Coronavirus spread, along with misinformation about this virus, access to complete and comprehensive reporting can have critical influence on the health of individuals and communities.?
The Los Angeles Times withholding of vital Coronavirus reporting is a systemic manipulation of information that can do mass harm to the Black community as many of our people are already uninsured. Creatives and hourly wage employees who are now facing job loss, over the age of 60 with chronic illnesses -?compounded with the many ways Black people and communities are already systematically disadvantaged both in quality in life and access to healthcare, without the threat of Coronavirus.
Eugene, information is a vital tool for preventing wide-spread infection that can negatively affect, not only our communities but the nation as a whole. News outlets must see the responsibility of being a public service and provide comprehensive public education about the illness, how it spreads, and best safety practices - along with communicating the harms and threats of this virus to the communities they claim to serve.?
SIGN THE PETITION: Demand The Los Angeles Times drops its subscription paywall to allow all readers access to comprehensive Coronavirus news coverage.?
Black people already face extensive barriers in accessing justice, economic, and health related equality in this country. Access to accurate and comprehensive Coronavirus information is critical in countering negative perceptions against vital information provided by non-Black institutions and medical distrust that could lead to the spread of harmful misinformation or lack of treatment, putting many people amongst our family and friends in direct harm of contracting this virus.8,9,10
This unique crisis has illuminated the varying ways in which socio-economic barriers have always affected the health and quality of life of those who are underprivileged, underpaid, and underrepresented. According to a recent NPR/Marist Poll, 18% of households report someone being laid off or having a reduction in hours due to the Coronavirus outbreak.11?Black people, specifically Black women, disproportionately make up the retail market work force that is fighting for continued pay as stores close.12
As cases of Coronavirus continue to spread and Coronavirus layoffs surge, news outlets have a responsibility to be public servants and to communicate harms and threats to the communities they claim to serve, whether or not they can pay.?Eugene, potentially life-saving Coronavirus information should be available to everyone.
SIGN THE PETITION: Demand The Los Angeles Times drops its subscription paywall to allow all readers access to comprehensive Coronavirus news coverage.?
Until justice is real,
--Brandi, Rashad, Arisha, Evan, Johnny, Jade, Future, Eesha, Samantha, Marcus, FolaSade, Jennette,?Cierra?and the rest of the Color Of Change team
References:
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you''re absolutely sure you don''t want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
Hey?Eugene,
Being a Black person living in America feels increasingly difficult. We are trying to survive two deadly viruses at the same time: Covid-19 and racism. I am tired, and I know you must be too.?
This email has been difficult to write, but I must tell you the truth: we are experiencing a nationwide voter registration crisis due to the coronavirus. In several states, voter registration numbers fell by close to 50% since 2016, including in Texas, North Carolina, Maryland, Missouri, and Kansas.1 Even worse, Virginia has 73% fewer registrations last month than it did just four years ago,2?and New Jersey saw a near-73% drop.3?
Due to Covid-19, on-the-ground voter registration events are no longer feasible, and we need to keep our field organizers and members safe. Black voters already experience heightened voter suppression in this country, and added barriers to voter registration make it even more difficult for us to vote. But?Eugene, we cannot give up. I believe that we can turn our collective pain from this moment into Black political power.?
Color Of Change PAC is even more committed to making sure Black people have full access to the ballot box. Increased access starts with educating thousands of Black voters about how to register online or by mail during this pandemic. In order to activate Black folks to register before the November elections, we will be sending texts, running ads, and hosting virtual voter registration events.?
I can't promise that voting will immediately solve inequities Black people experience every day in this country. But it is one of the best ways we can use our voices to elect leaders that are accountable to Black communities and understand that we need change now.
If you are financially able, please donate whatever you can to our rapid-response Black voter registration program.?With your generous donation, we will have the resources necessary to reach as many Black voters as possible virtually before November.
Choose which donation amount feels right for you:
Donate $5
Donate $10
Donate $25
Donate $50
Donate $100
Until justice is real,
Arisha, Jenni, Drew, Charles, Tammi, Cristel, Alex, Scotty,?Daniel, and the Color Of Change PAC team
References:?
1.?https://act.colorofchange.org/go/248416?t=13&akid=42979%2E4804695%2ENptRbL
2.?https://act.colorofchange.org/go/248304?t=15&akid=42979%2E4804695%2ENptRbL
3.??https://act.colorofchange.org/go/248417?t=17&akid=42979%2E4804695%2ENptRbL
?
| Donate |  |
 |
Paid Pol. Adv. paid for by ColorOfChange PAC, 1714 Franklin St., Oakland, CA 94612, independently of and not authorized or approved by any federal, state, or local candidate or candidate's committee.
ColorOfChange PAC is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Contributions to Color Of Change PAC are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. This email was sent to @. If you''re absolutely sure you don''t want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
If Facebook won't combat racism on their platform, we're going to come for their profits.
|
Amid this global movement to end anti-Blackness, Facebook has chosen to stay silent as they allow hate, bias, and discrimination to grow on their platforms. They've allowed-and profited from-incitement to violence against protesters fighting for racial justice following the police and vigilante killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, Ahmaud Arbery, and Rayshard Brooks.
For five years, Color Of Change has called on Facebook to do the right thing and make their platforms safer for the millions of Black people who use them. Each time we warned them, they treated our concerns like an all sides matter PR crisis. They allowed, and still allow, Black lives to be compromised on their platform every day.
Facebook's leadership has gotten away with racist practices and inaction because corporations continue to feed ad dollars-nearly $70 billion-into the company's coffers. But that's about to change. We've already organized nearly 100 companies to refuse to buy ads on Facebook for the month of July. Since Thursday, Verizon, Unilever, and Coca-Cola, who spend millions of dollars each month on Facebook ads, joined our campaign, which is likely to spur a wave of additional corporate supporters.?Together, we're going to show Facebook that if they won't combat racism on their platform, we're going to come for their profits.1?
Join us in holding Facebook accountable by asking companies to #StopHateforProfit and pause advertisements on Facebook during the month of July.?
Our requests to Facebook are simple; we need them to: invest in a civil rights infrastructure, start prioritizing the safety of Black users, and prioritize the sanctity of our democracy. Making these changes will help with the years-long problems Facebook has not seriously addressed, like the harassment and censorship of Black women on the platform and the proliferation of voter suppression.2 But because Facebook hasn't made these changes, we have to hold them accountable through means they understand best: their money.?
With many releasing poignant statements in the last month about how much they value Black people and decry racism, we have real leverage to demand they go beyond their statements and take a stand against Facebook's dismal civil rights record. #StopHateforProfit is an opportunity for corporations to show that they can offer more than hollow words of support for Black people and racial justice. By pressing the major corporations who have publicly stated they stand for Black lives to withhold their advertising dollars, we can force Facebook to reconsider how it has ignored the demands of Black users and civil rights organizations.3?
Tell companies to stop advertising on Facebook during the month of July and #StopHateforProfit.????
Facebook's failure to protect and support Black users has never been clearer. And so, together with our partners at the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), NAACP, Sleeping Giants, Free Press, and Common Sense Media, we will end the promotion of hate, racism, and violence on the platform-once and for all. Let's send Facebook a powerful message that we won't stand for the rampant civil rights abuses they enable on their platform.?
Tell companies to #StopHateforProfit by pausing advertisements during the month of July.
Until justice is real,?
-Arisha, Rashad, Brandi, Jade, Johnny, Amanda, Marie, Evan, Imani, Eesha, Samantha, Jennette, Ciera, Marcus, FolaSade, and the rest of the Color Of Change team?
References:
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Please help keep our movement strong.
Make a Donation
?
Read the Room
Dear Eugene,
|
On Tuesday, September 29th, Fox News Sunday Anchor Chris Wallace will moderate a conversation on "Race and Violence in Our Cities" at the first Presidential Debate. At a time when Black people across all 50 states are protesting police violence, yet misrepresented as violent criminals by mass media and called "thugs" by Trump himself, we believe that Chris Wallace's framing of the issue is tone-deaf and anti-Black.[1]
Tell Fox News Anchor Chris Wallace to Change His Harmful Framing
Studies show that news and opinion media overrepresent the association between Black families and criminality by 11 percent, while significantly underrepresenting that of white families by a whopping 49 percent.[2] As a result, the general public consumes a distorted depiction of crime rooted in anti-Black stereotypes regarding depravity, immorality, and notions of Black family instability.
FOX News is the main culprit, depicting Black family members as criminals more than any other television network.[3] If we do not hold Chris Wallace accountable, voters will continue to support racially biased crime policies that ignore structural barriers to economic inclusion and systemic racism that low-income Black Americans often face.
Hold Chris Wallace Accountable for Misinforming Voters. This Election is CRUCIAL.
At present, the police violence epidemic and the COVID-19 pandemic are wreaking havoc in Black communities. Despite comprising roughly 13 percent of the U.S. population, Black Americans are being killed by police at more than twice the rate of white Americans and dying from COVID-19 at more than 2.1 times the rate of white Americans.[4] FOX News and Chris Wallace have a duty to report what is happening in the Black community without perpetuating inaccurate and dehumanizing anti-Black stereotypes as well as empower the general public with the information necessary to cast an informed vote in the 2020 Presidential Election.
While we have asked Chris Wallace and Fox News executives to acknowledge the harm imposed by his framing of the debate, recognize law enforcement officials as perpetrators of crimes against Black people, and modify his tone-deaf approach to facilitating a conversation on racial injustice, we were ignored.
The outcome of this election is at stake. We cannot let Chris Wallace criminalize and demonize Black people. Tell Chris Wallace to adopt a racial justice framework at the 2020 Presidential Debate NOW! Our rights and livelihood depend on it.
Until justice is real,
-Jade, Arisha, Rashad, Johnny, Amanda, Marie, Evan, Imani, Eesha, Gabrielle, Samantha, Jennette, Ciera, Marcus, FolaSade, and the rest of the Color Of Change team
References:
1.?"'When the looting starts, the shooting starts": Trump tweet flagged by Twitter for 'glorifying violence'," CBS News, May 29, 2020, https://act.colorofchange.org/go/272495?t=11&akid=46935%2E4804695%2EzCh0d3.
2.?Travis L. Dixon, "A Dangerous Distortion of Our Families: Representations of Families, By Race, In News, and Opinion Media," Color of Change, May 21, 2019, https://act.colorofchange.org/go/96322?t=13&akid=46935%2E4804695%2EzCh0d3, 24.
3.?Travis L. Dixon, "A Dangerous Distortion of Our Families," 38-39. Please note: the ratio of Black criminal family members to white criminal family members is 7:1 at Fox News, compared to 3:2 at NBC.
4.?Julie Tate, Jennifer Jenkins, and Steven Rich, "Fatal Force: Police Shootings Database," ed. David Fallis and Danielle Rindle, The Washington Post, January 22, 2020, https://act.colorofchange.org/go/272497?t=15&akid=46935%2E4804695%2EzCh0d3;? "COVID-19 Hospitalization and Death by Race/Ethnicity," Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, August 18, 2020, https://act.colorofchange.org/go/272498?t=17&akid=46935%2E4804695%2EzCh0d3.
?
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Please help keep our movement strong.
Make a Donation
?
All the final things you need to know
Eugene,
Election Day is on Tuesday! This is the last call!
I want to thank you for sticking with us through this long election season,?Eugene. We have some final voting information below, but we hope you can also take a moment to reflect on the fact that while this election is huge, it is also just one step on the path towards creating the just world we seek. Elections are a tool in our toolbox; they are not the ends we seek.
So whatever happens on Tuesday, take care of yourself, take care of your people, and keep your eyes and heart on the vision ahead.
Now, at this point, hopefully you've gotten all the information you need on how to vote, but if you haven't here's one last reminder!
And make sure to share this with friends and family so they vote too!
5 Steps to Voting this Election Season
Step 1: Are you registered to vote?
Step 2: How are you voting?
Step 3: Who and what should you bring?
Step 4: Who should you vote for?
Step 5: Track your ballot
You can also share our tool where people can check their voter registration, find their polling place, and track their ballot here!
Lastly, if you''re looking for one more thing to do, sign up for our final textathons for Black voters on Monday and Tuesday below!
That's all for now,?Eugene. Please find space for rest and care, and we'll see you in the struggle.
Until justice is real,
Jenni, Arisha, Drew, Corina, Bill, Hillerie, Kaya, Destanie, Scotty and the Color Of Change PAC team
| Donate |  |
 |
|
Ad paid for by ColorOfChange PAC, colorofchangepac.org. Not authorized by any federal, state, or local candidate or a committee controlled by a candidate. |
ColorOfChange PAC is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Contributions to Color Of Change PAC are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. This email was sent to @. If you''re absolutely sure you don''t want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
Eugene,
Mass incarceration is now more than ever a massive public health crisis--and officials must act NOW to save lives.1 Coronavirus has already started to make its way into jails, prisons, and immigrant detention centers. The first incarcerated person to test positive for Coronavirus is in Long Island's county jail and hasn't been released to medical care. And now a second incarcerated person has contracted the virus on Rikers Island.2,3
Here's why that's terrifying: jails, prisons, and immigrant detention centers are sites of overcrowding, poor sanitation, and pest infestations, all of which make these cages incubators for disease. Incarcerated people are packed into close quarters and forced to share spaces such as bathrooms and showers. And worst of all, our folks are not given the basic necessities like soap, hand sanitizer, and other medical supplies.?So how could we expect these places to care for them during a global pandemic? Not to mention, hundreds of thousands of people, mostly correctional staff, cycle in and out of these places every day, guaranteeing the spread of COVID-19 beyond the facility to the larger public. With 2.3 million people in the United States in prison or jail on any given day, an outbreak in these facilities poses a threat to the entire country.
Public officials have DAYS, not weeks, to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Releasing as many people as possible from cages and stopping the flow of people into them is the best way to do it. That is why Color Of Change came together with over 60 organizations representing directly impacted people, advocates, and legal experts to develop a platform that outlines several ways public and private actors can save lives before it's too late. We need your help to apply pressure and force officials to take a proactive approach. Eugene, will you sign onto the platform?
The worst place for anyone to be during a global pandemic is inside of a jail, prison, or detention center. Before an outbreak occurs, as many people as possible need to be released from prisons, jails, and detention centers. People who test positive for COVID-19 should be immediately released to a medical care facility, away from the rest of the incarcerated population--not held within the prison, jail, or detention center. The people who remain confined need access to adequate medical care and prevention supplies free of charge, to be able to contact their loved ones.
Disregard for the humanity of incarcerated people, not common sense, is driving officials to prioritize punishment over the country's well being. In response to this crisis, many officials are putting facilities on lockdown, sending sick individuals to solitary confinement and trying to quarantine folks inside jails.
It does not have to be this way. Some officials are starting to respond to the demands of the people and are taking action to not only protect our public health but to protect the fundamental rights of those incarcerated as well. Los Angeles' Sheriff announced they have already released 600 people from the county jail and officials in Cleveland plan to release hundreds of people awaiting trial as a way to combat the virus. In Philadelphia, the police department has been instructed to stop arrests of low-level offenses to slow the flow of people into jails. These are all small steps in the right direction.6,7 Right now, we have the opportunity to come together and force public officials from local municipalities all the way to the federal government to understand the urgency of the moment and make immediate changes to better respond to this emergency.
It is in these moments that we clearly see why we must keep working towards a future without mass incarceration. Incarcerated people deserve our care, dignity, and respect. They are our sisters, brothers, mothers, and fathers. And we reject any hard line that separates us from our loved ones inside cages. We are one community. We will push and work hard every single day towards a world where our collective impulse is not to punish but to support and protect each other. No human being should be condemned to preventable illness and possible death. If there was ever a time that clearly makes plain the injustice of putting humans in cages, it is now.
Take action: I will not leave any of my people behind. My community needs a just and humane response to the coronavirus outbreak NOW.
Until justice is real,
--Clarise, Rashad, Arisha, Scott, Erika, Malachi, Marybeth, Leonard, Madison, and the rest of the Color Of Change team
References:
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you''re absolutely sure you don''t want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
Eugene, stand with us to demand that the officers who brutally murdered Daniel Prude are charged and arrested immediately.
|
Daniel Prude needed mental health assistance.
Today, the officers involved were suspended. DEMAND JUSTICE NOW |
?
Eugene,
Last night, newly-released police bodycam footage shocked the nation - and we were heartbroken and enraged by what we saw.
Daniel Prude, a 41-year-old Black man in need of mental health assistance, was murdered by Rochester, New York police in March.1?To make matters worse, the seven police officers involved in his murder remained on active duty up until just a few hours ago when Rochester''s mayor announced their suspension.2
Eugene, a suspension more than five months later isn''t enough.?We are sick and tired of police officers murdering us and getting away with it - and we need your help to fight back right now.?
Demand justice for Daniel Prude: Tell Rochester District Attorney Sandra Doorley to arrest and charge the police officers who murdered Daniel in March.?Trained medical and mental health professionals - not cops - should respond to medical calls.
We probably would have never heard about this case if Daniel''s family and organizers at Free The People Roc hadn''t obtained and released the brutal minute-by-minute bodycam footage.?We''re not uplifting the bodycam footage depicting Daniel''s tragic murder, but here''s what we know, Eugene:?
On March 22, Daniel Prude arrived in Rochester to visit his brother, Joe. When Daniel began acting strangely and threatened to harm himself, Joe called the police for help. Daniel was taken to the hospital and released hours later - and in the early morning hours of March 23, Daniel bolted out the back door and into the cold, snowy street.
Joe called the police again. He explained that Daniel was experiencing a mental health crisis, that his brother was naked in the street, and that he was only a danger to himself. Joe begged the responding police officers not to kill his brother.?They didn''t listen.
Body camera footage shows Officer Mark Vaughn threatening Daniel with a taser and telling him to get on the ground with his hands behind his back. He immediately complies and is handcuffed without incident. At least five Rochester police officers stand over Daniel, who is lying on the cold, wet ground with his hands bound.
The footage shows Daniel Prude - who is clearly in the throes of a mental health crisis - complying with the police. That didn''t save him. Instead of helping him or calming him down, police officers mocked Daniel. And what the video shows next is nothing short of a public lynching.
Officer Vaughn pulls a "spit sock" out of his pocket and puts it over Daniel''s head. Then, Vaughn pushes Daniel''s face into the ground while another officer, Troy Taladay, kneels on Daniel''s back. Daniel repeatedly asks the officers to get off of him before he falls silent.
The police officers don''t listen. They knelt on his back and pushed his face to the ground for so long that Daniel stopped breathing - just like how police officers in Minneapolis murdered George Floyd in the street.
By the time emergency medical technicians arrive in an ambulance, Daniel Prude had stopped moving. The EMTs perform CPR, and the officers uncuff Prude and get him onto a gurney. At this point, Daniel Prude is brain dead from oxygen deprivation. His family decided to take him off life support one week later. And although Daniel''s death was ruled a homicide by asphyxia (suffocation) due to "physical restraint,"3 not one Rochester police officer responsible for Prude's murder has been punished or fired.
Eugene, people like you in?Los Angeles and around the world came together to demand justice for George Floyd. We started a critical national conversation on police violence - and we are still seeing that conversation lead to encouraging steps in the right direction. Now, it''s up to us to demand justice for Daniel Prude and continue to defend Black lives.
Demand Justice for Daniel Prude now?
Daniel needed care - not handcuffs, not shame, and definitely not a public execution.?The responding police officers didn't offer Daniel a blanket or help him get off the cold, hard ground. They didn't ask if he was cold or what was wrong. They didn't try to calm Daniel down until trained medical responders arrived on the scene. They offered Daniel Prude no compassion or even humane treatment. Instead, they mocked him, covered his face, and murdered him in the street. And until now, they got away with it.?
Daniel''s tragic story is EXACTLY what we mean when we say "defund the police,"?Eugene.?Time and time again, we have seen that police are not equipped to respond to mental health crises. We have seen cities rely on untrained and violent police officers to respond to medical emergencies, mental health crises, minor disputes, and people who are unhoused and just trying to survive. We have seen Black people become victims of police brutality through no fault of their own. We have seen too many Black people who need care be murdered by police.
What''s worse are the cases that we DON''T see.?We would have never known about this story - a tragedy that took place four months ago - without Prude''s family and organizers in Rochester sounding the alarm yesterday. And for every video of police brutality released to the public, there are countless incidents that were never filmed. There are countless stories that we will never hear, names that we will never know.
But what we do know - and what the police shooting of Jacob Blake and the brutal, videotaped murders of George Floyd and Daniel Prude make crystal clear - is that police are NOT equipped to keep Black, Brown, and Indigenous people safe.?
It is obvious from the bodycam footage that Daniel Prude was at the lowest point of his life at that moment. The last people who should be responding to a mental health crisis are racist police officers with guns and tasers. We must do everything in our power to ensure that what happened to Daniel Prude never happens to anyone in this country again.
Daniel Prude deserved care. Instead, he was murdered by police.
Now, Daniel deserves justice. His family deserves justice. Eugene, stand with us to demand that the officers who brutally murdered Daniel Prude are charged and arrested immediately. Add your name to demand that Rochester requires?trained medical and mental health professionals as first responders to medical calls.
Eugene, we know you are tired. We are tired, too. But we have to keep fighting to end police violence - and to defend Black lives everywhere.
As always, thank you for taking action with us.?
Until justice is real,
-- Scott, Rashad, Arisha, Erika, Malachi, Marybeth, Ernie, Madison, Leonard, McKayla and the rest of the Color of Change Team
?
References:
1. "His brother called for help after he was acting strangely. Police knelt on him until he was brain dead." 02 September 2020,?The Appeal.?
2. "7 Rochester Police Officers Suspended in Death of Black Man Whom They Hooded." 03 September 2020, The New York Times.
3. "Autopsy report: Daniel Prude death ruled a homicide, died from asphyxia due to 'physical restraint.''"?02 September 2020,?Rochester First.
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Please help keep our movement strong.
Make a Donation
?
Eugene,
We need all hands on deck to keep the oldest Black community school in the US open.
Ujamaa School is a small but mighty independent, non-profit Black community school in the Shaw/Howard University neighborhood of Washington, DC, educating children from age two through high school and boasting a 100% college acceptance rate. This school develops and prepares Black children to not only excel academically but also instills positive self-image in them and has been doing so consistently since 1968. But this year, due to the pandemic, Ujamaa has been struggling to keep its doors open.
Like too many other Black institutions that did not receive economic relief through the federal stimulus packages released earlier this year, Ujamaa has been forced to downsize its student capacity and, in turn, has lost out on necessary funding, all while operating expenses continue to accrue. Ujamaa School does not accept any money from corporations or governments in order to protect the integrity of its mission. It is completely funded by parents, teachers, alumni, and everyday people, like you and I, who love and support Black children. That's why we need your help to keep the doors of this school open.?
Eugene, will you chip in to support our continuing work prioritizing Black children and culturally competent education?
Our goal is to raise $50,000 for Ujamaa School. Right now the school needs:
Yes, COUNT ME IN!
Black children are overrepresented in underperforming schools across the nation, but we know that our children are fully capable of achieving success and will thrive when in healthy school environments. The concept of Ujamaa School evolved out of a critical need to undo the miseducation of Black children in public schools by replacing it with a program that placed specific emphasis on the cultural aspects of education and by actively involving parents in the school's activities. At Ujamaa School, children as young as two years old are taught how to read, write, add, and subtract. By the time students reach the Kalfani class--9th grade in public school terms--they are in Panafrican critical thinking classes and present a seven-page term paper in front of their class every month. Ujamaa students master the SAT and go on to be outstanding college students, with an average GPA of 3.5. Keeping Ujamaa School open will ensure that there are more high-achieving Black children in an academic environment that has demonstrated its success over and over again.
Ujamaa School is Black Excellence! We must fight for the continuance of this legacy! Help power us monthly.
Founded by an organizer of the Freedom Rides and the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), Dr. El Senzengakalu Zulu is a trailblazer who also fought alongside civil rights activists Fannie Lou Hamer, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Medgar Evers, Jesse Jackson, and DC's very own Marion Barry. Ujamaa School has impacted generations of Black families in DC and continues to be a community staple in DC. "Ujamaa" is a Kiswahili word that means familyhood or cooperative economics. In that same spirit, our commitment to Black people includes us working together to protect and defend our institutions. Here's how it will work:
If 25 people give $25, the cost of one month's utility bills would be covered
If 50 people give $50, some renovations would be covered
If 100 people give $100, then the cost of insurance would be covered
Even if you can't commit to any of those amounts, we really mean it when we say no donation amount is too small. We can still reach our goal with the collective smaller donations from Color Of Change members like you. Help us make that happen. Chip in to support another 50 years of Ujamaa School building Black scholars and keeping the oldest independent Black community school in the US alive!
Until justice is real,?
Jade, Arisha, Rashad, Johnny, Evan, Amanda, Eesha, Imani, Marie, Gabrielle, Samantha, Marcus, FolaSade, Taurjhai, Stasia, Jennette, Ciera, and the rest of the COC team
ColorOfChange is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change.
If you''re absolutely sure you don''t want to hear from ColorOfChange again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
Over the summer, you were a part of the largest movement in U.S. history.1
That's right, Eugene. When we looked back at our record of petition signers, one name kept showing up: Yours. You stood with us to demand justice for Black people killed by police - joining millions of others to fight for change and defend Black lives. Thank you!
Today is Giving Tuesday - and as we begin to close the door on 2020 and prepare for the fights ahead, we need to know you're still with us.
So we have to ask, Eugene: Can we count on you to become a monthly supporter of Color Of Change to power the fight for racial justice? Choose an amount that feels powerful to you as an investment in our critical work ?
DONATE NOW: $3
DONATE NOW: $5
DONATE NOW: $10
OTHER AMOUNT
After setting up a recurring donation, your monthly gift will process on this day each month.
You can easily change your gift or cancel at any time.
Eugene, I think we can all agree: 2020 has been a challenging and unpredictable year. But if there's one thing we know, it's that our best supporters show up and show out in the fight for racial justice - especially when we need you the most.
By signing our petitions, you let Color Of Change know that you are committed to the fight for racial justice. You joined a community of activists taking real action to defend Black lives. Just this year, Color Of Change members like you made tens of thousands of phone calls, sent thousands of texts, and amplified our demands for justice on social media. And with your help, our movement has made history - fueling an ongoing national conversation about policing2 and showing anti-Black elected officials the door.3
But we can't stop now, Eugene - there's too much at stake. Confirm your commitment to the fight. Become a monthly supporter of Color Of Change today:
YES, I''LL CHIP IN TO CONTINUE THE FIGHT FOR RACIAL JUSTICE
As always, thank you for everything you do to push our movement forward.
Until justice is real,
-- Scott, Rashad, Arisha, Erika, Malachi, Ernie, Madison, McKayla, Ana, Ariel, Ericka, and the rest of the Color Of Change team
?
References:
1. Black Lives Matter May Be the Largest Movement in U.S. History. The New York Times, 03 July 2020.
2. How 'Defund the Police' went from moonshot to mainstream. Politico, 17 June 2020.
3. How Black voters and simmering protests contributed to Trump''s loss. CNN, 10 November 2020.
ColorOfChange is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change.
If you''re absolutely sure you don''t want to hear from ColorOfChange again, click here to unsubscribe.Hey there Eugene,?
I'm Scott Roberts -- Senior Campaign Director for the Criminal Justice team at Color Of Change. I want to take a time-out and connect with you on a one-to-one level.
I''m going to keep it real with you. If you're anything like me then you're concerned. With less than 4?days out from the election, I am concerned about the future state of the Supreme Court, the nonstop police killings in our communities, and the rising death toll from the pandemic. It's hard to stay encouraged during trying times.?
But I will say this, Eugene. We are in this together. Despite the challenge before us, my team is not giving up. We are working around the clock to ensure that our communities get the justice they deserve.
What do I mean by that? In just the last few weeks, my team has led powerful campaigns that will have a real and tangible effect on the lives of Black people.
Here is just a mini snapshot of our campaigns:?
But we need your support to keep this work going. It won't be easy. And it's going to take everything we have to make sure these campaigns have the resources to succeed. Will you consider becoming a monthly supporter with Color Of Change? Your contribution will help power this important work. YES, I will power the movement for justice!
Without independently funded institutions, it becomes almost impossible to push for the progressive solutions that will make a difference in Black and brown communities. That is why your monthly support is crucial. We cannot afford to slow down now. In this final stretch, we must keep going.?
Here is how you can help.
|
DONATE NOW: $3 DONATE NOW: $5 DONATE NOW: $15 |
DONATE NOW: $25 DONATE NOW: $50 OTHER AMOUNT |
This is what forging a path towards justice looks like.?With your help, we can create a different world and bring an end to systems that extract wealth and inflict harm on Black and brown communities.
Can I count on you to become a monthly supporter??
Until justice is real,?
-- Scott, Rashad, Arisha, Erika, Marybeth, Madison, Leonard, Malachi, Ernie, Ana, Ericka, McKayla and the rest of the Color Of Change team
ColorOfChange is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change.
If you''re absolutely sure you don''t want to hear from ColorOfChange again, click here to unsubscribe.We have to make a pivot. But our fight is far from over.
Eugene,?
Earlier, we sent you an email to keep up the fight for Breonna Taylor by calling on Kentucky Gov. Beshear to remove Attorney General Daniel Cameron and assign a new special prosecutor.?
Eugene, we have to make a quick pivot in our fight to demand justice. Here's the reality - sadly, Gov. Beshear does not have the power to remove Daniel Cameron from the case and appoint a special prosecutor.?
So, who does have the power to appoint a special prosecutor? Unfortunately, it's Daniel Cameron - yes, the same prosecutor who denied Bre justice once already! Only Cameron can appoint a special prosecutor in Kentucky. Effectively, there is no check on Daniel Cameron's actions as a prosecutor in this case and Gov. Beshear can't step in to deliver justice in our fight for Bre.
As we've said before and as we can see so clearly here - the system is broken and does not serve the needs of Black people. Breonna Taylor needs justice, and we'll keep fighting for it. Unfortunately, the person who can deliver justice has already decided Bre's life wasn't worth protecting and has sided with the killer cops.?
Now here's our pivot, Eugene: We must demand Daniel Cameron recuse himself from the case and assign a new special prosecutor. We have to do everything in our power to make the stakes high for Daniel Cameron, an elected official, where he has no choice but to answer our demands. And today, that starts with signing the petition and getting your friends to do the same:
Until justice is real,?
Scott, Rashad, Arisha, Erika, Marybeth, Malachi, Leonard, Ernie, Madison, Ariel, Ana, Ericka, and the rest of the Color Of Change team
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Please help keep our movement strong.
Make a Donation
?
Sponsor a Baltimore Preschooler This Holiday Season.
Every Child Deserves To Open A Gift From Their Holiday Wish List!
?
Eugene,?
For many children, the weeks leading up to Christmas are filled with joy and anticipation. Some mail their wish lists to the North Pole, bake treats for Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, and peek around the living room corner in hopes of catching a small glimpse of Santa Claus on Christmas Eve. But this year may be a little different for children in Baltimore City Public Schools-where 77% of students are Black and 50.4% receive SNAP or TANF benefits.1
BecomE a monthly supporter of our efforts To Protect black joy.
?
The truth is that the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated existing inequities, leaving many Baltimore families without the income necessary to participate in these Christmas festivities. Black women, the primary wage-earners in many families, are twice as likely to experience COVID-19 related unemployment, wage cuts, and reduced work hours.2?And to combat food insecurity within these communities, the Maryland Food Bank has distributed over 42 million pounds of food since March.3
At Color Of Change, we believe that Black and low-income children deserve to experience holiday joy. That's why we're partnering with Lakewood Elementary School and raising $2,000 to provide every student with a gift from Santa Claus.?We''ve made a commitment now, through Christmas 2021, to make these children''s wishes come true.
But even Santa Claus has a team behind him, so we need your support to ensure that every child has a gift to open on Christmas Day.?Eugene,?here's how you can help:?
|
DONATE NOW: $5 DONATE NOW: $10 DONATE NOW: $15 |
DONATE NOW: $20 DONATE NOW: $50 OTHER AMOUNT |
Eugene, socioeconomic status should not determine whether a child has made the Naughty or Nice List. At Lakewood Elementary School, a Title 1 early childhood school located in East Baltimore City, there are 70 preschoolers in jeopardy of waking up empty-handed and incredibly dispirited on Christmas morning. Join Color Of Change in bringing holiday joy to Black and low-income children this year!
Remember, no amount is too small. If we exceed our goal of $2,000, we can provide Lakewood Elementary School students with the following:?
CHIP IN, Make This HOLIDAY SEASON memorable for children in Baltimore city!
Until justice is real,?
-Jade, Rashad, Arisha, Johnny, Amanda, Imani, Marie, Gabrielle, Sam, Marcus, FolaSade, Jennette, Gabrielle, Ciera, Taurjhai, Stasia, and the rest of the Color Of Change team
References:?
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Please help keep our movement strong.
Make a Donation
?
|
Dear Eugene,
On Monday night, Los Angeles County sheriff''s deputies shot and killed a 29-year-old Black man, Dijon Kizzee, over alleged bicycle code violations.
Now officials from the Los Angeles Sheriff''s Department (LASD) are reporting that a handgun fell from Dijon''s belongings as he attempted to run away from the officers, making the deadly altercation even more outrageous. Upon seeing the gun on the ground, the deputies opened fire and shot Dijon more than 20 times.1 At this point, Dijon posed no threat to these officers -- he was simply afraid, panicking, and running for his life. Yet Dijon was shot in the back multiple times.
Bottom line: Dijon''s attempt to get away from officers did not warrant a death sentence. The deputies had no right to take his life. Dijon was simply minding his own business and riding his bike when police accosted and murdered him.
This is just the latest iteration in a long line of Black people who are brutalized and murdered by the police. Just last week we saw Jacob Blake, another 29-year-old Black man, who was shot several times in the back in front of his children.2 Jacob is now paralyzed from the waist down. We refuse to see any more of our loved ones killed at the hands of the police with no accountability.
That''s why we''re calling on Los Angeles District Attorney Jackie Lacey to intervene. DA Lacey can ensure these officers face criminal charges for their blatant disregard for Black life. But we need your help to put pressure on DA Lacey NOW.
Sign the petition: Demand justice for Dijon Kizzee.
For years, District Attorney Jackie Lacey has failed hold killer cops accountable. Since taking office in 2012, hundreds of people have been killed by law enforcement in LA county. Yet, DA Lacey has not brought a single charge against an officer for deadly force.
In the case of Brendon Glenn, yet another Black man who was murdered by LA police in 2015, even the Police Chief, Charlie Beck, recommended criminal charges.4 Jackie Lacey's response? She refused to prosecute and even defended the officer in an 83-page memo.5 She also refused to prosecute Ed Buck, a white man who preyed upon and tormented countless young Black gay men in LA. And she consistently relies upon the testimonies of corrupt law enforcement officers.6 That's why we must make this issue too big for her to ignore. With enough public pressure, we can get DA Lacey to do her job and hold killer cops accountable for the atrocities they commit against Black people.
What happened to Dijon could happen to any of us. We don''t want to see any more Black families mourn the loss of a loved one. Black children, like Jacob Blake''s kids, should not have to see their parents shot down in the street. And Black people should be able to ride their bikes without police harassment. This is the world that Black people deserve. But first, we need you to join us in this fight for justice.
Dijon should still be here. Demand DA Lacey holds these killer cops accountable.
Until justice is real,
--Scott, Rashad, Arisha, Erika, Marybeth, Madison, Malachi, Leonard, Ernie, McKayla, and the rest of the Color of Change team.
References:
ColorOfChange is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change.
If you''re absolutely sure you don''t want to hear from ColorOfChange again, click here to unsubscribe.Your support is invaluable to this movement.
|
Eugene,
For the past few weeks, protesters from all walks of life have taken to the streets of America to demand an end to anti-Black police violence, and their efforts are bringing real change to our communities. But they need your support to keep up the fight. Color of Change's #ProtectTheProtester campaign ensures protesters have the supplies they need to protect themselves from COVID-19 and the repressive tactics of the police.
So far, we''ve been able to:
Will you donate just $5 to our #ProtectTheProtester campaign?
The racist killings of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd are just the latest tragedies in an American tradition of state-sanctioned violence on Black communities that has persisted for centuries. As we speak, scores of people from across the country are being detained by District Attorneys's offices for demanding an end to the murder of Black people by police once and for all. Their efforts have been met with rubber bullets and tear gas-not to mention, the looming threat of COVD-19. Still, they have soldiered on.
Join us in honoring their determination and bravery, and in sustaining their efforts by donating whatever you can to our #ProtectTheProtester fund.
Night after night, protesters are transforming their sorrow and rage into collective action, even in the midst of a pandemic. In response, officers are apprehending and jailing them in overcrowded conditions, without masks or gloves. These conditions violate the basic human rights of the protesters and make social distancing impossible-a cruel and unusual punishment that will result in countless new cases of COVD-19 in our most vulnerable communities. In response, Color of Change is doing what we can to support folks on the ground risking their safety to demand dignity and justice for Black people. This fight is far from over. But as long as our people are taking to the streets to demand justice, Color of Change will be there to support them. Will you stand with us?
Your support is invaluable to this movement. Help us continue to build momentum by donating $5 to the #ProtectTheProtester campaign.
Until justice is real,
-Jade, Brandi, Johnny, Amanda, Evan, Imani, Samantha, Eesha, Marcus, FolaSade, Ciera, Jennette and the rest of the Color Of Change team
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Please help keep our movement strong.
Make a Donation
?
We demand reparations for the Black families Manhattan Beach has forced off their land.
|
Kavon Ward, just started a petition to Mayor Richard Montgomery and the Manhattan Beach City Council: Justice for the Bruce Family
|
|||
?
Dear Eugene, I just started a petition titled "Justice for the Bruce Family" Manhattan Beach owes the Bruce family much more than an apology. Once the owners of one of the few thriving beach resorts that Black Angelenos were allowed to patronize in the early 1900s, Willa and Charles Bruce were not only subjected to escalating racist attacks from the city's local Klu Klux Klan, but were eventually forced off their land by Manhattan Beach's own Board of Trustees. Although the Board of Trustees claimed at the time that they needed the land to build a park, we know the real reason the Bruces lost their land. From Tulsa to Forsyth County, Black people's attempts to build economic security for themselves in this country have been haunted by white terrorist violence. The land that the Bruces were forced off is no different, and represents just a tiny fraction of the nearly 11 million acres of land that Black people once had, but lost, due to fraud, deception and outright violence during the Jim Crow era. Now, after only recently acknowledging the injustice the Bruce family has faced at the hands of the city for generations, Manhattan Beach City Council is proposing that a boutique hotel be constructed on the land as a form of restitution. That's not right. That's why Anti-Racist Movements (ARMs) around the South Bay (L.A.) is partnering with Black Lives Matter to let Manhattan Beach City Council know that if they want to rectify the harms of the past, they must meet the full demands of Manhattan Beach's Black residents for restoration, restitution and reparations today. Manhattan Beach City Council needs to make good on its commitment to its Black constituents. We need reparations now. The Bruces' land and business should have been the foundation of their family's ability to build wealth, and to take care of themselves and each other. Instead, it became a source of riches for others. Not only did the city of Manhattan Beach take the Bruces' land in order to preserve the neighborhood's whiteness, but they vastly underpaid them and other Black property owners like them for the value of the land and the businesses that were taken from them. Today, with Manhattan Beach's inflated and unaffordable housing, Black people make up just about 0.8% of the city's population. That's why it's a slap in the face that the Manhattan Beach City Council is proposing the construction of a boutique hotel that will likely remain out of the reach of most of its Black residents as a form of restitution for the city's history of violence. The fact is, Manhattan Beach can't make amends for its racist past without restoring the land back to the Bruces, paying the Bruces restitution and paying reparations to its Black residents for blatantly discriminating against our community and making it impossible for us to own land in the area. Now more than ever, institutions like the Manhattan Beach City Council need to make good on their commitment to Black communities, and we're starting by demanding that they meet our residents' full demands for restoration restitution and reparations today. Will you sign the petition and forward this email to make sure your voice is heard? Add your name here. As protests against police violence continue, more and more institutions are coming out with statements to denounce racism. Many of those institutions are the exact same ones who have orchestrated the erosion of Black wealth and property for decades, if not centuries. Sign now to let Manhattan Beach City Council that fighting for racial justice is so much more than an anti-racism statement. It requires dedication and action behind those words. Declaring support of Black people isn't enough and task forces and modified street signs won't pacify us. If the city council truly believes Black lives matter, it must meet the full demands of its Black and Indigenous constituents for restoration, restitution and reparations in Manhattan Beach immediately. Task forces and modified street signs won''t pacify us. Let Manhattan Beach City Council know the time for reparations is now. Thank you, Kavon Ward ? ?
|
Join us and start your own petition on OrganizeFor today!
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you''re absolutely sure you don''t want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
I'm writing to invite you to our California Relationship Building Trainings next week!
Eugene,
?OR
Friday, August 28, 4:30-6:00pm PDT
RSVP Here
?OR
Wednesday, August 26, 5:00-6:30pm PDT
RSVP HERE
This year we're working to protect our community from the coronavirus, standing up to decision-makers that enable police brutality, and creating campaigns to make sure our community is not left behind in this "new normal". Black people have fundamentally changed the political landscape and no matter who is in office, we know that we are the answer for our families, our communities, and the nation.
This will be a space to celebrate our unique power and have meaningful discussions--but also a call to action.
It''s time to build our political power and organize our communities around the issues that matter most to Black folks. Can''t wait to have you join us!
Until justice is real,
Shannon, Kwesi, Corina, Destanie, Kaya, Bill, Charles, Scotty and the rest of the Color Of Change PAC team
| Donate |  |
 |
Paid Pol. Adv. paid for by ColorOfChange PAC, 1714 Franklin St., Oakland, CA 94612, independently of and not authorized or approved by any federal, state, or local candidate or candidate's committee.
ColorOfChange PAC is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Contributions to Color Of Change PAC are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. This email was sent to @. If you''re absolutely sure you don''t want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
Eugene,
I hope that you are taking care of yourself and staying safe in these times. My colleagues and I have been working hard to get you the most up-to-date information and opportunities to take action in the face of the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic. Through it all, we're heartened by your response.
Color Of Change started 15 years ago, in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Our founders were called to formulate a power base to end the political, economic and social apartheid built on the backs of Black and marginalized people. Eugene, you are that power base - and it will take all of you, and all of us, to do everything we can to safeguard our communities in this time of global crisis.
But Eugene, you and me, we can't do it alone.?
We are in unprecedented times where it is imperative that the media we consume has a commitment to Black people and communities, which is why we're partnering with local Black newspapers and Black digital media outlets to ensure our communities receive accurate information about this life threatening crisis. Will you chip in $5 to make life-saving Coronavirus information available to Black communities?
Your dollars will go towards:
For Black communities, uncertainty is driven by a longstanding distrust of mainstream media. This is why Color Of Change is working to ensure media by and for Black people is available across all mediums.?Whitewashed newsrooms, blanket reporting on Black issues without layered context, and chronic underreporting of Black trauma and success have left a major gap that's made even more clear in times of crisis. As Rashad wrote last week: "when America gets the sniffles, Black people get the flu." In the 18th century, a yellow fever disaster nearly decimated Philadelphia's entire Black population due to government, medical and media neglect.1 We can't let that happen again.
In the last month, we've seen people take to social media to spread false information about Black people's level of immunity to infection and ability to recover quickly from Coronavirus.2 And we've seen an underreporting of that phenomenon. And yet all the ailments that make you more susceptible to "The Rona" such as diabetes, asthma, high blood pressure, sarcoidosis and other lung diseases - are all things that Black people are already disproportionately dying from.3?And the frontline workers across all sectors, many of whom are still working without paid medical leave, are disproportionately Black.4 With circumstances changing by the day, and media consumption at an all time high due to quarantines, we need trusted print and digital sources to help communities, especially those without Internet access to ensure they get the right information.
Will you chip-in $5 to support media outlets that speak to, for and about Black people?
For decades, Black-owned, controlled and created media has been dying. Imagine if there had been no Ida B. Wells to document lynchings in the south, or no Pittsburgh Courier calling for policy protections to address the racism that heroes on the frontlines faced at work and home. What if there were no April Ryans to challenge Donald Trump on his lies? Or no Black Enterprise to report on how Black-owned businesses, despite being the fastest growing businesses in this country can't access capital, and are further compromised by this administration''s push to eliminate the Minority Business Development Agency? Imagine if there was no counterpoint to the dangerous untruths told to us and about us.
If that possibility worries you, then don't let our news collapse under the strain of the impending recession. Let's do everything we can to ensure Black reporters, content creators, and newspapers can keep bringing our news to our doorsteps, computers, and devices. Eugene, can you chip in $5 today to make life-saving Coronavirus available to Black communities?
In a time when corporate juggernauts have devoured smaller, independently-owned companies, welded unchecked power over policy-makers, and worked to erode away even the most basic of workers rights;?Black people have been on the losing end, and Black information integrity has suffered. Over 50 years ago, a report commissioned by President Lyndon B. Johnson found that mainstream media had failed, unequivocally, in its ability to fairly and accurately report on the Black experience, and that those failures had directly contributed to societal ills.5 50 years later, we have even less traditional Black media than we had then.?
Join the fight to support Black media and expand information access into high risk communities with a donation.
Until justice is real,
--Brandi, Rashad, Arisha, Evan, Johnny, Jade, Future, Eesha, Samantha, Marcus, FolaSade,?Jenette,?Cierra?and the rest of the Color Of Change team
References:
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you''re absolutely sure you don''t want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
Help make sure people are ready to vote
Hey?Kaitlyn,
I''m just following up here to remind you about our Black Joy Call Party this Saturday! If you missed the event Wednesday, don''t worry, there''s still room for this weekend.?Just RSVP here to let us know you''ll be there
See you soon,
Shannon, Corina, Destanie, Kaya, and the Color Of Change PAC team
Hey Eugene,
It''s 3 weeks out from election day, and here''s your weekly invitation to text and call more Black people in communities around the country to encourage them to get out and vote!
RSVP below to join us for one of our Black Joy Call Parties this week:
RSVP For saturday
The issues that we care about -- ensuring that Black women are protected, standing up to police brutality, education equity -- will be decided by the people that we elect up and down the ballot.
This week, we'll be calling and texting Black voters across the nation to learn more about the issues they care about and ask for their support. There are many folks who are still undecided and need information.
RSVP today to get essential information to Black voters before November! And bring a friend too!
RSVP for Saturday
Until justice is real,
Shannon, Corina, Destanie, Kaya, Bill, Niesha, Cam, Scotty and the rest of the Color Of Change PAC team
P.S. We''re also collecting videos from people like you about why it''s important to get out and vote, and how it impacts Black communities. Click here to make your own to share with your people!
| Donate |  |
 |
|
Ad paid for by ColorOfChange PAC, colorofchangepac.org. Not authorized by any federal, state, or local candidate or a committee controlled by a candidate. |
ColorOfChange PAC is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Contributions to Color Of Change PAC are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. This email was sent to @. If you''re absolutely sure you don''t want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
?
?
Eugene,?
We made it. Tomorrow is Election Day.?
This entire year has been unbelievably difficult. It''s been difficult because the ongoing Covid-19 crisis, the countless killings of Black folks at the hands of police and the uptick in brazen acts of white supremacy has made visible for the world what Black people have always known to be true. The truth that Black folks live in a different America-an America built upon and reliant on systemic racial injustice.?
With Black folks facing daily racial trauma at the national level over the past several months and more folks than ever coming to terms with the realities of racism in our country, we knew our work this election cycle had to adjust.
Color Of Change PAC''s goal of electing candidates who are more accountable to Black communities had to pivot to meet the moment of living during a global pandemic that has been disproportionately impacting Black folks while also remaining focused on uplifting Black joy during what has been a tough year for many of us.
Eugene, because of committed supporters like you, we were able to do just that-together we showed up for Black communities across the country to build political power while also taking care of each other. Take a look at what your support made possible by the numbers:?
 |
We endorsed a total of 46 candidates that placed criminal justice reform on the ballot and pledged to make real lasting change for Black people. |
 |
We started text conversations with 5,770,692 people in key battleground states like Florida and Pennsylvania to make sure folks had the information they needed to safely cast their ballots. |
 |
569,470 calls to Black voters were made in an effort to help inform people on the candidates we endorsed and inspire them to get to the polls. |
 |
Our digital ads were seen 69,669,171 times with geo-targeted voter education information and reminders. |
 |
22,618 folks used our BallotReady widget giving them the resources to register to vote, verify their voter registration, or request their ballot. |
 |
8,593 unique volunteers attended one of our 688 events to engage voters, leveraging a combination of phone calls and text messages to our low-propensity voting universe. |
 |
We launched a massive direct mail effort, sending 3,914,769 mail pieces to folks in key swing states?highlighting voting deadlines, with the goal of increasing turnout and candidate recognition in our district attorney races. |
 |
162,474,506 emails were sent to our members-including voting events, information, and reminders. |
I''m in awe of the work we''ve accomplished to mobilize voters this year. The scale of what we got done just shows just how much power we hold.? But the truth is,?Eugene, there''s more to democracy and freedom than just voting. That''s why our 2020 PAC program was rooted in giving members like YOU responsibility through leadership development to build sustainable community relationships.
We invested in high contact, relational organizing work and created the space for people to establish long-lasting relationships. Take a look at our community building work that made the numbers possible:?
To keep members safe in the midst of Covid-19 we shifted to virtual organizing via Zoom! In our virtual meetings we created a space where Black folks from all walks entered into the community with one another, shared their stories, and discussed the importance of the upcoming elections. At these events folks bonded over music, trivia, food and more!?
While we also supported many folks in making plans to vote by mail, we couldn''t discount the members of our communities who needed to vote in person. To keep communities safe our trained volunteers handed out PPE in 5 key battleground?states so people felt protected at the polls.
We centered the stories and voices of our members by asking them to record short videos about the importance of voting. These authentic videos were powerful storytelling devices we could share over social media and through ads to help inspire people to turn out to the polls. Watch Sha''s story about why voting in 2020 matters to her.
This year, we launched Allies for Black Joy, a space where people who don''t identify as Black could get involved in political action in solidarity with the Black community.
We trained nearly 1,700 allies to take action with Color Of Change PAC and signed up for over 2,000 hours to call into DA races and battleground states across the country.
Centering Black Joy is about celebrating our ongoing commitment to community, collective wellbeing, and our creativity. This year our members led 88 Black Joy Socials where they engaged in social icebreakers to build connections, guided discussions that promoted thought and committed to a plan so that their community''s issues were at the forefront of this election.
We also launched our Black Joy Drive-In Series this cycle to give folks a safe space to relax and watch classic Black movies that celebrate our culture and reaffirms our value. We hosted 3 Black Joy Drive-Ins where more than 1,000 people showed up.
We''re already prepping post-election plans to continue to empower Black Joy going into 2021 and beyond. Here are some actions you can take to continue supporting our work and stay involved:
DONATE TODAYAs I reflect on the incredible work we''ve done together?Eugene, I am filled with so much gratitude and hope. This movement we've built and grown together is incredibly powerful and no one can take that away from us. No matter what happens tomorrow and in the days to come, Color Of Change PAC will still be here. What we''ve built together is rooted in deep personal relationships and Black joy and so the momentum we've created for this movement is infinite. Together we will continue to flex our power and build the results that Black people deserve.?
With gratitude,?
The Color Of Change PAC Digital, Data, Development, Field, Finance, Media and Operations teams.??
?
P.S. Text "POLL" to 55156 to find out where to vote tomorrow!?(Msg and data rates may apply).
?
| Donate |  |
 |
|
Paid for by ColorOfChange PAC, colorofchangepac.org, not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee. |
ColorOfChange PAC is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Contributions to Color Of Change PAC are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. This email was sent to @. If you''re absolutely sure you don''t want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
Demand that PayPal cease all fundraisers to supremacist causes!
|
Dear Eugene,
Demand that PayPal pick a side, and cease all fundraisers to white supremacist causes!
PayPal is empowering white nationalists to raise money for Kyle Rittenhouse, the Kenosha shooter who killed two protestors at a rally for Jacob Blake. In the aftermath of the horrific murders he committed, Rittenhouse received an outpouring of support from people who see Black people as a threat. The #FightBack Foundation is actively using PayPal to process donations for Rittenhouse's legal defense. The group's mission states, "we are prepared to confront those who seek to take away the right of self-defense". Eugene, we all know in this context what self-defense means. Emboldened white nationalists justify and celebrate Rittenhouse's violence. With access to raise money on PayPal, this group is doing just that!
These fundraisers are the lifeline for hate groups. It's how they build power - to pay legal fees, book travel and accommodations, and recruit new members. Without these platforms, they are cut off from their donors. As long as PayPal willfully ignores how its platform is being used to fund hate, it is complicit in white supremacy and must be held accountable. We cannot allow PayPal to enable white nationalist groups and finance their hateful, white supremacist causes.
SIGN THE PETITION: Demand that PayPal cease all fundraisers for Kyle Rittenhouse and other white nationalists!
PayPal made a commitment to stop profiting from hate. In 2017, Color Of Change successfully fought to deplatform white nationalist hate groups from PayPal, American Express, Visa and MasterCard after finding that hate groups used these sites to collect over $20 million dollars in contributions, sales, and grants. PayPal was the default bank of the white supremacist movement because it was easier for groups to embed PayPal than credit card companies. PayPal enforced a policy change with staff resources to enforce that policy. But right now, PayPal is choosing to allow the #FightBack Foundation to translate their support for racist violence into donations for Rittenhouse.
We are 2 weeks away from the 2020 elections, and the white nationalists, who Trump told to "stand back and stand by," are organizing and preparing to engage in violent attacks.?Earlier this month, the FBI thwarted a white supremacist, Trump supporting group from kidnapping the governor of Michigan. These white nationalists anticipate prosecution for their terrorizing actions, so they crowdfund to afford lawyers that will defend their attacks. We don't need another Kenosha to happen for us to recognize how dangerous and reckless these groups are. We can't let PayPal play both sides - either PayPal is standing with white nationalists or against them.
SIGN THE PETITION: Demand that PayPal condemn white supremacy and cease ties with their causes!
Until justice is real,?
-Jade, Rashad, Arisha, Johnny, Amanda, Evan, Imani, Marie, Samantha, Eesha, Marcus, FolaSade, Eesha,?Jennette, Ciera,?Gabrielle, Taurjhai, Stasia, and the rest of the Color Of Change team
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Please help keep our movement strong.
Make a Donation
?
We must demand accountability for the murder of Hakim Littleton at the hands of police violence.
|
Eugene,
It has happened again.?
This time, in Detroit. A Black man was ruthlessly murdered by rogue cops. And the officers are still employed two weeks later.?
On July 10, Hakim Littleton's friend was being arrested by a swarm of cops -- and in the process, Hakim drew a gun, shot at an officer, and ultimately missed.1 After Hakim was tackled, disarmed, and lay face down on the ground, he was repeatedly shot, and one officer even shot him in the back of the head at point-blank range.
We'll never know why Hakim drew the gun. He will never be able to tell what was going through his mind as officers swarmed them that day.?But we do know that Hakim should still be alive. He did not deserve to be executed at point-blank range by the very people who "swear to protect" us.
Hakim's murder was a public execution. We demand accountability for the officers, the police chief, and the entire Detroit Police Department for our Black brother.?
Add your name to the petition to demand #JusticeforHakim.
Despite how carelessly the cops sprayed bullets at Hakim, Detroit police chief James Craig has spewed lies to the media, misrepresented what happened the day Hakim was murdered, and continues to conspire against Hakim by referring to the officers as "heroes." The department even tried to hide the additional video footage that clearly shows Hakim was shot multiple times from behind as he lay face down on the ground. The video wasn't released until local activists and community members demanded the footage more than a week later.?
This callous behavior is nothing new for the Detroit Police Department.?
The Detroit police were once the most deadly and notorious police department in the country.2 They lead the nation''s largest cities in the rate of fatal shootings by police -- in just a five-year span from 1995-2000, they murdered 40 people. While that number has decreased, it was only due in part to the federal oversight they were placed under due to the overwhelming amount of police violence. And more recently, the city of Detroit has had to pay out tens of millions of dollars in police misconduct lawsuits, as a result of persistent police brutality.?
#JusticeforHakim: Sign the petition to hold the entire Detroit Police Department accountable for murdering Hakim Littleton.
At Color Of Change, we have run far too many campaigns against the Detroit police department -- and that's a testament to how violent their police force is. Just a few weeks ago while protestors rallied to put an end to police violence, Detroit police drove their SUVs into the crowd of protestors, showing a blatant disregard for their lives.3?
Even against the backdrop of a global uprising against police violence, Detroit officers won't stop abusing and murdering people.?
We deserve to breathe and live free of persistent police violence. We deserve to have our loved ones come home at the end of the day. We are tired. Black Detroiters are tired. We demand accountability and we're demanding it at every level.?
That's why we're calling on Mayor Mike Duggan, Prosecutor Kym Worthy, and Attorney General Dana Nessel to 1)? release the officers' names, 2) fire them, 3) launch an independent investigation, and 4) Mayor Duggan to fire Chief James for his handling of the case.
Add your name now to demand justice.
Until justice is real,
Scott, Rashad, Arisha, Erika, Malachi, Marybeth, Madison, Leonard, Ernie, McKayla and the rest of the Color Of Change team
References:
1. "Protesters gather in Detroit after police shoot and kill man who officers say shot at them first." The Washington Post.?https://act.colorofchange.org/go/257704?t=9&akid=44314%2E4804695%2E8KRycR
2. "How the roots of Detroit''s police department helped spawn 1967 rebellion." NPR.?https://act.colorofchange.org/go/257705?t=11&akid=44314%2E4804695%2E8KRycR
3. "Detroit police SUV drives through crowd after protesters climb on hood." Detroit Free Press.?https://act.colorofchange.org/go/257706?t=13&akid=44314%2E4804695%2E8KRycR
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Please help keep our movement strong.
Make a Donation
?
Demand these cops are held accountable now.
|
?
Eugene,
For most kids, Saturday mornings are spent watching cartoons, sleeping in, or playing outside - not being shot at by the police. But that's exactly what happened to a group of Black children in Waycross, Georgia on Saturday.?
Here's what we know: A Black 16-year-old was driving his younger siblings home before heading to a football game. Waycross Police Officer Jesse Shook began following the car after the driver allegedly ran a stop sign, but Officer Shook never turned on his sirens or flashed his lights to tell the young driver to pull over. Instead, the cop followed the kids home. Scared and confused, the 16-year-old stopped the car at an intersection near their home and told the younger kids in the back seat - his 9-year-old brother, 12-year-old sister, and a 14-year-old friend - to run home to get their father.?
That's when a second officer, Lt. Scott Rowell, arrived at the scene and opened fire on the car and the children, shooting his gun at least twice.1 Thankfully, neither the children nor anyone in the Waycross neighborhood was hit by the bullets - but according to a witness, one of the children was pistol-whipped by the police.2
Officer Shook and Lt. Rovell's reckless and racist decision to target, tailgate, and open fire on a group of Black kids is reprehensible. Both officers are now on paid administrative leave, and an investigation is ongoing.?But it doesn't take an investigation to know this: Both police officers must be held accountable for their actions.?
Tell Waycross Mayor Michael-Angelo James: Cops who shoot at Black children and terrorize Black neighborhoods must be removed from the force. Fire these officers immediately.
Eugene, this isn't the first time Lt. Scott Rowell was a part of an officer-involved shooting. In 2013, Alicia Herron called 911 for medical assistance when she noticed that her fiance, Jack Lamar Roberson, was acting erratically after taking his blood sugar medication. Instead of paramedics, Rowell and two other police officers showed up. The officers did nothing to de-escalate the situation or provide the medical assistance Roberson clearly needed.?
Unfortunately - as is often the case when cops are dispatched to handle medical and mental health emergencies, particularly involving Black people - the police officers only made matters worse. Minutes after they arrived on the scene, Lt. Rowell and his partners shot and killed Roberson in front of his mother and his fiance?.3 Both women confirmed he was unarmed, yet the Georgia Bureau of Investigation cleared the officers of any criminal wrongdoing - allowing Rowell to return to the force and continue terrorizing Black people.4
Last Saturday, 7 years after the murder of Jack Lamar Roberson, Lt. Rowell responded to another non-violent situation with unnecessary use of force. He fired a gun at a group of Black children, in their neighborhood, in front of their father. This time, Rowell will be held accountable for his actions.
Eugene, we're calling on Mayor James to break this dangerous cycle and fire the officers who shot at Black children in South Georgia last week. Add your name now to demand accountability.
In an interview, the children's father expressed a fear Black parents know all too well: That their child could be the next victim of police brutality - their life cut short, reduced to a Twitter hashtag. "Officer Rowell was shooting at our babies...How are they going to protect us when they're shooting at us?" Dominique Goodman Sr. asked. "They are babies. What was the purpose of shooting?"5
What happened in Waycross on Saturday - which could have ended in tragedy - never should have happened in the first place. And sadly, the incident only highlights a sad, dangerous truth in America: Black people are living in terror.?
Young Black children are afraid of the police because they know that one altercation with a cop could kill them. They've seen it happen before. Officers Shook and Rowell made that nightmare real by opening fire on the children as they literally ran for their lives.?
Black children in Waycross - and everywhere - deserve to feel safe. And it's up to us to hold reckless and racist cops accountable.?
Tell Mayor James: Fire Officers Shook and Rowell now.
Until justice is real,
-- Scott, Rashad, Arisha, Erika, Malachi, Marybeth, Leonard, Madison, Ernie, McKayla and the rest of the Color Of Change team
?
References:
1.?Two police officers in Georgia put on leave after shooting at minors. 9 August 2020, CNN.?
2.?Georgia Cops Open Fire on Kids Running Home to get Father after Traffic Stop.?8 August 2020, Pinac News.
3.?Police Fatally Shoot Man After Family Calls For Medical Assistance. 8 October 2013, Huffington Post.
4.?GBI report clears Waycross police officers in October shooting death, DA says. 25 February 2014, The Florida Times-Union.?
5.?Georgia family says cops shot at a car full of unarmed children, report says. 8 August 2020, New York Post.?
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Please help keep our movement strong.
Make a Donation
?
Our democracy is at stake if Facebook doesn't clamp down on election misinformation and calls to violence.
|
Facebook must remove misinformation to ensure people don''t use the platform to undermine the election.?
Tell Facebook #DoYourJob and prevent the platform from being used to influence election results.? ? TAKE ACTION |
Facebook is already causing election chaos. In just the last few days, they've allowed ads to tens of thousands of voters in swing states telling them the wrong election date, as well as Spanish-language ads filled with misinformation and anti-Black dog whistles.1,2?Too much is at stake in this election. Facebook must do their job and make sure the platform isn't used to suppress our votes or drive right-wing violence against our communities.?
Tell Facebook #DoYourJob and cut off voter-manipulating misinformation.????
To make matters worse, this week, Senate Republicans held a sham hearing with Mark Zuckerberg and the other Big Tech CEOs in an attempt to bully tech companies into allowing more election misinformation on their platforms.3?With Election Day now less than a week away, and millions of early ballots already being cast, we can't afford for Facebook to bow to pressure to make it easier for people to spread misinformation. Removing misinformation is necessary to protect our democracy. Here's what Facebook still needs to do to make sure the platform doesn't accelerate the spread of misinformation:?
Facebook has gotten away with not doing their job for long enough. And when they don't do their job, the platform is used to commit violence against us and contribute to the destruction of our democracy.?
Tell Facebook #DoYourJob and stop the spread misinformation that's influencing our election.?
Until justice real,
-Jade, Rashad, Arisha, Johnny, Amanda, Marie, Gabrielle, Evan, Imani, Taurjhai, Stasia, Eesha, Samantha, Jennette, Ciera, Marcus, FolaSade, and the rest of the Color Of Change team
References:?
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Please help keep our movement strong.
Make a Donation
?
Dear Eugene,
I want to send my best wishes to you and your loved ones. I hope you are able to do everything you can to stay safe and healthy during this challenging time. You are part of the Color Of Change family and right now, we are thinking of you.
We know very well that when America gets the sniffles, Black people catch the flu. It is no exaggeration that Black people will be disproportionately harmed by the disastrous handling of the coronavirus - first from our antiquated healthcare system which denies care to those who need it and then from the following recession that will result in countless lay-offs and firings.
COVID-19, or coronavirus as it is commonly known, is a deadly crisis that highlights all of the failures of our systems. Make no mistake, its rapid spread, threatening the lives of the most vulnerable among us, is due to an incompetent administration that refused to properly evaluate its threat and the cowardly corporations and Republican officials who enabled his ascent to power. Even now, as entire school systems shut down and hospital beds fill up, Donald Trump and his Republican enablers continue to deceive us while refusing to provide the American people the essential social safety nets that we need to survive this time. But we are not defeated. We know that we, the people, have the power.
We have the power to demand universal basic income as a part of any coronavirus aid package and adequate safety precautions for incarcerated people. We have the power to demand that vote-by-mail be expanded so that our people don't risk their health at the polls. And we have the power to demand that Governor Cuomo doesn't resort to prison labor as a quick fix for supply shortages exacerbated by opportunistic hoarding and panic buying.
Join us in demanding justice now with five crucial fights that will help us survive this pandemic and thrive in its aftermath.
The outbreak of COVID-19 reminds us that many people live paycheck-to-paycheck when they shouldn't have to. Many part-time, hourly or contract workers - who are disproportionately Black and low-income - are meeting economic hardship as hours are cut or reduced, leading to lost wages and a juggling of whether to pay for housing, medical care, and other need-based items. The increasing need to "self-isolate" with an equally increasing need to pay expenses is why there should be a universal basic income. A universal basic income would not only help plug financial holes where necessary but eliminate economic uncertainty for nearly 80% of workers. Join us in demanding a universal basic income as part of any coronavirus response package.
Mass incarceration is now more than ever a public health crisis. People locked in prisons, jails, and detention centers are some of the most vulnerable in this time and we can''t allow them to be neglected nor exploited. There are already confirmed COVID-19 cases popping up in jails, prisons, and detention centers across the country. Places of incarceration are the least equipped to keep people safe and healthy during a pandemic outbreak. People are crammed into small spaces, forced to share bathrooms and go without showers. Incarcerated people are not given access to soap, hand sanitizer, adequate medical care or supplies, etc. And the cycle of people in and out of jails, prisons, and detention centers will only spread this pandemic through communities faster. Color Of Change came together with over 50 groups to develop a national platform that outlines how officials should be responding to this moment. Sign onto the platform to demand that officials implement humane responses to protect incarcerated people.
The coronavirus pandemic has made it abundantly clear that we must expand vote-by-mail options nationwide. The long lines at polling places and other hassles Black people too frequently experience while voting are already a dire threat to democracy, and allowing them to continue in light of this massive public health threat is even more unconscionable. Support Senator Ron Wyden's bill to authorize emergency funding to expand vote-by-mail options in states that don't already have it. This bill is an important step towards protecting our democracy and public health
We have long been encouraging folks to complete the census online or by phone as early as possible this spring, but that plan just got even more important now that we're collectively dealing with COVID-19. Self-responding early helps lessen the need for census takers to knock on people's doors to complete the count, and it also gives the Bureau -- and organizers like us! -- more time to work through any issues that might pop up as the count goes on. Make a plan to take the census today.
In addition to preventing the spread of the outbreak, we must be vigilant to ensure this crisis isn''t abused to further criminalize or exploit our people. In New York, Governor Cuomo is forcing incarcerated people to mass-produce hand sanitizer they can''t even use for less than $1 a day. Yet, he''s done nothing to protect incarcerated people from the spread of the disease and is refusing to use his clemency power to expedite release. Sign the petition demanding Gov. Cuomo stop forcing underpaid labor and use his power to release incarcerated people who are vulnerable.
With the world in crisis, it is so important that we stick together and stand up for one another. Whether you take action on one -- or all five -- of the important campaigns highlighted above by our team, we deeply appreciate your fighting for justice during this crucial moment.
Until justice is real,?
Rashad Robinson
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you''re absolutely sure you don''t want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
We need your help to donate toys to Black foster children in the Greater New Orleans Area.
|
We want to buy holiday gifts for foster kids in the Greater New Orleans Area.??
Sign up to donate monthly to give a foster child a gift for the holidays.? ? GIVE $3 MONTHLY |
This year, we wanted to do something extra special to celebrate the holidays. So, we've partnered with Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Jefferson, an organization that advocates for the rights of children in foster care in the Greater New Orleans Area, to purchase toys for foster kids in need. Help us give the gift of Black joy to foster children in the Greater New Orleans Area by donating $3 per month. ??
All too often, Black kids are unjustly denied the joy that many other children experience simply because of their Blackness. Studies show that Black children are seen as more guilty, more aggressive, and more adult than their white counterparts, which leads to Black kids facing unnecessary criminalization and long-term impacts like negative effects on their emotional and educational development.1,2 This is magnified for foster children who, in addition, face familial disruption and complex legal proceedings. Despite all of that, the children of CASA Jefferson demonstrate resilience and persistence, and they keep fighting to do their best with what they have.
Contribute $3 per month to help us give the gift of Black joy to foster kids in the Greater New Orleans Area.?
Black foster kids should be able to take part in the joy and excitement of the holiday season, just like any other children. But CASA Jefferson needs your help to make sure their foster kids have joyful holidays. By matching children with a dedicated advocate, CASA Jefferson ensures children in foster care have comfort, love, a consistent adult presence, and a sense of stability during legal proceedings. They are a positive resource for kids going through a difficult time, and because they do so much for their kids, we want to share some Black joy with them.?
Eugene, sign up TODAY to be a monthly donor and give Greater New Orleans foster kids the gift of Black joy.?
Just $3 per month ensures we can send as much joy as possible to as many foster kids at CASA Jefferson as possible.
Until justice is real,?
-Jade, Rashad, Arisha, Johnny, Amanda, Marie, Gabrielle, Evan, Imani, Taurjhai, Stasia, Eesha, Samantha, Jennette, Ciera, Marcus, FolaSade, and the rest of the Color Of Change team
References:?
Image: TODAY Illustration/Getty Images
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Please help keep our movement strong.
Make a Donation
?
Police unions are the biggest barrier to meaningful reform. They must be stopped.
Eugene,
Police unions are one of the largest single threats to Black life in America.
The Fraternal Order of Police, also known as FOP, is the world's largest union of police officers. They are the enablers, pacifiers, and the protective body behind the police violence that plagues Black communities.?
While millions of people like you and elected leaders across the country have spoken out, rallied, and protested against police violence following the murders of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, and Tony McDade at the hands of the police, the FOP consistently supports officers who brutalize and kill Black people.1
The FOP consistently advocates for bloated police budgets, fail to hold their officers accountable, push for militarized weapons in our communities, and aggressively push back against any meaningful reform. Police unions keep the tradition of police brutality alive and pledge blind loyalty to police officers - even the most violent of them.
You may not be familiar with the FOP and police unions, but so many of our elected leaders and politicians are. The FOP gives large sums of money to elected officials and candidates, both Democratic and Republican, in the form of political contributions. Elected leaders that claim to value Black lives cannot possibly do so if they collect checks from one of the most dangerous and racist institutions in the country.?
Eugene, sign the petition to demand elected officials take the pledge to not take money from killer cop organizations.?
Political contributions are a reflection of who a candidate is. So we're calling on candidates to make good on their declarations to support Black people.?
We call on elected leaders across the nation to return and refuse political donations from police unions and the Fraternal Order of Police, which has excused, defended, and encouraged police violence for decades.
Every donation that a candidate accepts from the FOP and police unions makes them an ally to racism and police violence -and complicit with Black people dying at the hands of police.
Each time a leader of the FOP opens their mouths, they spew hatred against the very communities they are sworn to protect. The president of the Philadelphia chapter called Black Lives Matters protestors "a pack of rabid animals" following one of their officers shooting two Black people in the back.2?The president of the Minneapolis FOP called the protest about George Floyd''s death a "terrorist movement."3?And a Florida FOP president even offered to give jobs to the officers who recently brutalized two innocent young Black teens and were fired and charged for it.4
This is what we're up against. But we'll organize and fight them until they have no power in our elections, political process, and the interests of our elected leaders.?
Stop the FOP.
We must end the cycle of dirty money infiltrating our political system. Stand with us to fight against the FOP once and for all.?
Until justice is real,?
Scott, Erika, Malachi, Leonard, and the rest of the Color Of Change PAC team
Sources
1. "The Fraternal Order Of Police: A Union That Stands In The Way Of Police Reforms", NPR?https://act.colorofchange.org/go/251954?t=5&akid=43730%2E4804695%2Erv48Mx
2. "Police Union President Calls Black Lives Matter Protesters Outside Philadelphia Officer's House 'a Pack of Rabid Animals'", NBC Philadelphia?https://act.colorofchange.org/go/251955?t=7&akid=43730%2E4804695%2Erv48Mx
3. "Calls For Reform Put Minneapolis Police Union Leader In Hot Seat", NPR?https://act.colorofchange.org/go/251956?t=9&akid=43730%2E4804695%2Erv48Mx
4. "Brevard County FOP head resigns over post on accused officers", News 4 Jax?https://act.colorofchange.org/go/251957?t=11&akid=43730%2E4804695%2Erv48Mx
| Donate |  |
 |
Paid Pol. Adv. paid for by ColorOfChange PAC, 1714 Franklin St., Oakland, CA 94612, independently of and not authorized or approved by any federal, state, or local candidate or candidate's committee.
ColorOfChange PAC is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Contributions to Color Of Change PAC are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. This email was sent to @. If you''re absolutely sure you don''t want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
Dear?Eugene,?
WRITE A LETTER to ventilator manufacturers to demand they allow hospitals to fix broken ventilators!
Ventilator manufacturers Vyaire Medical, GE Healthcare, Medtronic, Hamilton Medical, and the group that lobbies for them, AdvaMed, still haven't taken responsibility for their role in hospitals'' inability to fix broken ventilators.1 Meanwhile, the COVID-19 (coronavirus) health pandemic has only become more deadly for Black people.?
Our communities are dying from complications due to coronavirus at disproportionately high rates.2 Ventilators are a key medical intervention that can help keep Black people breathing long enough to fight the virus. Without increased access to ventilators, our friends, grandparents, children, and spouses will continue to suffer.?
It's time for ventilator companies to step in to help Black, disabled, and low-income communities get the medical care they need to survive.?WRITE A LETTER to ventilator manufacturers and tell them to let hospitals fix ventilators.??
But the problem isn't just that ventilators are in short supply. The current ventilator shortage, and its impacts on Black communities, replicates and magnifies long-existing racial disparities in medical care.3 4 We are routinely denied access to healthcare, no matter how deadly our symptoms or how severe our pain.5 6 Those of us who are Black and disabled are so thoroughly ignored that we face constant challenges while trying to receive the healthcare we need to live.7 The coronavirus is no exception. Michigan mother Deborah Gatewood, for example, passed away in April after seeking treatment for coronavirus symptoms at the hospital where she worked for 31 years. She visited that same hospital four times before she died and was denied care each time. When her daughter took her to a different hospital, it was too late. She was unresponsive, she had developed bilateral pneumonia, and her kidneys failed shortly after.8?
Deborah's story is not an unfortunate mistake; it reflects a pattern of racism in medical care that plays into who will and will not receive a ventilator when needed. Due to the persistent shortage, ventilators are being rationed in large part by patients' likelihood of survival.9 10 This means that our family and friends being treated for coronavirus may not receive a ventilator, or may be forced to share a ventilator, because our "chances of survival" are diminished by disabilities or pre-existing conditions like asthma, heart disease, and diabetes.11 12 In this world, a world in which we cannot count on our federal government to purchase additional life-saving ventilators, and Black people will keep dying daily because of this, we need companies-like ventilator manufacturers-to step in.13?
WRITE A LETTER to ventilator manufacturers to demand they step up and help save as many lives as possible.
Until justice is real,?
-Brandi, Rashad, Arisha, Jade, Johnny, Amanda, Evan, Imani, Eesha, Samantha, Jennette, Ciera, Marcus, FolaSade, and the rest of the Color Of Change team
References:?
Image: Karen Moskowitz, Getty Images via The New York Times
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you''re absolutely sure you don''t want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
Hey Eugene, it''s me John Legend.?
In 2 days, we have a chance at having a progressive criminal justice system in Los Angeles. How? By saying #ByeJackieLacey and voting for George Gasc?n in the District Attorney''s race.?
As a Black LA resident, this election is not about politics; it's personal for me and my community.?Since Jackie Lacey was elected DA in 2012,?the LA?police?force has?killed?over 500 people. Most of these victims were Black and brown, and Lacey has only charged one officer.1?Many brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, and friends of these people are still grieving and traumatized.?
Right now, you have the power to help undo the damage that DA Lacey has inflicted on our community by voting her out of office. Hundreds of vote centers are open across LA County until March 3rd.?
Click here to find a vote center that works best for you to vote for George Gasc?n in the District Attorney's race.
Next, share this vote center infographic to make sure your friends and family know where to vote too!
?
Share by Email ?
Post to Facebook ?
Share on Twitter ?
If Jackie Lacey is re-elected, Black folks' livelihood is at stake. Although we make up only 8% of the county's population, Black folks comprise a third of LA's jail population, which is the largest in the country.2?To make matters worse, nearly a quarter of the people killed by law enforcement officers are Black.3?Since 2012, DA Jackie Lacey has continued to disproportionately send Black people to jail and refuse to prosecute officers who kill us.?
After 8 long years of misconduct in the DAs office, we finally have a chance at progressive criminal justice reform. Los Angeles police officers are killing Black people, and DA Lacey continues to turn a blind eye.
I believe that we can win this,?Eugene. That's why I'm emailing you right now and speaking out against Jackie Lacey. I want Black people from all walks of life to be treated with dignity and respect. There's so much work we can do to improve our communities by making them safer and healthier.
We only have 2 more days to make our voices heard. Will you make sure your friends and family know where to vote so we can finally get Jackie Lacey out of office?
Yes -- I will make sure my friends & family members are educated about the LA County vote centers by sharing this infographic right now.
Share by Email ?
Post to Facebook ?
Share on Twitter ?
Sincerely,
John Legend
P.S. --?Make sure to also vote YES on Measure R. It's a ballot measure that brings oversight, transparency, and accountability to the LA Sheriff''s Department. Measure R will directly address problems of Sheriff deputy misconduct and corruption, and demand solutions to severe overcrowding and inadequate mental health care in our jails. Click here to learn more.
References:?
1.?
https://act.colorofchange.org/go/237233?t=10&akid=41333%2E4804695%2En91utH
2.
https://act.colorofchange.org/go/226633?t=12&akid=41333%2E4804695%2En91utH
3. Ibid.
| Donate |  |
 |
|
Ad paid for by ColorOfChange PAC, colorofchangepac.org. Not authorized by any federal, state, or local candidate or a committee controlled by a candidate. |
ColorOfChange PAC is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Contributions to Color Of Change PAC are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. This email was sent to @. If you''re absolutely sure you don''t want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
We just got research results
Dear?Eugene,
We just got back some research about our members in LA County concerning the election between George Gasc?n and Jackie Lacey. Here's what we found out:
This research shows us that our work is cut out for us: people want an alternative to Jackie Lacey who will make major changes to end police brutality and hold officers accountable. But if people don't know who George Gasc?n is, they're likely to just re-elect Jackie Lacey because they recognize her name and aren't familiar with the issues.
Eugene,?will you help us make sure as many people as possible get to know George Gasc?n and vote for him so we can move towards real justice in LA County?
Here's what you can do:
Additionally, here's some talking points you can use when you're talking to your family and friends or posting on social media about George Gasc?n:
If you want, you can even make a video using these talking points and your own perspectives on criminal justice reform in LA County to share with your people!
Please share this information with as many people as you can; talking to people you trust is one of the best tools we have to make sure George Gasc?n defeats Jackie Lacey in just a couple weeks.
Thank you for standing with us for justice for Black and brown communities in LA!
Until justice is real,
Jenni, Arisha, Corina, Destanie, Kaya, Scotty and the Color Of Change PAC team
P.S. We're also supporting Holly J. Mitchell for LA County Board of Supervisors, District 2.?Click here to learn more about her vision to uplift Black communities.
| Donate |  |
 |
|
Ad paid for by ColorOfChange PAC, Supporting Gascon for LA County District Attorney 2020, colorofchangepac.org. Committee major funding from: Susan Pritzker Wayne Jordan Quinn Delaney Not authorized by any federal, state, or local candidate or a committee controlled by a candidate. |
ColorOfChange PAC is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Contributions to Color Of Change PAC are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. This email was sent to @. If you''re absolutely sure you don''t want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
A quick review of what we will accomplish together ahead of Nov. 3
?
?
Hey?Eugene,
In the past 2 weeks we've seen all 50 U.S. states plus 18 countries participate in protests against police brutality after the murder of George Floyd. Time and time again we've watched people channel their outrage of the senseless killings of unarmed Black folks to the streets. And time and time again, the outrage is followed by disappointment in a racist, broken criminal system led by prosecutors that place no accountability on the killers.
At Color Of Change PAC we realized one solution to the unjust criminal system was voting out these district attorneys and other elected officials who continue to fail us.? These elected officials hold so much power yet their elections often go unnoticed.?
District Attorneys have the power to decide who gets charged with crimes and who doesn''t, whether police are held accountable for harming and killing people, whether cash bail keeps poor people locked up, and so much more.
Since 2016, Color Of Change PAC has worked to educate and engage hundreds of thousands of Black voters in dozens of races through digital ads, direct mail, radio ads and in-person events. Most recently, my team has been tracking voter disinformation ahead of the primaries like today''s in Georgia and West Virginia--to make sure Black folks are not being discouraged from casting their ballots.
Eugene,?District Attorneys are the most powerful single actors in the criminal justice system and less than 150 days stand between us and the elections that will decide who holds these titles. If you're in a place to give, please support Color Of Change PAC with a donation of any amount today to enable us to:?
Donate $1.50
Donate $15.0
Donate $150
Donate Another Amount
If we win in less than 150 days,? we can elect leaders that are accountable to Black communities and understand that we need change. Now is the time to turn our collective pain from this moment into Black political power.?
Thank you for all of your support.
Until justice is real,
Arisha, Jenni, Drew, Charles, Tammi, Cristel, Alex, Scotty, Daniel, and the Color Of Change PAC team
We need your help fighting back against attempts to discourage Black voters from casting their ballots.?Please help us report and hold accountable those who are trying to keep us from voting.
| Donate |  |
 |
Paid Pol. Adv. paid for by ColorOfChange PAC, 1714 Franklin St., Oakland, CA 94612, independently of and not authorized or approved by any federal, state, or local candidate or candidate's committee.
ColorOfChange PAC is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Contributions to Color Of Change PAC are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. This email was sent to @. If you''re absolutely sure you don''t want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
Eugene,
COVID-19 (also known as coronavirus) is impacting the entire world, but it's having an even greater impact on our most vulnerable communities. Black families, low-income families, the elderly, and those who are disabled or ill have the most potential to be impacted by coronavirus. They also have limited resources to avoid getting sick. Visits to a doctor's office or hospital are unaffordable for those without insurance. Supplies like hand sanitizer and soap have run out at neighborhood stores across the country, making supplies impossible for people without cars to obtain. And, those who work as cashiers, nurses, bus drivers, train operators, and other crucial jobs have the highest chance for exposure to the virus with the least flexibility to work from home or take sick leave.
At Color Of Change, we fight to protect Black communities and our country's most vulnerable communities. So, we created 5 ways you can take action, all in one place, so that you can stand up for the communities who don't have the ability to avoid coronavirus.
Tell major publications that everyone should be able to access information about coronavirus. In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, news outlets like The Washington Post and the Los Angeles Times are keeping crucial updates about coronavirus behind costly paywalls and subscriptions. This is an unjust act: these news outlets and academic outlets are limiting information to increase their profits.1 We must stop publications from withholding critical information from those who can't afford to pay these costly fees.
Demand billionaire company owners cover the cost of coronavirus tests for all.
It is not a coincidence that Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates, and Jeff Bezos are some of the wealthiest people on the planet. Companies like Amazon, Microsoft, and Facebook, have relied on major tax breaks, subsidies and city infrastructure paid for by taxpayer dollars to make billions of dollars in profit. Those same companies have created housing crises in every city they are based in, making countless Americans more vulnerable to the devastating impacts of coronavirus. Billionaires like Jeff Bezos, Bill Gates, and Mark Zuckerberg have the means to pay for coronavirus testing for the entire country several times over. And with health officials recommending as many people as possible are tested as soon as possible, it is essential that these billionaires step up and pay their debt to society. That's why we're calling on Zuckerberg, Gates, and Bezos to pay for coronavirus testing for all.?
Demand states institute emergency paid sick leave for part-time and hourly workers. At a time when people are being quarantined left and right, and coronavirus is spreading at speeds faster than hospital staff can treat, it is necessary for people to stay home if they're feeling sick. But, many stores, restaurants, and companies who hire part-time and hourly workers - workers who are disproportionately Black and low-income - do not provide paid sick leave for staff who aren't full-time, forcing many people to show up to work despite the current health crisis, which can increase their chances of becoming ill or spreading an illness to someone else.2 Join us in demanding states provide paid sick leave for part-time and hourly workers so that our people can protect themselves and others from spreading illnesses.
Demand your Governor distribute meals to children and families who receive subsidized school lunch or SNAP benefits. Millions of Black children from low-income households rely on breakfast and lunch from their schools. But, as coronavirus spreads, more and more children are not going to be allowed in school. This is a huge problem for the many Black families who receive subsidized school lunch; their children may go hungry without access to school-provided meals. Tell your state to institute a plan to distribute meals to the families who receive subsidized school lunch.
Demand states put a moratorium into place that stops evictions, water shut-offs, and layoffs during the coronavirus outbreak. Every day, people face devastating challenges like eviction, water shut-offs, and layoffs. And this is no different during the coronavirus outbreak: thousands of Black people work low-wage jobs, and already have difficulty paying their bills and their rent, with Coronavirus making these tasks that much more difficult. But, company owners, landlords, and utility companies do not seem to care. During this health crisis, they continue to lay people off, shut off families' water, and evict people from their homes. Join us in demanding that governors across the country implement a moratorium on layoffs, evictions, and water shut-offs.
No matter how dire the situation, we will never stop fighting to protect our people, even if it means we must fight in the face of international crisis. Thank you, Eugene, for fighting with us.
Until justice is real,?
-Brandi, Rashad, Arisha, Jade, Johnny, Amanda, Evan, Imani, Samantha, Jennette, Ciera, Eesha, Marcus, FolaSade, and the rest of the Color Of Change team
References:?
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you''re absolutely sure you don''t want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
Now is the time to get involved, don't wait!
Hey Eugene,
I just wanted to follow up here to make sure you saw my invitation to our FINAL week of texathons to get out the vote! We still need plenty of people today, Friday, and Saturday! Click one of the links below to sign up.
Choose a Friday texting time
Choose a Thursday or Saturday texting time
Help our data team ensure our data is accurate after the textathons
Thank you for all you do for racial justice, and sending you strength to get through this last week until the election!
Until justice is real,
Shannon, Corina, Hillerie, Bill, Destanie, Kaya, Niesha, Cam, Scotty and the rest of the Color Of Change PAC team
Hey Eugene,
Election Day is ONE WEEK away. I know, I can''t believe it either. This is the most essential week for Black voters to hear from us to make sure they have a plan to vote and everything they need to do it!
We''re hosting Black Joy textathons to inform Black voters every day this week at multiple times each day, so there''s space for everyone to get involved! Sign up below:
?
Do your part to make sure your friends, family, neighbors, and voters across the country RSVP today to get essential information to Black voters before November! And bring a friend too!
Choose a Friday texting time
Choose a Thursday or Saturday texting time
Help our data team ensure our data is accurate after the textathons
Until justice is real,
Shannon, Corina, Hillerie, Bill, Destanie, Kaya, Niesha, Cam, Scotty and the rest of the Color Of Change PAC team
P.S. We''re also collecting videos from people like you about why it''s important to get out and vote, and how it impacts Black communities. Click here to make your own to share with your people!
| Donate |  |
 |
|
Ad paid for by ColorOfChange PAC, colorofchangepac.org. Not authorized by any federal, state, or local candidate or a committee controlled by a candidate. |
ColorOfChange PAC is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Contributions to Color Of Change PAC are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. This email was sent to @. If you''re absolutely sure you don''t want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
Read about the candidate we believe will stand with Black people in LA County
?
?
Hey?Eugene,
We are proud to officially endorse Holly J. Mitchell for the LA County Board of Supervisors, District 2!
A 3rd-generation Angeleno, Mitchell has a track record of pushing for prison and justice reform, healthcare for all Californians, protecting jobs, and more in her 7 years as a California legislator.
On the Board of Supervisors, Holly J. Mitchell pledges to:1
If you believe we need these changes too, you can help elect Holly J. Mitchell by educating 3 friends or family members about her and why you support her. To get more information, click below:
Help Elect Holly J. Mitchell
In her time in office, Mitchell has done amazing work for the people of California.?
In 2018, her #EquityandJustice package was signed into law. It included laws that reduced sentence enhancements for low-level drug offenses, removed court fees for the innocent, stopped the sentencing of juveniles to life without parole, and much more.
She led the repeal of the Maximum Family Grant Rule that prohibited families from receiving vital financial support through CalWORKS, ensuring that low-income families receive support for all of their children.
And she showed compassion for those struggling with addiction by authoring and passing SB 323, which made it easier for health centers and the county to get people treatments.
Holly J. Mitchell will fight to keep her people in LA County safe and thriving. Vote-by-mail or early vote starting in October for Holly J. Mitchell for LA County Board of Supervisors, or vote on Election Day, November 3rd!?
Take your first step to support Holly J. Mitchell by taking the challenge to educate 3 friends about her!
Until justice is real,
Arisha, Jenni, Drew, Charles, Tammi, Cristel, Alex, Erick, Scotty, Daniel, and the Color Of Change PAC team
P.S. To vote, you have to be registered! Check your registration status here, and then help your friends and family do the same
Sources
| Donate |  |
 |
|
Ad paid for by ColorOfChange PAC, colorofchangepac.org. Not authorized by any federal, state, or local candidate or a committee controlled by a candidate. |
ColorOfChange PAC is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Contributions to Color Of Change PAC are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. This email was sent to @. If you''re absolutely sure you don''t want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
Dear?Eugene,?
A pregnancy outcome should never result in prison time, but that could be the case in Louisiana. Amendment 1 will be on the ballot this November in Louisiana. If approved, abortions would be banned across the state with no exceptions for rape or incest or if the life of the pregnant person were in danger. Louisiana also has "trigger laws" in place which ensure that if Roe v. Wade is overturned, abortion would be banned automatically.1?
Black cis and trans women, trans men, and gender non-conforming folks will be criminalized first.?We saw this play out in Mississippi when Latice Fisher, a young Black mother was charged with second-degree murder after having a stillbirth. And in Alabama, when Marshae Jones was indicted for the death of her own fetus after being shot five times in the stomach.?Black people are being?forced to live in fear that seeking an abortion, initiating a self-managed abortion, or even instances of stillbirth or miscarriage could result in criminalization. But your District Attorney has the power to get ahead of any potential criminalization and prioritize reproductive freedom by refusing to enforce laws that penalize based on pregnancy outcomes.?
That''s why I''m asking you to become a sustaining member,?Eugene.?Now is your chance to take your support to the next level.?Now is your chance to take your support to the next level. Because with your help, we can continue to put pressure on prosecutors and elected officials who have the power to ensure no one is thrown in jail based on a pregnancy outcome.?
I support reproductive freedom
?
When our people get access to the reproductive healthcare we need, we thrive. That starts with demanding the solutions that will aid in the healing and prioritization of our reproductive autonomy. This includes a world in which our people are treated with dignity, and freedom to make choices about our own bodies. We deserve meaningful options regarding where, how, and with whom we will give birth, in a person-centered, anti-racist model of care.2?Law enforcement including prosecutors has no place in pregnancy decisions. With your help, we can continue our fight calling on them to say NO to criminalizing pregnancy.
Before you go?Eugene, can we count on you to be a key member in our fight for reproductive justice??Choose an amount that feels powerful to you as an investment in this powerful work:
|
DONATE NOW: $3 DONATE NOW: $5 DONATE NOW: $15 |
DONATE NOW: $25 DONATE NOW: $50 OTHER AMOUNT |
Until justice is real,?
--Erika, Rashad, Arisha, Scott, Malachi, Marybeth, Madison, Leonard, Ernie, Ariel, Ana, McKayla, Ericka, and the rest of the Color Of Change team
?References:
ColorOfChange is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change.
If you''re absolutely sure you don''t want to hear from ColorOfChange again, click here to unsubscribe.Demand Attorney General Karl Racine take immediate action in stopping the spread of coronavirus in the local jail.
|
April Goggans just started a petition?demanding the immediate release of the hundreds of people in DC Jail, Hope Village and Fairview Halfway Houses.
|
||
Dear?Eugene,? 230 and growing. That is the number of people currently quarantined inside D.C. jail after coming into contact with a correctional staff member who tested positive for COVID-19.? Public health officials have repeatedly warned that the only way to flatten the curve and to save countless lives is to immediately release incarcerated people. The D.C. Jail is no different. Most of the roughly 1,600 people trapped inside are awaiting trial and presumed innocent. Several are serving sentences for petty and other low-level offenses. Many have pre-existing medical conditions that make them particularly vulnerable to the virus, while others are elderly and frail. Today, each of them is facing the possibility of a death sentence.?? We don''t have much time left. The virus is spreading rapidly and could infect hundreds of people within days. Eugene, will you sign this petition demanding D.C. officials to protect incarcerated people and the larger public from COVID-19? From the moment Mayor Bowser declared a public health emergency, defense lawyers have filed hundreds of motions in D.C. Superior Court demanding the release of their clients. Despite the flood of motions, D.C. Superior Court judges continue to operate business as usual. Rather than acknowledge the life or death circumstances at the D.C. Jail, judges are callously denying bond review motions and continuing to detain countless individuals. While the judges quickly shut down courtrooms to protect their own health and well-being, they have refused to show this same level of concern to the people whose lives hang in the balance inside of the D.C. Jail. With each ruling, the D.C. Superior Court judges are reinforcing a clear reality that Black and Brown people have long known: courthouses are a place where the lives of some are valued and the lives of others are not. But it is not only judges whose inaction risks the lives of everyone at the D.C. Jail. Attorney General Karl Racine has also made clear where he stands on the issue. Despite his claims of being a "progressive" prosecutor, Racine's actions show that he is nothing more than a politician who says one thing but does another. Attorney General Karl Racine proclaimed to the nation that "in [these] ever-challenging times, prosecutors must stand up for the human dignity and constitutional rights of those in custody who are too easily forgotten." Yet, for the roughly 1,600 people at the D.C. Jail where the virus has been spreading rapidly, Racine has done absolutely nothing. Racine''s clear inaction puts all of us in harm's way.?Why? Because jails are not closed environments. Hundreds of thousands of people, mostly correctional staff, cycle in and out of these places every day, guaranteeing the spread of COVID-19 beyond the facility to the larger public.? That is why we are calling on D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine, D.C. Superior Court Chief Judge Robert Morin, Presiding Judge of the Criminal Division Juliet McKenna & Deputy Presiding Judge of the Criminal Division Danya Dayson to IMMEDIATELY do the following in order to save lives:
Time is of the essence. And we must move quickly.?Tell D.C. officials to immediately release as many people as possible from incarceration to save lives and prevent the spread of this deadly virus. The people inside D.C. Jail are being held captive in conditions that amount to torture. Despite the spread of this highly contagious and deadly virus, the DOC is not providing proper medical care and ignoring the desperate cries for help from the sick.?The DOC has even gone as far as locking everyone in their cells, often with two people in the same cell, for 23 ? hours a day, in a misguided attempt to contain the virus. As if this was not horrific enough, the DOC has refused to provide hand sanitizer, basic cleaning products, or even adequate amounts of soap, so people can try their best to protect themselves from a virus that may kill them.? Conditions in the jail are so brutal that the union representing the correctional officers who work there are supporting the ACLU's lawsuit against their own employer, the DOC. According to the union's attorney, "The DOC management has created an unconscionable public health crisis, and almost certainly guaranteed and accelerated the rampant spread of COVID-19 within the DOC facilities and the communities in which the staff live." The people trapped at the D.C. Jail are watching and waiting helplessly for the day when their own bodies are ravaged by its symptoms. As the Attorney General for the District of Columbia, Racine's office represents the Department of Corrections in this suit. Right now, Racine has the opportunity to rise to the challenge and ensure that the DOC complies with his own public proclamations. Instead, Racine is exposing himself as an opportunistic and hypocritical politician.
The cowardice of D.C. Superior Court judges and the hypocrisy of Attorney General Karl Racine are no longer just ugly character flaws, they are obstacles endangering the lives of everyone held at the D.C. Jail. We will not forgive and history will not forget. Join us in demanding the immediate release of the hundreds of people trapped inside D.C jail. Yours in freedom,? -- April Goggans, Black Lives Matter DC |
?
|
Sign now
|
Join us and start your own petition on OrganizeFor today!
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you''re absolutely sure you don''t want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
Eugene,
Over the past week, thousands of people have?taken action on?Color Of Change''s platforms. We made calls, sent texts, posted on social media, and sent letters?to the Minneapolis city councilmembers and Mayor Frey''s office to demand they defund the police.
This weekend, we witnessed the result of people power due to the years' long organizing efforts of Black Visions Collective,1 a Minnesota-based organization fighting for transformative policies to create a more equitable world for Black people.?In an unprecedented act, an?overwhelming majority of the Minneapolis City Council announced its intent to disband the Minneapolis Police Department and invest in community-based alternatives for safety.2
The first step to creating the world we envision is divesting from and upending the systems that unjustly harm and hold us back, and this weekend we witnessed that first step.
The weeks of protesting and the brutality that protestors themselves have faced has revealed what we here at Color Of Change know to be true. We are beyond the point of making small incremental reforms to the police. We are beyond the point of urging officers to do better by us. There is no minor policy reform that can be implemented to change the behavior of killer cops. We must divest from policing and invest in the things that keep Black and Brown people housed, safe, and healthy.??
Black communities all across the country are in desperate need of investment in education, mental health services, jobs, and affordable housing, but yet police budgets take up most money, and there is little to no evidence that shows more police leads to less crime. So, while this victory is welcomed news, we still have so much work to do to begin creating those alternative community-based solutions.
The Minneapolis city council took a bold step for justice. Now let's thank them and get to work in cities all across the country.?
The killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor and so many more have left us all outraged, but our movement is stronger than ever. In unprecedented steps, mayors across the country have made commitments to reassess how money is funneled to police departments, the Minneapolis school district and the University of Minnesota both pledged to cut ties with the MPD. Now it's up to us to hold them accountable, push for further systemic changes, and not lose the momentum needed to change the institution of policing forever.
Color Of Change is in this fight with you. And together, we can create a world for Black people where instead of militarized police presence in our neighborhoods, our babies are kept safe through community-based solutions.
Sign the petition: Demand your city leaders and governor invest in communities and not cops.
Until justice is real,?
Scott, Rashad, Arisha, Erika, Marybeth, Malachi, Madison, Leonard, and the rest of the Color Of Change team
Reference:
1.?To learn more about Black Visions Collective, their movement, and to donate, go?here.
2. "Minneapolis City Council Members Announce Intent to Disband the Police Department, Invest in Proven Community-led Public Safety." The Appeal.
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you''re absolutely sure you don''t want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
Donate today.
|
Dear Eugene,
We see the ways in which our community bears the impact of mis/disinformation. From police relying on disinformation from white nationalist groups as well as the continued threat of coronavirus being downplayed to election misinformation running rampant, threatening our ability to vote--all winding up with the same result of Black communities fending for ourselves.1,2 But Color Of Change remains steadfast in combating these harms with you--fighting for justice on every front to ensure our communities are informed and protected.?
Color Of Change did this work by:
Make a donation today to ensure Color Of Change continues to remain at the forefront of issues to reduce the harm against Black communities.
Until justice is real,
-Color Of Change Team Member
References:
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Please help keep our movement strong.
Make a Donation
?
|
Eugene -- Following weeks of national protests calling for police reform, political leaders in Washington are finally taking steps to address the crisis of policing. Last week, Trump signed an executive order that he claims addresses the problem of police violence.1 However, the executive order does not do much to actually hold police accountable. Instead, the President has given us disingenuous band-aid solutions that do not even address his own administration''s moves to undermine police accountability.?
Senate Republicans also announced a legislative package called the "Justice Act on Policing" that would do nothing but maintain the status quo -- they are determined to make police reform almost meaningless as they do the bidding of police officers. To make matters worse, Senate Majority leader Mitch McConnell has been pressuring Senate Democrats to team up with Republicans and approve this watered-down and piecemeal police reform.2
This is why I need your help, Eugene.?Senate Democrats must oppose this bill and commit to ending the transfer of federal money as well as military equipment to local police completely. Our communities need resources, not more police.?
For years, public officials have been significantly underfunding the social safety net in Black and brown communities resulting in mass unemployment, homelessness, and mental health crises as well as poor quality education for our children. Yet, police budgets have only ballooned over the years. More importantly, police are not trained to deal with these societal issues with compassion or care but rather encouraged to use lethal force. Overinvestment in police and underinvestment in public services lead to more criminalization of Black and Brown communities.?
Simply put, we cannot keep doing this. Police do not keep our communities safe, they are dangerous and have demonstrated over and over again an unwillingness to be held accountable. We have to try new strategies that will cultivate stability and foster trust in our communities. And it starts with reducing federal funding to police. Our lives literally depend on it.??
Sign the petition: Demand Congress invests in our communities instead of policing.?
The federal government provides hundreds of millions of dollars in grants and military-style equipment to local police every year. We''ve just seen police all over the country responding to peaceful protests with violent military equipment and tactics. Anything short of ending the militarization of police completely is not good enough.
The federal government has also given billions of dollars to police around the country. This year alone, the Department of Justice awarded over $400 million dollars to local police departments for hiring, and training purposes. DOJ also administers federal grants through the Edward Byrne Memorial Assistance program, totaling $264 million for the 2019 fiscal year. And the Department of Homeland Security doles out $1.8 billion to cities for emergency preparedness but requires 25 percent of that funding to go to law enforcement. Quite literally, we have a system that uses billions of public dollars to pay police officers to target, harass, arrest, and kill Black people and brown people with impunity.?
Thankfully, cities across the country, are beginning to see the contradiction of investing millions of dollars into violent policing while also slashing funding for resources that actually keep our communities stable and safe like affordable housing, jobs, accessible healthcare, and quality education. In Los Angeles, Mayor Eric Garcetti publicly committed to moving $150 million from the LAPD budget and to jobs for young people, health initiatives, and community centers dedicated to healing emotional and mental trauma. In Portland, city officials are planning to cut $15 million from the police budget. Most notably, in New York, city officials announced a plan that would cut New York police''s budget by $1 billion dollars, effectively shrinking the NYPD budget by nearly 20 percent. It''s time for Congress to follow suit and do their part on a national level.
But Eugene, we don''t'' have much time left. The Senate votes on this bill on Wednesday. We must act quickly.
Tell Congress: We must full speed ahead on TRUE reform. Black and brown communities cannot afford to go back to ineffective and old methods.
Five years ago, at the height of the Black Lives Matter movement, our communities were desperate for change and politicians offered minor changes that we supposed to keep us safe -- from body cameras to implicit bias training. Now our movement is much smarter and much more politically mature. We understand that in order to really create change, we must get at the root of a problem. And we must be courageous. To be quite frank, there is absolutely nothing courageous about giving more money to the police -- the very opposite is needed.
Eugene, we have to be honest. For decades, our communities have tried all types of reform with the promise of finally ending police violence but none of them have worked.?The mandate is clear: we must reduce the size and scope of policing in this country and reinvest in our communities.?
Demand Congress to completely overhaul policing in this country.
Until justice is real,?
-- Scott, Rashad, Arisha, Erika, Malachi, Marybeth, Leonard, Madison, Ernie, McKayla and the rest of the Color Of Change team
References:
ColorOfChange is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you''re absolutely sure you don''t want to hear from ColorOfChange again, click here to unsubscribe.
?
|
Happy Juneteenth,?Eugene! I'd like to share why it's vitally important to honor our ancestral fight for Black freedom.?
In your grade school classes, you were likely taught that enslaved Black people were granted freedom when President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863.1 Unfortunately, we were spoonfed an oversimplified revisionist history.
The truth is, President Lincoln intended to preserve the Union rather than abolish slavery in its entirety.2 The Emancipation Proclamation states "that all persons held as slaves" within the rebellious states "are, and henceforward shall be free."3 What this truly means is that slavery was fully intact among southern states and the promise of slavery abolition was dependent on a Civil War victory, which occurred in April 1865.?
Time and time again, the promise of our ancestors' freedom has been delayed, contingent, and deprioritized. It wasn't until June 19, 1865, when 2,000 Union troops arrived in Galveston Bay, Texas that emancipation became a truer reality. There, the army announced that over 250,000 Black enslaved people were granted freedom via executive decree.4?
Juneteenth commemorates the day when the last enslaved Black people in Texas were finally granted freedom according to law. Although slavery legally ended, uninhibited freedom still has not become a reality for all Black people in the United States. Our ancestors were taunted and lynched profusely by white supremacist individuals and organizations like the KKK during the Reconstruction era. Then Jim Crow laws turned Black people into second-class citizens through enforced racial segregation until 1965 with the passing of the Voting Rights Act. And today, we are experiencing police brutality, redlining, voter suppression, and mass incarceration simultaneously.
Our history is rife with injustice and we''ve got a ways to go before all Black people are free from systemic racism. But now more than ever, I encourage you to honor and celebrate the legacy of Black resilience and freedom by making sure you and your community members are registered to vote.
I cannot promise that voting will immediately solve inequities Black people experience every day in this country. But it is one of the best ways we can use our voices to elect leaders that are accountable to Black communities and understand that we need change now.
We are our ancestors' wildest dreams. Let's take that dream even further and envision a world where all Black lives not only matter, but are cherished and protected equally.??
CONFIRM YOUR VOTER REGISTRATION
REGISTER 5 OF YOUR FRIENDS NOW
?
Until justice is real,?
Jenni, Drew, Charles, Cristel, Tammi, Alex, Scotty, Daniel and the Color Of Change PAC team
References:?
1. https://act.colorofchange.org/go/252605?t=9&akid=43657%2E4804695%2Ei61U1j)%20passed%20Congress.
2.?https://act.colorofchange.org/go/252606?t=11&akid=43657%2E4804695%2Ei61U1j
3.?https://act.colorofchange.org/go/252607?t=13&akid=43657%2E4804695%2Ei61U1j
4.?https://act.colorofchange.org/go/252608?t=15&akid=43657%2E4804695%2Ei61U1j
?
?
| Donate |  |
 |
Paid Pol. Adv. paid for by ColorOfChange PAC, 1714 Franklin St., Oakland, CA 94612, independently of and not authorized or approved by any federal, state, or local candidate or candidate's committee.
ColorOfChange PAC is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Contributions to Color Of Change PAC are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. This email was sent to @. If you''re absolutely sure you don''t want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
A quick update on the election.
Hey?Eugene,
I'm feeling so grateful and inspired by all of our dedicated supporters like YOU who showed up in your communities and online to help amplify Black voices in Harris County ahead of yesterday's election.
With your support, our volunteers on the ground were able to knock on over 1,200 doors and send over 154,000 texts to educate Black voters on Audia Jones''s District Attorney race!?
While we did come up short in the election yesterday, please know our work is not done. Together, we are very powerful and I'm excited to see what we can accomplish in the remainder of 2020.?Can you make a donation today to help keep up this momentum as we look forward to November?
Donate
Your donations will enable us to train more volunteers, text thousands of more Black folks with timely voting updates, print voter guides to hand out in Black communities and more! Are you with us?
Until justice is real,
-Arisha, Jennifer, Drew, Charles, Scott, Daniel, Alexandra, Tammi, Cristel and the rest of the Color Of Change PAC team
?
P.S.?If you voted in the primary election yesterday, can you fill out this quick survey about how voting went for you?
| Donate |  |
 |
Paid Pol. Adv. paid for by ColorOfChange PAC, 1714 Franklin St., Oakland, CA 94612, independently of and not authorized or approved by any federal, state, or local candidate or candidate's committee.
ColorOfChange PAC is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Contributions to Color Of Change PAC are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. This email was sent to @. If you''re absolutely sure you don''t want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
Eugene,?
As soon as we realized the pandemic was going to wreak havoc on incarcerated people, we knew we had to jump in to protect the most vulnerable people.
We didn't wait. We took action. Within the first few days, Color Of Change launched a nationwide campaign demanding elected officials at every level immediately implement a humane plan to protect incarcerated people and corporations end all practices that unjustly harm people behind bars and their families.
Within two days, 75 partner organizations stood with us, more than 20,000 Color Of Change members like you, Eugene, signed the petition, our fight was gaining steam on social media, and we helped local community groups launch more than 20 campaigns across the country to bring the fight locally.
And even though we've had some victories, the fight continues to this day, and beyond.
Eugene, will?you make a monthly investment of $5 a month to power the movement you helped create??
I'm going to be honest,?Eugene - this has been an unprecedented time for Color Of Change. We have launched more campaigns in the first half of this year than I can remember in my 5 years of running the Criminal Justice department. But this is why we're here. Because elected officials, Black and Brown communities, and people just like you are relying on us to show up in these moments. You're relying on us to provide you with strategic ways to take action about the injustices you see in the world.
And we need your help to power this ship. As long as we're here and you're in the fight with us, corporations, and elected officials alike, will be held accountable.
chip in $5 a month to power the movement?
Eugene, you may have already noticed that Color Of Change isn't afraid to call out corporations and elected officials whenever we see injustices toward Black people. Like when GoFundMe allowed the killers of Ahmaud Arbery to raise money on their platform. And we got their fundraising pages taken down. Or when prison phone companies exploit incarcerated people. And we fought in Dallas to reduce the jail phone rate by 95%. Or when Judge Mary Ellen Brennan jailed a 15-year-old Black girl for not doing her homework. And we fought to get her released.
And because we fight unabashedly for Black communities, we don't take money from corporations or elected officials. We refuse to trade money for silence on racism. This is why we need you in the fight with us. We can't risk losing this momentum in our movement that you helped us fight to get.
power the movement with a donation!?
Until justice is real,
Scott, Rashad, Arisha, Erika, Marybeth, Malachi, Ernie, Leonard, Madison, McKayla, and the rest of the Color Of Change team
ColorOfChange is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change.
If you''re absolutely sure you don''t want to hear from ColorOfChange again, click here to unsubscribe.
Eugene,
The remaining three officers who stood by and did nothing to stop former Officer Derek Chauvin from killing George Floyd have been charged with aiding and abetting murder. And finally, Chauvin's murder charges have been upgraded to the second-degree.1
This is a testament to our movement to end police violence and white supremacy. Tens of thousands of people have been rising up across the country and the world, demanding an end to the inhumane treatment of Black people in this country. More than 4 million people signed the Color Of Change petition, and tens of thousands more made phone calls, and amplified our demands on social media. Our rallying cry is clear, Black Lives Matter, invest in our communities, and defund the police.?
But we still have work to do. We know that white supremacy and anti-blackness are ingrained in every level of society, and we must hold the enablers who allow the devaluing of Black lives accountable for their actions.? We're asking you?Eugene to take the following actions, to ensure that our voices are heard and that justice is won.?
Join us in continuing to fight for justice by taking the following actions:
Now we must stand together and fight for the collective freedom of Black people.?
Until Justice is Real,
Rashad
References:
1. "Attorney General Keith Ellison to elevate charges against officer who knelt on George Floyd''s neck; also charging other 3 involved." Star Tribune.
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you''re absolutely sure you don''t want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
Dear?Eugene,?
Last night, Los Angeles County sheriffs shot and killed a 29-year-old Black man, Dijon Kizzie, over alleged bicycle violations.
Now officials from the Los Angeles Sheriff''s Department (LASD) are reporting that a handgun fell from Dijon''s belongings as he attempted to run away from the officers, making the deadly altercation even more outrageous. Upon seeing the gun on the ground, the deputies opened fire and shot Dijon more than 5 times.1 At this point, Dijon posed no threat to these officers -- he was simply afraid, panicking, and running for his life. Yet Dijon was shot in the back multiple times.
Bottom line: Dijon''s attempt to get away from officers did not warrant a death sentence. The deputies had no right to take his life. Dijon was simply minding his own business and riding his bike when police accosted and murdered him.
This is just the latest iteration in a long line of Black people who are brutalized and murdered by the police. Just last week we saw Jacob Blake, another 29-year-old Black man, who was shot several times in the back in front of his children.2 Jacob is now paralyzed from the waist down. We refuse to see any more of our loved ones killed at the hands of the police with no accountability.
That''s why we''re calling on Los Angeles District Attorney Jackie Lacey to intervene. DA Lacey can ensure these officers face criminal charges for their blatant disregard for Black life. But we need your help to put pressure on DA Lacey NOW.?
Sign the petition: Demand justice for Dijon Kizzie.?
For years, District Attorney Jackie Lacey has failed hold killer cops accountable. Since taking office in 2012, hundreds of people have been killed by law enforcement in LA county.?Yet, DA Lacey has not brought a single charge against an officer for deadly force.
In the case of Brendon Glenn, yet another Black man who was murdered by LA police in 2015, even the Police Chief, Charlie Beck, recommended criminal charges.4 Jackie Lacey's response???She refused to prosecute and even defended the officer in an 83-page memo.5 She also refused to prosecute Ed Buck, a white man who preyed upon and tormented countless young Black gay men in LA. And she consistently relies upon the testimonies of corrupt law enforcement officers.6 That's why we must make this issue too big for her to ignore. With enough public pressure, we can get DA Lacey to do her job and hold killer cops accountable for the atrocities they commit against Black people.?
What happened to Dijon could happen to any of us.?We don''t want to see any more Black families mourn the loss of a loved one. Black children, like Jacob Blake''s kids, should not have to see their parents shot down in the street. And Black people should be able to ride their bikes without police harassment. This is the world that Black people deserve.?But first, we need you to join us in this fight for justice.
Dijon should still be here. Demand DA Lacey holds these killer cops accountable.
Until justice is real,?
--Scott, Rashad, Arisha, Erika, Marybeth, Madison, Malachi, Leonard, Ernie, McKayla, and the rest of the Color of Change team.?
?References:
ColorOfChange is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change.
If you''re absolutely sure you don''t want to hear from ColorOfChange again, click here to unsubscribe.
Kentucky's AG rigged the process, then lied to the people. ???????????? ????????????
AG Daniel Cameron rigged the grand jury to let Breonna Taylor's killers walk.
Help us replace Daniel Cameron and elect prosecutors who will defend Black lives:
DONATE NOW: $3
?
Eugene --
Last week, a grand jury failed to bring charges against the cops who murdered Breonna Taylor. And last night, we found out why: Attorney General Daniel Cameron didn't let them.
That's right, Eugene: After pressure from Breonna's family, BLM Louisville, and Color Of Change members like you, AG Cameron FINALLY released recordings from the grand jury proceedings.1?Here''s what we know:
AG Cameron didn't recommend any charges for the killer cops. By his own admission, he never even gave the grand jury the option to consider charges in Breonna Taylor's death.2 Instead, Cameron said the cops who shot Breonna six times were "justified in their acts," recommended bogus "wanton endangerment" charges, and then lied to our faces about the grand jury proceedings on national TV.3
We won't let Daniel Cameron get away with this, Eugene, and we won't stop demanding justice for Breonna Taylor.
?Color Of Change PAC is fully committed to removing KY Attorney General Daniel Cameron from office. We'll use every tool we've got - digital and TV ads, billboards, phonebanks, get-out-the-vote events - to show Cameron the door and elect prosecutors who will actually fight for us.
Defeating prosecutors like Daniel Cameron won't happen overnight, and it won't happen without a fight.
Eugene, can we count on you to support our efforts to fire Attorney General Daniel Cameron and elect prosecutors who will defend Black lives? Choose an amount that feels powerful to you as an investment in this critical work:
|
DONATE NOW: $3 DONATE NOW: $5 DONATE NOW: $10 |
DONATE NOW: $25 DONATE NOW: $50 OTHER AMOUNT |
Make no mistake, Eugene: We knew a grand jury wouldn't win justice for Breonna. Prosecutors like Daniel Cameron completely control the grand jury process. They choose who will sit on the jury, what evidence is presented, and which witnesses can testify. They can even recommend charges - so it's no surprise that grand juries almost never indict violent cops.
But the grand jury recordings reveal what happened behind closed doors, and how Daniel Cameron did everything he could to ensure a favorable outcome for the police officers who murdered Breonna Taylor. In front of cameras, Cameron said that he walked jurors through "every homicide offense, and also presented all of the information that was available."3 In reality, he didn't give the grand jury an option to charge the three LMPD officers with her murder.4 Cameron''s office told grand jurors they didn't have enough time to show all the video footage from the case. Instead of answering their questions, the?prosecutors and witnesses often implied the issues raised were not important.5 Later, Cameron admitted to stacking the deck against Breonna - claiming that allowing the grand jury to consider a murder charge in her death would have been "inappropriate."6
The only thing that has been "inappropriate" is Daniel Cameron's handling of this case and his unapologetic subservience to racist cops. That's why we demanded Cameron release the grand jury transcripts last week - and why we need your help to send him packing as soon as possible.
Eugene, Color Of Change PAC can''t power our fight for justice without supporters like you. Will you chip in $3 a month to support our ongoing efforts to remove Daniel Cameron and elect prosecutors who will defend Black lives?
Attorney General Cameron delayed the release of these recordings because he thought we'd lose focus and move on.7 He thought we'd stop demanding justice for Breonna Taylor, a Black woman murdered by Louisville police in her own home.
He couldn't be more wrong.
We won't stop fighting, Eugene, and we hope you won't either. Because as long as Daniel Cameron is handling this case, we'll never get justice for Bre. And as long as Cameron and prosecutors like him are in power - in Louisville, in Los Angeles, anywhere - we'll never win real, lasting justice for Black people.
We deserve elected officials who fight for us, not the police. Together, with your help, we will elect those leaders - and throw cowards like Daniel Cameron out of office.
Until justice is real,
-- Arisha, Scott, Malachi, Ernie, and the rest of the Color Of Change PAC team
References:
1. Breonna Taylor grand jury recordings officially released. Here''s what we know. Louisville Courier Journal, 02 October 2020.
2. Grand jury not presented with murder charges against 2 officers in Breonna Taylor''s death, AG Cameron says. WDRB, 29 September 2020.
3.?It Sure Looks Like Daniel Cameron Lied About Breonna Taylor's Killing. New York Magazine, 30 September 2020.
This wasn't the only dubious claim that Cameron expected the public to take at face value. He also said that the grand jury agreed that Taylor's death was justified. "While there are six possible homicide charges under Kentucky law," he?explained, "these charges are not applicable to the facts before us because our investigation showed - and the grand jury agreed - that Mattingly and Cosgrove were justified in the return of deadly fire after having been fired upon." But the grand jury may not have actually agreed.
4. Kentucky attorney general says he did not present homicide charges to grand jury in Breonna Taylor case. The Washington Post, 29 September 2020.
5.?Grand jury recordings capture dispute over Breonna Taylor's final moments, but not prosecutors' recommendations. The Washington Post, 02 October 2020.
Much of the public criticism of Cameron's handling of the case has centered on what evidence his office presented to the grand jury and what charges it recommended. At a news conference announcing the grand jury's decision, Cameron said that he walked jurors through Kentucky's six homicide charges, but he later said his office only suggested they indict on wanton endangerment charges.
6. Grand jury was never asked to mull homicide charges in Breonna Taylor case. Politico, 29 September 2020.
7. Release of grand jury proceedings postponed in Breonna Taylor case after prosecutor requests delay. The Washington Post, 29 September 2020.
| Donate |  |
 |
|
Paid for by ColorOfChange PAC,? Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee. |
ColorOfChange PAC is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Contributions to Color Of Change PAC are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. This email was sent to @. If you''re absolutely sure you don''t want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
Demand corporations go #BeyondTheStatement and correct their harms against Black people.
Eugene,
Last month, we launched BeyondTheStatement.org as our way of ensuring corporations affirm their support for Black lives by moving beyond the statement. These companies say Black lives matter but don''t pay their low-wage workers, who are disproportionately Black, a living wage. The average minimum wage is $11.80, which is significantly less than the cost of living in most states.1?This site houses several campaigns that demand corporations spell out their exact support for Black people, and that includes a living wage.
Justice is not a trend and corporate statements and murals are not enough.?Layoffs and unemployment continue to surge as corporations and their billionaire executives take in record profit, while coronavirus and police violence ravage our communities. We cannot allow corporations to escape how they too have and continue to hurt our communities as they seek their bottom line.?
Color Of Change was founded following the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina when the media, elected officials, and corporations turned their backs on Black people. Now we cannot allow corporations to evade the movement for Black liberation by making corporate statements without real change.2?Eugene,?we have created six campaigns demanding that corporations go beyond their statements and we need your help to get there:
?
Tell fast-food companies: If Black Lives Matter, pay your Black employees. Black workers are more likely to have front-line jobs that have been deemed essential-putting their families and their own lives at risk just to make ends meet.3 Too often Black people are expected to choose between their health and livelihoods because of inadequate workplace policies that do not protect them, all while their wages fall short of the current cost of living. Demand fast-food companies pay their employees a living wage. 
Nike: It's time to move #BeyondTheStatement. Nike released the most poignant statement in solidarity with Black lives and brands itself as an ally in the fight against social inequality. The marriage between Nike and Black culture has evolved into many highly lucrative endorsement deals with Black public figures, including Michael Jordan, Serena Williams, and Colin Kaepernick.4,5?As an industry titan and multimillion-dollar company, it''s time Nike put power behind their stated values and pays their employees a living wage. 
Caterpillar, Stanley Black & Decker, and Steelcase should pay reparations, not shareholders. Corporations say they are in solidarity with Black people, yet the current economic downturn seems to only serve the rich. While thousands of workers are filing for unemployment, these corporations have paid over $700 million in shareholder dividends to their CEO''s6. Instead of fattening corporate CEO wallets, demand these companies donate to organizations that are supporting on-the-ground protestors.
Tell all NBA team owners to pay all laid-off arena workers! Over forty percent of hourly workers, which includes the vast majority of game-day employees, lack any savings and over 75% of them have less than $500 saved for emergencies. The current economic uncertainty will likely wipe out any savings these employees have and force them to take on toxic debt or make difficult choices around food and medical care.?Demand all NBA team owners pay all laid-off area workers.?
Chevron, ExxonMobil, and other energy companies must stop polluting the very air Black people breathe. Protests in support of Black lives are taking place in the backyards of plants and refineries that refuse to acknowledge their roles in environmental racism. Seventy-one percent of Black people live in counties that violate federal air pollution standards, as compared to 58% of the white population-along with nearly 51% of Black people residing in cities and metropolitan areas that struggle to have clean air.7,8,9,10?The long-term effects of air pollutants on Black health have contributed to the stark disparity in coronavirus deaths.11?Demand energy companies take responsibility for Black coronavirus deaths.
Banks must stop underwriting racism.?JP Morgan CEO Jamie Dimon took a knee in solidarity with Black lives. Bank of America is providing $1 billion to support racial equality. Yet, banking while Black often leads to racial profiling, denial of mortgage loans, and higher loan interest rates.12?These dehumanizing acts are rooted in age-old racist practices that have perpetuated the generational wealth gap that has many trying to make ends meet in the face of the current economic downturn. If banks are serious about supporting Black lives, demand these institutions address the lack of Black staff representation and the practices that underwrite racism.
Corporations bear responsibility for the violence, harm, and discrimination Black people face, whether they carry it out, enable it, or profit from it. The racism they engender and enable impacts every aspect of our lives, from record unemployment to massive consumption and corporate greed.13?We will not allow the near-largest civil rights movement in history to be downplayed by hollow corporate statements.14??Eugene, join us as we demand corporations go #BeyondTheStatement in correcting the harm their policies and business models cause Black employees, families, and communities.
Until justice is real,?
-Jade, Rashad, Arisha, Johnny, Amanda, Evan, Imani, Marie, Samantha, Eesha, Marcus, FolaSade, Eesha,?Jennette, Ciera,?Gabrielle and the rest of the Color Of Change team
References:?
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Please help keep our movement strong.
Make a Donation
?
|
As one of the co-founders of Black Lives Matter, people often ask me, "how do you turn a hashtag into a movement?" But the honest answer is that hashtags don't start movements. People do.
Over the last seven years, Black Lives Matter has gone from being a controversial statement to a rallying cry for people all over the country who believe that real justice is a possibility for our people. It's been my honor to be a small part of this huge movement, and it's my hope that my recently released book, The Purpose of Power: How We Come Together When We Fall Apart, can help light the way towards the freedom that we all want so desperately and that Color Of Change is fighting for every day.
That's why if you become a monthly donor of Color Of Change, not only will you be supporting a Black-owned bookstore, but they will ship you a copy of The Purpose of Power, as a thank you.
Eugene, the truth is that we are in a moment of incredible crisis. But we're also in a moment of incredible opportunity. We've had to work hard this year to push forward a truth many of us know well: that Black communities and our concerns need to be front and center if this country is going to actually achieve the values it espouses.
Color Of Change is fighting for a future that puts more power into the hands of our people, and that changes the rules that have been rigged against our communities for generations.
If you pledge as little as $1 a month to Color Of Change today, they'll send you a copy of The Purpose of Power as a gift, today.
Thank you for your support.
Until justice is real,?
-Alicia Garza
ColorOfChange is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change.
If you''re absolutely sure you don''t want to hear from ColorOfChange again, click here to unsubscribe.George Gasc?n is not afraid to call out the racism and police brutality that Jackie Lacey's office has supported the last 8 years.
Dear?Eugene,
In George Gasc?n's recent debate with Jackie Lacey, he had some powerful truths to share about Lacey's record:
"What goes on in LA County has nothing to do with safety. It has everything to do with an office that is stuck in the past... with very racist practices that have impacted our community and destroyed individuals and generations for years"
-George Gasc?n, Color Of Change PAC''s endorsed candidate for LA County District Attorney
George Gasc?n is not afraid to call out the racism and police brutality that Jackie Lacey's office has supported the last 8 years. We need to elect him and get her OUT.
Early voting starts in LA County tomorrow, and if you haven't voted for Gasc?n yet, now is the time. Here's what you need to know:
WAIT?Eugene, your job isn't done! If you want Gasc?n to win, you have to amplify your impact by getting other friends, family and neighbors to vote for Gasc?n too.
Here's what you can do:
Eugene, this week is our last chance to elect a DA who cares about rooting out racism and police brutality in LA County's justice system. Go vote, talk with people who trust you so they vote too, and share the word everywhere you can to make sure George Gasc?n defeats Jackie Lacey.
Thank you for standing with us for justice for Black and brown communities!
Until justice is real,
Jenni, Arisha, Corina, Destanie, Kaya, Scotty and the Color Of Change PAC team
P.S. You can watch some great videos from Color Of Change PAC members on why they support Gasc?n here and here. Share them, and use them as inspiration to make your own!
P.P.S.?We also have endorsed Holly J. Mitchell for LA County Board of Supervisors, District 2.?Click here to learn more about her vision to uplift Black communities.
| Donate |  |
 |
|
Ad paid for by ColorOfChange PAC, Supporting Gascon for LA County District Attorney 2020, colorofchangepac.org. Committee major funding from: Susan Pritzker Wayne Jordan Quinn Delaney Not authorized by any federal, state, or local candidate or a committee controlled by a candidate. |
ColorOfChange PAC is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Contributions to Color Of Change PAC are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. This email was sent to @. If you''re absolutely sure you don''t want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
Help make sure people are ready to vote
Hey Eugene,
I''m just following up here to remind you about our Black Joy Textathon this Saturday! If you missed the party Wednesday, don''t worry, there''s still room for this weekend. Just RSVP here to let us know you''ll be there.
See you soon,
Shannon, Corina, Destanie, Kaya, and the Color Of Change PAC team
Hey Eugene,
We''re back again with your weekly invitation to text and call more Black people in communities around the country to encourage them to get out and vote- we have JUST 2 WEEKS until election day!
RSVP below to join us for one of our Black Joy events this week:
RSVP For saturday
This week is crucial-- with just 2 weeks left, this is the week when many people will need to be reminded to make a plan to vote so their daily lives don''t get in the way. We'll be texting Black voters across the nation to get them this information, and help convince undecided folks to take action.
RSVP today to get essential information to Black voters before November! And bring a friend too!
RSVP for Saturday
Until justice is real,
Shannon, Corina, Destanie, Kaya, Bill, Niesha, Cam, Scotty and the rest of the Color Of Change PAC team
P.S. We''re also collecting videos from people like you about why it''s important to get out and vote, and how it impacts Black communities. Click here to make your own to share with your people!
| Donate |  |
 |
|
Ad paid for by ColorOfChange PAC, colorofchangepac.org. Not authorized by any federal, state, or local candidate or a committee controlled by a candidate. |
ColorOfChange PAC is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Contributions to Color Of Change PAC are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. This email was sent to @. If you''re absolutely sure you don''t want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
Dear?Eugene,??
Last week, Donald Trump threatened protestors with death, tweeting "When the looting starts, the shooting starts." Yes, you read that right. Trump is actually advocating for the National Guard to use deadly force against Americans who are protesting against police killings. And while Twitter placed a label on the Tweet stating that it was inciting violence--it''s not enough.?
Since then Trump has been relentlessly tweeting to pressure state Governors and Mayors to increase force against protestors. Even after a weekend of protests in New York where police?officers drove their cars into crowds of protestors and police blocked protestors on the Manhattan Bridge last night, Trump tweeted:?"New York's Finest are not being allowed to perform their MAGIC".?We know the "magic" he is referring to - police killing unarmed Black people with impunity. Twitter''s CEO knows too.
How much longer will Twitter let Donald Trump manipulate and misinform millions, inspire hate crimes, and embolden violent white supremacist terrorism using Twitter? Enough is enough. Twitter needs to stop empowering Trump with the tool to spread his hate-filled commands to millions of people every day.
Demand that CEO Jack Dorsey kick Trump off Twitter now!
Until justice is real,
Brandi and the rest of the Color Of Change team
?
Please see our previous email below for more information on this issue.?
?
Dear?Eugene,
Trump is adamantly opposed to mail-in elections because it would increase voter participation,1 and he's being powered by Twitter to spread mass voter misinformation. Trump has always used his Twitter page to spread lies to his 80 million followers, and during the global crisis his tweets can reach an increased audience.2 Last week, he falsely accused the state of Michigan of illegal voter fraud, calling the Secretary of State rogue and threatening to withhold funding to the state.3?Trump's outlandish tweets are bound to further endanger the state government which recently faced armed protesters taking over the state capitol.
It's time for Twitter to finally kick Trump off Twitter. It was bad enough when he instigated a nuclear war against North Korea, bullied politicians, and lied about the impact of coronavirus. Spreading misinformation clearly violates Twitter's policies. By allowing him unlimited access to its platform, Twitter is essentially telling Trump he does not have to follow any of their rules and he thrives on that. To make matters worse, elections in many states will rely on the very mail-in ballots that Trump is falsely tweeting about. His ability to spread mass voter misinformation on Twitter will only aid his plans of being re-elected. Americans have suffered enough under the Trump Administration. The global crisis has exposed more than ever how Trump's lies throughout the pandemic have led to countless preventable deaths of Americans, most notably Black people. It's time for Twitter to take a real stand for the well-being of the people that power its platform.
Demand that Twitter's CEO Jack Dorsey finally ban Donald Trump from its platform!
Until justice is real,
Brandi and the rest of the Color Of Change team
References
1.?"Trump misstates Michigan mail-in ballot policy, threatens federal funding", Politico, 20 May 2020, https://act.colorofchange.org/go/247941?t=8&akid=42983%2E4804695%2EaIrUmA
2.?"Twitter sees record number of users during pandemic, but advertising sales slow", The Washington Post, 30 April 2020, https://act.colorofchange.org/go/247942?t=10&akid=42983%2E4804695%2EaIrUmA
3.?"Heavily Armed Protesters Gather Again At Michigan Capitol To Decry Stay-At-Home Order", NPR, 14 May 2020,
https://act.colorofchange.org/go/247943?t=12&akid=42983%2E4804695%2EaIrUmA
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you''re absolutely sure you don''t want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
We won't stop fighting for prison phone justice.
?Big news: After weeks of public pressure, prison profiteer Tom Gores just resigned from the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) board
Over the last few weeks, Color Of Change joined forces with Worth Rises to launch a public campaign demanding the LACMA remove prison profiteer, billionaire, and Detroit Pistons owner Tom Gores from its Board of Trustees. And last week, Tom Gores resigned in shame.1?
This is an important victory, Eugene: It means we are putting prison profiteers on notice: we won't allow anyone to profit from the violence of the prison industrial complex. It means we are demanding phone justice, toxifying the prison telecom industry, and holding predatory billionaires like Tom Gores accountable.
Here's what you need to know: Gores is the founder and CEO of Platinum Equity, a private equity firm that owns Securus Technologies. Securus is a prison and jail telecommunications firm that rakes in more $700 million annually by price-gouging predominately Black, Brown, and low-income families with incarcerated loved ones - charging upwards of $15 for a 15-minute phone call. This is the system Tom Gores props up and directly profits from.?
By pressuring Gores off of the LACMA board, we just put all prison profiteers on notice: We won't let you sit on cushy boards or make decisions about our communities while profiting from our pain. And we won't let you enjoy accolades while your racist, exploitative practices tear families apart.?
Eugene, we know our fight is far from over. We have to keep the pressure on Gores to demand he exits the prison telecoms industry for good -?because there should be ZERO profit motive in the criminal legal system. Click here to tweet at Tom Gores now.?
On top of Securus, Tom Gores owns the Detroit Pistons. Gore's affiliation with the NBA legitimizes his reputation as a business owner and investor in the exploitative prison telecom industry. As the owner of the Detroit Pistons, a predominantly Black team, in a historically Black city, it's hard to believe a "philanthropist" like Tom Gores is naive to systemic inequity.? And we won't stop fighting until billionaires like Tom Gores stop profiting off of Black pain.?
That's why we're calling on every organization affiliated with Tom Gores to lead boldly in this moment. To build a more equitable world for Black people, we must demand accountability from institutions that provide power and prestige to racial capitalists, who commodify Black suffering.?
Tell Tom Gores: Divest from prisons and jails now. We will hold you accountable!?
This is how we win, Eugene. We win justice by holding powerful actors accountable through public pressure, direct action, and not letting up.?That's how we pressured Tom Gores to leave the LACMA board. Now, we must demand divestment from prisons and fight for our loved ones behind bars.?
That's what we do - we win justice for Black people, and this victory with LACMA sets a precedent that we intend to amplify: prison profiteers don't deserve a seat at any table.?
Help us continue the fight - demand action from @TomGores now.
Until justice is real,?
Scott, Erika, Malachi, Marybeth, Ernie, Ariel, Leonard, Madison, Ana, Erikca, McKayla, and the rest of the Color of Change team
References:
1. "Tom Gores resigns from LACMA board over prison phone investment", Laurence Darmiento,? Los Angeles Times, October 9, 2020 https://act.colorofchange.org/go/274824?t=10&akid=47282%2E4804695%2EStOafg
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Please help keep our movement strong.
Make a Donation
?
Dear?Eugene,?
It's been about 150 days since Breonna Taylor was murdered by plain-clothed police officers in Louisville, Kentucky in a no-knock raid.?They stormed into her home in the middle of the night, spraying bullets at both Breonna and her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, leaving their lives in shambles. Not one of those cops has been arrested or charged. This is unacceptable. Breonna's life was stolen as a result of the police violence that runs rampant in Louisville. And the truth is, Breonna's tragic story is not unique.
There''s?one thing that's become undeniably clear?Eugene, Black women are often underserved, overlooked, and the least protected in our communities. More often than not, we serve as the backbone in families and households across the country but rarely do I see the issues that are impacting us at disproportionate rates, brought to the forefront or prioritized in the political landscape.
At Color of Change, we are working to uplift and highlight the issues that are putting Black women in harm''s way. We're taking real steps to ensure that our loved ones have the tools they need to thrive.
Because it's not enough to just imagine a world in which Black women are protected, championed, and free. We actually need to do the work it takes to get us there.
YES, I''ll Chip in for Black women
We're running campaigns every day that keep us in the fight for Black women.?And so far, we've been winning. Last year, we worked in partnership with local organizations to win justice for women like Latice Fisher. Latice is a young Black mother who was charged with 2nd-degree murder after having a stillbirth-- she needlessly faced life imprisonment and separation from her family. Latice was criminalized simply for being a pregnant Black woman -- she never should've faced police violence or intervention.
This year we launched a campaign in defense of Grace, a 15-year-old Black girl who was sent to jail for not doing her homework. Grace was separated from her mother for months because of homework, and we rallied together to ensure she was freed. And we haven't stopped there. We are committed to freeing Black mamas on Mother's Day through our work with the National Bailout Collective.1 And we amplified our efforts to free Black mothers who were especially vulnerable to contracting COVID-19 because no one should die in a cage simply because they are too poor to afford bail. It was because of the support of members like you that we were able to do this work. Now more than ever we need you to keep this momentum going.
And that starts with your support. Chip-in $7 to become a monthly sustainer.
Until justice is real,
Erika, Rashad, Arisha, Scott, Malachi, Marybeth, Madison, Leonard, Ernie, McKayla, and the rest of the Color of Change team.
?References:
ColorOfChange is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change.
If you''re absolutely sure you don''t want to hear from ColorOfChange again, click here to unsubscribe.
Hi?Eugene,
My name is Destanie, and I'm the new Regional Field Manager in Los Angeles County. The District Attorney's race is quickly approaching. We have exactly one week until election day. That's why I am inviting you to join me at our two Community Walks this weekend to help get Jackie Lacey out of the LA District Attorney's office.
#ByeJackieLacey Weekend of Action?
Saturday, Feb 29, 9am-12pm, and 1pm-4pm
Color of Change PAC Office, 4331 Crenshaw Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90008
RSVP HERE
#ByeJackieLacey Weekend of Action?
Sunday, March 1, 9am-12pm, and 1pm-4pm
Color of Change PAC Office, 4331 Crenshaw Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90008
RSVP HERE
I'm not fighting to get Jackie Lacey out of the DA's office for political reasons; this is personal. South LA raised, I know the damage Jackie Lacey has done to my community first hand. I've seen my peers disappear into the criminal justice system. And by the time they re-enter our communities, they barely have a fair chance at getting resources and living a dignified life.
I have witnessed first hand the pain of the loved ones who she denied justice in refusing to prosecute in officer-involved killings. My community and I have been through enough.?
I believe in progressive criminal justice reform, and DA Lacey is the opposite of progressive. She wants to continue protecting cops that kill Black and brown people. I've had enough, and that's why I'm working with Color Of Change PAC to educate thousands of Black voters about why it's crucial that we vote out Jackie Lacey and help elect George Gasc?n for District Attorney.?
If we don't educate our community members about the importance of this election, Lacey could have 4 more years to make living in LA a more dangerous place for Black people to live in.?
Please,?Eugene, we still have 1000s of people to reach, and the early voting period has already begun.?
Every last person we contact is a voter that could decide this election. And the only way to reach them is with your help. Join me and our beautiful community of friends and neighbors standing with Gasc?n this Saturday or Sunday!
RSVP FOR SATURDAY HERE
RSVP FOR SUNDAY HERE
(You can RSVP to both!)
Until justice is real,
Destanie, Corina, Jenni, Drew, Charles, Cristel, Tammi, Alex, Scotty, Daniel and the Color Of Change PAC team
P.S. If you can't come out this weekend, you can sign up here to let us know that you want to help out in the future, including just posting things on social media, sending emails to your friends, or making a video to support George Gasc?n!
| Donate |  |
 |
|
Ad paid for by ColorOfChange PAC, colorofchangepac.org. Not authorized by any federal, state, or local candidate or a committee controlled by a candidate. |
ColorOfChange PAC is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Contributions to Color Of Change PAC are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. This email was sent to @. If you''re absolutely sure you don''t want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
We're looking for feedback to help us make new plans
?
?
Hey?Eugene,
I need to be honest with you: in a year as chaotic as 2020, we've had to restructure all of our elections plans on the fly-- and it hasn''t been easy.
One of the most helpful things you can do is take this 5-minute survey to share your thoughts and be a part of our strategy-creation process for this final stretch towards Election Day!?We''ll ask your?thoughts on the presidential election, and how you might want to be involved with our work in the last 50 days until November 3rd.
Share your thoughts
Thanks so much for being a part of our 2020 election vision. We're excited to be in touch with you soon about how we can build power with Black communities together through this election!
Until justice is real,
Arisha and the Color Of Change PAC team
| Donate |  |
 |
|
Ad paid for by ColorOfChange PAC, colorofchangepac.org. Not authorized by any federal, state, or local candidate or a committee controlled by a candidate. |
ColorOfChange PAC is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Contributions to Color Of Change PAC are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. This email was sent to @. If you''re absolutely sure you don''t want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
Dear Eugene.
Safeway is being slow to implement the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) online purchasing pilot program designed to allow SNAP recipients to purchase groceries online. Black families--especially Black mothers and children who rely on WIC-eligible food--are faced with visiting multiple grocery locations only to find empty shelves or food with no nutritional substance.1 Not to mention, within our vulnerable community many SNAP benefit recipients are also elderly and disabled, making it even more important that Safeway develop safer shopping conditions.2
In the past three weeks, 17 million people have filed for unemployment.3 Food insecurity will only exponentially increase as businesses fold and layoffs continue. Food deserts are most often found in Black communities. Providing families the opportunity to remain safe within their homes by using their SNAP benefits online would aid in protecting one of the most vulnerable communities.?
SIGN THE PETITION: Demand that Safeway implement the SNAP benefit online purchase program.?
Black families are battling compounded inequalities in the face of this pandemic and Safeway can play a major role in combating food insecurity and the spread of coronavirus.? By fully implementing the SNAP online program and waiving delivery fees that cannot be covered by SNAP benefits, Safeway will aid collective efforts to flatten the curve in U.S. coronavirus cases, as well as help guarantee a solid food supply in the homes of the families they serve.?
Not only can Safeway play a critical role in combating food insecurity, this major retailer can further protect Black consumers by ensuring that the implementation of this program includes data protection which allows consumers to opt-in for sharing personally identifiable information with third parties for marketing purposes. The unintended consequences of Black SNAP recipient data collection can lead to harm in terms of health, privacy, and economic opportunity, given that Black children are disproportionately targeted with junk food ads.4
SIGN THE PETITION: Demand that Safeway implement the SNAP benefit online purchase program.?
Food access and data protection are two of the many barriers to a sound quality of living Black communities are facing. Black SNAP recipients should not be subjected to exclusion from online grocery purchasing or data collection in the process of making purchases. In cities such as Maryland and New York, food retailers are now demanding masks be worn upon entrance.5,6 With masks unavailable in stores or online, along with some families lacking access to means to purchase them, online grocery shopping with SNAP benefits is needed more than ever. Safeway can do more to protect its Black consumers like some of its competitors. In some states, Walmart is taking strides to implement the online pilot program, and smaller retailer FreshDirect allows SNAP benefit purchases and waives delivery fees to ensure there are no out-of-pocket costs for SNAP consumers. Corporations say 'we are in this together,' and it is time they show it.
SIGN THE PETITION: Demand that Safeway implement the SNAP benefit online purchase program.
Until justice is real,
--Brandi, Rashad, Arisha, Evan, Johnny, Jade, Amanda, Eesha, Samantha, Marcus, FolaSade, Jennette,?Cierra?and the rest of the Color Of Change team
References:
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you''re absolutely sure you don''t want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
?
Eugene,
$376. That's how much a Chicago-area food truck was left with after Grubhub deducted administrative and promotional fees from over $1000 in orders.1 The food truck isn't alone; restaurants across the country are reporting exorbitant commissions that eat away at their profits and barely cover the price of the food, much less payroll or operating expenses. It's ridiculous that while small restaurants are trying to feed their communities and survive this devastating public health and economic crisis, they're being slammed with Grubhub's exploitative commissions and delivery fees. That's why we're demanding that Grubhub #DropTheFees and cap commissions at 10%. Small restaurants are the lifeblood of our communities. During the coronavirus pandemic, Grubhub must reduce the barriers to their sustainability, not cause increased hardship.
Demand that GrubHub''s CEO stop exploiting small businesses and #DropTheFees!
The slim profits that restaurants are earning are even more shocking when you consider that Grubhub is making more money than ever while the restaurant industry is nearing a collapse.2 While Grubhub reports record revenues with a 20% daily increase in orders, the restaurant industry has lost $25 billion and restaurant owners have had to lay off more than three million employees.3,4 Food delivery services wouldn't exist without restaurants and Grubhub's excessive fees not only harm their profitability but make them unsustainable. The challenge is compounded for Black-owned restaurants that are already at an economic disadvantage during the Coronavirus pandemic--especially considering that up to 90% of Black businesses are locked out of federal relief programs.
Demand that Grubhub's CEO #DropTheFees and stop taking profits from small restaurants!
Prior to the pandemic, restaurant customers were already paying more for food because of the contracts amongst third-party services like GrubHub, UberEats, Postmates, and DoorDash. But now, as people around the country are mandated to stay at home, many restaurants are forced to rely on these services for delivery. Grubhub is taking full advantage of that. Last month, Grubhub released a sentimental commercial claiming that "Restaurants are our family" while simultaneously charging their "family" standard commissions of 30%.5 It's time Grubhub drops the double talk and upholds the values it claims. Stand with our local restaurants and demand that GrubHub stop exploiting small businesses.
Demand that Grubhub's CEO stop aiding in the collapse of the restaurant industry and #DropTheFees!
Until justice is real,
Jade, Rashad, Arisha, Brandi, Johnny, Evan, Amanda, Eesha, Samantha, Marcus, FolaSade,?Jennette,?Ciera?and the rest of the Color Of Change team
References:
?Black people continue to be disproportionately harmed by COVID-19. We created The Black Response to ensure Black people survive this pandemic and thrive in its aftermath. Visit?theblackresponse.org?to take action on the issues impacting our communities the most during the pandemic, and join our upcoming events, including LIVE conversations with Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, and actors Kerry Washington and Marsai Martin on @colorofchange's Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you''re absolutely sure you don''t want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
Hey?Eugene,
It's Arisha, President of Color Of Change PAC. My thoughts are with you and your loved ones as we live through this very difficult time.?
I'm going to be transparent here: the coronavirus pandemic has made it far more difficult to mobilize Black folks to vote in crucial elections this year. Dozens of our on-the-ground voter engagement events have been completely canceled to keep our field organizers and members safe. We no longer can knock on our neighbors' doors, host block parties, host Black joy brunches, and keep our local offices open.
On top of all of this, Black folks are experiencing the brunt of coronavirus. We are dying at disproportionate rates in this country. Tens of millions of us are now unemployed and at risk of not being able to pay for basic necessities. We are experiencing harassment for wearing face masks in public. And we are being disproportionately arrested for violating police-enforced social distancing orders. I am tired of elected officials across the country continuing to fail Black folks without accountability. Enough is enough.
It's time we take our power back and elect officials who are committed to protecting Black people during this pandemic. Since we cannot mobilize for Black political power outside, we are now ramping up our efforts online. Doing so takes a lot of time, effort, and most importantly -- money. We are going to be hiring staff to work from home, hosting fun virtual events with Black folks across the country, and educating them about what is at stake.?
It is very difficult for us to ask you for money right now,?Eugene. We at Color Of Change PAC know that many people need to prioritize feeding and housing not only themselves but their families.
If you are financially able, please donate whatever you can to our brand new Covid-19 Black voter outreach program. With your generous donation, we will have the resources necessary to virtually reach as many Black voters as possible online before November.
Thank you for reading this email,?Eugene. We appreciate your membership and commitment to making this country a better place for Black people. Choose which donation amount feels right for you:?
Donate $5
Donate $10
Donate $25
Donate $50
Donate $100
Until justice is real,
Arisha, Jenni, Drew, Charles, Tammi, Cristel, Alex, Scotty,?Daniel, and the Color Of Change PAC team
| Donate |  |
 |
Paid Pol. Adv. paid for by ColorOfChange PAC, 1714 Franklin St., Oakland, CA 94612, independently of and not authorized or approved by any federal, state, or local candidate or candidate's committee.
ColorOfChange PAC is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Contributions to Color Of Change PAC are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. This email was sent to @. If you''re absolutely sure you don''t want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
Dear Eugene,
Jails are already death traps and when you introduce a deadly virus, you get a recipe for disaster, and due to already prevalent racism and sexism, Black women are getting hit the hardest. For the thousands of Black women locked in cages right now, the virus could take their lives before they're ever released. But we have the power to change that!
Many of the Black mothers and caregivers who languish behind bars are incarcerated simply because they cannot afford to post money bail. For one, no one should be locked in a cage for being poor. And two, no mother or caregiver should have to meet their fate alone behind the bars of a jail cell.
Eugene, every year right before Mother's Day, we use our collective resources to free Black mamas and caregivers from cages and reunite them with their families and communities. We need to raise money to bail out as many Black mothers as possible from cages so they can be reunited with their babies and loved ones. But we are in uncertain times, and more than ever before, our Black mamas need to be connected with their loved ones, and safe in their own homes.
Our babies need their mamas. Cousins loved ones, and all of our communities need them as well. We can't let them perish in jails due to old, racist systems like money bail. Join our 4th Annual Black Mama's Day Bailout to get our people free.
Eugene, can we count on you to chip in $25 to help bail out Black mamas from cages so they can be reunited with their families during this crisis?
Coronavirus is spreading like wildfire in jails. Eight out of ten of the largest COVID-19 outbreaks have been in a jail or a prison.1 And due to the undercounting of incarcerated people, 100,000 more people will die than previously expected.2?
National Black Mama's Bail Out Day3 is a coordinated effort by community organizations, advocates, and families to reunite Black mothers with their families. Every donation will go to ensuring we can bail out as many Black mamas and caregivers from cages as possible while offering safe housing options, a weeks'' worth of groceries, and holistic supportive services to every person we help free.
When we reunite Black mothers and caregivers with their families, all of our communities thrive. For the past three years, the bailed-out Black mothers have gone on to complete fellowships and have become organizers in their own communities to advocate for prison reform. This is what's possible when we unite to make our communities and families whole again. When you chip in, you're part of the fight to keep more families connected despite racist structures in place that seek to break Black familial bonds.
Every day is a day to honor Black mothers and caregivers, and especially those who need to be reunited with their loved ones.
Your support is vital. Contribute?$25 today to bring a Black mother or caregiver home.
Until justice is real,
--Scott, Rashad, Arisha, Clarise, Erika, Malachi, Marybeth, Madison, Leonard, and the rest of the Color Of Change team
References:
1. "8 of The Top 10 Biggest U.S. Coronavirus Hotspots Are Prisons and Jails". Reason.?https://act.colorofchange.org/go/246394?t=13&akid=42358%2E4804695%2Edp-yc0
2. New Model Shows COVID-19 Death Toll is 100,000 Higher Than Current Projections. ACLU.?https://act.colorofchange.org/go/244677?t=15&akid=42358%2E4804695%2Edp-yc0
3. The National Bail Out collective is a Black-led and Black-centered collective of abolitionist organizers, lawyers, and activists building a community-based movement to support our folks and end mass incarceration. Learn more, join their mailing list, and get involved at http://act.colorofchange.org/go/122870?t=17&akid=42358%2E4804695%2Edp-yc0
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you''re absolutely sure you don''t want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
Eugene,
Every week, Color Of Change is cutting through the media and misinformation noise, to share what matters most - how Black people are suffering during COVID-19 and what you can do to protect yourself, and your community. We will deliver a quick list of updates with ways to take action and stay connected.
This Week:
A recession is here, and our financial health is just as important as our physical health. We can't allow this pandemic to take away our economic and political power.
When America Gets a Cold, Black People Get the Flu
The impact of this recession will depend on how our government and corporations respond to it. Now it's time for everyday people to have the protections we need
The Census Matters Now, More Than Ever
It''s a pandemic, but it's crucial your voice is heard
What now?
Tune in to the digital town hall & make your voice heard.
How You Can Help:
Become a member of Color of Change and join us in moving from presence to powerShare your story at www.theblackresponse.orgJoin #TheBlackResponse #SetItOff event on @colorofchange's IG Live, March 29 at 12pm EST.To receive #TheBlackResponse newsletter, please opt in, here.?Until justice is real,?
-Rashid Shabazz
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you''re absolutely sure you don''t want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
Sign the petition to stop the police chief's terror.
|
Eugene,
Just days after the Kenosha police department shot Jake Blake seven times in the back, a white supremacist vigilante came into town to murder two anti-racist protesters. The officer still has his job and police let the racist murderer walk away. Kenosha police chief Daniel Miskinis has blood on his hands. He must be fired ASAP. Sign the petition.
Kyle Rittenhouse, a vocal white supremacist and Trump supporter, who was obsessed with guns and dreamed of being a cop, traveled across state lines with an AR-15 style rifle strapped across his body. For hours, he stalked and harrassed anti-racist protesters while "protecting"? property that wasn't even his. His hate-filled night ended by him murdering two protesters and leaving one badly injured. His last victim will likely lose his arm.?
And how did Kenosha police officers and the national guard respond to him? They let him walk away. And just before the shooting as he harassed protesters, they gave him water, and thanked him for protecting them.
The police chief Daniel Miskinis even blamed the protesters for being murdered by a vigilante. When a reporter asked him about the murders of two protesters, Miskinis' vile words speak for themselves: "Had persons not been out involved in violation of [the curfew], perhaps the situation that unfolded would not have happened."
Chief Miskinis words are disgusting and indicative of the department he runs. Not only does he oversee the department that attempted to murder Jake Blake, but he's ordered his officers to teargas protesters and let a racist murderer walk free.
Mayor John Antaramian and the Kenosha City Council must fire him immediately.?
Demand police chief Daniel Miskinis be fired now!
After Jake Blake was shot seven times in the back in front of his three small children, Chief Miskinis went on record blaming Jake for getting shot. The police even handcuffed Jake to his hospital bed as he fought for his life -- disgrace!3
Miskinis repeatedly attempts to smear victims of his police department and the white vigilantes who carry out their anti-Black agenda. We know what this game play is and we've seen it before. A police officer brutalizes or murders someone, so the police department goes on a smear campaign against the victim to clear any wrongdoing. But we won't stand for it.?
Sign the petition: Tell Kenosha to fire police chief Daniel Maskinis for blaming Jake Blake for getting shot.
These violent acts of racism are emboldened by people in positions of power like Chief Maskinis. By excusing Kyle's behavior, Miskinis is opening the door for this very act to happen once again. And Black people, and those fighting for justice, will once again be the victims.
We don't look to police chiefs to be beacons of justice, because they represent an inherently unjust institution. We must hold them accountable for the danger they put our communities in. And as long as Chief Miskinis continues to allow blatant white supremacy to take Black lives and our anti-racist allies, Black Kenoshans are not safe while he's in a position of power.
Fight with us.?
Until justice is real,
--Scott, Rashad, Arisha, Erika, Malachi, Marybeth, Madison, Leonard, Ernie, McKayla, and the rest of the Color Of Change team
References:
1. "Teenager Kyle Rittenhouse arrested, charged for Kenosha shootings" Aljazeer.
2. "Kenosha Police Chief Blames Protesters for Their Own Deaths, Defends Vigilante Groups" Slate.
3. "Jacob Blake handcuffed to hospital bed, father says" Chicago Sun-Times.?
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Please help keep our movement strong.
Make a Donation
?
|
Dear?Eugene,?
Portland. Minneapolis. Chicago. Aurora. New York City.?Detroit. Milwaukee. Cleveland. The list is seemingly endless. In these cities, we've heard an echoing rally cry, a demand from our people who are gathering in the streets day in and day out, calling for one thing . justice. Not only are we calling for an end to police brutality, violence, and harm but we won't settle for anything less than a world where we can re-imagine what public safety looks like -- one where we aren't forced to live in fear of state-sanctioned violence.??
And we need your help to fund a movement that puts the power in the hands of our communities because we know best how to achieve a better and more safe world for our friends, families, and those who are most vulnerable.?
Yes, I want to protect my people against state-sanctioned violence. I''ll chip-in $10 monthly.
With each day that passes the attacks against our people grow. In both New York and Portland protesters are being violently attacked and arrested by federal and local police officers dressed in plain clothes, driving?unmarked vehicles.1?And just a few days ago Trump announced that he was sending hundreds of federal law enforcement to Chicago, Albuquerque, and Kansas City.2 His hope? To ramp up arrests. Instead of offering solutions that would aid in the healing and rehabilitation of our communities most ravaged by police violence, Trump plans to add fuel to the fire. This is not a solution.
But it should come as no surprise because his response came at the request of several police union leaders, some of the strongest opponents to police reform, like John Catanzara, leader of the Chicago Fraternal Order of Police (FOP). Catanzara recently wrote a letter to Trump asking for help to fight the "chaos," otherwise known as peaceful protestors demanding justice for Black lives.3 Time is of the essence. We must make it clear that more police is not a solution.?
Chip-in $10 every month. Your support will go a long way in our effort to demand real police accountability.
We know we're in an uphill battle, Eugene, but we don't see that as a reason to stop fighting.?Because we are fighting for an end to police in our schools, an alternative to police intervention in our homes and daily lives, solutions that center our well-being, mental and physical health rather than criminalize and devalue us. We don''t want to see any more of our people strangled to death by police officers or murdered simply for being Black and in the wrong place at the wrong time.?And our ability to ensure this world for Black people starts with your help. Together, we can get one step closer to building a better and safer world for our people -- let''s get started.?
Become a monthly sustainer today. Join us as we demand an end to police violence.
Until justice is real,?
--Scott, Rashad, Arisha, Erika, Malachi, Marybeth, Madison, Leonard, Ernie, McKayla, and the rest of the Color Of Change team
?References:
1. "After Woman''s arrest in unmarked van, New York City Activists Fear Targeting By NYPD." The Appeal. https://act.colorofchange.org/go/257356?t=6&akid=44413%2E4804695%2E7DV_A6
2. "Why Trump's Latest Law-and-Order Ploy Is Likely to Fail." Mother Jones.?https://act.colorofchange.org/go/257357?t=8&akid=44413%2E4804695%2E7DV_A6
3. "Chicago police union wants Trump to intervene as video seems to show protesters throwing things at cops." Fox 32. https://act.colorofchange.org/go/257358?t=10&akid=44413%2E4804695%2E7DV_A6
ColorOfChange is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change.
If you''re absolutely sure you don''t want to hear from ColorOfChange again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
Nearly half of all Black-owned businesses will be gone in six months. Yes you read that correctly; many Black-owned businesses will be forced to close their doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic.1 The House of Representatives is currently working on adjustments to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) that will provide additional financial relief for small business owners. These kinds of changes could save small businesses by distributing additional loan funds, providing loan forgiveness, giving additional time for business owners to spend relief funds, and removing restrictions that have been preventing small businesses from being eligible for loan forgiveness.2 But we must ensure that these adjustments include specific provisions and protections for Black and Latinx-owned businesses. ??
Call your representative and demand that updates to the PPP include measures to protect Black-owned businesses.?
The PPP as it's written isn't working. Black and Latinx small business owners' needs were essentially ignored. Despite the majority of Black and Latinx business owners asking for less than $20,000 in assistance, only about 12% received the assistance they requested--even though Politico reports that "more than $100 billion remains available for loan approvals."3 4?This kind of discrimination is why Congress must include measures that specifically address the needs of Black and Latinx-owned businesses.?
Tell Congress to implement relief measures for Black-owned businesses. ?
The current proposed changes to the PPP still may not be enough to keep Black-owned businesses operating. Although revising the PPP is a step in the right direction, we need legislation that provides funds and benefits for a greater number of small business owners without strings attached. Legislation like the Paycheck Recovery Act, for example, provides an opportunity for small businesses who apply to receive an initial three-month lump sum grant payment. This would allow many more Black and Latinx small business owners to make up some of the revenue they've lost due to the pandemic and cover business operating costs like paying employees' salaries.5?
Without specific measures like the ones the Paycheck Recovery Act provides, we will lose not just our businesses, but all of the support and compassion they bring to our communities. The stakes are too high in this unprecedented time to leave our voices unheard. Call your representative NOW and demand Congress include specific relief measures for Black-owned businesses in their updates to the PPP.
Until justice is real,?
- Rashad and the rest of the Color Of Change team
References:?
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you''re absolutely sure you don''t want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
?
Eugene,Black workers disproportionately make up the low-wage hourly workforce which includes the vast majority of game-day employees.1?40% of hourly workers lack any savings and over 75% of them have less than $500 saved for emergencies. The coming days and weeks are likely to wipe out these savings and force employees to take on toxic debt or make difficult choices around food and medical care.2 And because of the systemic lack of healthcare and economic infrastructure in many Black communities, Black people are at particular risk for the extensive harm this pandemic will cause. We can't allow the NBA to just drop these workers, with no income in the midst of a global pandemic.
Demand that all the NBA team owners pay laid off arena workers for the duration of the NBA's hiatus!
19-year old NBA player Zion Williamson stood up for arena workers, donating his own money to support them, along with Kevin Love, Blake Griffin, Rudy Gobert, and Giannis Antetokounmpo.3 These players have shown remarkable generosity by donating to support the low-income arena workers - but it's not their responsibility to pay the wages of other employees. NBA players, while well-paid, are still employees of the NBA. Their generosity is remarkable. It speaks volumes about their character and the spirit of giving back that we honor in our community, but they shouldn't have to pay the NBA's bills.
NBA team owners are some of the wealthiest individuals in the country. Their wealth was built off of investments from taxpayers (like you and I) whose income taxes were used to build their arenas. We're talking about hundreds of millions of dollars in some cases! The taxes of working-class people have funded the NBA's explosive growth - it's time for the NBA to own up to its responsibilities to the people and communities that make their game-day experience so profitable.4
The NBA is a multi-billion-dollar league that has the funds to cover the wages of impacted employees. The responsibility to provide income should be on the league, not its players. So we are calling on all NBA team owners to work with the various companies who manage stadium concessions to ensure those employees are also paid for the duration of the NBA's hiatus.
Demand that all NBA team owners commit to paying all arena workers for the duration of the NBA''s hiatus!
Until justice is real,
Brandi, Rashad, Arisha, Johnny, Jade, Evan, Amanda, Eesha, Samantha, Marcus, FolaSade,?Jennette,?Cierra?and the rest of the Color Of Change team
References:
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you''re absolutely sure you don''t want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
Eugene, a billionaire''s son is challenging Kim Foxx
Hey?Eugene,
With just 10 days left, Kim Foxx is tied in the Cook County State's Attorney race with a billionaire's son funded by Republicans and Trump donors.?
Foxx's opponent is named Bill Conway, and he's been spending millions of his father's money to run attack ads against Kim Foxx all over Chicago and Cook County. These ads are impacting voters, and it's making us nervous that this race is getting very close.?
Eugene,?we don't have millions to outspend Conway, but we have people like you.? Will you rush your first $5 donation to our work today so we can?launch digital ads and send out volunteers to combat Conway's attacks?
Bill Conway has offered no platform for changing criminal justice-- in fact, he's said he wants to walk back the improvements Kim Foxx has made. Here's what we know about him:
It's up to us to make sure people know the truth about Bill Conway. Help us spread the truth by chipping in $5?to launch the urgent digital ads and volunteers we need to reach thousands of people!
In contrast to the privileged life of Bill Conway, Kim Foxx grew up in the Cabrini Green projects, and has seen the racism and injustice of the criminal legal system impact her own family.?
She is the only person in this race who has done real work to change that injustice, decreasing the prison population while crime rates still decreased.7
She is the only one who can say that she's changed over 1000 people's lives who were targeted by racist marijuana charges.8
She is the only one who can say that she's cleared the names of 94 people who were wrongfully convicted by corrupt police officers.9
The next 10 days are our last chance. If we can get thousands of voters the truth about Kim Foxx's transformative work and Bill Conway's lies, we can win 4 more years of real justice for the people of Cook County.??
Please,?Eugene, rush a?$5 donation so we can reach thousands of people with digital ads and volunteer outreach before Election Day.?
Rush a donation now
Thank you for standing with us and Kim Foxx in this crucial moment for Black people, and the entire community in Cook County.?
Until justice is real,
Arisha, Jenni, Drew, Calyssa, Audrey, Charles, Tammi, Cristel, Daniel, Alex, Scotty and the Color Of Change PAC team
Sources:
| Donate |  |
 |
Paid for by ColorOfChange PAC, colorofchangepac.org, not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee, and no candidate is responsible for the activities of the committee.
A copy of our report filed with the State Board of Elections is (or will be) available on the Board''s official website, elections.il.gov, or for purchase from the State Board of Elections, Springfield, Illinois.
ColorOfChange PAC is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Contributions to Color Of Change PAC are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. This email was sent to @. If you''re absolutely sure you don''t want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
Eugene,?
After weeks of protests and demands for justice -- still, NO arrests or charges have made against the officers who murdered Elijah McClain.?
To make matters worse, three Aurora County police officers were fired this past Friday after taking selfies that were mocking a memorial established in Elijah''s honor. One of the officers responsible for Elijah''s death, Jason Rosenblatt, even sent a text in support of this cruel joke, responding "haha" to the officers who took the selfies. And even though he was also fired for his participation, it''s not nearly enough.1
The callousness and depravity exhibited by these officers are not unique.?Aurora County police department only fired these officers to save face politically -- they have deliberately delayed holding the officers who murdered Elijah accountable for almost a year now. Simply firing these officers for mocking this young Black man''s death does not get Elijah''s family the justice they deserve. The type of dehumanizing behavior displayed is eerily similar to that of a lynching and in no way should it be tolerated in today''s police force. Nevertheless, all across the country, we continue to see police departments and police unions fight against any form of accountability or reform.?
But?Eugene, over 100,000 people have already signed the petition demanding justice for Elijah -- we are not going to stop fighting. Time is of the essence. Elijah''s family shouldn''t be forced to mourn the loss of their loved one while these officers sit at home and relax with their families.?Our communities will no longer tolerate this level of depravity shown by police officers -- we must make our demands clear.
Tell AG Phil Weiser: A whole year is too long to wait for justice. Charge the officers who murdered Elijah NOW.
Until Justice is Real,?
Scott and the rest of the Color of Change Team?
P.S. Read our original email below.?
|
Dear?Eugene,?
Elijah McClain, a 23-year-old Black man in Aurora, Colorado, was murdered at the hands of police almost a year ago and still no justice.
On August 24, 2019, three white police officers stopped Elijah while he was walking home from a convenience store -- after a 911 caller reportedly described Elijah as a "suspicious person."?2 The details that led to Elijah's death are horrific. The officers can be heard on bodycam video threatening to bring their dog to bite Elijah and even accusing Elijah of provoking arrest. Minutes later, officers then put Elijah in a deadly chokehold, causing him to go unconscious.3 Paramedics rushed to the scene only for Elijah to later suffer from a heart attack; he was declared brain dead three days later.4
That's why we must call on Attorney General Phil Weiser to stand up for what is right and file criminal charges against the officers who murdered Elijah McClain. He has the power to ensure these officers are not free to roam the streets while Elijah''s family is forced to mourn the loss of their loved one.?
Elijah Mcclain should still be alive today. Sign the petition to demand AG Phil Weiser charge the officers who murdered Elijah.
Here''s the truth: Officer Nathan Woodyard, Jason Rosenblatt, and Randy Roedema are responsible for Elijah''s death.?But the police-led autopsy report suggests the cause of Elijah''s death was unclear even though the coroner listed intense physical exertion as one of the contributing factors that sent Elijah into heart failure.5 To make matters worse, the police review board defended the police officers saying, " the force applied during the altercation. was within policy and consistent with training."?6 The officers were placed on administrative leave but later put back on the force because prosecutors declined to file charges.?There''s no denying the Aurora County police officers and District Attorney Dave Young have delayed justice for Elijah at every turn.?As we''ve seen in the countless number of police-involved shootings that have resulted in Black people being killed, police are rarely held accountable for the violence and harm they inflict on Black people.
If the police had simply allowed Elijah to walk home, he would still be alive today.?Elijah''s murder is yet another example of what we already know -- the police do not keep our communities safe. Just yesterday, members of Elijah''s community held a peaceful vigil, march, and rally where they honored Elijah''s life by observing a few violinists perform and holding hands. But in a widely circulated video, police disrupted the event wearing riot gear -- they deployed pepper spray and were physically violent toward attendees. Our communities aren''t even safe to mourn and honor the lives lost to police violence.7 We can''t sit by while Black people are being killed needlessly in the street by these violent police officers -- now more than ever they must know that enough is enough.??
Eugene, we know that when we continually call out these atrocities against our communities, it becomes impossible to ignore. We''ve seen this happen after more than 43,000 Color Of Change members called for #JusticeforBre and more than 300,000 members #RanwithAhmaud. As a result, charges against Bre's boyfriend were dropped, and the three men who murdered Ahmaud have been charged. And we know the same thing can happen for Elijah McClain.?
Enough is enough. Demand the cops who murdered Elijah are charged NOW.?
Until justice is real,?
--Scott, Rashad, Arisha, Erika, Malachi, Marybeth, Madison, Leonard, Ernie and the rest of the Color Of Change team
?References:
ColorOfChange is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change.
If you''re absolutely sure you don''t want to hear from ColorOfChange again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
Eugene,
This just in -- Hennepin County Attorney Michael Freeman just announced that Officer Derek Chauvin has been arrested and charged for the murder of George Floyd.1 This is why folks protest. Because even when a violent murder of a Black person is captured on video by an officer with a long history of misconduct, public officials drag their feet in securing justice for our communities.?
Without the brave people of Minneapolis putting their lives on the line by hitting the pavement and protesting every single night, Derek Chauvin may have NEVER been arrested. Still, this announcement hardly goes far enough. The other three officers involved in the murder need to be held accountable as well.
This is why we are calling on County Attorney Freeman to hold ALL four officers, Derek Chauvin, Thomas Lane, Tou Thao, and J. Alexander Kueng accountable for the murder of George Floyd. They ALL have a hand in George's tragic death.?
Our communities are tired, outraged, and fatigued over police officers murdering Black people with impunity. This is why?over 2 MILLION people have signed our petition demanding justice for George Floyd.?The protesting and anger you see on TV is a direct response to the systemic failures that have plagued Black communities for decades. We did not create this problem. The police officers who abuse our communities and prosecutors who fail to hold them accountable created this problem. Time and again, justice is denied when killer cops are not charged, or even arrested for their misconduct.
It''s time for a change. We can''t give up. Let's keep fighting.
Eugene, sign the petition demanding County Attorney Freeman to do more than just the bare minimum. All four officers must be charged NOW.
Until justice is real,?
-- Scott, Rashad, Arisha, Erika, Malachi, Marybeth, Leonard, Madison, Cheryl and the rest of the Color Of Change team
Reference:
1. "Former MPD Officer Derek Chauvin In Custody, Charged With Murder In George Floyd's Death."?CBS Minnesota News.
?
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you''re absolutely sure you don''t want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
Dear?Eugene,?
As soon as the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Black women knew our incarcerated loved ones' lives were on the line.?
Our members' stories of having an incarcerated loved one during a pandemic needed to be told. Keshia''s brother has all of the symptoms of COVID-19 but has been refused a test by Arkansas prison officials. Ms. Anita's son was just hospitalized for a heart condition making him more vulnerable to COVID-19 complications while he is held pretrial in a California jail. Char is 8 months pregnant and is now at home with her three children, without access to her husband's support through family visits. As she anxiously waits out the next four months before his release, each day that he remains incarcerated puts his life at greater risk. ?
This is why Color of Change and Essie Justice Group1 have joined forces --? the fight for our loved ones lives inside is urgent.
COVID-19 is rapidly spreading inside prisons, jails, and detention centers across the nation.2 Our loved ones are telling us that there are no sanitation supplies, even in the medical facilities; that they have no soap, no masks, and no ability to socially distance. Despite the imminent danger that our incarcerated loved ones face in getting COVID-19, millions of people remain behind bars across the country. Our loved ones are being left to die.?
These dire conditions did not begin with, nor will they end with COVID-19. This pandemic magnifies the devastation of the carceral system and sheds light on how prisons, jails, and detention centers have never kept our communities safe and well.?
Studies confirm that the virus is disproportionately killing Black people and financially devastating Black women.3,4 But we have almost no reliable source of information about what is happening to Black people held in cages across this country. We know we cannot trust the facilities where our loved ones are held to accurately report on the conditions inside. Prisons, jails, and detention centers are underreporting the number of confirmed cases and have no incentive to test.?
We need to do this together-we are collecting 1000 surveys from people with loved ones behind bars to find out what's really going on inside prisons, jails, and detention centers across the United States.?
We've launched the Lives On The Line Campaign to fight for the lives of our loved ones inside. With the data from the survey, we'll have the power we need to hold our public officials accountable for decisions they are making every day that put our loved ones' lives on the line.
We need you to act now. Here are two ways to join the fight to bring our loved ones home:?
Until justice is real,
Gina Clayton-Johnson, Essie Justice Group and Clarise McCants, Color of Change?
References:
1.?Essie Justice Group is a powerful organization of women with incarcerated loved ones. Visit essiejusticegroup.org for more information.
2. "''A Ticking Time Bomb:'" Advocates Warn COVID-19 is Spreading Rapidly Behind Bars." National Public Radio.?https://act.colorofchange.org/go/245830?t=10&akid=42611%2E4804695%2EgHenQ4
3.??"COVID-19 Has Infected and Killed Black People At Alarming Rates. This Data Proves It." Mother Jones. https://act.colorofchange.org/go/245831?t=12&akid=42611%2E4804695%2EgHenQ4
4.?"The Economic Devastation Of COVID-19 Is Hitting Women Particularly Hard." Huffington Post. https://act.colorofchange.org/go/245832?t=14&akid=42611%2E4804695%2EgHenQ4
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you''re absolutely sure you don''t want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
Grace's story is a horrifying portrayal of the systemic racism and criminalization that young Black girls face in schools.
|
Eugene,
Have you heard the story about Grace?
15-year-old Grace, a Black girl from Michigan, was sent to jail during the height of the pandemic because she didn't complete her homework.1?Rather than implementing a humane plan to get her back on track, Judge Mary Ellen Brennan decided to punish her with months in a cage.
How did we get here? And why was jail time the only remedy for a 15-year-old girl?
Simply put, the school to prison pipeline is real.?
Far too often, schools, prosecutors, and elected officials take a "zero tolerance" approach when dealing with behavioral problems in schools. Minor infractions like cursing, not completing homework, fighting with classmates, and missing class are seen as "criminal offenses" in the eyes of the court. And because Black communities and schools are overpoliced, Black children are disproportionately arrested and sent to juvenile detention for these minor issues.
We shouldn't have to say this, but here we are: Kids. Do. Not. Belong. In. Cages.
#FreeGrace: Demand Oakland County Prosecutor Jessica Cooper drop all charges against Grace immediately.
At a May probation hearing for Grace, Judge Brennan, the presiding judge of the Oakland County Family Court Division, sentenced her to juvenile detention for violating her probation. Judge Brennan argued that Grace was "guilty on failure to submit to any schoolwork and getting up for school."
Our criminal legal system is hellbent on doling out punishment to Black kids in court -- their safety and wellbeing be damned. Even in the height of a deadly pandemic, Grace was separated from her family and sent to a jail facility where she's now at a higher risk of contracting and dying from COVID-19. And that decision was upheld last week when Judge Brennan denied Grace's tragic pleas to be released from jail.2
As shocking as her story is, there are thousands of Graces across the country -- young Black girls who've been arrested, caged, and punished instead of receiving the counseling, mental health treatment, and academic support they need.
Tell Oakland County Prosecutor Jessica Cooper: Free Grace Now!
Too often, Black and Brown kids are funneled from their schools to juvenile detention centers for matters that should be handled at school -- minor offenses like disciplinary issues, tardiness, and truancy. What Black students actually need are trained professionals who can support them through high-stress environments. That means more counselors, therapists, and mediation experts.?
Judge Brennan and the Oakland County court would rather invest in criminalizing a young Black girl than in her academic success and mental health.?
Add your name now: Stand with us to #FreeGrace.?
The criminal legal system should not have a role in disciplining our children.?But because of the lack of investment in schools, teachers, and counselors, overfunded police departments, correctional systems, and jails are used as an intervention for Black kids. And the numbers speak for themselves. Black girls are six times more likely to be suspended than their white counterparts. And in Michigan, Black youth are incarcerated more than four times as often as white youth.3
Elected leaders invest hundreds of millions of dollars into policing our communities -- but what would it look like if this money were given to counselors and teachers? What would it look like if resources were spent on investing in the mental health of our kids??We have to stop the systemic?criminalization of Black youth starting with releases those who are needlessly incarcerated.
Grace must be released.
Until justice is real,?
Scott, Rashad, Arisha, Erika, Malachi, Marybeth, Madison, Leonard, Ernie, McKayla and the rest of the Color Of Change team
References:
1. "A Teenager Didn't Do Her Online Schoolwork. So a Judge Sent Her to Juvenile Detention." ProPublica.?https://act.colorofchange.org/go/255754?t=10&akid=44229%2E4804695%2E8ggsGY
2. "Michigan judge denies release of teenage girl who was jailed after not doing homework." NBC News.?https://act.colorofchange.org/go/256134?t=12&akid=44229%2E4804695%2E8ggsGY
3.?"A Teenager Didn't Do Her Online Schoolwork. So a Judge Sent Her to Juvenile Detention." ProPublica.?https://act.colorofchange.org/go/255754?t=14&akid=44229%2E4804695%2E8ggsGY
4. "Cops and No Counselors." ACLU.?https://act.colorofchange.org/go/134841?t=16&akid=44229%2E4804695%2E8ggsGY
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Please help keep our movement strong.
Make a Donation
?
Hey?Eugene,
The 2020 Census is in full swing and we're making sure we have all hands on deck so everyone gets counted.
Around 45% of people have already responded to the 2020 Census nationwide, so we wanted to do a quick check and make sure our members are getting counted before the August 14th deadline.?Let us know if you have or have not taken the census. If you have completed the census, please tell us about your experience.?
The census aims to count every single person in the nation, and that count affects how American communities share money and power. The number of people counted determines things like how much housing and food assistance the federal government gives to your state, and how many representatives your state gets in Congress. During a crisis like coronavirus, census data are used to determine how much emergency funding the federal government sends to your state.
Will you take a quick minute to share if you or someone in your household completed the 2020 census??
As we fight for what our communities need right now, we can hold our power by?filling out the 2020 Census and encouraging our friends, family and loved ones to do the same.
Until justice is real,?
Jenni, Arisha, Sabrina, Drew, Charles, Scott, Daniel, Tammi, Cristel, Alexandra, and the rest of the Color Of Change team
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you''re absolutely sure you don''t want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
Hey?Eugene,
A week ago we celebrated Earth Day. In the middle of a pandemic, universal calls to lift up the earth and its offerings brought to light the intersection of pollution, disease, and injustice. For many Black, Indigenous, and vulnerable communities, it's a connection too well-known. For so many of us, first-hand experiences would shift our understanding of land beyond profit motives to a connection of family, soil, and self. The Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe lives this. The Mashpee people, much like Black people in America, have a long history of fighting for their land. Known as the People of the First Light, the Mashpee inhabited present-day Massachusetts and Eastern Rhode Island and have possessed the land for more than 12,000 years. Last month, Trump revoked their protected reservation status, removing over 300 acres from federal trust protection because he feared emerging developments on the Mashpee reservation would interfere with his business interests. We cannot let this happen. There's still time to undo this decision by his administration, so we're calling on Congress to protect the trusted land of the Mashpee Tribe.
SEND A LETTER: Tell Your Member of Congress to Support the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Reservation Reaffirmation Act (HR 312).
The Mashpee fight for their land is not just about possession but sovereignty. As a free and dignified people, the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe sought their economic security through business ownership and were undermined and delegitimized for doing so. Similarly, the land Black people would come to reclaim after emancipation-territories of indigenous people-fell victim to theft and holds memories of widespread terror. From economic exploitation by way of false deeds, stiff property taxes, and heirs property, land has perhaps been a reluctant character in the traumatic and violent fragments of Black history, but it remains fundamental to the identity and way of life for many Black and Indigenous people.?
Led by David Bernhardt, the Department of Interior roped itself into a years-long battle of land, rights, and legitimacy to further invalidate the Mashpee and did so at the behest of Trump. Trump disestablishing the protected land of 2,600 people after years of bureaucracy to avoid the competition of his business interests is not only as equally heinous as his Ukraine involvement and COVID-19 inaction but speaks to the strains of his racism. For years, he has sought to delegitimize tribal casinos, other ventures, and essential infrastructure. He notably stated in reference to the Mashpee Tribe that they "don't look like Natives."1?What's unfolding by way of federal agencies is a vindictive retaliation of indigenous sovereignty and serenity.
SEND A LETTER: Tell Your Member of Congress to Support the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Reservation Reaffirmation Act and Invalidate the Poor Decision of the Secretary of the Interior (HR 312). ?
The declassifying of tribal land is too often the beginning of land erosion for protected people. As we have witnessed with the building of pipelines across the country, the depletion of resources allows for corporate influence and affects all marginalized communities. In my home state of South Carolina, Black coastal communities, farmers, and families have had to defend and protect their land ownership for generations. My early organizing years began in these communities. Having played with my siblings and cousins where my grandparents and their parents grew and planted crops, my earliest memories are linked to the land.
Black and Indigenous folks have always understood that connection to the land is a connection to one another. As Earth Day reminds us that what sustains can be lost, it is my hope that we remember that connections are movements. And in the spirit of movements, we must show up for the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe.? With a fast-approaching court date, the decision to take the Mashpee land out of the trust has ramifications for other first and Native people throughout the country and can set a precedent for how this country treats vulnerable communities. Now more than ever we must #StandWithMashpee.?
SEND A LETTER: Tell Your Member of Congress to Support the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Reservation Reaffirmation Act (HR 312).
?
Until justice is real,?
-Brandi, Rashad, Arisha, Amanda, Evan, Johnny, Eesha, Jade, Marcus, Samantha, FolaSade, and the rest of the Color Of Change team
References: ."Tribe That Drew Trump''s Fire Over Casino Plan Loses Its Reservation Status,"?Yahoo, April 29, 2020,?https://act.colorofchange.org/go/245170?t=9&akid=42170%2E4804695%2E9vr9HpE.
?
Black people continue to be disproportionately harmed by COVID-19. We created The Black Response to ensure Black people survive this pandemic and thrive in its aftermath. Visit?theblackresponse.org?to take action on the issues impacting our communities the most during the pandemic, and join our upcoming events, including LIVE conversations with Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, and actors Kerry Washington and Marsai Martin on @colorofchange's Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you''re absolutely sure you don''t want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
Twitter's digital violence against protestors must be stopped.
Dear Eugene.
|
Twitter developer Dataminr - a company that Twitter gives special access to user data - is keeping the spirit of J. Edgar Hoover's COINTELPRO alive by helping law enforcement track protestors'' whereabouts and actions.1,2?Under COINTELPRO?members of the Black Panther Party and notable Black activists, such as Dr. King and Malcolm X, were targeted and "neutralized" by an extensive government surveillance program meant to disrupt and destroy Black liberation movements through tactics that included assassination, imprisonment, public humiliation, or false criminal charges.3
Sadly, today''s?Black activists and organizers face similar coordinated efforts by law enforcement to disrupt our movements for justice, except now police have high-tech tools and data from companies like Twitter at their disposal to help harass, imprison, and bring false criminal charges against Black activists.?History is sadly repeating itself because Twitter is allowing surveillance companies like Dataminr to send information about Black activists directly to the same law enforcement agencies provoking violence and targeting protestors.
tors.
SIGN THE PETITION: Demand Twitter ban any developer engaged in surveillance of protestors from the platform.?
In 2016, thanks to the organizing of Color Of Change, MediaJustice, and the ACLU of Northern California, Twitter instituted policies meant to prohibit developers from helping law enforcement surveil Black activists. Yet, Dataminr has found a workaround to this policy, claiming they are just providing law enforcement with "news alerts." No matter how Dataminr frames it, sending Twitter information containing the location, names, Twitter handles, and other identifying information about activists to law enforcement is surveillance.?
Passing this information to law enforcement has life-altering and even deadly results for Black activists. Historically, Black movement leaders have been unconstitutionally targeted, attacked, jailed, or even killed in their efforts to confront racism, police brutality, and police violence. Twitter's surveillance policy is falling short of preventing harm to Black activists.?
SIGN THE PETITION: Demand that Twitter immediately stops its affiliate Dataminr from facilitating government surveillance against Black activists and organizers.?
Sixty years ago in Birmingham, there were fire hoses and dogs.4 Six years ago in Ferguson, it was tanks and armored trucks.5 Today, it's tanks, tear gas, and advanced surveillance and tracking technology: facial recognition cameras, StingRay devices that trick nearby cell phones and steal data, automated license plate readers, and high-altitude spy planes and drones fitted with night vision and infrared sensors.6 The list of insidious tools deployed to identify, track, entrap, and arrest protestors are staggering-and still growing. Most recently, in Portland, OR, federal law enforcement are using unmarked cars to detain protestors with no explanation of why they are being arrested, and then driving off.7 The last thing our communities need is for Twitter, the platform that bills itself as the platform for organizing protests and standing up for #BlackLivesMatter, to make it easier for law enforcement to harm us and our movements.?
Eugene, we have a right to protest murders at the hands of police and a justice system that continues to fail us without police tracking our every movement. Twitter has vocally supported the movement for Black lives and spoken out against law enforcement using Twitter to surveil us. It is time for Twitter to live up to the promise they made to us in 2016 to never allow developers to assist law enforcement to surveil our communities.??
SIGN THE PETITION: Demand that Twitter's developer Dataminr immediately stop facilitating government surveillance against Black activists and organizers.
Until justice is real,
--Jade, Brandi, Rashad, Arisha, Evan, Johnny, Jade, Amanda, Marie, Eesha, Samantha, Marcus, FolaSade, Jennette,?Cierra?and the rest of the Color Of Change team
References:
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Please help keep our movement strong.
Make a Donation
?
We need to invest in our communities, not policing -- but corporate-funded police foundations will try to stop us at every turn. Here's how we'll stop them:
|
Police foundations give cops surveillance tech, SWAT team equipment, and military weapons that are used to terrorize Black people. ??
Tell Coca-Cola, Starbucks, Target, and Wells Fargo: Divest from police foundations now. Stand with us |
?
Eugene -- what do Amazon, Starbucks, Target, AT&T, and Coca-Cola all have in common??
Yes, these are some of the largest, most well-known brands in the world, and they all released statements in support of Black Lives Matter this summer. But behind closed doors, these corporations are also top donors to police foundations - dark money groups that help cops acquire surveillance tech, military weapons, SWAT team equipment, and other tools used to terrorize Black people.?
Join us to demand corporations like Coca-Cola, Amazon, Starbucks, and Target divest from police foundations immediately.
If you've never heard of police foundations, you're not alone. Here's the gist:?
Police foundations are private, non-profit groups. They partner with corporations and wealthy donors to raise money to supplement bloated police budgets, fund policing programs, and purchase equipment for cops with little to no public oversight. And while police budgets are usually public documents that must be approved by local elected officials, police foundations exist as a backchannel to funnel corporate cash and resources toward law enforcement.?
Across the country, corporate-backed police foundations directly support the continued hyper-surveillance of Black, Brown, and Indigenous neighborhoods. They enable the ongoing militarization and expansion of policing. And when activists began calling on corporations to cut ties with police, foundations in at least four major cities removed public information on their partners and board members.1
It's up to us to push Amazon, Starbucks, Target, AT&T, and Coca-Cola beyond the statement - to demand they do more than pretend to be "woke" on social media.
If these corporations want to stand in solidarity with Black people, they must immediately divest from the police foundations and departments that harm Black people. Sign our petition now.
More than 200 police foundations across the U.S. allow corporations to contribute to police departments outside of public funds. Top corporate donors include Verizon, Walmart, Starbucks, Amazon, Bank of America, Target, Coca-Cola, Delta Airlines, Chevron, Wells Fargo, Waffle House, and many more.2?
Almost all of these corporations have committed to do more to "fight for racial justice" and "stand with the Black community." Yet they all continue to enable over-militarized police forces and the harm they cause Black communities.
From coast to coast, police foundations enable cops to terrorize Black and Brown people. Here''s how:
Hemmerdinger's admission is as detestable as it is rare. Police foundations don't have to disclose who their donors are or where their dark money goes. And police foundations aren't just in major cities - they're everywhere.?
We know from experience that corporations won't change their ways unless their profits and reputation are at stake. We also know that there's strength in numbers, and we need you with us now.
Eugene, sign our petition to tell corporations: We are watching you, and we will hold you accountable. Divest from the police foundations that have helped militarize the police and put our communities in danger.
We have the power to defend Black lives and hold police foundations and their corporate donors accountable. And together, with your help, we will.?
Demand corporations divest from police foundations now.
Until justice is real,
Scott, Rashad, Arisha, Erika, Malachi, Leonard, Marybeth, Ernie, Madison, McKayla and the rest of the Color Of Change team
?
References:
1. "Police Foundations Scrub Corporate Partners and Board Members From Their Websites." Sludge.
2. "Corporate Backers of the Blue: How Corporations Bankroll U.S. Police Foundations." Eyes On The Ties, LittleSis.?
3. "12K cameras to give Atlanta police broader window to city." AJC.
4. "Former Atlanta officer facing Rayshard Brooks murder charge gets $250,000 legal-fee boost." Fox News.
5. "Private Donors Supply Spy Gear to Cops." ProPublica.
6. "Philadelphia Police Foundation - ALMOST $1.5 MILLION FOR PPD NEEDS IN THE LAST 3 YEARS." Philadelphia Police Foundation.
7. "Law Enforcement''s Secret Weapon: Police foundations support and even pioneer public-safety enhancements." Philanthropy Roundtable.?
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Please help keep our movement strong.
Make a Donation
?
We need your support in preparation for our upcoming 2020 electoral programs
?
?
Hey Eugene,
I hope you and your loved ones are doing well and taking care of yourselves the best you can. Facing the uncertainty of the current coronavirus pandemic while also coming to terms with the recent news related to Ahmaud Arbery, Sean Reed and Breonna Taylor has been tough. But I feel so incredibly hopeful and proud to be a part of an organization and a community that I see pushing for real solutions and showing up for Black people at this time.
The state of the country the past few weeks has reminded me just how critical the upcoming wave of elections will be. Elections where we,?with your generous support, will have the opportunity to elect candidates that will also push for real solutions to the challenges our communities face and also show up for Black people.
In preparation for the upcoming elections, from now until November, members of my team will be focused on identifying and reporting disinformation intentionally spread to scare, confuse and suppress Black voters-and that''s why I''m asking for your support today.?We need your help to grow and strengthen our disinformation program.
Can you make a contribution today to help us launch our disinformation program at full scale for the upcoming elections?
DONATE TODAY
When you donate today you ensure that we have the resources to stay up to speed on the rapid response campaigns and strategies of those in power doing everything they can to discourage Black people from casting their votes.
Help Color Of Change PAC take our 2020 election programs to the next level.
I''m looking forward to the work we will all achieve together as we get closer to November.
Until justice is real,
-Jennifer, Arisha, Drew, Charles, Scott, Daniel, Alexandra, Tammi, Cristel and the rest of the Color Of Change PAC team
We need your help fighting back against attempts to discourage Black voters from casting their ballots.?Please help us report and hold accountable those who are trying to keep us from voting.
| Donate |  |
 |
Paid Pol. Adv. paid for by ColorOfChange PAC, 1714 Franklin St., Oakland, CA 94612, independently of and not authorized or approved by any federal, state, or local candidate or candidate's committee.
ColorOfChange PAC is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Contributions to Color Of Change PAC are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. This email was sent to @. If you''re absolutely sure you don''t want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
Demand protections for Georgia voters ballot counters.
|
Poll workers in Georgia - who are mostly Black women - are being forced to take drastic measures to protect themselves against online threats that are becoming real-world violence. One poll worker was forced into hiding after being harassed on Facebook and having his home address publicly posted. He fled to a friend's house because he no longer feels safe in his own home, while another found a noose outside of his family's home with his name on it.1?The non-stop election misinformation and threats against poll workers have gotten so bad even Georgia's Republican Voting System Manager warned "Someone's going to get hurt, someone's going to get shot, someone's going to get killed."2
Enough is enough. Facebook must stop the poll worker harassment and intimidation happening on the site and implement additional protections for Georgia's election poll workers. Facebook already offers additional privacy and safety features to journalists and politicians - who face similar types of online harassment - yet refuses to similarly protect election workers. This is unacceptable.?
SIGN THE PETITION: Demand Facebook Ban the Harassment of Poll Workers
Despite attempts to undermine our votes, Black women continue to protect our democracy and bear the brunt of white supremacist attacks on it.3?Election misinformation and online harassment driven by Facebook have spilled into the streets and poll workers are afraid. Facebook is directly placing poll workers in harm''s way by not implementing privacy and safety protections for poll workers. By not taking action, Facebook is contributing to hate-driven violence. An internal Facebook report revealed that 64% of people join extremist groups because Facebook recommended it to them. Facebook provided a home for hate groups to grow and is a contributor to the harassment of poll workers. Due to these Facebook-driven hate groups, in several states, white nationalists and militias have gathered outside of election sites with military-style rifles and have sent election workers threats to intimidate them into denying Black votes. Now more than ever Facebook must take immediate action to protect Georgia election workers, extend the protections that are provided to journalists and politicians, and stop the spread of misinformation and violence in Georgia. Eugene, help us protect public servants, especially Black women.
SIGN THE PETITION: Demand Facebook Ban the Harassment of Poll Workers
Until justice is real,?
-Jade, Rashad, Arisha, Johnny, Amanda, Evan, Imani, Marie, Samantha, Eesha, Marcus, FolaSade, Eesha,?Jennette, Ciera,?Gabrielle, Taurjhai, Stasia, and the rest of the Color Of Change team
References:?
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Please help keep our movement strong.
Make a Donation
?
|
Dear?Eugene,?
On Friday night, Tampa police officers attempted to disappear a Black woman and community organizer at Color of Change.
Sadie Dean was home alone when a man posing as maintenance personnel knocked on the door. When she answered, nine tactical officers, barged into her apartment and arrested her. They yelled at her and created such a scene that her neighbors came out and witnessed the violent arrest. The abuse continued as she was transported to jail - the officers drove violently, inexplicably transferred her into two additional transportation vehicles, all the while verbally harassing her throughout.
Let''s be clear, this violation of Sadie's home and her person is part of a systematic effort to intimidate and stop Black people from demanding justice. That is why we are calling on Hillsborough County State''s Attorney Andrew Warren to drop the charges against Sadie and other Tampa activists who are in the line of fire. We are also demanding Mayor Jane Castor to fire Police Chief Dugan who has played a key role in perpetuating violence against our people.?
Sign the petition. SA Warren must drop these charges & tell Mayor Castor, Dugan has got to go.?
And even though Sadie has been released on bail, and is now home with her family, she still faces criminal charges and emotional and psychological trauma from the ordeal of being arrested. All of this because Sadie attempted to cut off harmful contact -- by closing a door -- to prevent an escalation in physical violence with counter-protesters who were determined to get into a physical altercation with Black Lives Matter protesters more than two months ago.
Police attacks against protesters in Tampa are on the rise.?Throughout the month of August, several protesters have been targeted, harassed, and arrested by Tampa police officers. At least 3 other protesters have been unjustifiably arrested for the same confrontation that led to Sadie''s charges. Jae Passmore is an activist in Tampa who was hospitalized after being hit by a truck whose driver had yelled anti-Black messages at protesters. The driver faces no charges but Jae was targeted by police for arrest in another clear indicator that protest leaders are being ruthlessly targeted by law enforcement.1
Our people are not safe. But SA Warren & Mayor Castor can do something about it. Demand Action.
Worst of all Police Chief Dugan is encouraging this violence against activists and organizers. In his public comments about Black Lives Matter protests he's said, "[people should] start stepping up" and have "white supremacist vigilante violence".2 And the reaction from Mayor Jane Castor? She's been quick to come to the defense of Dugan and the entire corrupt Tampa Police Department, making it very clear that she has every intention to invest in the police, not our people who are being brutalized day in and day out.3 Dugan poses a real threat to Black people in Tampa, and for that, he must go.
The police must know that this harassment and targeting will not be tolerated. That''s why we''re calling on Hillsborough County State Attorney Andrew Warren to drop these ridiculous charges against these Black Lives Matter activists and for Mayor Jane Castor to fire Police Chief Brian Dugan. Only State Attorney Warren, who played no part in these cases so far, has the power to ensure that these unjustified arrests don''t turn into real charges or convictions. But the police report to Mayor Castor and only she can cut this retaliation off at the source by firing the police chief and replacing him with a leader who will not respond to critiques with harassment and intimidation.
Sign the petition. Demand justice for our people in Tampa.
Until justice is real,?
-- Scott, Rashad, Arisha, Erika, Malachi, Marybeth, Madison, Leonard, Ernie, McKayla, and the rest of the Color Of Change team
?References:
ColorOfChange is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change.
If you''re absolutely sure you don''t want to hear from ColorOfChange again, click here to unsubscribe.Don't be deterred. The fight continues.
Hi Eugene,?
Prosecutors have failed to deliver justice for Breonna Taylor.
Moments ago, Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron announced the decision we were all fearing he'd make: No murder charges will be filed against the police officers who murdered Breonna Taylor in her home. Just one officer was charged with "wanton endangerment," and it was NOT for shooting Bre.1
After 194 days.
2.3 million petition signatures.
100,000 phone calls.
And a global uprising demanding justice for our sister, Breonna Taylor.
No justice was served.
By failing to bring murder charges in the brutal killing of Breonna Taylor, Attorney General Cameron has failed to deliver justice for Bre. Instead, after more than six months, all we've received is a second injustice as Bre's killers - Brett Hankinson, Jonathan Mattingly, and Myles Cosgrove - walk free with no murder charges.?
Elected officials at every level - from Mayor Greg Fischer and Commonwealth's Attorney Tomas Wine to AG Daniel Cameron - all failed Breonna, her family, and the millions of people like you who demanded justice.?
Eugene, this moment is more than disheartening - it's infuriating. And while you may be thinking, "what more must we do to get justice for a Black woman murdered by police?", don't forget what we've made possible since March:?After millions demanded #JusticeforBre, the phony charge against her boyfriend Kenneth Walker was dropped. Louisville voted to ban no-knock warrants. Audio of the 911 call was released, and one of the police officers involved was removed from the force. None - and I repeat, none - of this would have happened had we not exercised our voices to stand up for Bre.
Color Of Change won't stop fighting. Black Lives Matter Louisville won't stop fighting. And you can't stop fighting either, Eugene.?
Here's what you can do right now to continue demanding #JusticeforBre:
Millions, if not billions, of people worldwide have joined the movement to say her name and demand justice for Breonna Taylor. Black kids across the country have recognized their power to effect change. Our white allies are having the much-needed tough conversations at their dinner tables. And so many local organizers now have the resources they need to keep the fight going.?
Breonna Taylor changed the world. And this is not the end.?
We can't be deterred. Because folks like Tamika Palmer, Breonna's mom, are still on the ground fighting relentlessly to secure justice for our people.
We stand with Breonna's family, BLM Louisville, and local organizers and activists in demanding the Louisville City Council take immediate action to divest from the Louisville Metropolitan Police Department and invest in communities.
Today is a hard day, Eugene. But although we may be discouraged by this announcement, we will never stop fighting for Black people.?
Until justice is real,
Scott, Rashad, Arisha, Erika, Marybeth, Malachi, Leonard, Ernie, McKayla, Ana, Ariel, and the rest of the Color Of Change team
Reference:
1. "Police officer indicted in Breonna Taylor case." CNN.
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Please help keep our movement strong.
Make a Donation
?
Hey Eugene,
You''re invited to be a part of Color Of Change PAC's National Black Joy Call Program! We''ll be hosting daily?Virtual Black Joy Call Parties at 6PM EST?leading up to the November 3rd election--which means we can pull up to our computers to chair dance to good music and take action to build our ideal community!?
Personal phone calls with quality conversations help motivate voters to cast their ballots. We''re making calls to connect with Black voters, to share our stories, to be allies and to encourage our communities in this year that has been so hard for so many.
Sign up for a call party
We as a nation are in the midst of one of the most important elections of our lifetimes and there is so much we are fighting for. When you join a virtual call party, you''ll be helping us call voters who may need more information or an extra push to get out to the polls this November.?
Don''t worry, all you''ll need is a computer. We''ll provide a call script and a safe space where you''ll feel supported and have a good time!
Sign up For a call party
Until Justice is Real,
Arisha, Jenni, Drew, Charles, Naima, Scotty, Alex, Evonna, Nadia, Iesha, Erick, Karleh, Cristel, Tammi and the rest of the Color Of Change PAC team
| Donate |  |
 |
Paid Pol. Adv. paid for by ColorOfChange PAC, 1714 Franklin St., Oakland, CA 94612, independently of and not authorized or approved by any federal, state, or local candidate or candidate's committee.
ColorOfChange PAC is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Contributions to Color Of Change PAC are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. This email was sent to @. If you''re absolutely sure you don''t want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
Demand justice for our brother who was almost murdered by police in another anti-Black act of violence.
|
Jake Blake.
Eugene, we're sending you this message with a heavy heart this Monday afternoon. Jacob "Jake" Blake, a 29-year-old Black man, was shot multiple times in his back by a Kenosha, WI police officer on Sunday.1 Jake was calmly walking away from officers and trying to get into his car when one officer shot him at point-blank range in his back at least 7 times. And it all happened in broad daylight in front of his small children, who sat in the car traumatized as they witnessed?their father being shot in front of them.?
#JusticeforJake: Demand the officer who shot Jake Blake is held accountable for attempting to take his life.
Police were called to Jake's neighborhood due to a domestic dispute. When police arrived on the scene, they encountered Jake, a 29-year-old father. Witnesses say Jake had just broken up a fight between two women in the neighborhood. Cellphone video footage shows Jake walking away from two police officers, and both officers have their weapons drawn on him as he attempts to enter his vehicle. Once Jake opened the door of his vehicle, one officer grabbed his shirt and began firing off shots.
Jake was savagely shot by a racist cop who saw his Blackness as a threat. As of now, we don't know what took place before the viral video starts -- and we don't need to know. Because what we all saw in the video was an attempted execution, period.?
The officer who fired the shots must be held accountable. We're calling on District Attorney Michael Graveley, Mayor John Antaramian, and Attorney General Josh Kaul to immediately fire and arrest?the cop who attempted to murder Jake.?
Justice can't wait another second.?
Sign the petition to bring justice for Jake and his family.?
We are tired. And we know you are too.?
Black people are still reeling from the deaths of so many other Black folks at the hands of police violence this summer -- Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, Rayshard Brooks, Tony McDade -- and the thousands of other names we don't know. The thousands of other Black people who just want to breathe and live free of the terror from state violence.?
In the 12 hours since Jake was shot, Kenosha officials are already attempting to stop our fight for justice. A city-wide curfew was put in place to stop anyone from rightfully protesting. And the Kenosha Police Department released a vague statement absolving their department of wrongdoing.
Stand with us. Stand with Jake's family. Demand accountability now.
We have to fight for Jake just as hard as we've been fighting for Breonna and her family. We must fight for his small children, his family, his friends, and all the other Black folks who deserve to live in a just society.?
We've witnessed police officers shoot and kill Black folks too many times. And each time, we feel the hurt. This is not normal. We can't let it ever become normal and we refuse to stand idly by as police officers kill us with impunity. Stand with us in the fight.
Until justice is real,
--Scott, Rashad, Arisha, Erika, Malachi, Marybeth, Madison, Leonard, Ernie, McKayla, and the rest of the Color Of Change team
References:
1. "Police shooting of Jacob Blake: Protests erupt, Wisconsin DOJ to investigate" USA Today.
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Please help keep our movement strong.
Make a Donation
?
Add your name: Demand #JusticeForWalterWallace ?????????????????? ????????????????? ????????????
|
Walter Wallace's family called for an ambulance.
Eugene, add your name to tell Philly officials: DEMAND JUSTICE NOW |
?
Walter Wallace, Jr. should be alive right now.?
Eugene, we're still coming to terms with what happened in Philadelphia on October 26. Last Wednesday, city officials released?bodycam footage worn by the officers who fatally shot Walter Wallace, Jr.1 And once again, we find ourselves heartbroken, outraged and crying out for justice for another Black man murdered by police.?
Here's what we know: Walter Wallace, Jr., a 27-year-old father, was experiencing a mental health crisis. Walter was living with bipolar disorder, and his brother did what most would do if our loved one were in crisis: He called 911 to request an ambulance.?
Unfortunately, two Philadelphia police officers arrived on the scene before medical responders or an ambulance. And tragically, we already know how this story ends.?
Instead of de-escalating the situation or providing Walter with the mental health care he so desperately needed, instead of listening to the heartbreaking pleas of Walter's mother, the responding officers Matarazzo and Munz shouted out demands with guns drawn.2?Walter never got closer than?15 feet from the officers.?They shot at Walter 14 times.3
Eugene, we're sick and tired of watching Black people be terrorized and killed by police, and we've seen too many videos depicting Black suffering on our social media feeds.?We don't need a video to know that Walter's murder in broad daylight was unnecessary and nothing short of reprehensible.
We mourn the loss of our slain Black brother. His death has shaken the city of Philadelphia to its core and has re-ignited promises of piecemeal "reform." Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw even requested additional funding!
More money for Philly cops won''t make anyone safer. What we need now is justice for Walter Wallace and structural change that will prevent what happened to him from ever happening again. That''s why Color Of Change is standing with The Amistad Law Project, Reclaim Philadelphia, and Philly We Rise to demand it.
Add your name now to demand Philly city officials terminate the cops who murdered Walter Wallace, refuse to give police additional funds, and implement policies to ensure mental health experts - not cops - respond to mental crisis calls.
DEMAND JUSTICE NOW
Walter Wallace, Jr. was a father, a twin brother, and a son. He was expecting to welcome a baby with his wife, Dominique. But none of that mattered to the cops who killed him. Philadelphia police didn't see an expectant father experiencing a manic episode during a particularly difficult time. They saw a threat to "neutralize" - a man guilty of being Black in America.
Sadly, we have been here before. In September, Color Of Change joined Free The People ROC and local activists to launch a campaign demanding justice for Daniel Prude - an unarmed Black man who was murdered by Rochester police responding to a mental health call.4
Like Daniel Prude, Walter Wallace was in the throes of a mental health crisis and had a history of mental illness. Like Daniel Prude, Walter's family called 911 for help, as a last resort. Instead of receiving the help and care he needed, like Daniel Prude, Walter Wallace was murdered by police in the street.5?
Make no mistake: From Philadelphia to Rochester, Minneapolis to Los Angeles, police are not equipped to respond to mental health crises. Instead of funding programs that actually keep communities safe, cities rely on untrained police officers from overfunded police departments to respond to health emergencies, mental health crises, and people who are unsheltered and simply trying to survive.
Instead of handing police more money and more power to cause harm, the city should invest in unarmed civilian first responders trained in de-escalation. Because underfunded community services put all of us at risk.
But here's the thing, Eugene: When more than 100,000 Color Of Change members like you demanded justice for Daniel Prude, something shifted. Rochester's police chief and deputy police chief were fired, and the city established a new "crisis intervention unit" - a non-law enforcement response to calls involving mental health and domestic violence crises.6?It's not perfect, and our fight for justice didn't end there. But it was an important step forward - and Philadelphia must take similar action immediately.
Tell Philadelphia city officials: Fire the cops who murdered Walter Wallace immediately. Change how the city responds to medical and mental health calls, and no extra money for police "reforms" that will never keep Black people safe.?
Eugene, we've said it before, and we'll say it until our people are safe: Cops are not equipped to protect Black, Brown, and Indigenous people. But we''ll keep fighting every day to defend Black lives and invest in?true community safety.
With your help, Eugene, we''ll keep fighting every day to build a more equitable world for Black people, and a country where all Black lives really do matter - all the time, everywhere.
Sign the petition now: Demand justice for Walter Wallace.
Until justice is real,
-- Scott, Rashad, Arisha, Erika, Malachi, Marybeth, Ernie, Leonard, Madison, McKayla, Ericka, Ariel, Ana, and the rest of the Color Of Change team
References:
1.?Philadelphia Police Release ''Traumatic'' Bodycam Video Of Walter Wallace Jr. Shooting. 04 November 2020, NPR.?
2.?What we know about the Philadelphia Police shooting of Walter Wallace Jr. 28 October 2020, CNN.
3.?Walter Wallace Jr: Philadelphia police confirm that two officers fired 14 shots at Black man killed Monday. 28 October 2020, The Independent.
4. Demand Justice for Daniel Prude. Color Of Change.?
5. "His brother called for help after he was acting strangely. Police knelt on him until he was brain dead." 02 September 2020,?The Appeal.
6.?City establishes new crisis intervention unit following Daniel Prude''s death. 16 September 2020, ABC 13 WHAM.?
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Please help keep our movement strong.
Make a Donation
?
|
Eugene, did you know that prosecutors wield more power than almost every other actor in the criminal justice system - and we have the power to elect them?
This means we have the power to hold prosecutors accountable and vote them out when they fail to protect Black people! And it's why Color Of Change built the nation's largest directory of each and every local prosecutor - all 2,300 of them - and where they stand on issues most relevant to Black communities.
Introducing to you, Eugene: Winning Justice1?- a directory for every local prosecutor and district attorney in the country, and a tool to hold them all accountable.?
I'd be lying if I said we don't desperately need your monthly support to power this database to hold prosecutors accountable to Black lives. Here's how you can help today:
Make a monthly contribution to protect Black lives. Choose whichever monthly amount works for your budget:
|
CHIP IN $5 CHIP IN $10 CHIP IN $15 |
CHIP IN $25 CHIP IN $75 CHIP IN OTHER AMOUNT! |
A database of local prosecutors at this scale has never been done before, and Color Of Change is leading the charge.
We created Winning Justice to increase the transparency of prosecutors' offices so we are better equipped to end the most unjust practices prosecutors use to target Black people? - money bail, over-charging, over-sentencing, over-policing, the drug war, attacking immigrants and sending our Black children to adult prisons.???
The more information we have on prosecutors, the easier it is for members like you to hold prosecutors accountable to what matters to Black communities.?
Eugene, we need your help to maintain Winning Justice, and ultimately take it to the next level. Your monthly donation will fund our efforts to research prosecutors, support outreach, compile the data, and keep the Winning Justice directory up-to-date -?in the lead up to Election Day and beyond.
Will you make a monthly contribution to hold prosecutors accountable to Black people?
YES, I'LL CHIP IN TO PROTECT BLACK PEOPLEHere's a quick snapshot of prosecutors and why we must take action:
Here's the takeaway: prosecutors wield tremendous power, almost all are elected, and they don't reflect the gender and racial diversity of the communities they're prosecuting.
We can change that, Eugene - but not without the continued support of people like you. Together, we'll expand Winning Justice and continue the fight to end the prosecutorial practices that harm Black people.?
COUNT ME IN TO HOLD PROSECUTORS ACCOUNTABLE!Until justice is real,?
Scott, Rashad, Arisha, Erika, Marybeth, Malachi, Leonard, Ernie, Madison, Ariel, Ana, Ericka, McKayla, and the rest of the Color Of Change team
References:
1. Visit?WinningJustice.org?to find your prosecutor, see where they stand on our issues, and learn more about the role of prosecutors.
2. "5 Reasons You Should Care About Your Local Prosecutor Race." Ben and Jerry''s. 2 March 2020.
ColorOfChange is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change.
If you''re absolutely sure you don''t want to hear from ColorOfChange again, click here to unsubscribe.Are you ready for the future of racial justice?
Hi?Eugene,?
We are just a few short days out from one of the most critical primary elections, yet many folks in neighborhoods across Los Angeles are still unaware of the March 3 election.
Our friends, families and neighbors in these conversations sometimes need us to provide important information, help them think through the issues, and get them involved.
When YOU-a trusted friend, coworker, and neighbor-have the conversation or deliver a key message, it becomes even more powerful. I'd like you to try the TEAM App, an app that helps you reach as many friends & family members to take action on important issues, like the LA County race!
Now, you can take action on campaigns whenever you want, get updates on breaking election news, and share customized content with your friends. all through the convenience of the new Team App. Click here to try it out to text voters in LA County!
Download the Team App
?
It only takes seconds to download, and all you have to do is send text messages based on the resources we''ve made just for LA County. We've drafted the voting reminders, social media graphics, voter guides, and more. Try it out now!
The future of LA County''s criminal justice system will be determined by your vote. Download the Team app today.
Until justice is real,
Arisha, Jenni, Drew, Charles, Scott, Daniel, Tammi, Cristel, Alex, Destanie, Corina and the Color Of Change PAC team
| Donate |  |
 |
|
Ad paid for by ColorOfChange PAC, colorofchangepac.org. Not authorized by any federal, state, or local candidate or a committee controlled by a candidate. |
ColorOfChange PAC is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Contributions to Color Of Change PAC are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. This email was sent to @. If you''re absolutely sure you don''t want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
Hey Eugene, today is Election Day in California!?Polls are open 7 AM -- 8 PM. You can now choose from over 900 vote centers to cast your ballot. Select a vote center that works best for you here.
If you''re struggling to find a ride to the polls, you can ride an LA Now shuttle for free! Click here to schedule your ride service.
Go cast your vote today, and bring all your people too! If you haven''t registered to vote yet that''s okay. Same-day registration is available at all vote centers. Although ID isn't required, it's a good idea to bring yours for extra precaution.?
Every vote matters -- that''s how we get Jackie Lacey out of the District Attorney''s office once and for all.?
Until justice is real,?
Arisha, Jenni, Drew, Shannon, Destanie, Corina, Alex, Scotty, Cristel, Tammi, Daniel, and the Color Of Change PAC team
P.S. --?Make sure to also vote YES on Measure R. It's a ballot measure that brings oversight, transparency, and accountability to the LA Sheriff''s Department. Measure R will directly address problems of Sheriff deputy misconduct and corruption, and demand solutions to severe overcrowding and inadequate mental health care in our jails. Click here to learn more.
?
| Donate |  |
 |
|
Ad paid for by ColorOfChange PAC, colorofchangepac.org. Not authorized by any federal, state, or local candidate or a committee controlled by a candidate. |
ColorOfChange PAC is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Contributions to Color Of Change PAC are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. This email was sent to @. If you''re absolutely sure you don''t want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
Dear Eugene.
SIGN THE PETITION: Demand insurance companies prioritize the health of Black people and extend health insurance coverage.
In the past two weeks an estimated 3.5 million workers are expected to lose their employer-provided health insurance,1?leaving many of our people forced to pay for COBRA (continuation of health coverage) in the middle of a pandemic if we don't act.
The cost of COBRA coverage is estimated at $633 a month depending on the bi-weekly deductions from wages. Also, a loss in job-provided coverage will result in a switch to COBRA coverage forcing individuals to lose the tax-free benefit of the premiums being deducted from their paychecks pre-tax.2?As many Black people are facing lay-offs there should not be an expectation to shell out money for health care coverage. According to studies, the COVID-19 (coronavirus) economic freeze could cost 47 million jobs causing many of our people to be out of work and without insurance coverage.3?
An alarming number of Black people have less access to health insurance and paid leave, and many also are putting themselves in harm's way to hold on to hourly low-wage jobs for fear of losing health care coverage during this pandemic.4 This deadly choice between making a living and simply living puts unnecessary strain on our people. Black folks remain among the most vulnerable communities to be affected by coronavirus due to pre-existing health conditions such as asthma and heart disease. In Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, as of last Friday morning, 81 percent of the deaths were black people while Black people make up only 26 percent of that county.5 As of Sunday, in Chicago's Cook County 70 percent of coronavirus deaths are black, while black residents make up only 23 percent of the population in the county.6 More than ever Black people need health insurance. In a time of economic and health-related uncertainty, no person should be concerned about whether they will have health insurance.
SIGN THE PETITION: Demand insurance companies prioritize the health of Black people and extend health insurance coverage.
Roughly half of American health insurance is provided through an employer.7?If you lose your job, you're typically eligible for COBRA which will allow an employee to keep the same employer-provided health insurance. However, with claims of unemployment soaring by the day, the idea of paying a COBRA premium along with maintaining a household is absurd. According to the Federal Reserve''s 2018 report on the economic well-being of U.S. households, 40% of American adults wouldn't be able to cover a $400 emergency with cash, savings, or a credit-card. The highest jobless rate during the Great Recession, which ended in 2009, was 10%. The nation's unemployment rate could approach 32% - with over 10 million unemployment claims filed within the last two weeks.8,9?In today's volatile economic climate, no one should be expected to pay for COBRA to be protected from coronavirus.?
SIGN THE PETITION: Demand insurance companies prioritize the health of Black people and extend health insurance coverage.
Major insurance providers should step up and protect Black people instead of forcing them to shell out an outrageous fee to stay alive. Insurance companies have waived prior authorizations and co-pays but this is not enough.10?Thus far only 37 states have issued waivers to modify certain Medicare, Medicaid, and CHIP (Children's Health Insurance Program) provisions following a state of emergency declared by the Trump administration on March 13th.11?However, this expansion doesn't cover all low-income coronavirus testing and treatment - leaving Black people further excluded and targeted through policy that does not consider our needs.12
Black people are already systematically disadvantaged due to access to health care, lack of cultural competence by providers, and implicit bias in rendering healthcare services, and the threat of coronavirus adds an additional layer to these quality-of-life issues.13?Private equity vultures are seeking to exploit our country''s healthcare crisis by buying up hospitals that are saddled with debt, displacing critical healthcare staff and disrupting efforts to eradicate this virus.14?Politicians and policy makers are overlooking the nuanced needs of Black communities, while insurance companies are ignoring their main responsibility to consumers and policy holders. The basic needs of health care coverage for our people must be met to ensure proper allocation of healthcare services and coronavirus testing.
SIGN THE PETITION: Demand insurance companies prioritize the health of Black people and extend health insurance coverage.
Until justice is real,
--Brandi, Rashad, Arisha, Evan, Johnny, Jade, Amanda, Eesha, Samantha, Marcus, FolaSade, Jennette,?Cierra?and the rest of the Color Of Change team
References:
?
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you''re absolutely sure you don''t want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
Dear?Eugene,?
Elijah McClain, a 23-year-old Black man in Aurora, Colorado, was murdered at the hands of police almost a year ago and still no justice.
On August 24, 2019, three white police officers stopped Elijah while he was walking home from a convenience store -- after a 911 caller reportedly described Elijah as a "suspicious person."?1 The details that led to Elijah's death are horrific. The officers can be heard on bodycam video threatening to bring their dog to bite Elijah and even accusing Elijah of provoking arrest. Minutes later, officers then put Elijah in a deadly chokehold, causing him to go unconscious.2 Paramedics rushed to the scene only for Elijah to later suffer from a heart attack; he was declared brain dead three days later.3
That's why we must call on Attorney General Phil Weiser to stand up for what is right and file criminal charges against the officers who murdered Elijah McClain. He has the power to ensure these officers are not free to roam the streets while Elijah''s family is forced to mourn the loss of their loved one.?
Elijah Mcclain should still be alive today. Sign the petition to demand AG Phil Weiser charge the officers who murdered Elijah.
Here''s the truth: Officer Nathan Woodyard, Jason Rosenblatt, and Randy Roedema are responsible for Elijah''s death.?But the police-led autopsy report suggests the cause of Elijah''s death was unclear even though the coroner listed intense physical exertion as one of the contributing factors that sent Elijah into heart failure.4 To make matters worse, the police review board defended the police officers saying, " the force applied during the altercation. was within policy and consistent with training."?5 The officers were placed on administrative leave but later put back on the force because prosecutors declined to file charges.?There''s no denying the Aurora County police officers and District Attorney Dave Young have delayed justice for Elijah at every turn.?As we''ve seen in the countless number of police-involved shootings that have resulted in Black people being killed, police are rarely held accountable for the violence and harm they inflict on Black people.
If the police had simply allowed Elijah to walk home, he would still be alive today.?Elijah''s murder is yet another example of what we already know -- the police do not keep our communities safe. Just yesterday, members of Elijah''s community held a peaceful vigil, march, and rally where they honored Elijah''s life by observing a few violinists perform and holding hands. But in a widely circulated video, police disrupted the event wearing riot gear -- they deployed pepper spray and were physically violent toward attendees. Our communities aren''t even safe to mourn and honor the lives lost to police violence.6 We can''t sit by while Black people are being killed needlessly in the street by these violent police officers -- now more than ever they must know that enough is enough.??
Eugene, we know that when we continually call out these atrocities against our communities, it becomes impossible to ignore. We''ve seen this happen after more than 43,000 Color Of Change members called for #JusticeforBre and more than 300,000 members #RanwithAhmaud. As a result, charges against Bre's boyfriend were dropped, and the three men who murdered Ahmaud have been charged. And we know the same thing can happen for Elijah McClain.?
Enough is enough. Demand the cops who murdered Elijah are charged NOW.?
Until justice is real,?
--Scott, Rashad, Arisha, Erika, Malachi, Marybeth, Madison, Leonard, Ernie and the rest of the Color Of Change team
?References:
ColorOfChange is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change.
If you''re absolutely sure you don''t want to hear from ColorOfChange again, click here to unsubscribe.
Support our critical work to limit the political power of police unions.
?
?
Hey Eugene,
We are in a critical point in our movement to reform policing across the country.
Millions of people are taking action to demand police accountability. Members like you,?Eugene, are signing petitions, making phone calls, calling out public officials on social media and even risking your life in an unprecedented public health crisis by taking it to the streets and demanding justice. The public pressure is working. Yet, police unions continue to be a roadblock to reform.
In New York, elected officials passed legislation that would ban the use of chokeholds and make disciplinary records for police officers public information. Within days, local police unions filed multiple lawsuits, making the absurd argument that these reforms go too far.1 In the District of Columbia, the city council passed historic legislation that changes the disciplinary process for dangerous cops.?Weeks later, the local FOP announced a federal lawsuit,?challenging the constitutionality of the law and claiming that the statue unfairly targets police officers.2
At this point, we should not be surprised. These ridiculous lawsuits are nothing more than political stunts and a weak attempt to delegitimize our movement. Police unions are desperately trying to hold onto their power because we are in a unique position to actually?dismantle?the status quo.?Our work could drastically change the criminal justice system. Police unions feel their unchecked power slipping away, which is why they are launching these baseless attacks on reform.
And this is where you come in, Eugene. Many people are unfamiliar with the role police unions play in blocking accountability and reform. For instance, police unions consistently advocate for bloated police budgets, fail to hold their officers accountable, push for militarized weapons in our communities, and aggressively push back against any mechanisms of accountability.
If we do not make an intervention then their political power will continue to grow unchecked. We have to limit the influence of police unions in our communities. And that starts with making sure our elected leaders reject political contributions from police unions and work to bring their influence to an end.
Here is how you can help.
Donate $5 a month
Donate $10 a month
Donate $15 a month
Donate $20 a month
Donate $50 a month
Police resistance to our work is a sign that we are winning-- and we cannot let police unions slow us down.?We must move full speed ahead.?
Become a monthly sustainer with Color Of Change PAC.
Until justice is real,
--Scott, Marybeth, Malachi and the rest of the Color of Change Pac Team
References:
| Donate |  |
 |
|
Ad paid for by ColorOfChange PAC, colorofchangepac.org. Not authorized by any federal, state, or local candidate or a committee controlled by a candidate. |
ColorOfChange PAC is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Contributions to Color Of Change PAC are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. This email was sent to @. If you''re absolutely sure you don''t want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
Black History Month has become the time to reflect on all the progress Black people have made. But the sobering reality is that when it comes to wealth - the paramount indicator of economic security - there has been virtually no progress in the last 50 years.1?Study after study indicates Black wealth is only ten cents for every dollar for white people;2?the Black wealth gap would take an abysmal 228 years to close;3?and that Black net worth will effectively be zero in 2053.4?In fact, what the daunting figures reveal is that Black wealth was stolen.? From government to corporations, longstanding public policies have exacerbated the racial wealth gap. This year, Color Of Change's vision for economic justice is rooted in a vision of Black abundance and we're going to need your help to get there.? Will you chip in to support an affirming vision of Black abundance?
Our vision includes a stable, anxiety-free economic platform that reliably and unconditionally meets all basic needs, systematically invests in our people and communities, and ensures Black people have the freedom to rest, relax and connect with nature, beauty and art. We're going to make that happen by:
Eugene, this is only the beginning to building a Black wealth renaissance. Much is ahead of us this year.? In spite of unfavorable economic narratives, we are an unmatched people. With your support, we can enact an abundant vision that ensures all Black people at all stages of life, identities, and in all states of being are actively valued.
Can we count on you to sow an intention for Black abundance with a donation?
?
Until justice is real,
--Brandi, Rashad, Arisha, Jade, Johnny, Amanda, Evan, Eesha, Samantha, FolaSade, Marcus and the rest of the Color Of Change team?
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
?References:
"50 Years After the Kerner Commission," Economic Policy Institute Report,? February 26, 2018,https://act.colorofchange.org/go/229903?t=7&akid=39719%2E4804695%2Epytrwk
"The Racial Wealth Gap," Demos, 2015, https://act.colorofchange.org/go/229904?t=9&akid=39719%2E4804695%2Epytrwk.
"The Average Black Family Would Need 228 Years to Build the Wealth of a White Family Today," The Nation, August 8, 2016, https://act.colorofchange.org/go/229905?t=11&akid=39719%2E4804695%2Epytrwk
"Median wealth of black Americans ''will fall to zero by 2053'', warns new report," The Guardian, September 13, 2017, https://act.colorofchange.org/go/229906?t=13&akid=39719%2E4804695%2Epytrwk.
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you''re absolutely sure you don''t want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
Dear?Eugene,?
Ahmaud Arbery, a 25-year-old Black man, was jogging near his neighborhood in Brunswick, GA when he was chased down, shot, and killed in cold blood.1?
His executioners were a father & son, Gregory and Travis McMichael, two white men, who told police they believed Ahmaud fit the profile of a suspect in a series of break-ins in the area.2?The entire thing was filmed by a third person, Bryan Williams.?But the truth is: Ahmaud's murder was an act of hatred and white supremacy.
Worst of all, the two DAs who''ve recused themselves, District Attorney Jackie Johnson and District Attorney George Barnhill, played a key role in a blatant cover-up and delays in justice for Ahmaud and his family.?DA Barnhill even defended Ahmaud's murderers by making the outrageous claim that Travis McMichael acted in self-defense and his actions fell within Georgia's citizen arrest laws.3
Instead of seeking justice, DA Johnson refused to bring charges against Ahmaud''s killers and DA Barnhill abused his authority to exonerate the McMichaels in the media.4 Police are quick to arrest and throw our people in cages, but when we are killed, it''s crickets for months from the legal system. For their complicity, both?District Attorney Gregory Barnhill and District Attorney Jackie Johnson must immediately resign.?
Sign the petition. Demand DA George Barnhill & DA Jackie Johnson resign immediately.
Glynn County law enforcement is doing everything it can to ensure the McMichaels get away with Ahmaud''s murder. Gregory McMichael is a retired police officer who worked with DA Barnhill''s son in District Attorney Jackie Johnson''s office.5?In the moments leading up to Ahmaud''s death,?the McMichaels stated they saw him stop by a house that was under construction and look through the window.6?But?you actually have to be observing a crime or be in the immediate knowledge of a crime for self-defense or citizen laws to be applicable.7?Ahmaud was not committing a crime, he was jogging. Any effort to use citizen's arrest or self-defense as an excuse for Ahmaud's murder is a weak attempt to cover-up this injustice.
What's clear is Gregory McMichael's former affiliation with the local DAs office is allowing him to escape accountability.?The McMichaels grabbed their shotgun and a pistol, chased Ahmaud in their truck, and when Ahmaud attempted to defend himself he was shot twice and killed. Nevertheless,?Ahmaud''s case has been tossed from one DA''s office to the next. Every step along the way the police have been quick to shift the blame away from the McMichaels.?Police even told Ahmaud's mother that her son was involved in a burglary and there was a confrontation between Ahmaud and the homeowner and a struggle over a gun.8?THESE ARE LIES.?Glynn County law enforcement has been quick to do nothing but ensure the McMichael's are not held for this atrocity.
White supremacy and corruption are running rampant in Glynn County-- and both DA Barnhill and DA Johnson are perpetuating it.?In his letter to the Glynn County police, Barnhill stated, "it appears {Travis and Gregory McMichael''s} intent was to stop and hold this criminal suspect until law enforcement arrived. Under Georgia law, it is perfectly legal."9?Barnhill also went on to falsely claim that Ahmaud was prone to violence and that there was no need for arrest.10?It is because of Barnhill''s suggestions to police that two months have gone by without an arrest or any form of accountability.?Now, Tom Durden of Liberty County has finally decided to bring the case to a grand jury -- which doesn''t convene until after June 2.11?And even he is doing his part to delay justice.?Durden could issue an arrest warrant right now on a complementary charge if he wanted to, he doesn''t need an indictment.12?Instead, he continues to protect the vigilantes'' rights to utilize their weapons and their power to end Black lives.?
DA Jackie Johnson is known for letting corrupt officers off the hook. During her first six years in office, she had at least 16 cases where she''s recused herself because of conflict of interest.13?In 2010 she protected an officer who later went on to murder his ex-wife and then himself.14?And earlier this year three former top officers and the police chief were indicted for ignoring evidence that an officer was working with drug dealers --? one was having sex with two confidential informants.15?The lack of police accountability in Glynn County has reached a fever pitch. Voters are even considering getting rid of the police department for good.16?And?this year Johnson is vulnerable because she is up for re-election.17?Elected leaders must take the necessary steps to ensure our people are protected and free to live without fear of violence and destruction.?That''s why now more than ever, both DA Barnhill and Johnson must feel the pressure from us to resign. They need to know we are on to them -- we won''t allow this corruption to continue in Glynn County.?
DA Barnhill and DA Johnson have got to go. Sign the petition.?
Every second Ahmaud's executioners evade accountability shows just how little Glynn County law enforcement cares about Black lives. Under no circumstance should it be acceptable for these men to roam the streets and relax in their homes while Ahmaud's family and community continue to mourn the premature loss of their son and loved one. Black communities?deserve protection -- not to be preyed upon and hunted down in the street.
The most painful part of this injustice has been the fact that Ahmaud''s murder took place almost eight years to the day after Trayvon Martin was slain by a racist vigilante. Time and time again, our communities face the highest rates of state-sanctioned violence -- whether it's mass incarceration, police killings, 'stop and frisk,' or the all too familiar rhetoric of broken windows policing. Ahmaud''s death is just another disturbing example of a violent society that marks Blackness as inherently dangerous -- where Black people are more likely to be seen as instigators rather than people in need of help in times of danger.
Demanding DA Barnhill and Johnson to resign is crucial to getting the justice Ahmaud deserves. Our leaders must stop treating Black lives as if we are disposable. We must stand up to this racist terror and that starts with holding local prosecutors accountable. Enough is enough. We are demanding justice for Ahmaud -- we refuse to lose any more of our loved ones to these reckless acts of violence.
Ahmaud deserves justice. Demand DA Barnhill & DA Johnson resign NOW.?
Until justice is real,?
--Scott, Rashad, Arisha, Clarise, Erika, Malachi, Marybeth, Madison, Leonard, Cheryl, and the rest of the Color of Change team
?References:
1. "A Georgia man was chased and killed while jogging, his mother says." CNN. https://act.colorofchange.org/go/245948?t=7&akid=42331%2E4804695%2ErRtajm
2. Ibid.
3. George E. Barnhill Letter to Glynn County Police Department. NYT.?https://act.colorofchange.org/go/245949?t=9&akid=42331%2E4804695%2ErRtajm
4. #iRunwithMaud. Our Prism. https://act.colorofchange.org/go/245950?t=11&akid=42331%2E4804695%2ErRtajm
5.?George E. Barnhill Letter to Glynn County Police Department. NYT.?https://act.colorofchange.org/go/245949?t=13&akid=42331%2E4804695%2ErRtajm
6. "A Georgia man was chased and killed while jogging, his mother says." CNN. https://act.colorofchange.org/go/245948?t=15&akid=42331%2E4804695%2ErRtajm
7. Ibid.
8. Ibid.
9.?George E. Barnhill Letter to Glynn County Police Department. NYT.?https://act.colorofchange.org/go/245949?t=17&akid=42331%2E4804695%2ErRtajm
10. Ibid.
11. "Status of Liberty County Jury Trials." Liberty County Office of the Clerk of Courts. https://act.colorofchange.org/go/245954?t=19&akid=42331%2E4804695%2ErRtajm
12.#iRunwithMaud. Our Prism. https://act.colorofchange.org/go/245950?t=21&akid=42331%2E4804695%2ErRtajm
13. Ibid.
14. Ibid.
15. "Glynn County police chief, 3 ex-officers booked into jail." News 4 Jax.?https://act.colorofchange.org/go/245952?t=23&akid=42331%2E4804695%2ErRtajm
16. "Legislation first step to abolishing county police department." The Brunswick News. https://act.colorofchange.org/go/245953?t=25&akid=42331%2E4804695%2ErRtajm
17. #iRunwithMaud. Our Prism. https://act.colorofchange.org/go/245950?t=27&akid=42331%2E4804695%2ErRtajm
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you''re absolutely sure you don''t want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
We're not surprised - we're fighting back. Join us:
?
?
One of the largest police unions in the world recently endorsed Donald Trump.
They've picked their side - and we need your help to fight back.
Become a sustaining supporter of Color Of Change PAC now.?
Eugene --
Two weeks ago, the NYC Police Benevolent Association, "the largest municipal police union in the world,"1 endorsed Donald Trump's re-election. And last night, the union''s president praised Trump at the Republican National Convention.
If you know anything about police unions, this endorsement comes as no surprise. Put simply, police unions are one of the single largest threats to Black life in America.?
Police unions defend violent and abusive cops and often succeed in getting killer cops reinstated after they're fired. They use their political power to block reform and win contracts that effectively put police above the law. And they attack and threaten anyone who dares to challenge the police2 - including activists, elected officials, and people just like you,?Eugene.
For police unions, money is power. They use it to buy politicians' support and block reform. That's why Color Of Change PAC launched "No Cash From Cops,"3 a national campaign to demand elected officials on both sides of the aisle refuse donations from killer cop organizations.?
Police unions are one of our main foes in the fight for Black lives. And we'll be blunt,?Eugene: To take them on - and to win desperately-needed police accountability - we need resources.
Eugene, will you become a monthly supporter?today to help Color Of Change PAC fight for police accountability? With your help, we'll be able to purchase digital ads to expose police unions, reduce their outsized influence on our politics, and keep fighting to defend Black lives. This couldn't be more important.
YES, I'LL CHIP IN TO HELP DEFEND BLACK LIVES
With their full-throated endorsement of Trump last night, the NYC Police Benevolent Association (PBA) has shown the world exactly where police unions stand. Yes, they support Trump's "law and order" platform and fetish for brutal policing. But this endorsement is also a tacit approval of the harm the Trump administration inflicts on Black people -?and a rebuke on police accountability of any kind.
Although this is PBA's first presidential endorsement in nearly four decades, politicians on both sides of the aisle have vied for - and gleefully accepted - the support of powerful police unions for years.
From the presidency to the city council, Republican AND Democratic elected officials know police unions are an enemy they can't afford to make. And we can't afford to sit on the sidelines while police unions buy up our democracy and enable the police violence that plagues Black communities.?
We have to fight back,?Eugene - and with your continued support, we will. Become a monthly supporter of our campaign to defend Black lives and hold racist cops accountable.
In polling and at protests, Americans have spoken and are emphatic: Policing needs fundamental change. But police unions like PBA and the Fraternal Order of Police will block reform with all they've got.
Police unions aren't on our side. With only two months until the November election - in the middle of a national referendum on police - we'll be hearing more and more from them. Through their ads and endorsements, police unions will tell us exactly what they're fighting for: the ability to terrorize Black and Brown communities with impunity.
Eugene, as long as police unions have a hand in local and federal politics, our communities will continue to suffer. We can't let police money upend our democracy or continue to threaten Black lives.??
Chip in $3 or whatever you can to power our "No Cash From Cops" campaign today.
Until justice is real,
-- Scott, Malachi, Ernie, and the rest of the Color Of Change PAC team
?
References:
1. The Inevitable Trump-Police Union Synthesis. New York Magazine, Intelligencer. 18 August 2020.
2.?The Fraternal Order Of Police: A Union That Stands In The Way Of Police Reforms. NPR. 8 June 2020.
3. No Cash From Cops:?Say No to Money From Police. Color Of Change.?
| Donate |  |
 |
|
Ad paid for by ColorOfChange PAC, colorofchangepac.org. Not authorized by any federal, state, or local candidate or a committee controlled by a candidate. |
ColorOfChange PAC is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Contributions to Color Of Change PAC are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. This email was sent to @. If you''re absolutely sure you don''t want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
Dear?Eugene,
California's Central Valley schools have a history of anti-Blackness. Administrators routinely silence students when they try to speak about their experiences, ignore complaints about racism, and do nothing to address the hostile environment Black students face.?These students are excessively punished and denied fair investigations and solutions.
We're using our YourVoice video platform to expose all of the ways these Black students are marginalized and silenced. Color Of Change has a team to edit the videos - shout out to the Video Squad - and financial costs to operate the platform. Your donation will help to pay for the expenses necessary to run this invaluable platform that will pave the way for even more Black stories to be told.
Chip in $4 so that we can continue to document and share these students' stories!
When a teacher at Del Paso Elementary School threw away students' Black Lives Matter (BLM) projects1, Color Of Change joined forces with the ACLU of Northern California to advocate for the students involved in this case. In the midst of fighting for strategic demands to be met, it became clear that several school districts throughout the region were also ignoring Black children's experiences and treating them as one-off instances, minimizing the systemic problem.
Here are some recent disturbing examples:
Across the board, their complaints have been poorly investigated and swept under the rug by teachers and administrators.?Black children throughout the region are struggling in hostile school environments where they are silenced and traumatized by school culture that repeatedly denies their experiences of racism.
That's why we are collecting stories of Black children to tell the California Department of Education that enough is enough. We will not accept half-hearted investigations into racist school districts. We're going to expose the systemic failures of Central Valley schools by making the voices of Black children unignorable. We're going to be able to prove that this is a systemic issue and demand the California Department of Education create a more equitable environment for Black students.
Help us expose the systemic racism in Central Valley schools by chipping in to tell our stories in a way that makes the greatest impact.
Sharing Black stories is the foundation of the work we do at Color Of Change. Since 2018, hundreds of Color Of Change members from across the country have told their personal stories through our YourVoice platform on issues ranging from their experiences of hair discrimination to the ways the criminal justice system impacts their families. This powerful platform has been an effective tool for everyday people to speak truth to power. Now, to address the anti-Blackness at Central Valley Schools, we are using our YourVoice platform to demand that decision-makers listen to the voices of Black children.
We need your help to make this successful. Supporting our video platform and the people power behind it helps us to make sure Black voices are heard and our experiences centered, and stops the denial of racism in schools.
Help us gather students' stories and expose the anti-Blackness in Central Valley schools with our YourVoice video platform!
Until justice is real,
Brandi, Rashad, Arisha, Evan, Johnny, Jade, Future, Eesha, Samantha, Marcus, FolaSade,?Jennette,?Cierra?and the rest of the Color Of Change team
References
1. "Sacramento school accused of discrimination after students'' art thrown out," KCRA3 News, November 22, 2019, https://act.colorofchange.org/go/230428?t=9&akid=41173%2E4804695%2EqILReT
2.?"ACLU Files Discrimination Complaint on Behalf of Black Students in Central California," The Root, October 24, 2019, https://act.colorofchange.org/go/230433?t=11&akid=41173%2E4804695%2EqILReT
3.?"FUSD apologizes for racially insensitive English assignment at Roosevelt High," Yourcentralvalley.com, January 23, 2020, https://act.colorofchange.org/go/230432?t=13&akid=41173%2E4804695%2EqILReT
4.?"ACLU files complaint on behalf of two students at Bullard High over blackface video," ABC 30, October 20, 2019, https://act.colorofchange.org/go/230431?t=15&akid=41173%2E4804695%2EqILReT
5. "A boy and his hair are behind the latest Clovis Unified dress code debate," The Fresno Bee, February 6, 2016, https://act.colorofchange.org/go/237142?t=17&akid=41173%2E4804695%2EqILReT
6. "Black mom furious after honor roll son is kicked out of class because of his haircut," The Grio, March 9, 2018, https://act.colorofchange.org/go/237141?t=19&akid=41173%2E4804695%2EqILReT
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you''re absolutely sure you don''t want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
Once again, huge tech corporations have chosen to silence Black voices while amplifying white nationalists.
Hey?Eugene,
This week, Google, Verizon, and Hulu refused to run our video ad?with Priorities USA calling out Trump for sanctioning police and military violence against protestors.
Trump used similar imagery in a similar ad demonizing protestors and has not been censored.?
Once again, huge tech corporations have chosen to silence Black voices while amplifying white nationalists. This is exactly why Black-led digital ads programs like ours are needed to combat this hateful messaging and make sure voters hear the truth.
Eugene, we're not going to let big tech corporations silence us, but we need people like you to stand with us. Here's how you can take action:
Donate $50 a month
Donate $20 a month
Donate $10 a month
Donate $5 a month
Donate $1 a month
Or make a one-time donation here
Let's be honest: many Americans are disillusioned with our political system right now.
We're in the midst of a pandemic that has disproportionately killed Black and brown people due to the government's failure to provide adequate medical care. Minimal government financial support has pressured low-income people to risk their lives to return to work despite the ongoing pandemic. And police violence against Black people and protestors continues, egged on by our president.
This is exactly why we need to reach Black voters as soon as possible.
We need to show people that we understand their struggles, and help them see why even if we are disillusioned, we must vote to get rid of politicians that intensify the harms of white supremacy, and elect leaders that will work to ensure our safety and protect our rights. Voting is not the only tactic we need, but it is one way to build the power we need to move towards liberation.
Big tech companies are attempting to silence us, but we won't back down. We're going to run ads inspiring Black voters and exposing the truth about Trump all the way through November 4th.?Join us and donate in these last 100 days until Election Day!
Until justice is real,
Arisha, Jenni, Drew, Charles, Tammi, Cristel, Daniel, Alex, Scotty and the Color Of Change PAC team
| Donate |  |
 |
Paid Pol. Adv. paid for by ColorOfChange PAC, 1714 Franklin St., Oakland, CA 94612, independently of and not authorized or approved by any federal, state, or local candidate or candidate's committee.
ColorOfChange PAC is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Contributions to Color Of Change PAC are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. This email was sent to @. If you''re absolutely sure you don''t want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
Can you take a quick survey?
Hi Eugene,
I wanted to make sure you had the opportunity to take our survey. We'd like to hear how voting in the primary went for you. As we head into the remainder of 2020 your feedback is critical to our work.?
Long lines? Broken polling machines? Voted by mail??Take this quick survey if you voted in the primary election.
And if you didn''t vote in the primary?Eugene, we''d still like to hear from you!?Take this quick survey if you did not vote in the primary election.
SURVEY: I VOTED IN THE PRIMARY
SURVEY: I DID NOT VOTE IN THE PRIMARY
Until justice is real,
--Jennifer, Arisha, Drew, Charles, Scott, Daniel, Alexandra, Tammi, Cristel and the rest of the Color Of Change team
Eugene,
Did you vote in the primary election yesterday??
If so, my team and I here at Color Of Change PAC would love to hear any feedback you have on your voting experience.?Can you fill out this quick survey about how voting went for you yesterday?
Take the Survey
Whether voting on Tuesday was smooth sailing or a complete train wreck, as a part of our community, we're interested in hearing how it went for you! Your input is important to us as we head into the remainder of 2020.
Looking forward to hearing from you!
Until justice is real,
-Jennifer, Arisha, Drew, Charles, Scott, Daniel, Alexandra, Tammi, Cristel and the rest of the Color Of Change PAC team
| Donate |  |
 |
Paid Pol. Adv. paid for by ColorOfChange PAC, 1714 Franklin St., Oakland, CA 94612, independently of and not authorized or approved by any federal, state, or local candidate or candidate's committee.
ColorOfChange PAC is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Contributions to Color Of Change PAC are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. This email was sent to @. If you''re absolutely sure you don''t want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
Dear?Eugene,??
As hundreds of thousands of people take to the streets demanding justice for George Floyd and the countless of other Black people who''ve been murdered and brutalized at the hands of the police, Bob Kroll, head of the Minneapolis police union, was quick to call George Floyd a "violent criminal," and equate the national protests to a "terrorist movement." Kroll is even actively defending the four officers who participated in killing George.1?What''s clear:?Bob Kroll is an enemy to police accountability and reform -- and for that, he must go.
It shouldn't be a surprise. Kroll is a white supremacist and racist who has worn a white supremacist badge, associated with other white supremacist cops, made many racist statements, and committed unprovoked brutality himself.2?He's said,?"I've been involved in three shootings myself, and not a one of them has bothered me."3
Join us along with our partners at Police Unions Exposed in calling on Minneapolis elected officials and police officers to denounce and publicly demand the resignation of Bob Kroll.
Kroll, like many police union leaders, is notorious for defending dangerous and abusive cops, resisting any form of accountability for police officers, and doing everything possible to block change. If we want to see change, we need to confront police unions, some of the biggest obstacles to accountability and reform. Kroll has to go, and ousting him will put other police unions on notice that we can successfully challenge their power.
When Minneapolis Mayor James Frey ended the warrior-style police training program called "killology," a system linked to the police killing of Philando Castile in nearby Falcon Heights, Kroll called the mayor''s decision "illegal" and continued providing the training that teaches police how to use lethal force against the very people they are entrusted to serve and protect.4 The former police chief of Minneapolis has called on Kroll to resign, along with the Minnesota AFL-CIO, the Minnesota Nurses Association, and Education Minnesota (a teachers' union).5
Kroll and the police union he leads aren't unique. Police unions across the country fight against police reform and accountability with everything they have. They routinely defend violent and abusive officers and often succeed in getting violent cops reinstated after they are fired. They use their political power to fight reform and win contracts that effectively put police above the law. They attack and threaten anyone who dares to challenge the police, including activists, elected officials, and everyday people.
We can be sure that every good idea for ending police brutality and abuse -- from the most basic reforms to dismantling the police altogether -- will meet with vicious opposition from police unions.
It's time to confront police unions and expose their role in perpetuating police brutality, shielding violent police from accountability, and blocking change. It's why we're partnering with a new effort, Police Unions Exposed, focused on educating everyday people about the problematic nature of police unions and their role as the anchor of unaccountable policing and enabling us to push back.
Confronting Bob Kroll and the Minneapolis police union is the first step in challenging the power of police unions across the country. By forcing Kroll out of leadership at the Minneapolis Police Federation, we can send a powerful message to police unions everywhere: if you continue to promote and defend police violence, your power will be taken away.
Bob Kroll must go. Demand MN elected officials and police officers denounce Bob Kroll and publicly demand his resignation.
Until justice is real,?
--Scott, Rashad, Arisha, Erika, Malachi, Marybeth, Madison, Leonard, Cheryl, and the rest of the Color of Change team.?
?References:
ColorOfChange is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change.
If you''re absolutely sure you don''t want to hear from ColorOfChange again, click here to unsubscribe.Billionaire Pinterest CEO Ben Silbermann says his "Black employees matter" but has been underpaying them. That's not right.
|
Concerned Staff just started a petition to Ben Silbermann, Pinterest Co-Founder & CEO to: Pay Your Black Employees What You Owe Them!
|
||
Dear Eugene, I just started a petition titled "Tell Pinterest: Pay your Black employees what you owe them!" Two weeks ago, Pinterest CEO, Ben Silbermann, released a statement expressing solidarity with his Black staff in light of the recent protests against the police brutality our community is facing, and committed to taking action to support them, saying that "our Black employees matter." The problem? Under Silbermann's watch, Pinterest has not only underpaid its Black employees, but it has retaliated against those willing to take a stand against them with racist threats, intimidation, and harassment. And when one white employee went as far as to doxx a Black co-worker for speaking up, the company failed to do enough to protect her. While it's easy to appreciate the wave of corporations, brands, and celebrities who are seeing the importance in publicly affirming their stance against racism, Pinterest needs to do much more than issue a statement to meaningfully support Black people. Company values or statements mean nothing unless they're backed up by the leadership, the payroll, and the operations. If he really believes his Black employees matter, Ben Silbermann owes his current and former Black staff an apology, an independent third party evaluation of employee pay by race and gender, and a commitment to giving them the back pay they are owed. Billionaire Pinterest CEO Silbermann says his Black employees matter but is underpaying them. Tell him to put his money where his mouth is. Five years ago, "Black lives matter" was a controversial statement. Today, though structural white supremacy and racism persist, the leadership and political power of Black people have made the cost of failing to affirm this truth too high even for corporations like Pinterest to ignore. But we've seen how easily companies jump from diversity & inclusion messaging to underpaying their own Black workers, discriminating against Black customers, and harming Black users and community members. Pinterest is no exception. Ben Silbermann simply cannot claim to care about his Black staff without expecting us to examine the ways his actions contradict his words. Corporations that have anti-Blackness built into their business models need to follow up their statements against racism with concrete action. Will you sign the petition and forward this email to make sure your voice is heard? Add your name here. In this moment we are publicly interrogating the harms Black people face from the institutions like the police that claim to keep us safe. But the fact is that plenty of corporations also bear responsibility for violence, harm, and discrimination against Black people, whether they carry it out, enable it, or profit from it. We deserve more than lip service from the companies that rely on us as workers, creators, and cultural ambassadors. Tell Ben Silbermann to put his money where his mouth is. Tell Pinterest to issue an apology, hire an independent 3rd part to evaluate employee pay by race and gender, and give its Black employees the back pay they are owed immediately. Lip service won''t protect Black employees at Pinterest from pay inequity. Action will. Tell Ben Silbermann to pay them what they are owed. Thank you, Concerned Staff ? ?
|
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Please help keep our movement strong.
Make a Donation
?
I'm going to keep it real with you --?we're short on funds before the Los Angeles primary race.
We've got 16 days until one of the most important District Attorney's races of our lifetime. But in order to educate thousands of Black voters about why we need to get Jackie Lacey out of LA District Attorney's office, we need to raise money and we're about $8,797 short of our goal right now.
You have two choices,?Eugene.
Ultimately, it's your choice,?Eugene. And I hope you choose to invest in our fight to make LA safer for Black people?by electing George Gasc?n for District Attorney. After 8 long years of misconduct in the DAs office, we finally have a chance at progressive criminal justice reform. Los Angeles police officers are killing Black people, and DA Lacey continues to turn a blind eye.
So, will you select choice 1 and invest in our movement??
Donate $100 >>?
Donate $50 >>
Donate $25 >>
Donate $5?>>
Or, donate a different amount >>?
Until justice is real,?
Arisha, Jenni, Drew, Charles, Cristel, Tammi, Corina, Destanie, Scotty, Daniel and the Color Of Change PAC team
References?
| Donate |  |
 |
|
Ad paid for by ColorOfChange PAC, colorofchangepac.org. Not authorized by any federal, state, or local candidate or a committee controlled by a candidate. |
ColorOfChange PAC is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Contributions to Color Of Change PAC are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. This email was sent to @. If you''re absolutely sure you don''t want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
White nationalist groups are using Facebook to mobilize.?
|
White nationalist groups are using Facebook to mobilize.? ??
Tell Facebook to ban white nationalist hate groups and stop fueling white nationalism.? TAKE ACTION |
A white nationalist just murdered two protesters demanding justice for Jacob Blake in Kenosha.
While demanding justice for Jacob Blake, the 29-year-old Black man who police recently shot in the back 7 times, paralyzing him from the waist down, an emboldened white nationalist militia member opened fire on protestors, shooting and killing two of them, and wounding a third.1 This white nationalist man was encouraged and emboldened to carry out such violence through a network of Facebook groups in which white nationalists openly discussed how they planned to violently harm protesters, with no intervention from Facebook until after the protesters were killed.2?Even worse, Facebook knew about the group and their calls to violence before the shooting happened and chose not to act.3
Sadly, this isn't the first time white nationalist groups have mobilized on the platform to carry out real-world violence. Facebook promised to ban hate groups after it was used to organize 2018's deadly "Unite the Right" riot. And just last week, they promised to ban far-right militias as threats increased, but white nationalists were still able to use Facebook to organize to harm protesters last night.?
We cannot allow this to continue. Tell Facebook to stop fueling white nationalist hate groups.?
Color Of Change has spent five years now trying to get Facebook to combat hate on the platform, and while we've won important changes to limit the impact of online hate, Facebook still refuses to fully reckon with the ways their company elevates white nationalists and other hate groups. Facebook, for example, automatically recommends hate group pages and content to those who use the platform, indoctrinating people in white nationalist ideologies. In some cases, Facebook will even automatically create pages for new hate groups.4?
Facebook must IMMEDIATELY ban white nationalist hate groups from organizing on their platform.?
Black people are facing undue suppression, harassment, and hate on Facebook. We can't afford for Facebook to keep radicalizing white nationalists, who, through their interactions on Facebook, are driving real-world violence against protesters. White nationalist violence against us must end, and it's Facebook's job to step in and stop it.?
Tell Facebook to stop fueling white nationalist organizing, once and for all.
Until justice is real,?
-Jade, Arisha, Rashad, Johnny, Amanda, Marie, Evan, Imani, Eesha, Gabrielle, Samantha, Jennette, Ciera, Marcus, FolaSade, and the rest of the Color Of Change team
References:
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Please help keep our movement strong.
Make a Donation
?
|
Eugene,
You and more than 1.3 million Color Of Change members are standing with us in demanding justice for George Floyd, a Black man who was murdered in broad daylight in Minneapolis on Monday.1
On Tuesday, the four officers, including Derek Chauvin, who executed the killing, and?Tou Thao, were fired from the force.2?This is a major victory because it rarely happens but this is only step one. Local officials must do more to hold the officers accountable for murdering George.
Due to COVID19, Minneapolis is facing a budget shortfall and has to make decisions about how to cut $60 million from the city budget.?Our communities are in need of PPE, affordable housing, jobs, and mental health care, so these vital social services must remain intact.?The MPD is given a budget of $193 million annually, which funds their murderous police force and tear gas on peaceful protestors.
We''re calling for their budgets to be cut because right now there is no system of accountability for their bad actions. They''ve had years of misconduct, citizen killings, racism, and harassment on Black and Brown communities. And rarely, if ever, are their officers held accountable for their misconduct. Overinvestment in police and underinvestment in public services lead to more criminalization of Black and Brown communities, like the killing of George Floyd.
Mayor Jacob Frey must hold them accountable in the only language they speak: money. We''re joining Black Visions Collective3 to demand?Mayor Frey defund the MPD now!
Eugene, demand Mayor Frey defund the Minneapolis Police Department Now.
Until justice is real,
--Scott, Rashad, Arisha, Erika, Malachi, Marybeth, Madison, Leonard, and the rest of the Color Of Change team
References:
1. "Video shows Minneapolis cop with knee on neck of motionless, moaning man who later died." CBS News.
2. "4 Minneapolis Police Officers Fired Over George Floyd Death." Huffington Post.
3.?Black Visions Collective (BLVC) believes in a future where all Black people have autonomy, safety is community-led, and we are in right relationship within our ecosystems. Learn more here.
?
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you''re absolutely sure you don''t want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
Dear?Eugene,?
There are now 8,600 new COVID-19 cases in state and federal prisons?1 -- we must act NOW to save as many lives as possible.
In places like Chicago, jails went from two diagnosed cases to 101 incarcerated people and a dozen employees have tested positive for the virus in just one week.2?In Louisiana, Black people account for 70 percent of all the state''s coronavirus deaths even though they only make up 32 percent of the state''s population.3 And Black people make up more than half of the prison population where at least 28 incarcerated people and 22 correctional staff have tested positive for COVID-19.4 If we leave it up to the local government, more Black people will be neglected. This is already happening in Louisiana, where COVID-19 positive incarcerated people including those being held pre-trial are being transferred to Angola, a former plantation -- leaving people with no medical care, no hospitals, and no access to lawyers.5
And Black women are particularly vulnerable.?The COVID-19 outbreak is exacerbating a pre-existing healthcare crisis in this country that has always carelessly or intentionally excluded Black women. Health conditions such as heart disease, hypertension, high blood pressure, or cancer, which we know affect Black women at disproportionate rates.6?Public health officials have repeatedly warned that the only way to flatten the curve and to save countless lives is to immediately release incarcerated people especially those with underlying health conditions. The time for action is now.?
Governors in every single state have the power to grant mass release to thousands by using their executive clemency powers--yet hundreds of applications are piling up on governors'' desks, sitting ignored. That must end. That''s why?in partnership with the National Council for Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls, we are calling on governors to exercise their clemency power during the COVID-19 outbreak and release as many people as possible.
Tell your governor: Immediately release as many people as possible from prisons during the COVID-19 outbreak.
Prison is the worst place a person could be during the COVID-19 outbreak. And conditions in prison and jails across the country are growing worse each day. People trapped in these facilities are subject to overcrowding and poor sanitation -- making social distancing practically impossible.?Many incarcerated people are already elderly, and suffering from underlying health conditions which makes them especially vulnerable to contracting this deadly virus. Worst of all, most jails are not equipped to make the changes needed to keep people safe. Cleaning supplies are classified as contraband and hand sanitizer is widely banned.?Incarcerated people are being served food on dirty trays by people who are not wearing masks, increasing the risk of contamination.?More importantly, people who work in these facilities cycle in and out of jails and prisons and go home to their families increasing the potential spread of the virus.??
Governors could prevent thousands of incarcerated people from being exposed to this deadly virus.?There are nearly 2.3 million people incarcerated in federal, state and local prisons and correctional facilities across the country, and the Federal Bureau of Prisons only houses 175,000 people.7 This leaves governors with an enormous power to reduce the overall risk of those exposed to COVID-19 by granting clemency.
Yet, both Democratic and Republican governors alike have been slow to act in this crisis. Clemency is a power so few governors actually use; many go decades in office and only commute the sentences of a handful of incarcerated people at best.?Eugene, now is our chance to push governors to understand the thousands of lives that could be saved if they respond to this emergency with urgency by exercising their clemency power. ?
Sign the petition. We need your help to keep up the pressure on governors across the country to do their part in stopping the spread of coronavirus.?
Mass incarceration is the pandemic. Now more than ever should be the time we push towards a future where all of our people are free.?No one should be subject to fighting this unprecedented public health risk from inside a cage. The people trapped in these jails and prisons are members of our community. We?deserve to live our lives free of perpetual punishment. We deserve to be treated with dignity and to have access to the care we need during this unprecedented public health crisis.
If governors do nothing, our communities are at escalated risk of contracting COVID-19.?And not releasing people inside prisons will have a detrimental impact on people outside of prisons. Our communities are most at risk and yet there has been no statement outlining the direct actions and protections being provided for the people who are incarcerated. We can't afford to lose some of the most vulnerable members of our communities to this deadly disease because governors are failing to act on their clemency power.?
Your governor has the power to save lives by granting clemency. Will you send a letter demanding mass clemency?
Until justice is real,?
--Clarise, Rashad, Arisha, Scott, Erika, Malachi, Marybeth, Madison, Leonard, and the rest of the Color of Change team.?
?References:
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you''re absolutely sure you don''t want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
We won. After years of fighting, hundreds of thousands of petition signatures, and in-person actions, Greyhound finally agreed to no longer allow Border Patrol to indiscriminately board its buses in order to racially profile passengers without a warrant.1 In 2020, people shouldn't have to carry passes or 'freedom papers' in order to travel without fear of arrest. Greyhound plans to formally notify the Department of Homeland Security they will no longer allow unwarranted searches on its buses or in public areas of terminals.?
Greyhound's decision to prohibit warrantless searches will make a huge impact on Black and Latinx families. By blocking Border Patrol from conducting unwarranted searches, Greyhound will be protecting thousands Black, Latinx, and immigrant families, who, thanks to this decision, will no longer have to face undue profiling and harassment from Immigrant and Customs Enforcement agents while traveling in this country.?
Thank you, Eugene, for fighting with us. Because of your help, we've been able to stop a major enabler who's been aiding in Trump's deportation machine. But there are still many companies enabling Trump''s deportation machine, including Netflix and the Boy Scouts. We must continue to hold accountable companies like Netflix, whose reality shows whitewash Border Patrol's brutality, and the Boy Scouts, who partners with Border Patrol to groom teenagers to become future agents. We need your support to continue these fights! Chip in $5?to ensure that we're able to continue holding corporations like Greyhound, Netflix, and the Boy Scouts of America accountable for their role in the deportation pipeline.
Until justice is real,?
-Brandi, Rashad, Arisha, Jade, Johnny, Future, Amanda, Evan, Imani, Samantha, Jenette, Ciera, Eesha, Marcus, FolaSade, and the rest of the Color Of Change team
References:?
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you''re absolutely sure you don''t want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
Join our call for free prison and jail phone calls.
|
Eugene,
The coronavirus pandemic has revealed just how fragile and inequitable our systems are, from our healthcare system to the economy, and even our sworn elected leaders. Now more than ever, people are recognizing the critical need for strong communities and staying in touch with their loved ones.
But unfortunately, not everyone has the ability to even pick up the phone to call or text to check-in on their parents or grandparents during this trying time. And for incarcerated people, the barriers to remaining connected are even worse. Every prison and jail has suspended in-person visits, and are forcing families to pay exorbitant rates for phone and video calls to ensure their incarcerated loved ones are safe.
Prison telecom corporations charge families as much as $25 for a 15-minute phone call. That's out of reach for many families under normal circumstances, but nearly impossible during today's pandemic, especially for Black families who've been particularly hit hard. Black people are disproportionately affected by the mass layoffs and because of systemic health inequities, are at a higher risk of contracting and dying from the virus. Our communities should not have the added stress of trying to make ends meet to afford to connect with a loved one behind bars.?
Passed by the House of Representatives, the Senate is now considering?a provision that would set interim rate caps at 4 and 5 cents per minute, bar government agencies from profiting off phone calls, and restore the Federal Communications Commission's authority to regulate all prison and jail calls. Families need to remain connected and this bill would help get us there, but we need to push Congress to act now!
Sign the petition calling on the Senate to pass The Martha Wright Reed Bill to lower the rate of jail and prison phone calls.
The $1.2 billion prison telecom industry exploits vulnerable populations who are simply trying to connect with their loved ones. At a time when families need it the most, corporations like Securus, have done little if anything to keep families connected. And our elected leaders are failing to step in. In some jails and prisons, they don''t even have access to a phone to make a call. And though federally incarcerated people received free phone calls1 for the duration of the pandemic, this is far from enough for the millions of other incarcerated people at local and state facilities.
COVID-19 is deadly and is changing by the minute and for incarcerated people, many who are immuno-compromised and high risk, a missed call can mean that they'll never speak to their loved ones again.
We need your help to demand that our elected officials lower the rate of jail and prison calls, now and forever.
Families and children of incarcerated people have taken to social media over the past few days to demand access to free prison and jail communication. And the public response has been overwhelmingly positive. We need to keep up the pressure on our elected leaders to guarantee our incarcerated loved ones remain connected.
Your action today can stop the cruel separation of families and instead connect them. Everyone deserves to know their loved ones are safe.
Until justice is real,
Scott, Rashad, Arisha, Erika, Malachi, Leonard, Marybeth, Madison, Ernie, McKayla and the rest of the Color Of Change team?
References:
1. "Federal prisons make inmate calling, video visits free during pandemic." Politico.?https://act.colorofchange.org/go/255764?t=8&akid=44138%2E4804695%2E0gXlay
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Please help keep our movement strong.
Make a Donation
?
?
?
Hey?Eugene,
Yesterday marked the 155th anniversary of Juneteenth--June 19, 1865 also known as Freedom Day--when enslaved Black people in Galveston, Texas got word from Union Army General Gordon Granger that they were finally freed.
It is my hope that you honor the celebration of the abolition of slavery in this country while also recognizing the pure resilience and determination shown by Black people to this day, who 155 years later continue to fight against racist, systemic oppression in hopes of true equality.
To celebrate the legacy and vision for freed Black people every day, become a Color Of Change PAC sustainer with a monthly gift of $5 or more today.
A monthly gift is the most efficient way to support Color Of Change PAC's long-term efforts to fight for equality for Black people by building independent Black political power, engaging Black voters, electing candidates who share our values, and holding them accountable to our communities.
Donate $1 a Month
Donate $5 a Month
Donate $10 a Month
Donate $15 a Month
Donate $25 a Month
Donate Any Amount Monthly
I''d Rather Make a One-Time Donation
Eugene, over the past few months we've seen unarmed Black people killed by police, we've seen major voter suppression tactics in action, we've seen Covid-19 disproportionately kill Black people and so much more.
When you start a monthly gift today, know that your monthly support enables my team and me to put up a fight against all of these racial injustices that Black folks must face each day. Whether it's endorsing a District Attorney that will hold police officers accountable for their actions or sending hundreds of thousands of text reminders to Black folks to register to vote, trust that Color Of Change PAC is putting in the work each and every day to get Black people closer to true equality.
Thank you for all of your support.?
Until Justice is Real,
Arisha, Jenni, Drew, Charles, Tammi, Cristel, Alex, Scotty, Daniel, and the Color Of Change PAC team
We need your help fighting back against attempts to discourage Black voters from casting their ballots.?Please help us report and hold accountable those who are trying to keep us from voting.
| Donate |  |
 |
Paid Pol. Adv. paid for by ColorOfChange PAC, 1714 Franklin St., Oakland, CA 94612, independently of and not authorized or approved by any federal, state, or local candidate or candidate's committee.
ColorOfChange PAC is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Contributions to Color Of Change PAC are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. This email was sent to @. If you''re absolutely sure you don''t want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
Hey Eugene,?
I'm emailing to give an update on results from the Los Angeles District Attorney's race on March 3rd.??
The results call for a runoff between George Gasc?n and Jackie Lacey. The runoff election will take place in November because no individual candidate was able to secure more than 50 percent of the total vote count.1?
Our fight for progressive criminal justice reform has become even more urgent due to the coronavirus pandemic. LA County has the largest jail population in the United States. Folks serving time in these overcrowded jails are at heightened risk for becoming infected, and only 10% of the jail population has been released so far.2?
We have to be clear here. DA Jackie Lacey is responsible for LA's overcrowded jails. And now more than ever, we need a District Attorney that will end predatory incarceration of Black and brown people -- not just when we're living through a public health emergency. We have an uphill battle against Lacey. She nearly won the primary election, and we cannot let that happen again in November. Will you donate to our LA County digital fund so we can continue engaging with Black voters throughout this unpredictable coronavirus pandemic?
Together we must persist in our fight to help elect George Gasc?n for LA County District Attorney. Our field team has even more turf to cover in order to educate thousands upon thousands of Black voters about this election. But the harsh reality is, due to coronavirus we cannot knock on folks' doors for the foreseeable future until it is safe for our staff and volunteers. This means our work will not be possible without an additional $10,000 in the bank to launch digital ads and text voters.?Will you help fund our work to contact thousands of Black voters ahead of the November runoff election?
Let me give you an idea of the amazing work we, along with our all-volunteer squad, have been able to do in LA prior to coronavirus:?
If we can do this much work in less than 2 months, imagine what we could do from now until the runoff election in November. Are you committed to making sure Black voters are educated about the LA County District Attorney's runoff election?
Yes, I realize the impact that local elections have on Black communities and will donate $5 to make sure Black voters in LA are reached by Color Of Change PAC.
For a powerful 2020,?
Jenni, Drew, Shannon, Destanie, Corina, Alex, Scotty, Cristel, Tammi, Daniel, and the Color Of Change PAC team
P.S. -- Did you vote in the March 3rd primary election? If so, we want to hear from you! Whether voting in the primary was easy or difficult, we''d love to hear about your experience.?Click here to take our Super Tuesday survey.
References?
1.?
https://act.colorofchange.org/go/242564?t=6&akid=41478%2E4804695%2EOc9-Rj
2.?All inmates released have been nonviolent offenders with less than 30 days left to serve. https://act.colorofchange.org/go/242565?t=8&akid=41478%2E4804695%2EOc9-Rj
?
| Donate |  |
 |
|
Ad paid for by ColorOfChange PAC, colorofchangepac.org. Not authorized by any federal, state, or local candidate or a committee controlled by a candidate. |
ColorOfChange PAC is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Contributions to Color Of Change PAC are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. This email was sent to @. If you''re absolutely sure you don''t want to hear from Color Of Change again, click here to unsubscribe.
|
Dear?Eugene,?
Rayshard Brooks, a 27-year-old Black man, was murdered by Atlanta police this past Friday.?
Rayshard was unarmed and asleep in his own car in a Wendy's drive-thru when police arrived to interrogate him. After insisting Rayshard take a breathalyzer exam, police attempted to arrest him and say that because he struggled during the arrest and attempted to take possession of the taser he was shot twice in the back. Those gunshot wounds killed Rayshard after surgery.1?
Rayshard would still be alive today?if a tow truck had been called instead of the police, if family members were called to pick him up, or even if he was simply allowed to walk home. There are a number of non-police alternatives that could have been used at that moment. Yet,?Rayshard is another young Black man whose life has been stolen at the hands of police violence.?
Shortly after news of Rayshard's murder broke, Atlanta Police Chief Erika Shields stepped down and the two officers responsible for Rayshard''s murder have been fired and place on administrative leave subsequently.2 It is not enough. Public officials have an ethical obligation to reign in killer cops and make substantive changes that will deter an inherently dangerous police force from killing Black people. We must demand more.
That's why we are calling on Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard to immediately file charges against the two officers who murdered Rayshard Brooks. Officer Garrett Role and Devin Brosnan must be held accountable to the communities from which Rayshard's life was taken-- a simple slap on the wrist is not going to cut it. These officers should not be free to roam the streets while Rayshard''s family and community are left to mourn without justice.?
Sign the petition. Tell DA Paul Howard to file charges against the officers who murdered Rayshard Brooks.
Policing is a violent institution that will never keep us safe.?Time and time again we've seen the inability of the police to intervene in Black communities without engaging in lethal or excessive force. As of this moment, Officer Devin Brosnan has been placed on administrative leave, which means he hasn't even been fired for taking Rayshard's life.3 Earlier this week, DA Paul Howard released a statement saying, "[Rayshard] did not seem to present any threat to anyone. The fact that it would escalate to his death seems unreasonable."?4 But the truth is this: we are not even shocked or surprised by the violent action that was taken by the officers at the scene. Police officers seldom face criminal charges or accountability for their criminal behavior.?
Our people need investment in things that keep us safe. That starts with envisioning a society that functions for all of us. We must take real steps toward the dismantling of systems that unjustly harm Black people. And this is not an issue we can afford for our elected officials to continue ignoring.?With your help, we can demand justice for Rayshard and change the status quo where Black people are protected.
Tell DA Paul Howard: Rayshard Brooks died at the hands of police and he deserves justice.?
Until justice is real,?
--Scott, Rashad, Arisha, Erika, Malachi, Marybeth, Madison, Leonard, Cheryl, and the rest of the Color Of Change team
?References:
ColorOfChange is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change.
If you''re absolutely sure you don''t want to hear from ColorOfChange again, click here to unsubscribe.|
?
Eugene,? 'Tis the season to support Black Mamas and Caregivers in our 2nd Annual "Black Mama's Bail Out: Toy and Winter Coat Drive!"? Your monthly contribution will enable us to?provide Black Mamas and Caregivers with the resources they need to thrive this holiday season and throughout 2021. That means we''ll?bail out as many Black mamas and caregivers from cages as possible while offering holistic support to every person we help free.?This is the power we have as a community - when we support each other, we can beat systems that were created to destroy us.?? For those of us committed to building a world that values redemption more than retribution; collective care is our most valuable currency. This email isn't a fundraiser. This is?an invitation to show up for Black families in ways that our elected leaders and government simply refuses to. ? Eugene, can I count on you to support Black Mamas and Caregivers?
Last year, Color Of Change members like you helped National Bail Out?raise over $1 million dollars for their Black Mamas Bail Out. Black Mamas Bail Out is a coordinated effort by community organizations, advocates, and families to reunite Black mothers and caregivers with their families.? That's why I'm asking you to become a sustaining supporter of Black Mamas and Caregivers, this season and beyond.? Here's why we're working to end the racist cash bail system:
NO contribution is too small, Eugene?- this is the most important gift you can give this season. Until Justice is Real,? Erika, Scott, Malachi, Ariel, Madison, Ernie, Megan, Ana, McKayla, Trevor, and the rest of the COC team? ? References:? 1. "The National Bail Out Collective"? 2. "How the Cash Bail System Endangers the Health of Black Americans", Arnav Shah & Shanoor Seervai, June 17, 2020? 
|
|
Being an anti-racist ally is not a title, it is a practice.
*This message was sent to a random selection of Color Of Change members regardless of racial identity.*
|
What will you do to keep fighting for Black lives?
Making a sustaining contribution to Color Of Change is one of the most important ways that you, as a white member*, can deepen your support for racial justice and your commitment to dismantling white supremacy. GIVE $3 MONTHLY |
My name is Johnny Mathias, and my name is Evan Feeney. And we're white.
Together we've been working at Color Of Change for over 14 years combined. We work behind the scenes to support the brilliant leadership of the people you see in your inbox every week--Jade Magnus Ogunnaike, Arisha Michelle Hatch, and Rashad Robinson. You don't hear from the two of us very often, but in this moment we feel it''s important that we share directly with you what we know about how the white members* of the Color Of Change community can powerfully show up too.
The most important thing to know is that being an ally is not a noun, it is a verb. Being an anti-racist ally is not a title, it is a practice. We find ways to support and advance Black liberation, Black lives, and Black joy on a regular basis. As white people, when we wake up each day we have to choose to be anti-racist, to fight for racial justice and Black communities. One of the most important things white people can do to meet that responsibility is to use our financial resources, whatever they may be, to support independent Black political leadership.
By signing up to be a monthly donor to Color Of Change today, you are deepening your commitment to anti-racism and showing that you are making an ongoing commitment to practice allyship. ??
Some of you have been long-time members of the Color Of Change community, but for many of you, joining Color Of Change this summer was the first time you took powerful action in the name of racial justice. Whether you''re new to our work or have been here a long time, we're glad you're a part of this community because the movement cannot be sustained solely on the efforts and energy of Black organizers for whom this fight is a matter of life and death.
The work we do together in the coming months and years will be critical. The systems of anti-Black oppression and inequity that led to the rise of Trumpism, the devastating spread of COVID in Black communities, the racial wealth gap, and the resurgence of white nationalist violence were not defeated by this election. Already, we're seeing establishment forces try to downplay and dismiss the necessary solutions racial justice advocates are demanding. If we do not seize this moment to push for unprecedented change, these anti-Black forces will only grow stronger.
All too often we think of racial justice as the sole responsibility of Black people. As white people, we have an obligation to dismantle racism and to do so by supporting Black leadership. We need to leverage our privilege and resources to meet gaps where white-controlled corporate and governmental structures have refused to value Black lives. Making a sustaining contribution to Color Of Change is one of the most important ways that you, as a white member, can deepen your support for racial justice and your commitment to dismantling white supremacy.
It's time to take our fight for Black liberation, Black lives, and Black joy to the next level. Can we count on you to become a sustaining supporter of Color Of Change today? Just $3 a month makes a huge difference, Eugene-and gets us one step closer to building a more equitable world for Black people.?
?Until justice is real,?
-Johnny, Evan, Rashad, Arisha, Jade, Amanda, Marie, Gabrielle, Imani, Taurjhai, Stasia, Eesha, Samantha, Jennette, Ciera, Marcus, FolaSade, and the rest of the Color Of Change team.
*As an organization, we are committed to centering Black people in this movement. Most of our members are Black, but we felt it important to take this opportunity to speak directly to the hundreds of thousands of white Color Of Change members. Please consider sharing this with the white people in your life.*
?
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Please help keep our movement strong.
Make a Donation
?
Demand that JP Morgan Chase and Stripe SHUT DOWN cash flow to the Proud Boys and other white nationalist hate groups.
|
Dear Eugene,
SIGN THE PETITION: Demand that JP Morgan Chase and Stripe SHUT DOWN cash flow to Proud Boys leader, Enrique Tarrio! #BloodMoney
YESTERDAY AFTERNOON, the Proud Boys stormed the United States Capitol building with clear intentions of intimidating D.C. residents, starting conflict to advance their racist agenda, and lethally?threatening anyone that stood in their way.1?Once?again, JP Morgan Chase and Stripe have?financed, mobilized, and even?profited from these violent acts of white domestic terrorism.
Earlier this week, Enrique Tarrio was arrested and charged with property destruction and possession of two high-capacity firearms.2?On December 12th, the Proud Boys leader torched a Black Lives Matter banner belonging to Asbury United Methodist Church-a historic Black church in Washington, D.C.-and on January 4th returned "armed and ready" to intimidate Black people and incite racial violence at yesterday's "Overturn the Election" rally.3?
Within hours of Enrique Tarrio's arrest, GiveSendGo-the same crowdfunding site that raised nearly $1 million for Kyle Rittenhouse-translated their deep hatred for Black protestors into fundraising.4?Eugene, GiveSendGo is actively using JP Morgan Chase (through WePay) and Stripe to process donations for Enrique Tarrio's legal defense and related white nationalist causes, including but not limited to:?
In the past 48 hours alone, GiveSendGo has raised nearly $300,000 for the Proud Boys. So while GiveSendGo is branded as a "Christian Crowdfunding Site" that prohibits "the promotion of hate, violence, or other forms of intolerance," JP Morgan Chase and Stripe must acknowledge GiveSendGo's true motives: to advance their white supremacist agenda and engage white nationalist violence.7?
SIGN THE PETITION: Demand that JP Morgan Chase and Stripe CEASE processing donations for the Proud Boys and DESIST servicing white nationalist hate sites like GiveSendGo! #BloodMoney
Eugene, JP Morgan Chase and Stripe have an ethical duty and moral responsibility to shut down cash flow to white supremacists. According to Stripe's Terms and Conditions any organization that "engages in, encourages, promotes, or celebrates unlawful violence to any group based on race." must be restricted from using the platform.8 And JP Morgan Chase lists "hate, violence, racial intolerance, and terrorism" as prohibited merchant activities.9?The Proud Boys are a known white supremacist hate group and GiveSendGo is a known white nationalist hate site.?So,?JP Morgan Chase and Stripe are?consciously prioritizing profit over Black lives and public safety.?
But it must end here; these corporations cannot continue to build wealth using Blood Money. Color Of Change is calling on JP Morgan Chase and Stripe to immediately cease payment processing for Enrique Tarrio on the crowdfunding site GiveSendGo, ban accounts associated with the Proud Boys or any white nationalist hate group, and desist from further servicing GiveSendGo and other white nationalist hate sites. Black lives depend on it, and their stated commitments to stop profiting from white nationalist hatred and violence command it.?
SIGN THE PETITION: Demand that JP Morgan Chase and Stripe STOP profiting from white nationalist hatred and STAND AGAINST white domestic terrorism! #BloodMoney?
Until justice is real,?
-Jade, Rashad, Arisha, Johnny, Erica, Evan, Amanda, Imani, Eesha, Marie, Gabrielle, Sam, FolaSade, Jennette, Ciera, Taurjhai, Stasia, and the rest of the Color Of Change team
References
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Please help keep our movement strong.
Make a Donation
?
| Data Name | Data Type | Options |
|---|---|---|
| Name (full) |  Text Box | |
| Email address | Text Box | |
| Zipcode | Text Box | |
| Phone (mobile) | Text Box |
Sign Up
You`re Almost Done! Your action has been submitted. Now multiply your impact by telling your friends.
Arts and Entertainment
Business and Industry
Computer and Electronics
Games
Health
Internet and Telecom
Shopping
Sports
Travel
More