Advancement Project Education Fund

A NEXT GENERATION, MULTI-RACIAL CIVIL RIGHTS ORGANIZATION

POWER & DEMOCRACY (RIGHT TO VOTE AND VOTER PROTECTION)STRATEGIC LITIGATION REMAINS AN IMPORTANT TOOL THAT WE CAN BRING TO BEAR FOR OUR PARTNERS AS THEY SEEK TO HOLD STATES ACCOUNTABLE TO THE VOTERS IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. TO THAT END, WORK CONTINUED DURING THIS REPORTING PERIOD ON THE STRATEGIC LITIGATION THAT WE FILED IN RESPONSE TO S.B. 202, GEORGIA'S DISINGENUOUS "ELECTION INTEGRITY" BILL. THIS PAST FALL, OUR VOTER PROTECTION PROGRAM AND LITIGATION TEAMS CONNECTED WITH OUR PLAINTIFFS IN GEORGIA TO PROVIDE UPDATES AND NEXT STEPS IN THE CASE AGAINST SB 202 IN ANTICIPATION OF SEPTEMBER 22ND PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION HEARING. IN OUR RIGHTS RESTORATION WORK, WE HAVE CONTINUED TO SUPPORT OUR CURRENT PARTNERS IN LOUISIANA AND WISCONSIN AND HAVE DEVELOPED A NEW PARTNERSHIP IN GEORGIA. RIGHTS RESTORATION IS A PRIORITY OF OURS BECAUSE IT CUTS ACROSS OUR VOTING RIGHTS AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE WORK. "

OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN (QUALITY EDUCATION AND SCHOOLHOUSE TO JAILHOUSE)OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS, PUBLIC SCHOOLS HAVE GROWN INTO ONE OF THE MOST CONTESTED SPACES IN THE UNITED STATES, WITH "PARENTAL RIGHTS", RESTRICTIONS ON CURRICULUM, AND BOOK BANS DOMINATING THE HEADLINES. OUR WORK FOCUSES ON THE YOUNG PEOPLE IN THOSE SCHOOLS, CENTERING THEM AND THEIR NEEDS. FIRST, WE, ALONGSIDE ALLIANCE FOR EDUCATIONAL JUSTICE, CONVENE THE NATIONAL POLICE FREE SCHOOLS CAMPAIGN, HELPING YOUNG PEOPLE ADVOCATE FOR THE REMOVAL OF POLICE OFFICERS, AS WELL AS THEIR SURROGATES (SECURITY GUARDS, SURVEILLANCE, ETC.), FROM THEIR SCHOOLS SO THAT THEY CAN BE THEIR FULL, AUTHENTIC SELVES IN A SAFE SPACE TO LEARN. THE SECOND PILLAR OF OUR WORK WITH YOUNG PEOPLE INVOLVES HELPING THEM ENVISION AND WORK TOWARDS THE LIBERATORY EDUCATION THAT THEY DESERVE. THE COMMON THREAD IN BOTH BODIES OF WORK IS THAT WE HELP EQUIP YOUNG PEOPLE WITH A SET OF ORGANIZING AND CAMPAIGN-BUILDING SKILLS THAT THEY WILL CARRY WITH THEM BEYOND THE SCHOOLHOUSE, AS WELL AS THE TRANSFORMATIONAL KNOWLEDGE THAT THEY CAN AFFECT CHANGE IN THEIR COMMUNITIES.

JUSTICE PROJECTWE CONTINUED OUR WORK WITH MOVEMENT FOR BLACK LIVES IN ATLANTA, GA, THIS YEAR, AS THEY PROTESTED THE CONSTRUCTION OF COP CITY, A "PUBLIC SAFETY" TRAINING FACILITY THAT WILL, IN ADDITION TO ITS $90 MILLION PRICE TAG, OCCUPY 85 ACRES OF GREEN SPACE IN THE CITY AND HAVE A SEVERE AND OUTSIZED ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECT ON BLACK AND POOR RESIDENT. PROTESTERS HAVE FACED A MASSIVE BACKLASH, INCLUDING BEING ATTACKED WITH TEAR GAS AND RUBBER BULLETS BY POLICE. AS A PART OF OUR WORK IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, WE PARTICIPATE IN HANDS OFF DC, A COALITION OF MORE THAN 50 ORGANIZATIONS WORKING IN D.C. AND NATIONALLY TO ENSURE THAT RESIDENTS OF OUR NATION'S CAPITAL CAN EXERCISE THEIR BASIC RIGHT OF SELF-GOVERNANCE.