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Author: Jennifer R Farmer

250TH Event: Race Forward to Explore Co-Governance and Democracy in July 1 Webinar

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WASHINGTON – As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, millions are questioning whether democracy can truly deliver on its promise of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for all. Race Forward will host a July 1 webinar to explore the possibilities for strengthening democracy through co-governance. The conversation will occur as part of the organization’s #RaceAnd series and will be held July 1 from 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. PT.

“On this 250th birthday of the USA, co-governance must be a foundational pillar of democracy’s future,” said Candace Moore, Vice President of Place, Policy, and Power for Race Forward. “Co-governance is the practice of communities and government sharing real decision-making power. It has been proven to combat authoritarianism, rebuild civic trust, advance racial equity, and produce better outcomes for everyone.”
This discussion will challenge the notion that democracy is something we receive and instead champion a vision of democracy as something we actively do, build, and govern, together.
WHO: Liz Sullivan-Yuknis, Co-Founder and Executive Director, Partners for Dignity and Rights
Niketa Brar, Civic Strategist and Movement Builder, For the Many Strategies, LLC
Jaime Kinder, Mayor of Meadville, PA
Shari Davis, Co-Executive Director, Center for Economic Democracy
Candace Moore, Vice President of Place, Policy, and Power, Race Forward
WHAT:           Webinar on Co-Governing, Democracy and New Futures
WHEN:          Jul 1, 2026|12 to 1:30pm PT

United Women in Faith to Welcome Trailblazing Speakers, Thousands of Women at Assembly 2026

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INDIANAPOLIS – From May 15 through May 17, United Women in Faith will host their quadrennial Assembly at the Indianapolis Convention Center, bringing together thousands of women to unite for change. Featured speakers will include civil rights activist and member of the Little Rock Nine Mrs. Elizabeth Eckford, and voting rights advocate and former Georgia State Representative Stacey Abrams.
“Assembly is where women of faith come to be inspired, equipped, and energized to lead change in their communities and the world,” saidSally Vonner, General Secretary and CEO of United Women in Faith. “We are thrilled to welcome Stacey Abrams, Mrs. Elizabeth Eckford, and so many more unstoppable women whose stories embody the heart of our theme.”
“I’ll be on the main stage with my mom, Reverend Carolyn Abrams, and joined by nearly 4,000 women from around the globe to be inspired, to sing, to nurture our souls, and to experience what it truly means to be unstoppable together,” said Abrams.
“With the eradication of the past, we cannot heal the wounds of the past and move on to a better future,” said Mrs. Eckford. “We can’t have true racial reconciliation until we honestly look at our shared painful past.”
If you are a reporter looking to attend, please contact press@spotlightpr.org. Limited media passes are available.
WHO:            United Women in Faith
                         Stacey Abrams
           Mrs. Elizabeth Eckford
WHAT:           Assembly 2026
WHEN:          Friday, May 15, 2026 through Sunday, May 17, 2026
WHERE:        Indiana Convention Center, Halls A, B & C
               100 S Capitol Ave, Indianapolis, IN 46225
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United Women in Faith is the largest denominational organization for women in the United States.

Child Care Advocates Denounce Proposals to Deregulate as “Endangering Children

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WASHINGTON — As families and child care providers advocate for increased investment into a more accessible and affordable system that benefits all, government officials are proposing to slash spending and strip regulations. Alex Adams, assistant secretary for family support for the Administration for Children and Families, recently stated his desire to create a “bonfire” out of child care subsidy regulations. These proposals could loosen or eliminate protections, including health standards, and increase the number of children a child care provider may supervise. The agency Adams leads serves 2.3 million children from low-income homes. Child care advocates today released the following statement:
“It is so disheartening to witness federal officials attempt to deregulate a social service that is not only beneficial to children and families, but to communities and society,” said Jasmine Bowles, executive state director of 9to5 Georgia. “These efforts will weaken safety guards and reduce the quality of care.”
“In the United States, our government does not have a problem giving massive tax breaks to billionaires,” said Lenice Emanuel, executive director of the Alabama Institute for Social Justice. “Yet, they force low-income earning people to beg for help and jump through hoops to afford basic needs like child care. They want poor people to prove that they are worthy.”
“The Trump administration once again has picked a fight with the wrong people: parents and child care providers,” said Mary Ignatius, executive director of Parent Voices. “Parent Voices CA will not stand by while recycled racist, sexist, and xenophobic lies are used to disrupt the lives of our children. The child care workforce has historically been made up largely of immigrant and Black women who are paid low wages. Parents who qualify for child care have been on waitlists for more than a decade due to lack of funding, and providers are shutting down because low wages make it impossible to stay open in California. Providers already keep meticulous records, and there is no evidence of significant fraud, including in California, where strict oversight exists. If Trump wants to address waste and fraud, corporate welfare such as the ‘water’s edge’ tax loophole and private equity in child care deserve far more scrutiny. Superheroes choose kids, not billionaires!”

Mayor of Upper Arlington: My Focus is on Working People

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UPPER ARLINGTON, Oh. — In response to a baseless accusation of being a union buster, Upper Arlington’s Mayor Ukeme Awakessien Jeter today released the following statement:
“It is distressing that a media publication would say something that is intellectually dishonest and blatantly false for political gains. As a proud immigrant, I understand how important it is to have agency in life and at work.
“Throughout my time in public service, I have always sought to uplift working people and ensure they have the support they need to thrive. I understand that we are stronger together. The right to organize led to the eight-hour workday, safety and protection on the job and fair wages that allow hardworking people to care for themselves and their families.
“I also understand that my presence as a Black woman is threatening to the status quo. There are few identities more marginalized than that of a Black, immigrant woman. Regardless of these baseless and engineered attacks, I will continue to keep my focus where it should be: on working people.”

Child Care Advocates to Elected Officials: Protect Us All

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For Immediate Release

January 27, 2026

WASHINGTON – Following the tragic killing of ICU nurse Alex Pretti in Minneapolis by a U.S. Border Patrol agent, child care organizers and advocates with 9to5 Georgia, the Alabama Institute for Social Justice, Alliance for Quality Education NY, the Colorado Statewide Parent Coalition, SPACEs in Action/Community Change, and the Raising Child Care Fund today issued the following statement:

“As child care organizers and parents, we grieve the perilous conditions unleashed by federal agents on children and families in Minnesota and beyond,” said Mary Ignatius, executive director of Parent Voices. “From threats to freeze child care funding, to dangerous immigration raids, to the calculated racial profiling of people of color, many communities feel unfairly targeted. This should matter to us all.”

“We know firsthand that children cannot learn when they are in survival mode,” said Lenice Emanuel, executive director of the Alabama Institute for Social Justice. “Child care educators cannot teach when they, and the children and families they serve, are under attack. Moreover, communities cannot know safety when they, and the public officials charged with serving them, are terrorized by federal agents.”

“Indeed, the federal government appears to have turned on her citizens,” said Lorena Garcia, CEO, Colorado Statewide Parents Coalition. “Law enforcement has been deputized to hunt persons suspected of being undocumented, with a new memo suggesting Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE) could go door to door in search of undocumented immigrants. The practice of “detain first, ask questions later,” is immoral and dangerous. It isn’t in service of keeping the nation safe; it is designed to instill terror and fear in the American people.

“In the space of a few weeks, we’ve seen a pregnant woman pulled from her car, a disabled woman who was on her way to a medical appointment detained, a toddler and preschooler detained and flown out of the state, police officers of color detained, and multiple people shot, some fatally, by ICE or Border Patrol. The killing of Renee Good and Alex Pretti have been well publicized, but they are not anomalies. In 2025, 32 people died in Immigration Customs and Enforcement custody, including 7 people who died in December 2025 alone,” Ignatius said.

“In a developed nation, no one should fear extra-judicial killings,” said LaDon Love, executive director, SPACEs in Action. It is imperative that each of us contact our respective federal officials and ask them to immediately pull ICE and DHS from Minnesota, and to prevent their entry in other American cities. As Jamelle Bouie from the New York Times has said, “mass deportation is inherently cruel.””

Child care advocates urge parents and others to:

  • Ask elected leaders to fund child care, not ICE.
  • Contact your elected leaders via email or phone, and share your thoughts about ICE.
  • Ask elected leaders for a thorough investigation into ICE killings.

“As an entity dedicate to children, families and child care providers, the RCCF joins our grantee partners in supporting the health, safety, and well-being of children, families, and early educators facing heightened stress and uncertainty in their communities,” said Rachel Schumacher, Director, the Raising Child Care Fund.

 

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This Black History Month, Anticipate and Then Act for Brighter Future

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For Immediate Release

January 26, 2026

ST. LOUIS, MO – In observance of Black History Month, the Deaconess Foundation today issued the following statement. The statement should be attributed to Deaconess Foundation President & CEO Bethany Johnson-Javois, and Vice President, Strategic Impact & Innovation, Constance Harper.

“On the eve of this Black History Month, many are wondering if progress is a thing of the past. Black History Month in 2026 is occurring at a time national unrest, widespread anxiety, and a breathtaking assault on the rule of law. Organizations that work to strengthen democracy express feeling under siege, and communities bearing disproportionate harm feel similarly targeted. One could be forgiven for questioning whether our best days (as a nation) are behind us,” Johnson-Javois said.

“Regardless of what is happening around you, do not surrender your imagination. Every system of domination begins by narrowing what people can imagine as possible. Indeed, do not let current events dampen your anticipation. Now more than ever, people of faith must tap into anticipation and allow that anticipation to fuel their advocacy. ‘Holy Anticipation’ is a disciplined spiritual posture that prepares us to respond rightly and righteously to God’s movement and human plans before they fully unfold,” Johnson-Javois said.

“Expectation and anticipation are not the same:  Expectation is confidence in God’s character and promises. But anticipation is how that confidence takes shape in a life of faithfulness and preparation. To anticipate a future that subsequent generations can be inspired by is to accept the responsibility to act in ways that make that future real. This is a moment to assert and organize for a future that sees, protects, and welcomes all. This is not a moment to shrink in fear or hopeless resignation. As we embark on Black History Month, our remembrance and celebration should interrupt routine and outlive the limits of a 31-day cycle,” Johnson-Javois said.

“Make a list of courageous actions, both big and small, that you can take to help create the beloved community our ancestors anticipated. This may look like calling elected leaders and urging them to do what is right, not merely what is politically expedient. It may look like showing up for those the powers that be are attempting to erase, with a clear expectation of mutual responsibility, shared risk, and collective liberation. It may look like intentionally standing with those who are in harm’s way. The bottom line is this. During Black History Month, anticipate the future you want to see and prepare to act in ways that help bring it into being, understanding that freedom has always required participation and that each of us must find our way into the fight,” Harper said.

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Radical Reparations Fiercely Reimagines the Legacies of Black Americans; Paves Unifying Path Forward for the Nation

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For Immediate Release

January 20, 2026

LOS ANGELES – At the same time the nation is witnessing the erasure of the contributions of Black Americans, a prominent sociologist, Dr. Marcus Anthony Hunter, today announced the paperback release of his seminal work, “Radical Reparations: Healing the Soul of A Nation.” The groundbreaking tome echoes the spirit of Derrick Bell’s Faces at the Bottom of the Well. It offers a radical and refreshing framework on reparations, and invites us to seriously grapple with issues of justice and repair.

In celebration of the launch of the book, Hunter will headline an event at Baldwin & Co. on January 20, 2026 at 6:00 p.m. CST. The event is open press; interested parties may register here.

For over a century, the idea of reparations for the descendants of formerly enslaved Black Americans has divided the nation. While the iconic phrase “40 acres and a mule” encapsulates the general notion of reparations, history has proven that the damages of enslavement on the African American community remarkably transcends what plots of land or checks could repair.

In a compelling reframing of justice, Hunter reimagines reparations and defines seven types of compensation: political, intellectual, legal, economic, spatial, social, and spiritual. He developed this framework using analysis of historical documents, comparative international cases, and speculative parables.

While highlighting the insufficiency of monetary settlement alone, Hunter presents a revolutionary manifesto to achieve holistic and prolific healing for Black communities.

As a social justice pioneer, conversation shifter, and inventor of the #BlackLivesMatter hashtag, Hunter invites, indeed demands, us to grapple with transformative and comprehensive solutions to repair and heal the nation’s original sin. For instance, he has spoken passionately about labor acknowledgements honoring the contributions of formerly enslaved Black Americans.

Trenchant and timely, RADICAL REPARATIONS fiercely reimagines the forthcoming legacies of Black Americans and paves a unifying path forward for us all.

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Recent Victories Show Momentum for Free Child Care Growing

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For Immediate Release

PHILADELPHIA – Support for fully funded, universal child care continues to grow. Through years of grassroots organizing, parents, child care providers and advocates, are finally being heard. In November, New Mexico became the first state to offer universal child care thanks to the work of OLE NM. In New York, citizens elected a child care champion in Mayor-Elect Zohran Mamdani. In Ohio, advocates with The CEO Project are working with legislators to ensure child care providers have what they need to serve children and families. The advocates issued the following statement:

“Every child deserves access to high-quality child care and pre-K—and this must be a top priority for Pennsylvania,” said Tyrone Scott, Director of Government and External Affairs, First Up. “Recent victories across the country show what’s possible when communities organize. At First Up, we are committed to ensuring that every child in Pennsylvania gets the strong start they need to thrive, child care is affordable to families, and early educators are paid a living wage.”

“From Ohio to New York to New Mexico, voters are demanding child care that works for every family,” said Tamara Lunan, Organizing Director of the CEO Project. “Ohio families deserve the same—affordable, high-quality care and fair pay for the people who provide it. We’re ready for leaders who treat child care as the essential infrastructure it is.”

“Child care shows us what solidarity looks like in practice – people showing up for one another and building the conditions for liberation from the ground up. To make it truly universal is to claim it as a public good that belongs to all of us. This victory has sparked hope far beyond New York, and we intend to see that momentum grow until equity and justice are the standard everywhere,” said Marina Marcou-O’Malley and Zakiyah Shaakir-Ansari, our Co-Executive Directors of Alliance for Quality Education New York (AQE New York). 

These wins provide much-needed fuel for parents and child care educators in other states.  For more information or to book an interview, email press@spotlightpr.org.

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Revolve Fund Invests $400,000 in Detroit-Specific Grantmaking; Its Founder is Eager to Do More

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For Immediate Release

DETROIT – Revolve Fund announced it is ramping up its commitment to Detroit entrepreneurs. With recoverable grants, traditional grants, and other supports, Revolve increases capital access for small businesses owned by, or tax-exempt organizations led by, historically marginalized entrepreneurs.

“To date, Revolve Fund has deployed or committed over $1.2MM in funding nationally with over $400,000 deployed or set aside for Detroit-specific grantmaking,” said James Wahls, founder and managing director of the Revolve Fund. “Revolve’s first-mover funding has already helped with developing $15 million in additional capital access in Detroit. Catalytic capital like ours can make the difference between scaling and stagnation.”

Revolve has flexibility to support or invest at times during an entrepreneur’s journey where many loan or equity investment funding options cannot. Through its approach, Revolve can assist entrepreneurs or investors to test or scale revenue models without increasing debt or taking equity. “James deserves recognition for taking this concept of recoverable grants and growing it in different markets and understanding fundamentally that there was promise and opportunities in this space. He’s been building the ecosystem and leveraging his connections and relationships to support small businesses,” said Sharnita Johnson, Revolve Fund Board Member and Vice President of Impact, Strategy and Communications at the Victoria Foundation.

Wahls has worked for years supporting entrepreneurs and investors nationally through impact investing roles at the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, Annie E. Casey Foundation, Mission Investors Exchange, and Revolve. But for Wahls, born and raised in Detroit, Revolve’s increased commitment to Detroit is personal. Earlier in his career while at Kellogg, Wahls led the development of the Detroit Entrepreneurs of Color Fund concept and the foundation’s seed investment to Detroit Development Fund that has resulted in millions in capital access for Detroit entrepreneurs.  Prior to his stint at Kellogg, he co-launched a Detroit-focused early career placement website that helped hundreds of area students and new graduates find meaningful employment.

Revolve’s recoverable grantee partners in Detroit include Invest Detroit Ventures to finance inclusive micro-venture investments, Black Leaders Detroit to support its expanding lending capacity for Detroit businesses, and The Mushroom Angel, an emerging vegan food manufacturer based out of Eastern Market.

“It’s important that there are groups such as the Revolve Fund that are willing to take the earliest and highest risks,” said Patti Glaza, executive vice president of Invest Detroit Ventures. “We need investors to understand that there are returns more valuable than just dollars. Investing in people and building a tech culture require groups like Revolve Fund.”

When Invest Detroit Ventures launched its Funding Access and Mentorship program, Revolve was the project’s first outside funding partner. “It was an important validation for the program to have an outside funding partner,” Glaza noted. “We were using return dollars to fund this because we knew it was risky capital. We were working with founders before they had a stable revenue stream. The partnership from Revolve was additive because it allowed us to make both investments and complimentary grants to our founders.”

Revolve also offers smaller traditional grants to local stalwart organizations to support efforts related to Revolve’s mission, help inform Revolve’s regional activities, and assist with building Revolve’s recoverable grant applicant pool. Grantee partners include Black Tech Saturdays, one of the fastest growing tech movements in the nation, College Career & Beyond, a regional leading nonprofit supporting young adult/early adult career programming, and the Detroit Regional LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce. Kevin Heard, president of the Chamber, noted in his recent social media post that “Revolve’s community grant to the Chamber is going to fund 100 hours of 1:1 business support to small businesses” in Detroit and Southeastern Michigan.

Funded by institutional grants and donors, Revolve seeks greater partnership with Detroit philanthropy and local donors committed to increasing capital access that goes beyond available loans and equity investments options in the city. Current and past funders include W.K. Kellogg Foundation, Surdna Foundation, JPMorgan Chase, Max M. & Marjorie Fisher Foundation, and PNC Bank.

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Amid a Profound Backsliding on Racial Equity; Advocates for Racial Justice Must Never Relent

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For Immediate Release

WASHINGTON – Race Forward today celebrated Juneteenth by urging advocates for racial justice to continue organizing for a nation where all belong and all can thrive. Citing that such work strengthens democracy, the national racial equity organization released the following statement, which can be attributed to its president Glenn Harris:

“It is not lost on us that this Juneteenth, the nation is experiencing a profound backsliding on racial equity. We are witnessing an acceleration of regressionists efforts to rollback multi-racial progress. These anti-democratic efforts will not only harm Black and Brown people, they will erode the very fabric of the nation.

“However distressing the current political climate may be, we should be clear that those who favor freedom and justice have never relented. Whether we know their names or benefit from their work, in every community, there are people who are pushing back on white supremacy, and policies that harm Black and Brown communities.

“For instance, this week a coalition of federal legislators and advocates rallied for the reintroduction of key reparations measures. Rep. Summer Lee reintroduced the Reparations Now resolution, which was first introduced in 2023 by former Rep. Cori Bush . The resolution urges the federal government to allocate trillions of dollars in reparations to Black Americans to compensate for chattel slavery, and federally-sanctioned policies that harmed, and continues to harm, Black Americans.

“Earlier this month, Rep. Ayanna Pressley and Sen. Cory Booker reintroduced H.R. 40, which was originally championed by the late Rep John Conyers. The measure would create a federal commission to examine the lasting impact of slavery, systemic racism and racial discrimination. It would also explore recompense such reparations.

“Our collective goal as a movement and a people should be to reclaim what has been lost or damaged; and remain resilient in the face of current attacks. We should also create the conditions for a resurgence of movements, policies and practices that ensure equal opportunity, and the strengthening of democracy.”

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