Larry Itliong and the Agricultural Workers Strike
2026-09-08
On this day in 1965, Larry Itliong and the Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee led 1,000 Filipino workers to strike against Delano, California grape growers. They demanded the federal minimum wage and the right to form a union. When the farmers hired Mexican workers rather than give in to the strikers demands, Itliong partnered with Cezar Chavez’s National Farm Workers to come up with a plan that benefited both groups. Itliong and Chavez combined their organizations to form the United Farm Workers Union. Cite the values of Equality, Voice, and Economic Security when discussing this anniversary.

Anniversary of Attica Uprising
2026-09-09
The Attica Uprising in New York State occurred on this day. From September 9-13, 1,300 incarcerated men took control of the Attica Correctional Facility and made a series of demands to prison administrators. In the assault by state police to retake the prison, 39 people were killed. Use this anniversary to talk about the need for decarceration, made more urgent by the threat of COVID-19 to the health of people incarcerated in inhumane facilities. Cite the values of Voice, Equal Justice, and Redemption.

Anniversary of Attacks on World Trade Center and Pentagon
2026-09-11
Twenty-three years have passed since the 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon. In addition to remembering and honoring those who lost their lives, we must continue to rise above hate and anti-Muslim racism. Cite the values of Community and Voice when discussing this anniversary.

Welcoming Week
2026-09-12 - 2026-09-21
Observed since 2012, Welcoming Week is an initiative of Welcoming America that lifts up the work of local communities to become more welcoming places for all, including immigrants. Use this week to discuss Community, Opportunity, and Equality.
Take Action: See the Welcoming Week Toolkit for messaging guidance, social media assets, tips for hosting an event and sample proclamations or resolutions for state and local governments.

The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act
2026-09-13
On this day in 1994, President Bill Clinton signed into law The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act, which set the tone for relying on incarceration to solve social problems. Ongoing activism to end money bail is a step away from such punitive legislation, towards a more rehabilitative approach. Discuss this anniversary by citing the values of Redemption and Voice.

Anniversary of Forced Sterilizations at Ice Detention Center
2026-09-14
On this day in 2020, a harrowing whistleblower complaint revealed immigrant women were allegedly subjected to forced sterilizations at a for-profit ICE detention center. Dawn Wooten, a nurse employed at the Irwin County Detention Center, detailed an alarming pattern of non-consensual medical procedures and negligence in protecting people at the facility from COVID-19. When discussing this event cite the values of Human Rights, Equality and connect it to the United States’ larger history of coercive sterilizations and medical experiments on vulnerable populations, particularly Black, Indigenous and Latinx women.

National Hispanic Heritage Month
2026-09-15
September 15 – October 15 is National Hispanic Heritage Month, which honors the contributions made by Hispanic and Latinx Americans to the United States. Use this month to discuss Community, Opportunity, and Equality.

Anniversary of Bombing of 16th Street Baptist Church
2026-09-15
On this day in 1963, white supremacists bombed the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, AL, killing four young girls. The event was a turning point in the civil rights movement. It’s an important reminder of our nation’s deep-rooted history of white supremacist resistance and violence in response to progress toward true racial and economic justice. When talking about this anniversary, refer to the values of Community, Voice, and Equality.

National Voter Registration Day
2026-09-15
On National Voter Registration Day, encourage your audiences to register to vote, the most powerful tool we have for making our voices heard. The onslaught of voter restriction measures introduced and passed since the 2020 election affirms how critical expanding access to the polls is to our democracy. Cite the value of Voice and Equality.

Occupy Wall Street Anniversary Protest
2026-09-17
On this day in 2011, Occupy Wall Street protesters called out the nation’s economic inequality in the United States with a takeover of Zuccotti Park in Lower Manhattan. Their campaign spurred a national conversation and provides an opportunity to talk about economic injustice. Cite the values of Voice, Community, and Economic Security when talking about this anniversary.

Citizenship Day
2026-09-17
Today is Citizenship Day, the anniversary of the signing of the U.S. Constitution in 1787. This is also known as Citizenship Week. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services encourages us to use this week to “reflect on the rights and responsibilities of citizenship and what it means to be a U.S. citizen.” It’s a good time to remind your audiences of our deeply held values around citizenship like Community and Voice.

Anniversary of Passing: Ruth Bader Ginsburg
2026-09-18
Today marks the passing of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. A graduate of Harvard Law School and the founding director of the Women’s Rights Project at the ACLU, Ginsburg’s legacy re-wrote the rules on gender discrimination and upheld key protections on a full range of civil rights issues. Her impact transcended courts and made her a cultural icon. Her judicial record was mixed on issues of race and criminal justice, with particularly damaging decisions impacting indigenous rights. Cite the values of Voice, Equality, and Opportunity when discussing her legacy.

Anniversary of Hurricane Maria
2026-09-20
On this day in 2017, Hurricane Maria made landfall in Puerto Rico with devastating effects. Use this anniversary to discuss the need for equitable infrastructure and emergency planning. Discuss the values of Community and Opportunity.

Birthdays of John Coltrane, Ray Charles, Bruce Springsteen, and Mary Church Terrell
2026-09-23
Today is the birthday of several artist-activists: John Coltrane (1926), Ray Charles (1930), Bruce Springsteen (1949). The music of Coltrane, Charles, and Springsteen often focused on social justice issues and they personally funded the work of many activists. African American suffragette Mary Church Terrell (1863) was also born on this day. She was an early advocate for civil rights and a charter member — and first president — of the NAACP. Use these lives to talk about the role of activists, artists, and cultural workers in shaping social justice narratives. Cite the values of Voice and Equality.

David Walker's An Appeal to the Coloured Citizens of the World
2026-09-28
Also on this day in 1829, David Walker published the pamphlet, An Appeal to the Coloured Citizens of the World. Walker circulated copies via underground networks to empower enslaved people throughout the South. Discuss this anniversary by citing the values of Voice and Equality.

The Great Recession
2026-09-29
In 2008, the U.S. Stock Market crashed, contributing to the start of The Great Recession. It’s an important time to talk about how many communities and American families had hardly recovered from this economic downturn before entering the economic downturn and job losses caused by COVID-19. Cite the values of Economic Opportunity and Community when talking about this anniversary.

Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act
2026-09-30
On this day in 1996, President Bill Clinton signed into law the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act (IIRIRA). Use this hook to talk about how the law criminalized thousands of people and led to the deportation of more than 4 million people. Cite the values of Community and Economic Security when talking about this anniversary.

See Us, Support Us Month
2026-10-01
October is See Us, Support Us Month which raises awareness and amplifies the voices of children with incarcerated parents. Led by the Osborne Association and partners, this year’s theme focuses on supporting children of incarcerated parents’ physical & emotional wellbeing.

LGBTQIA+ History Month
2026-10-01
LGBTQIA+ History Month celebrates the achievements of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender trailblazers. Use this month to talk about intersectional issues that affect LGBT Americans. Cite the values of Voice and Opportunity.

Filipino American History Month
2026-10-01
It’s also Filipino American History Month. First recognized by Congress in 2009, this celebration commemorates the arrival of the first Filipino immigrants to the United States, who landed in what is now Morro Bay, California on October 18, 1587. Cite the values of Community and Economic Security.

International Wrongful Conviction Day
2026-10-02
International Wrongful Conviction Day was created to “raise awareness of the causes and remedies of wrongful conviction and to recognize the tremendous personal, social, and emotional costs of wrongful conviction for innocent people and their families.” Use this hook to talk about the need for criminal justice reform. Cite the values of Voice and Redemption.

Mental Illness Awareness Week
2026-10-05 - 2026-10-11
Each year, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) leads Mental Illness Awareness Week on the first week of October. This annual observation seeks to challenge stigma and misunderstanding by showing that mental illness affects everyone directly or indirectly through family, friends or coworkers. Use this week to talk about how mental illness intersects with poverty and criminal justice. Discuss the need for government support of individuals and families dealing with mental illness. Cite the values of community and safety.

Birth of Fannie Lou Hamer
2026-10-06
On Oct. 6, 1917, voting and women’s rights activist Fannie Lou Hamer was born in Mississippi. She co-founded the the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party which challenged the all-white delegation at the 1964 Democratic National Convention where Hamer testified. She asked: “Is this America, the land of the free and the home of the brave, where our lives be threatened daily, because we want to live as decent human beings?” Use Hamer’s birthday to discuss voter registration and rights. Cite the values of Community, Voice, and Economic Security.

Anniversary of Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
2026-10-08
On Oct. 8, 2001, President George Bush created the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). This anniversary provides a useful moment to examine how the national security frame has shaped the immigration agencies with DHS. Advocates are calling for the abolition of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for its cruel practices that separate families and threaten the safety and health of immigrants locked up in detention facilities. In border communities, residents have organized to hold Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents accountable and protect human rights. Cite the values of Community and Voice when discussing this anniversary.

World Day against the Death Penalty
2026-10-10
Today is World Day against the Death Penalty. Use this hook to talk about how the U.S. criminal justice system is overly punitive, costly, and racially biased. Also discuss how fewer and fewer Americans support the death penalty. Cite the values of Redemption and Voice.

International Human Rights Day
2026-10-10
Today is International Human Rights Day, which honors the ratification of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. In 2020, FineActs and hope-based comms partnered to create a collection of open source and evergreen artistic content that positively reframes human rights. This is an unbranded, open-source bank of content for the human rights movement. When discussing this hook, we recommend leading with the values of equity, safety, and economic opportunity.

National Coming Out Day
2026-10-11
National Coming Out Day challenges homophobia by making the personal political. LGBTQ people are encouraged to come out to friends and family. Use this hook to talk about intersectional issues that affect LGBTQ Americans. Cite the values of Voice and Opportunity.

Indigenous Peoples Day
2026-10-12
Today is also Indigenous Peoples Day, recognized the second Monday in October to celebrate the cultures of North America that thrived prior to the arrival of Christopher Columbus. Indigenous leaders continue to fight erasure and organize to demand the U.S. government respect treaties and agreements that protect tribal sovereignty. Use this hook to discuss our core values of voice, equity, and safety.

White House Cornerstone is Laid
2026-10-13
On this day in 1792, the cornerstone of the White House was laid. As former First Lady Michelle Obama noted, she “[woke] up every morning in a house that was built by slaves.” Use this anniversary to counter opposition attacks on critical race theory by lifting up the importance of an honest and truthful recounting of our nation’s legacy of racial injustice. Cite the values of Voice and Equality.

#MeToo Movement Anniversary
2026-10-15
On this day in 2016, the #MeToo movement went viral online and quickly became a national discussion about sexual assault and harassment. The movement was founded in 2006 by activist Tarana Burke to address the lack of resources for survivors, specifically black and brown women and girls. The Me Too Movement is now also an organization committed to healing and action by centering survivors. Discuss this anniversary by citing the values of Voice, Equality, and Community.
