Colorofchange Org

COLOROFCHANGE.ORG WORKS TO STRENGTHEN THE VOICE OF BLACK AMERICANS AND INCREASE THE LEVEL OF ACCOUNTABILITY AND RESPONSIVENESS OF ELECTED OFFICIALS TO UNDERREPRESENTED BLACK CONSTITUENCIES, USING THE INTERNET AS A LOBBYING AND COMMUNICATIONS TOOL.

MEDIA & ECONOMIC JUSTICE:COLOR OF CHANGE WORKED TO HOLD COMPANIES ACCOUNTABLE TO THEIR BLACK CUSTOMERS AND PUSH BACK AGAINST THOSE ENABLERS WHO WOULD TRY TO GET CLOSE TO POLITICIANS AND CORPORATIONS TO GAIN POWER AND INFLUENCE. WE CONTINUED OUR WORK TO IDENTIFY AND EXPOSE HARMFUL ECONOMIC POLICIES DRIVEN BY WALL ST. BANKS AND CORPORATIONS THAT ARE PART OF GROUPS LIKE THE AMERICAN LEGISLATIVE EXCHANGE COUNCIL (ALEC). WE LEVERAGED THE VOICES OF OUR MEMBERS TO ADVANCE POLICIES AND SOLUTIONS THAT MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITIES AND ACT AS A RACIAL JUSTICE AUTHORITY TO THE POLITICAL LEFT, AS ITS MEMBERS HAVE YET TO SIGNIFICANTLY REPRESENT OR FIGHT FOR THE ISSUES AND CONCERNS THAT AFFECT BLACK PEOPLE THE MOST. AND FINALLY, WE DEVELOPED CAMPAIGN IDEAS TO DISRUPT THE DEBT-TO-WORK ECONOMY THAT REQUIRES WORKING CLASS AND MIDDLE-CLASS BLACK PEOPLE TO BORROW BEYOND THEIR MEANS JUST TO COMPETE IN THE JOB MARKET

CRIMINAL JUSTICE: OVER THE LAST YEAR, COLOR OF CHANGE HAS LED PARTNERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY ORGANIZERS, LAWYERS, POLICY EXPERTS, AND COMMUNICATORS TO CONTINUE TO EXPAND OUR NATIONAL PROSECUTOR ACCOUNTABILITY COMMUNITY. WE CONTINUED TO BUILD AND EXPAND OUR NATIONAL DATABASE OF 2400 DISTRICT ATTORNEYS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THE DATABASE HAS DETAILED INFORMATION ON ELECTED PROSECUTORS, AND HOW THEY APPLY THEIR INFLUENCE UPON THE LIVES OF PEOPLE WITHIN THEIR DISTRICT. ADDITIONALLY, WE CONTINUE TO BUILD A COMMUNITY OF ADVOCATES WORKING COLLECTIVELY WHO HELPED TO POPULARIZE THE IMPORTANT ROLE OF DA SEATS, INCLUDING IMPORTANT ACCOUNTABILITY WORK ON DAS IN HOUSTON, CHICAGO AND ORLANDO.

TRAINING AND ORGANIZING: WE OFFERED TRAINING TO LOCAL ORGANIZERS THROUGH WEBINARS, DAYLONG WORKSHOPS AND WEEKLONG INTENSIVES. OUR TRAININGS WERE DESIGNED TO BE INTERACTIVE LEARNING EXPERIENCES. WE BEGIN WITH A DISCUSSION OF BEST PRACTICES IN ONLINE ORGANIZING. WE VIEW EXAMPLES OF SUCCESSFUL DIGITAL CAMPAIGNS AND EXPLAIN TO PARTICIPANTS HOW TO PLAN PRESS EVENTS. WE STRESS THE IMPORTANCE OF HINGING CAMPAIGNS ON STORYTELLING, AND GIVE PARTICIPANTS PRACTICE IN CRAFTING NARRATIVES THAT BUILD SUPPORT FOR BLACK COMMUNITIES. WE MODEL INTERDEPENDENT LEADERSHIP STRUCTURES BY DISTRIBUTING ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES AND MAKING ACTION PLANS FOR PARTICIPANTS. WE ARE MINDFUL OF MEETING ORGANIZERS WHERE THEY ARE, AND WORK TO SUPPORT AND COACH THEM ON HOW TO BECOME MORE EFFECTIVE LEADERS AND BUILD PEOPLE POWER TO WIN CHANGE THAT ADDS REAL VALUE TO PEOPLES LIVES.