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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 […]
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 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.
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.
National Latinx & Hispanic Heritage Month pays tribute to “the generations of Hispanic Americans who have influenced and enriched our nation and society.” Use this month to discuss Community, Opportunity, and Equality.
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 […]
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.
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 […]
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 […]
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.
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 […]
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.
On this day in 1792, the cornerstone of the White House was laid. As former First Lady Michelle Obama noted, she “ 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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
On Oct. 15, 1966, the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense was founded to seek justice for African Americans and other oppressed communities through a combination of revolutionary theory, education, and community programs. Discuss this anniversary by citing the values of Economic Security, Voice, and Community.
On this day in 1968, African-American medal winners in the Olympics, Tommie Smith and John Carlos, gave a Black Power salute during the award ceremony. This anniversary provides a useful hook to discuss today’s activism by athletes like Colin Kaepernick. Cite the values of Voice and Community.
It’s also World Food Day, which the United Nations created to focus on how people and communities can take action to end hunger. Use this hook to talk about ending hunger and poverty in the United States. Cite the values of Economic Security and Community.
The United Nations' International Day for the Eradication of Poverty recognizes "the knowledge and courage of families living in poverty throughout the world, the importance of reaching out to the poorest and building an alliance with citizens from all backgrounds to end poverty." Use this hook to discuss the values of Economic Security and Community […]
On December 18, 1865, the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution was officially approved. 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 […]
On this day in 1972, The Clean Water Act became law. Despite these protections, hundreds of thousands of Americans are exposed to contaminated drinking water. Use this anniversary to discuss the importance of equitable investments in infrastructure improvements. Cite the values of Community and Economic Security.
On this day in 1870, the first African Americans were elected to the House of Representatives. In South Carolina, Black Republicans won three of the state’s four congressional seats. The Zinn Education Projects points out that Reconstruction, the era immediately following the Civil War and emancipation, “is full of stories that help us see the possibility […]
On this day in 2020, lawyers tasked with reunifying families separated at the U.S.-Mexico border under the Trump Administration’s pilot program revealed the parents of 545 children were yet to be found. In June 2021, the Biden Administration’s task force reported that 2,127 children separated under the “zero-tolerance” program still await reunions. Uplift human rights […]
The October 22 Coalition to Stop Police Brutality, Repression, and the Criminalization of a Generation has mobilized the National Day of Protest against Police Brutality every year since 1996. Cite the values of Voice, Equality, and Community.
The first woman farmworker hired to be a union representative, Maria Moreno, was born on this day in 1920. Moreno was a vocal fighter for impoverished farm workers in California in the late 1950s and early 1960s. A film about her life is premiered on PBS in September. Discuss Moreno's birthday by citing the values of […]
On Oct. 23, 1947, W. E. B. Du Bois and the NAACP petitioned the United Nations with a document titled “An Appeal to the World: A Statement on the Denial of Human Rights to Minorities in the Case of Citizens of the United States of America and an Appeal to the United Nations for Redress.” […]
On Oct. 26, 2001, just weeks after the 9/11 attacks, President George W. Bush signed the PATRIOT Act into law. The legislation expanded surveillance powers of the government and permitted indefinite detention of non-citizens. In 2015, many of its expiring provisions were extended or modified by the USA FREEDOM Act. Discuss this anniversary by citing […]
On Oct. 27, 1978, President Jimmy Carter signed into law the Humphrey–Hawkins Full Employment Act to address rising unemployment. As many workers and families continue to struggle with job losses and economic downturn from COVID-19, use this hook to talk about how the government still has a role in assisting Americans who are bearing the […]
On this day in 1994, the Department of Justice announced that the U.S. prison population surpassed one million people for the first time in history. In 2020, the number of people held in local jails and state and federal prisons dropped to roughly 1.8 million — a 14% decrease from 2.1 million in 2019. Use this […]
On this day in 1886, the Statue of Liberty was dedicated in New York City. Lady Liberty has served as an enduring, national symbol of the importance of welcoming immigrants and refugees to the United States. Given the adverse health and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, advocates are urging Congress to eliminate barriers based on immigration status to public programs like […]
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, […]
On October 29, 2012, Hurricane Sandy hit New York City causing extensive damages to infrastructure in the city. As we've seen time and again, natural disasters reveal existing inequality and how climate change disproportionately affects people living in poverty, often in BIPOC communities. Use Hurricane Sandy to push for economic justice in infrastructure, storm preparedness, […]
On this day in 1929, the Wall Street stock market crashed and plunged the nation into the Great Depression. An array of programs that were part of “The New Deal” assisted millions of unemployed and starving Americans. The economic impacts of COVID-19 focused national attention on the government's role to assist Americans facing economic hardship […]
Native American Heritage Month comes on the heels of Indigenous Peoples' Day and presents an opportunity to emphasize how we must celebrate and honor — not erase — the past, present, and future of Native peoples in the United States. Discuss the values of voice and economic opportunity.
Open enrollment for health insurance plans under the Affordable Care Act starts Nov. 1 and will end on Jan. 15 (enroll by Dec. 15 for coverage to start on Jan. 1). November will be an important month for discussing the importance of access to healthcare by citing the value of economic opportunity.
Today is Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). While many associate this holiday with Mexican traditions, festivals to honor and celebrate deceased family members are celebrated in a diverse range of nations worldwide, from Latin America to Haiti to the Philippines. This hook presents not only an opportunity to celebrate cultural traditions but has […]
The Carlisle Indian School opened in Carlisle, Pennsylvania on Nov. 1, 1879. It was the first boarding school of many that the federal government set up to forcefully assimilate Native children into white culture after taking them from their families. When discussing the United States' history of Indian schools, cite the values of economic opportunity, community, […]
During National Family Caregivers Month, it’s important to discuss the central role governments play in supporting caregivers. The COVID-19 pandemic added both clarity and urgency to create more comprehensive and equitable paid family and medical leave policies nationwide. Cite the values of community and economic opportunity.
