MSNBC Host Joy-Ann Reid to Headline Race Forward’s Facing Race Conference in St. Louis: Nov. 20-22
For Immediate Release
October 2, 2024
NEW YORK – MSNBC Host Joy-Ann Reid will headline Race Forward’s highly anticipated Facing Race conference. Reid is an MSNBC political analyst and host of “The ReidOut.” She has authored numerous books, including her most recent, “Medgar and Myrlie: Medgar Evers and the Love Story That Awakened America.”
Facing Race will be held in St. Louis, Nov. 20-22 at the America’s Center Convention Complex. It is the nation’s largest multiracial, intergenerational racial justice conference. More than 4,000 people are expected to attend this year’s conference.
“Throughout its 17-year history, Facing Race has been a one-of-a-kind space that allows community organizers, activists, and movement makers from across the country to meet up, build strategies for advancing racial justice, and receive inspiration for the work ahead,” said Race Forward President Glenn Harris. “We are excited to curate this unique space for cross-cultural collaboration. We are also delighted that attendees will have an opportunity to hear from Joy-Ann Reid who represents the strength of conviction, determination and boldness our movement needs.”
Held biennially, Facing Race provides attendees unprecedented access to resources, information, and collaborative opportunities to help them advance racial justice in their practice. In addition to Reid, audience members will also learn from the American Medical Association (AMA), who is joining the convening as a Trailblazer Sponsor. The AMA’s participation is rooted in their commitment to advancing health equity through the Rise to Health: A National Coalition for Equity in Health Care.
This is the first time since the pandemic the Facing Race conference will be held completely in-person. The organization notes they are committed to facilitating a safe and accessible event for all attendees. “There is something truly special about personal interaction in doing this work,” said Leslie Grant Spann, Race Forward’s director of Conferences and Convenings and the lead organizer of Facing Race. “No one who is fighting for justice should have to figure everything out on their own, but can join us in St. Louis and connect with other movement leaders, and receive support and encouragement.
###
More than Five Dozen Black Faith Leaders Issue Open Letter Urging Ohioans to Vote ‘Yes’ on Issue 1
For Immediate Release
September 27, 2024
COLUMBUS – Ohio is among the top 10 states where gerrymandering runs rampant. Now, a chorus of Black Faith leaders are uniting and urging Ohioans to vote yes on Issue 1, which will end gerrymandering by empowering citizens, instead of politicians, to draw fair legislative maps in an open and transparent process. More than sixty Black faith leaders released an open letter urging a YES vote on Issue 1.
The letter read, in part: “Historically, gerrymandering has been used as a weapon to disenfranchise communities of color, diluting our voices and diminishing our representation in government. This manipulation of voting districts has allowed politicians to choose their voters rather than voters choosing their representatives. These nefarious practices undermine the very foundation of our democracy and perpetuate systemic inequalities.”
It continued: “The system is so flawed that the Ohio Supreme Court has deemed our current voting districts unconstitutional. In fact, during the last redistricting process, when politicians were in charge of the process, the court ruled that the lines were unconstitutional seven times. Issue 1 will remove current and former politicians from having a say in our map-creating process. Under this new plan, our redistricting commission will reflect diversity with Democrats, Republicans, and Independents working together.”
“Regardless of our backgrounds, we value our freedoms, including our freedom to have an equal say in our elections,” said Michael Harrison, Senior Pastor of Union Baptist Church (Youngstown) and President of the Ohio State Baptist Convention. “Some legislators want to rule over, not represent us. That’s why it is imperative we turn out to stop the agenda to take away our freedoms and decide our futures for us. If we join together, we can make Ohio a place of freedom for all, no exceptions. That’s why it’s imperative for all of us to get involved and turn out to vote.”
###
Race Forward and Americans for the Arts to Launch ‘Cultural Week of Action on Race and Democracy’ in St. Louis on Sept. 27
For Immediate Release
September 20, 2024
NEW YORK – Race Forward and Americans for the Arts (AFTA) today announced the kick-off event for the Cultural Week of Action on Race and Democracy, running from Sept. 27 through Oct. 5, 2024. The week-long series of activities across the country will kick-off in St. Louis, MO, on Sept. 27 at 6:00 p.m. at The Hawthorne in St. Louis. The event will begin with a panel discussion on how arts and culture shape democracy, live performances, and viewing of the recently unveiled art installation honoring Michael Brown Jr., who was fatally shot by police in Ferguson, MO, ten years ago. The keynote speaker for the St. Louis event is Dr. Philip Woodmore. Woodmore developed the original score for Antigone in Ferguson.
The panel discussion, moderated by Rinku Sen, Executive Director of Narrative Initiative, will include Joseph Orzal, Favianna Rodriguez, and R-SON. Performances by Gangstagrass, a nationally renowned bluegrass and hip-hop group, and local St. Louis artists will provide additional cultural inspiration to drive action toward a multi-racial democracy.
“As attacks on racial equity and democracy continue to grow both locally and globally, now is the time for bold action that inspires new ways of thinking,” said Glenn Harris, president of Race Forward. “Events such as this deepen commitments to racial justice and inclusive democracy, demonstrating that we all have a role to play in creating a beloved community.”
The Cultural Week of Action is a new annual initiative emphasizing the ways in which arts, culture, and creativity can be utilized to secure a just, multiracial democracy. This year’s week of activities will comprise:
- Activities across the country that bring together local arts and cultural institutions and community-based organizations to explore our history, how it shapes our present, and how everyday people are organizing to build an equitable and racially just future. A list of projects and events happening during the week can be found here.
- A national event in St. Louis with performers, leaders, and artists exploring ways to use arts and culture to advance a multiracial democracy. The event will also amplify the local work happening in communities across the country throughout the week of action.
- Seeding and popularizing national narratives that tie together the local activities into one comprehensive story about who we want to be as a country and how we get there.
- Opportunities for local and national organizing and actions.
“The Cultural Week of Action is a powerful reminder of the role arts and culture play in shaping our collective future, said Suzy Delvalle and Jamie Bennett Interim Co-CEOs of Americans for the Arts, “Our goal is for individuals to view the arts as a source of meaningful response to the challenges that affect our national welfare. It is only possible to create a shared, national identity for our country by celebrating the stories, symbols, sounds, and sensations that represent our cultural heritage.”
Participation in the Cultural Week of Action on Race and Democracy remains open to organizations who would still like to be part of this national week of action. Those organizations can add their projects to our activities map by submitting this form.
###
CLLCTIVLY Raised $1,123,723 Million in 24 Hours from 2,116 Donors
For Immediate Release
BALTIMORE – CLLCTIVLY celebrated Black Philanthropy Month by hosting CLLCTIVGIVE, a 24-hour, crowd funding event. During the August 9 event, CLLCTIVLY raised $1,123,723 Million in from 2,116 Donors. The funds will benefit 119 organizations.
“This was by far an impactful event that will reach dozens of Black-led organizations in Baltimore,” said Jamye Wooten, founder, CLLCTIVLY. “Black-led organizations receive less than 2% of the $60 billion in foundation dollars. Events like this literally make the difference between staying afloat and shutting one’s doors.”
As of this writing, 119 organizations signed up to participate in CLLCTIVGIVE, and will be the beneficiaries of funds raised. The groups were featured on a donor platform, which the public then accessed to make donations.
Black donors give 25% more of their income annually than white households, according to a report by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. “This was an opportunity to celebrate Black-led groups in Baltimore and support their ingenuity a
CLLCTIVLY Kicks off Black Philanthropy Month with CLLCTIVGIVE Crowd-Fundraising Event
For Immediate Release
BALTIMORE – CLLCTIVLY will celebrate Black Philanthropy Month by hosting CLLCTIVGIVE, a 24-hour, crowd funding event, on August 9. The organization’s founder says ‘the day is needed due to gross inequality which leaves Black families with less disposable income and Black-led businesses, with less capital than counterparts. Yet even with a staggering racial wealth gap, Black families continue to prioritize giving.
“I was inspired to create this day of giving due to gross inequality,” said Jamye Wooten, founder, CLLCTIVLY. “Black-led organizations receive less than 2% of the $60 billion in foundation dollars. Events like this literally make the difference between staying afloat and shutting one’s doors.”
As of this writing, 112 organizations have signed up to participate in CLLCTIVGIVE. These groups will be featured on a donor platform. The public will then access this platform and give to a group or groups of their choosing. In addition to the CLLCTIVGIVE day of giving, CLLCTIVLY will host a Black Business Quest which kicks off on August 7 at noon and runs through August 9. Black Business Quest participants include, but is not limited to:
- Ancestor’s Dream Apothecary
- Creole Soul
- Crust by Mack
- Cuples Tea
- Everyone’s Place
- Harp Vision
- Hue Café & Apothecary
- National Blacks in Wax Museum
- Paper Herald
- Pandora’s Box
- Bertha’s Soul Food Restaurant
- Ice Queens
- Kurl Bar
- Llamas Corner
- Mama Koko’s
- Milton’s Daughters
CLLCTIVGIVE allows residents to identify and support local Black-owned businesses. Black donors give 25% more of their income annually than white households, according to a report by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.
WHO: Black-led businesses in Baltimore
Mayor Brandon Scott
WHAT: Black Business Quest and CLLCTIVGIVE
WHEN: August 7 through 9
EVENTS:
- August 7 at 12:00 p.m.
- August 9, 12pm – 6pm: Black and Social at R. House (301 W 29th Street Baltimore, MD 21211)- Public invited to stop by R. House to enjoy food and music, patronize the Black businesses onsite, and donate to CLLCTIVGIVE via onsite donation stations.
- August 9, 12pm – 6pm: Made in Black at Made in Baltimore (301 Light Street, Baltimore, MD 21202) – Public invited to stop by to enjoy music, patronize the Black owned Made in Baltimore and Baltimore BOOST businesses, and donate to CLLCTIVGIVE via onsite donation stations.
- August 9, 8:30pm – 12:30am: Studio Black at Collective Spaces (306 W Redwood Street Baltimore, MD 21201): Ticketed celebration event to amplify CLLCTIVGIVE, participating organizations, and celebrate the dollars raised. Event website here.
###
Presidential Campaign Should Not Be Characterized as a Contest Between a ‘Prosecutor and Felon’
For Immediate Release
ORLANDO – Desmond Meade, president of the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition, today released the following statement challenging the use of the word “felon” during the 2024 presidential election:
“Nearly 20 million American citizens have a felony conviction, and 1 in 3 people across our country have some sort of record. Labeling people as “felons” or using the word as a badge of honor for political purposes is a slap in the face to the millions of impacted individuals and families. It also represents a step backward in efforts to move our country forward by embracing our shared values of forgiveness, redemption and restoration.
Both campaigns have an opportunity to engage in a serious, statesman-like debate on issues. To resort to playground antics of name calling or reducing the election of the President of the United States to being a contest between a Prosecutor and a “F-word” is robbing this country of the serious dialogue it deserves. It also distracts from the greater question of what candidates can offer this country while working to unite and heal us.
“While I have referenced political candidates and campaigns, this message applies to members of the media as well. It is imperative that we are all mindful of the language we use and the damage it may carry.
“America deserves better.”
###
Desmond Meade is a formerly homeless returning citizen who overcame many obstacles to eventually become the President of the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition (FRRC), Chair of Floridians for a Fair Democracy, a graduate of Florida International University College of Law, a Ford Global Fellow, and a 2021 MacArthur “Genius” Fellow. Remarkably, under Meade’s leadership his organization FRRC was also nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize in 2023. He helped restore voting rights for more than 1 million returning citizens in Florida through Amendment 4 which passed in 2018.
We Need Candidates Who Will Unify the Nation, Represent All Americans
For Immediate Release
COLUMBUS – A coalition of Black-led organizations including the Ohio NAACP, the Ohio Unity Coalition, the A. Philip Randolph Institute and the Ohio Organizing Collaborative today weighed in after President Joe Biden announced that he was suspending his re-election campaign:
“We work collaboratively to ensure the voices and perspectives of Black voters are heard. The Black community needs a president who will be inclusive and work for public policies that will heal the scars of racism,” said Tom Roberts, president of the Ohio State Conference of the NAACP.
“We commend President Joe Biden for his tremendous service and uncompromising commitment to this nation,” said Deidra Reese, voter engagement director for the Ohio Organizing Collaborative. “Our nation is better because of his leadership and service.”
“Our organization(s) will continue our efforts mobilizing Black voters across Ohio to ensure their voter registration status is up to date,” said Petee Talley, executive director of the Ohio Unity Coalition. “We will educate voters on the candidates’ records and positions concerning issues that Black Ohioans have prioritized. Despite efforts to suppress our votes through gerrymandered districts, we will show up and have our say of electing the best candidate who will move our community and the nation forward.”
“Now is the time for America to mobilize in support candidates who will ensure American policies serve all people,” said Andre Washington, executive director of the A. Philip Randolph Institute. “We want a uniter in chief, and someone with a bold vision for our nation.”
###
Parents and Child Care Advocates Bemoan Supreme Court Ruling in Grants Pass v. Johnson
For Immediate Release
WASHINGTON – The United States Supreme Court recently issued a ruling upholding Oregon city ordinances prohibiting persons experiencing homelessness from using blankets, pillows or cardboard boxes as protection from the elements when sleeping in public places. Advocates affiliated with the Raising Child Care Fund advised that the ruling will criminalize homelessness without addressing the underlying causes of the housing crisis such as the lack of affordable housing, the dearth of short-term or transitional housing, or the lack of mental health resources and supports, etc. They are also concerned that the ruling will disproportionately impact parents who have been impacted by homelessness and who may struggle to access affordable early childhood education and care. They released the following statement:
“The ruling will contribute to the cycle of trauma that unhoused people already experience from the lack of support,” says Danielle C. Hardeman, 9to5 Georgia Member, “As a single mother who has experienced homelessness while raising my daughter, it was already hard enough moving from place to place and not knowing if our car would be towed. Criminalizing homelessness would further trickle down to mothers like me who are trying to escape poverty but are being penalized for trying to survive in the conditions given to them.”
“The Supreme Court got it wrong,” said Mary Ignatius, executive director of Parent Voices California. “Being homeless is not a crime. What’s criminal is that the lack of affordable housing coupled with the lack of affordable child care so families can work and keep a roof over their head is causing homelessness. What’s criminal is the fastest growing segment of the homeless population is mothers with young children. What’s criminal is the decades of underinvestment in housing and child care that disproportionately impact mothers of color.”
###
Faith Leaders: The Solution to Homelessness is Not Criminalization; It’s Housing
For Immediate Release
NEW YORK – Being homeless in America is incredibly hard, and last week the Supreme Court made it harder still. In a 6-3 decision in City of Grants Pass v Johnson, the majority ruled that it was permissible to ticket and jail people for sleeping outside or in their cars, even with just a blanket covering them, when they have no other place to go. United Women in Faith and several affiliated National Mission Institutions, weighed in, and shared thoughts on the decision, its dangers, and what needs to happen going forward:
Last week’s Supreme Court decision criminalizes people experiencing homelessness, while moving the country no closer to solving the underlying problem as 653,104 people were homeless in America on a winter night in 2023. According to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, “This is the highest number of people reported as experiencing homelessness on a single night since the national reporting on the Point-in-Time count began in 2007.”
The solution to homelessness is not criminalization; it’s housing. But all across the country, our communities face a dire shortage of affordable housing.
“Columbus, GA is short about 14,000 units of affordable housing,” said Kim Jenkins, Executive Director of Open Door Community House.
“Nashville’s housing situation is very troublesome,” said Steve Fleming, Executive Director of the Bethlehem Centers of Nashville. “It’s a very fast-growing city. There’s been an influx of people from other parts of the country – California, New York – and it’s a steal for them. But it’s really stressing some local families to the max. Those typical, low-income families we serve every day, who are just trying to keep up with everyday living, are having to leave, or falling into homelessness because they can’t keep up with rent. We found out that there were some families that were living in cars, or living down by different properties downtown by the river. I had a situation where one family was sleeping under a bridge.”
The housing crisis is not limited to a single city, state or region. It is engulfing the whole country.
“The cost of the average apartment went up 21% in 2021,” said Bill Tibbitts of the Crossroads Urban Center in Salt Lake County. “At a recent Crossroads BBQ, a man served by our ministry pointed to a nearby building and said he used to live in a two-bedroom there. He had been paying $950/month. The rent was up to $2,100/month last he’d heard and the man, himself, was currently homeless.”
“The bigger situation is that, country-wide, we don’t have anything close to the affordable housing we need, especially for those earning less than 30% of Area Median Income,” Tim Shanahan, Executive Director of Families Forward in Des Moines, Iowa, remarked. “That impacts not just homeless people, but other low-income people, as well. There’s not enough shelter space, rent assistance, rapid rehousing supports, or utility assistance. As long as we don’t have enough affordable housing, and don’t have enough programs for people who need short-term help, we’re going to be in that situation where people have nowhere else to go.”
Another commonality across the nation is a lack adequate safe and accessible short-term and transitional housing options.
“We have 61 [shelter] beds in Mobile and 35 beds in Baldwin County and we have a waiting list of nearly 200 individuals. Last year, our local homeless coalition reported 2830 individuals were in a housing crisis,” said Kate Carver, Executive Director of Dumas Wesley Community Center in Mobile, AL.
“I get calls all the time, people showing up at 5:00 p.m. on a Friday saying they need somewhere to go,” Jenkins said. “But even rapid rehousing is not that rapid –it’s not same-night. We have people who pop in the door all the time who say I literally have nowhere else to go. Those people are, for a while, literally on the streets, sleeping on a park bench for a short time, because they have nowhere else to go. If those people are now going to be taken to jail, then I think we have a real problem. If we criminalize people just because they’re on a park bench sleeping because they have nowhere else to go, then I don’t know where that leaves us as a society.”
The consequences of Grants Pass v Johnson may well be lethal, if it means that people without shelter are unable to protect themselves from the elements for fear of criminal punishment.
“We cannot really calculate how many more people will die, will have frostbite that causes them to lose digits or limbs, because we’ve never had this many people being exposed to the elements before,” Bill Tibbitts, of Crossroads Urban Center in Salt Lake City, UT. “If we’re going to say that you can’t use a tent anymore, when there are 1,000 people outside in the snow, that’s alarming. Criminalization has been a kneejerk reaction, the default for politicians from both parties. But we know that it doesn’t work.”
Criminalization is a step in the wrong direction.
“You have one event – major medical bill or some other situation — almost anybody can find themselves homeless, and find themselves having to sleep outside, or sleep in a car, in a way that would be punishable,” Shawna Nelsen-Wills, of Emma Norton, reflected. “When you talk about jailing people or giving them fines for sleeping outside, then that just pushes them back further from their goal of finding safe, affordable housing, or a job, or whatever they’re trying to achieve. It just makes it that much more difficult. We, as a society, should be helping them find what they need to succeed and take those next steps, not punishing them for sleeping outside.”
“The City of Grants Pass v Johnson decision will exacerbate existing inequalities and further criminalize poor people, especially poor people of color,” said Emily Jones, Executive for Racial Justice at United Women in Faith. “We know that nationally, 37% of people experiencing homelessness are Black and nearly a third are Latina/o/x. Homelessness is already a racial justice issue. We also know that people of color are targeted by policing and arrested more frequently than white people who engage in the same behavior. So, there is a double-disproportionality at play here. People of color are more likely to experience homelessness and, once homeless, people of color are more likely to be criminalized for their homelessness.”
Criminalizing homelessness sets people up both for short-term traumatic experiences and erects further barriers to accessing stable housing in the future.
“Criminal punishment serves no purpose,” said Kate Carver, Executive Director at Dumas Wesley Community Center in Mobile, AL. “Research shows that providing affordable housing is cheaper than repeatedly jailing someone. Criminalizing homelessness violates constitutional and civil rights, and it’s also traumatizing. It is already traumatizing to be sleeping in your car, and then it becomes a criminal act, and that has a multiplier effect. When you play this tape to the end, what happens? The unaffordable ticket. The arrest. The collateral consequences of that arrest. Hundreds or thousands of dollars in court fines. Taken to jail and there for weeks. Maybe losing custody of kids or losing your employment while you’re in jail. And then when you do come out, it’s harder to get a job, housing or other public benefits because you have a record.”
“The SCOTUS decision on homelessness is really scary and troubling because I’m just one of millions of people that have experienced homelessness and having to figure out where we’re going to go, where we’re going to live and how we’re going to survive, without somebody knocking on your car door saying you can’t park here, with the fear of your children maybe being taken away,” said Joni Hendee, Director of Marketing and Public Relations at Dumas Wesley Community Center in Mobile, Alabama. “Nobody chooses to become homeless. It’s an experience that one goes through.”
Serving people who are experiencing homelessness is a vital expression of faith and decency.
“We run a food distribution program, among other services,” said Renyatta Banks, Executive Director at Wesley Community Center in Portsmouth, VA. “When I started as Executive Director six years ago, a man with diabetes was living in our building. I still sometimes find people sleeping outside our building and know that some food program participants are living in their cars. These are maybe your Vietnam Vets who came home to nothing. Maybe people who lost their home in the mortgage crisis. There are so many different situations. It’s an honor, to me, that they’re here. They look at it as a safe haven.”
“God wants us to help each other,” Steve Fleming added. “I wish we had a heart of compassion for everyone, regardless of their situation, because everyone needs a little love to grow and prosper.”
“People of faith, likewise, are called to advocacy,” Jones added. “We must be vocal and active all around the country, pushing back on the criminalization of homelessness. Above all, we must continue to uphold the inherent dignity of all people.”
###