Dear Allies, let’s talk about organizing.
What are we to do in response to the supreme court that currently sits on the bench?
Organize.
Strategize.
And most importantly, RESPOND, REMEMBER, AND REPEAT.
This letter is an invitation to talk about organizing.
My Democratic vote doesn’t count in state-wide or federal elections in Alabama. The voting districts have been gerrymandered to cede voting power throughout the state to Republicans. I can cast a ballot for a Democratic Governor or Federal representatives but they will not win. The state of Alabama has planned for them to fail and the Supreme Court is ok with the state’s dilution of Black votes.
This dilution of voting power doesn’t just affect the Black vote, it also affects laws enacted to control and dominate women’s bodies and provide equal protection under the law. Every state of Alabama Republican elected official supported the overturning of Roe v. Wade and now Alabama has one of the harshest abortion law in the country.
So what do you do when the court system that’s supposed to enable equity fails you?
You organize because there is power in numbers. One way to organize is to start your own non-profit. I usually believe that is reinventing the wheel and there is probably a group already doing what you want to do. Organize by finding groups that align with your goals and either joining or supporting them.
Below is a list of ten organizations to consider:
- ACLU of Alabama – defends the individual rights and personal freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution and Bill of Rights
- Alabama Arise – advances public policies to improve the lives of impoverished Alabamians
- The Bail Project – pays individual bails and disrupts the cash bail system
- Black Lives Matter – seeks to “…eradicate white supremacy and build local power to intervene in violence inflicted on Black communities by the state and vigilantes.”
- Equal Justice Initiative – its mission is “…ending mass incarceration and excessive punishment in the United States, to challenging racial and economic injustice, and to protecting basic human rights for the most vulnerable people in American society.”
- The Human Rights Project – works to “…promote domestic compliance with universally accepted human rights standards.”
- The Institute for Justice – end widespread abuses of governmental power and secure the constitutional rights of Americans
- Planned Parenthood – “…to ensure all people have access to the care and resources they need to make informed decisions about their bodies, their lives, and their futures.”
- The National Women’s Law Center – fights for gender justice
- Southern Poverty Law Center – “…a catalyst for racial justice in the South and beyond…”
Some of these organizations may seem to be doing the exact same thing BUT they are approaching the issues through varied means, using different tools and on multiple platforms. Remember, the monster of injustice is a multi-headed beast and can only be destroyed with multiple weapons.
This is where we start, together, with an initial talk about organizing.
Do you know of other organizations that should be added to this list? Tell me who and how they fight for justice.
“Every moment is an organizing opportunity, every person a potential activist, every minute a chance to change the world.”