The Opportunity Agenda

Alexander v. Holmes County Board of Education
2029-10-29
On this day in 1969, the Supreme Court ruled in the case of Alexander v. Holmes County Board of Education that schools in the South had to desegregate “immediately,” instead of the previous ruling of “with all deliberate speed.” The case was brought by Beatrice Alexander, on behalf of her children, after she sued the Holmes County, Mississippi School District. At its core, today’s attacks on critical race theory promote dishonesty about our nation’s history. Use this anniversary to acknowledge the ongoing work of racial equity in our schools and communities. Cite the values of Voice, Equality, and Mobility.

Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week
2029-11-17 - 2029-11-23
Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week is sponsored each year by the National Coalition for the Homeless and the National Student Campaign Against Hunger and Homelessness. The event is an annual opportunity for people to come together and draw attention to the problems of hunger and homelessness. When talking about homelessness this week, cite the values of community and economic opportunity.

Television Academy's Emmy Awards
2029-11-24
The International Emmy Awards Gala ceremony will be hosted on November 24, 2025. The award ceremony offers an opportunity to reflect on the stories we tell as a culture and who tells them. Discuss the values of community, equity, and voice.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)
2029-11-25
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was created on this day in 2002. Despite the mountain of evidence documenting the agency’s disregard for human life and cruel practices, Congress and the White House continue funding an agency that has deported millions of people and separated thousands of families. Cite the values of safety, equity, and economic opportunity.

Harriet Tubman's First Underground Railroad Mission
2029-12-01
In December 1850, abolitionist Harriet Tubman engineered her first rescue mission as part of the Underground Railroad. The exact date is unknown. Tubman organized 13 rescues in which she led about 70 people to freedom. Tubman is the subject of the film, “Harriet.” Discuss Tubman’s legacy by citing the values of voice and equity.

Rosa Parks refuses to give up her seat
2029-12-01
On this day in 1955, Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat in the “whites only” section on the bus, a pivotal moment in the civil rights movement. This anniversary provides an opportunity to discuss the ongoing struggle for racial justice and counter efforts to undermine an honest recounting of our nation’s history. Reference the values of equity, voice, and community.

World AIDS Day
2029-12-01
Today is World AIDS Day, an annual event to show support for those living with AIDS and to honor those who have died from AIDS-related illness.

International Day for the Abolition of Slavery
2029-12-02
December 2 is the International Day for the Abolition of Slavery, an opportunity to uplift the need for an honest reckoning with the United States’ legacy of slavery. In telling your story, we recommend leading with the values of equity, voice, and economic opportunity.

International Day of Persons with Disabilities
2029-12-03
Today is the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. It was created by the United Nations to empower and ensure inclusion for persons with disabilities. Discuss this hook by citing the values of voice, community, and economic opportunity.

Poor People’s Campaign
2029-12-04
On this day in 1967, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. told reporters in a press conference that the Southern Christian Leadership Conference would start an initiative that came to be called the Poor People’s Campaign. The campaign continues today. Discuss this anniversary by referring to the values of economic opportunity, equity, and voice.

Montgomery Bus Boycott began
2029-12-05
On this day, four days after Rosa Parks was arrested, the Montgomery Bus Boycott began. Out of Montgomery’s 50,000 African American residents, 30,000 – 40,000 participated in the boycott. The protest lasted for 381 days. Residents walked, bicycled, or carpooled to deprive the bus company of a substantial portion of its revenue.

The National Hunger March reached Washington D.C.
2029-12-06
On this day in 1931, The National Hunger March reached Washington D.C. The marchers demanded “unemployment insurance, the seven-hour workday with no cut in pay; a federal work program paying union wages; an end to racial discrimination and deportations of immigrant workers; support for the demands of the veterans and poor farmers; and that all funds being built up for making war be used instead to help the unemployed.” Throughout its history, the United States has risen to the challenge of poverty and hunger. Today, we continue to work to eradicate these issues. In telling your story, we recommend referring to the values of economic opportunity, community, and equity.

Thirteenth Amendment Ratified
2029-12-06
On December 6, 1865, the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution was officially ratified. The amendment abolished slavery and involuntary servitude, except as punishment for a crime. This exception is often discussed in today’s discussions about criminal justice reform (including Ava DuVernay’s documentary, “13th”). Use this anniversary to talk about the continued need for racial justice in the United States, especially in our criminal justice system. Cite the values of equity and safety.

Jakelin Caal Maquin
2029-12-08
On this day in 2018, seven-year-old Jakelin Caal Maquin died while in Customs and Border Protection (CBP) custody. Discuss the anniversary of her death by citing the values of safety and economic opportunity.

Ella Baker
2029-12-13
Today is the birthday of activist Ella Baker, who played an instrumental role in the civil rights movement. Use this day to talk about the intersectional nature of the struggle for racial justice in the United States. Cite the values of equity and community when talking about Ella Baker and her legacy.

Hanukkah
2029-12-14 - 2029-12-22
As you prepare for the holiday season, help your audiences get ready for effective and meaningful family conversations. Refer to values of equity, voice, and community.

Bill of Rights Day
2029-12-15
President Franklin D. Roosevelt designated Dec. 15 as Bill of Rights Day to commemorate the first ten amendments becoming a part of the U.S. Constitution. A few years later, Roosevelt called for a Second Bill of Rights to expand economic opporunity and prosperity. In telling your story, we recommend leading with the values of equity and community.

International Migrants Day
2029-12-18
International Migrants Day recognizes and celebrates the rights of migrants around the world. In discussing migration, we recommend leading with the values of economic opportunity and community.

U.S. Supreme Court ruled against Fred Korematsu
2029-12-18
On this day in 1944, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against Fred Korematsu, declaring the denial of civil liberties based on race and national origin was constitutional. Fred Korematsu was a U.S. citizen and the son of Japanese immigrants. He had refused to be interned with other Japanese-Americans during World War II. Use this anniversary to paint a vision of a nation where racism has no place. Cite the values of equity, voice, and community.

Andre Maurice Hill
2029-12-22
On December 22, 2020, police shot and killed Andre Maurice Hill in Columbus, OH. The officer, who was later fired and indicted by a grand jury, failed to turn on his body camera prior to firing his weapon. When discussing this anniversary, point to the failure of moderate police reforms to keep people safe. Instead, emphasize the need for policymakers to reinvest in Black communities to create economic opportunity and safety.

Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
2029-12-24
On Oct. 24, 1938, the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) took effect, creating for the first time a federal right to a minimum wage and overtime while also banning child labor. Discuss this important anniversary by citing the values of Economic Security and Mobility.

Christmas
2029-12-25

Kwanzaa
2029-12-26 - 2030-01-01

Birthday of Zora Neale Hurston
2030-01-07
On this day in 1891, folklorist, anthropologist, and author Zora Neale Hurston was born. Hurston is best known for her 1937 novel Their Eyes Were Watching God. In her work for the Works Project Administration (WPA), she also documented songs and life histories of interesting, everyday people, including labor conditions. Discuss Hurston’s birthday by citing the values of Voice, Equality, and Community.

Transit Equity Day
2030-02-04
Today is Transit Equity Day. Organizers chose Feb. 4 to commemorate Rosa Parks’ birthday and hold the annual observance to “make public transit accessible and affordable to all, create good jobs by expanding our public transit systems, and protect our health and climate by using renewable energy to power our buses and trains.”

Dawes Act
2030-02-08
On this day in 1887, U.S. President Grover Cleveland signed the Dawes Act into law, imposing private land ownership on American Indians. This was intended to break up tribes as communal units and threaten tribal sovereignty. Use this anniversary to advocate for racial and economic justice for Native Americans. Cite the values of voice and opportunity.

Super Bowl
2030-02-10
Today is Super Bowl Sunday. While the big game is best known for entertaining commercials and snack spreads, the media event surrounding it has also created opportunities for cultural strategies, from Beyoncé’s iconic halftime show to activism for NFL teams to drop offensive and disparaging Native American mascots. Cite the values of voice and equity.

The Longest Walk
2030-02-11
On this day in 1978, Native American activists launched The Longest Walk, a 3,200-mile spiritual walk across the country to support tribal sovereignty and challenge anti-Indian legislation that limited water rights. Today, supporting indigenous-led campaigns to protect water rights and ancestral lands remains urgent. When discussing this anniversary, cite the values of voice and opportunity.

State of Indian Nations
2030-02-11
Each year, the president of the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) presents the State of Indian Nations around the same time as the U.S. president’s State of the Union. To facilitate direct engagement, a member of Congress is also invited each year to deliver a congressional response.

US v. Bhagat Singh Thind
2030-02-19
On this day in 1923, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled in the case of United States v. Bhagat Singh Thind that an Indian Sikh man was ineligible for naturalized citizenship in the United States. The decision prevented South Asians from becoming American citizens. Discuss this anniversary by citing the values of opportunity and equity.
