The Opportunity Agenda

Marsha P. Johnson's Birthday
2024-08-24
Today is the birthday of LGBTQ activist Marsha P. Johnson. Born in 1945, Johnson grew up to be a prominent figure in the Stonewall uprising of 1969. She was a founding member of the Gay Liberation Front and S.T.A.R. (Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries) along with Sylvia Rivera. When discussing Marsha P. Johnson’s birthday, cite the values of economic opportunity, community, and voice.

International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition
2024-08-23
Today, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) recognizes the International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition. Use this day as another opportunity to demand the United States reckon with its history of racial oppression. Cite the values of voice, equity, and community when talking about this event.

Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996
2024-08-22
On this day in 1996, President Bill Clinton signed into law the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, known as “Welfare Reform.” The act created Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). In recent years, most states have severely weakened supports for low-income families, with a disproportionate impact on children in communities of color. Use this anniversary to talk about the need for safety programs and the values of economic opportunity and community.

National Prison Strike
2024-08-21
In 2018, men and women incarcerated in prisons across the nation declared a National Prison Strike in response to the riot at the Lee Correctional Institution, a maximum-security prison in South Carolina, where seven people lost their lives. The strikers demanded “humane living conditions, access to rehabilitation, sentencing reform and the end of modern-day slavery.” Cite the values of safety, equity, and voice when discussing the anniversary of the strike.

National Senior Citizens Day
2024-08-21
On this day in 1988, President Ronald Reagan signed a proclamation declaring today National Senior Citizens Day. Use this hook to discuss how safety net programs are vital for older Americans. Use the values of economic opportunity and community.

Economic Opportunity Act
2024-08-20
On this day in 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Economic Opportunity Act into law. This created Head Start and nine other federal programs to combat poverty. Use this hook to discuss the benefits that these programs have had for Americans and how government should invest in “human infrastructure” to ensure everyone has access to a basic standard of living. Reference the values of economic opportunity and community.

Arrival of First Enslaved People
2024-08-20
On or about August 20, 1619, the first enslaved people from Africa arrived in North America. The recounting of the 1619 Project and 400 Years of Inequality, combined with narrative change led by the Movement for Black Lives, has thrust the United States’ legacy of slavery and ongoing racial inequality into the spotlight. Discuss this anniversary by citing the values of Voice, Equality, and Economic Security.

Woodstock
2024-08-15
Woodstock, one of the biggest rock festivals of all time and a cultural touchstone for the late 1960s, began on this day in 1969. Use this anniversary to talk about art and culture’s role in creating social justice. Cite the values of voice and community.

DACA
2024-08-15
On this day in 2012, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) began to be implemented. Judicial threats to DACA add urgency for federal legislators to create a pathway to citizenship for not only DACA recipients, but also their families and all immigrants who lack documentation in the United States. Refer to the values of community, voice, and economic opportunity when discussing this news hook.

Colin Kaepernick
2024-08-14
Today also marks when professional football player Colin Kaepernick first protested racial injustice and police brutality during the national anthem in 2016. Use this news hook to talk about the First Amendment right to challenge injustice and the value of Voice.

Social Security Act
2024-08-14
On this day in 1935, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt signed into law the Social Security Act. Use this anniversary to discuss the importance of social security to creating economic opportunity for both older Americans and communities of color, including children.

Heather Heyer
2024-08-12
On this day in 2017, during a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, VA, a counter-protester, Heather Heyer, was killed. Use this anniversary to talk about the values that Heather was defending: racial justice as exemplified by the values of equity and community.

Birth of Hip-Hop
2024-08-11
On this day in 1973, hip-hop was officially born. At a dance party in the Bronx, NY, DJ Kool Herc used two turntables to create a “break beat.” Hip hop became a messaging tool for political activism. Use this anniversary to talk about art and culture’s role in creating social justice. Cite the values of voice and community.

Watts Rebellion
2024-08-11
In 1965, the Watts Rebellion was ignited by the violent arrest of an African-American driver in Los Angeles. Use this anniversary to discuss policing and economic opportunity with your networks. Cite the values of safety and equity.

Civil Liberties Act
2024-08-10
On this day in 1988, President Ronald Reagan signed the Civil Liberties Act to provide reparations for Japanese-Americans who were interned by the U.S. government during World War II. The act gave each surviving internee about $20,000 in compensation. This anniversary reminds us of the continued work to create an inclusive country where everyone feels safe. Cite the values of community, safety, and equity.

International Day of the World's Indigenous People
2024-08-09
The United Nations has designated today as International Day of the World’s Indigenous People. Use this hook to amplify the voices and issues facing Native American communities by citing the values of Economic Security, Equality, and Voice.

Michael Brown
2024-08-09
On this day in 2014, a Ferguson, Missouri police officer shot and killed Michael Brown, an African-American teenager. His death sparked weeks of protest in Ferguson and outrage across the country. Use this anniversary to discuss police brutality and redefining safety in our communities. Cite the values of voice, equity, and safety.

ICE Workplace Raid
2024-08-07
On this day in 2019, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents conducted one of the largest workplace raids in United States’ history, arresting as many as 680 immigrant workers across seven chicken processing plants in Mississippi. Traumatic family separations leave lasting emotional and physical impacts on children and families, in addition to economic hardship. Use this anniversary to talk about the need for permanent solutions that create opportunity for immigrant families and safety in our communities.

Voting Rights Act
2024-08-06
The Voting Rights Act was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson on this day in 1965. Since the Supreme Court’s gutting of the act, we’ve witnessed a nationwide onslaught of state legislatures introducing or passing measures to severely curtail the freedom to vote. Use this anniversary to uplift the power of BIPOC voices and votes and the need for local and federal solutions that enable everyone to participate in our democracy. Point to the values of equity, community, and voice.

El Paso Walmart Shooting
2024-08-03
On this day in 2019, a racist mass shooting at a Walmart in El Paso, TX stole the lives of 23 people and injured dozens more. This date marks the deadliest, anti-Latino attack in modern United States history. Talk about the values of human rights and safety when observing this anniversary.

Night Out for Safety and Liberation
2024-08-02
Today is also Night Out for Safety and Liberation (NOSL), hosted by The Ella Baker Center and partners as a counter-program to the law-enforcement driven National Night Out. Both events are held annually on the first Tuesday of August. The goal of NOSL is to shift the conversation about public safety. Cite the values of equity, safety, and community.

James Baldwin's Birthday
2024-08-02
On this day in 1934, writer James Baldwin was born. Baldwin was an outspoken and influential advocate for racial justice. Use this anniversary to discuss the role of artists and culture shifters in challenging racism. Cite the values of voice and equality.

Medicaid and Medicare
2024-07-30
On this day in 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson created both Medicaid and Medicare by signing into law an amendment to the Social Security Act. Investments in Medicaid to expand access to programs like Medicaid HCBS opens doors for people with disabilities to live near family, friends and contribute to our communities. Refer to the values of opportunity and community.

Geneva Convention on the Status of Refugees
2024-07-28
The Geneva Convention on the Status of Refugees was signed on this day in 1951. The international treaty established the definition of who is a refugee, and its geographic scope was extended worldwide in 1967. Use this hook to discuss the international commitments of the United States and our nation’s long history of welcoming refugees. Cite the values of community and safety.

Americans with Disabilities Act
2024-07-26
On this day in 1990, President George H.W. Bush signed the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This was the result of many years of advocacy by disability rights activists and allies. Use the anniversary to discuss the critical importance of accessibility in both government policy and social movements. Use the values of equity and opportunity.

Comic-Con International
2024-07-25 - 2024-07-28
The Comic-Con International show kicks off today in San Diego, CA. The massive crowds that flock to this convention make it one of the can’t-miss annual events for lovers of popular arts and comics. The conference presents an opportunity for creative interventions uplifting the powerful impact of pop culture representation—#PowerofPop—to shape narratives through the stories we love. Cite the values of voice, economic opportunity, and equity.

International Self-Care Day
2024-07-24
Since 2011, July 24 has been celebrated as International Self-Care Day. Self-care is imperative for healthier lifestyles and should be integrated into families, communities, organizations, and society. Take this time to invest in the wellness of your mind, body, and soul.

Tuskegee Syphilis Study
2024-07-24
On this day in 1972, the Washington Star broke the story of the unethical Tuskegee Syphilis Study conducted on 600 African-American sharecroppers. The exposure led to fundamental changes in medical research. Use this anniversary to underscore the importance of media coverage about people living in poverty and how systemic racism impacts healthcare outcomes in Black and brown communities. Cite the values of equity and community.

Emma Lazarus
2024-07-22
Poet Emma Lazarus was born on this day in 1849. Her poem “The New Colossus” is inscribed at the base of the Statue of Liberty and is frequently quoted in the immigration debate. How we treat people arriving at our borders speaks volumes about the values that define our nation’s laws. Use this hook to talk about the importance of welcoming immigrants and refugees and refer to the values of community, safety, and opportunity.

Mattachine Society
2024-07-20
On this day in 1951, the Mattachine Society formally organized and ratified its “Missions and Purposes” as a California corporation. The organization was one of the earliest LGBTQ activist organizations in the United States. Uplift this anniversary by citing the values of voice and equity.
