The Opportunity Agenda

Day of Remembrance: Japanese American Incarceration
2025-02-19
On this day in 1942, the War Relocation Authority was established to relocate Japanese-Americans to internment camps. Discuss the significance of this anniversary by emphasizing the values of community and safety.

US v. Bhagat Singh Thind
2025-02-19
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.

Toni Morrison & Audre Lorde
2025-02-18
Today is the birthday of two influential African-American writers/activists: Toni Morrison and Audre Lorde. They were born a few years apart. Throughout their careers, they explored the intersectional issues of race, gender, and sexuality. Morrison won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1993. Use their birthdays to raise the values of voice and equity.

NBA All-Star Game
2025-02-15 - 2025-02-16
This weekend, the National Basketball Association (NBA) hosts its All-Star Game. Professional basketball players — from the NBA and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) — have been important cultural influencers in the Movement for Black Lives. Many WNBA athletes have also actively organized in support of pay equity. Use this weekend to talk about racial and gender justice both on and off the court. Cite the values of voice, equity, and safety.

Winter Storm Uri
2025-02-13
On this day in 2021, Winter Storm Uri began rolling into Texas, leaving millions without electricity — and some without water service — across the state. The state’s final report estimates that 246 people died as a result of the storm, with roughly two-thirds of those deaths the result of hypothermia. Similar to recent hurricanes, the natural disaster revealed existing inequalities as people living in poverty struggled to stay warm. Commemorate this date as a reminder of the urgency to ensure racial justice grounds infrastructure debates and climate resilience planning. Cite the values of community and opportunity.

"I Am a Man" Protest
2025-02-12
On this day in 1968, African American sanitation workers went on strike in Memphis, Tennessee for better pay and safer working conditions. The strikers would create the iconic image with their “I Am a Man” posters. During the strike, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. traveled to Memphis, where he was assassinated. Discuss this anniversary by citing the values of voice, opportunity, and community.

The Longest Walk
2025-02-11
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
2025-02-10
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.

Super Bowl
2025-02-09
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.

Dawes Act
2025-02-08
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.

13th Amendment
2025-02-07
On this day in 2013, Mississippi officially certified the 13th Amendment, becoming the last state to approve the abolition of slavery and involuntary servitude. The state voted against ratification in 1865, and in 1995 —130 years later— the state legislature voted to ratify the amendment but failed to notify the federal register. Use this anniversary to talk about the continued need for racial justice in the United States, especially in our criminal legal system. Cite the values of safety, opportunity, and community.

Trayvon Martin
2025-02-05
Today is the birthday of Trayvon Martin. His death in 2012 and the acquittal of his killer in 2013 launched the #BlackLivesMatter movement. When discussing Trayvon Martin, cite the values of safety and equity.

Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA)
2025-02-05
On this day in 1993, President Bill Clinton signed into law the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA) which requires most employers to provide job-protected and unpaid leave for qualified medical and family reasons to their employees. The law was an important step for worker rights but today advocates are pushing for paid family and medical leave for all workers. Cite the values of opportunity and equity when discussing this anniversary.

Transit Equity Day
2025-02-04
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.”

Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
2025-02-02
On this day in 1848, the United States and Mexico signed the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, bringing an end to the Mexican–American War and moving the existing border between the two countries. When discussing this treaty, emphasize how proposals to militarize and build walls in border communities run counter to cultural history of the region. Cite the values of equity and safety.

World Hijab Day
2025-02-01
Today is also the annual celebration of World Hijab Day. This international day of action aims to bring attention to the discrimination and prejudice Muslim women face in the workplace and in communities. Cite the values of voice and safety.

First Lunch Counter Sit-In
2025-02-01
On this day in 1960, four civil rights protesters started the first lunch counter sit-in in Greensboro, NC. Use this anniversary to talk about the importance of civic action and standing up for racial justice. Cite the values of voice and community.

Black History Month
2025-02-01
While Black History Month is officially commemorated during February, we honor Black history and celebrate Black excellence and futures year-round. This month — and into March — opportunities abound for telling an affirmative story about racial justice in the United States. Cite the values of voice and community in sharing these resources with your audiences.

Trump's Muslim Ban
2025-01-27
Today is the anniversary of President Trump’s “Muslim Ban” executive order which barred the entry of nationals and refugees from 11 Muslim-majority nations. The Supreme Court later upheld a similar, updated ban. The Biden administration rescinded the policy as one of its first executive actions following the inauguration, but the date reminds us of our ongoing work to counter xenophobia and replace it with policies and narratives to welcome immigrants and refugees. When discussing this anniversary, cite the values of Voice, Community, and Economic Security.

Trump's Migrant Protection Protocols
2025-01-25
On this day in 2019, the Trump administration announced implementation of the “Migrant Protection Protocols” (better known as the “Remain in Mexico” policy) for asylum-seekers arriving at the U.S./Mexico border. In December, the Biden administration reached an agreement with Mexico to restart the program and has continued to employ the controversial Title 42 law to rapidly expel people seeking asylum at our border. Combined, these practices offend our legal and moral obligations to protect human rights through providing safe, effective processes for people to seek protection before immigration judges. Cite the values of Voice, Equality, and Community on this date.

Sundance Film Festival Begins
2025-01-23
Today the Sundance Film Festival begins (virtually and through select in-person locations throughout the country). Each year, many new documentaries and films focused on social justice issues premiere. These films can have a remarkable influence on social narratives about immigration, poverty, and criminal justice. Amidst all the buzz, be sure to refer to the values of voice, community, and opportunity

Birthday of Edward Verne Roberts
2025-01-23
Today is the birthday of Edward Verne Roberts, who was a pioneering advocate for people with disabilities. Many consider him the “father of independent living.” Use the anniversary to discuss how public benefits help people with disabilities. Use the values of Equality and Economic Mobility.

Right to Privacy: Roe v. Wade
2025-01-22
On this day in 1973, the Supreme Court upheld the “right to privacy” in the case of Roe v. Wade, protecting the right to choose whether or not to have an abortion nationwide. The Supreme Court’s decision to overturn decades of precedent in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization significantly threatens reproductive justice in numerous states. The decision also galvanized communities and voters to take action and pass new protections upholding people’s right to access safe abortions. When talking about this anniversary, cite the values of opportunity, voice, and equity.

National Day of Racial Healing
2025-01-21
The National Day of Racial Healing is an opportunity for people, organizations, and communities across the United States to “forge deep, meaningful relationships, lay the groundwork to transform broken systems” and create change. Visit W.K. Kellogg Foundation’s dedicated event website for conversation guides and toolkits tailored to students, philanthropy, business leaders, and more. Cite the values of community, equity, and opportunity on this day.

Arrest of Queen Lili`uokalani
2025-01-16
On this day in 1893, U.S. Marines overthrew the independent indigenous kingdom of Hawai`i and subsequently arrested Queen Lili`uokalani. American business leaders and the children of missionaries wanted the islands to be annexed by the United States. Pres. William McKinley authorized the annexation five years later. It’s important to discuss this anniversary as part of the United States’ larger history of violating Indigenous peoples’ rights. Cite the values of Voice, Economic Security, and Community.

Legalization of Prohibition
2025-01-16
On this day in 1919, Prohibition was legalized with the ratification of the 18th Amendment to the Constitution. Today, we view this period as a wasteful, punitive and ill-conceived intrusion on the lives of Americans. This era is often noted in conversations about the need for criminal justice reform and more humane drug policies that center equity and emphasize harm reduction. Use this anniversary to discuss how far our nation has come in upholding the values of Redemption and Community.

Birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
2025-01-15
Today we also celebrate the birthday and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Technically born on Jan. 15, this federal holiday is recognized on the third Monday each year and presents a great opportunity to talk about the ongoing struggle for racial justice in the United States by citing the values of equity, community, and opportunity.

Human Trafficking Awareness Day
2025-01-11
Human Trafficking Awareness Day is an opportunity to draw more attention to forced labor, debt bondage, involuntary servitude, and sex trafficking affecting thousands of men, women, and children in the U.S. and around the world. This year’s commemoration comes roughly a month after VICE News reported on one of the largest investigations of “modern-day slavery” impacting migrant laborers in South Georgia. Refer to the values of Voice, Economic Security, and Equality when discussing human trafficking.

Slave Rebellion Reenactment
2025-01-08
On this day in 1811, 500 enslaved Africans, representing 50 different nations with 50 different languages, revolted and fought against U.S. troops and militias not just for their own emancipation, but to end slavery. The ultimate goal of the “German Coast Uprising” (as it came to be known) was to create an independent Black republic with New Orleans as its capital. Artist Dread Scott organized aSlave Rebellion Reenactment as a profound “what if?” story for freedom.

Birthday of Zora Neale Hurston
2025-01-07
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.
