Stay ahead of the curve. Check out what’s coming – not only in the news, but from our partners and collaborators. We help you identify, respond, and amplify your campaigns with the messaging, research, and pop culture hooks you need.
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.
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 […]
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.
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.
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.
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 […]
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.
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.
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 […]
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.” […]
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.
On this day in 1920, the 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution was formally adopted. While this served as a groundbreaking accomplishment to extend the right to vote to white women, Jim Crow laws would prevent many women of color from exercising this right for decades. Cite the values of equity and voice when […]
On this day in 1955, African-American teenager Emmett Till was abducted for allegedly offending a white woman. His brutalized body was found a few days later. Historical markers recognizing Till's death are regularly torn down and shot at by vandals — a symbolic reminder of the ongoing threat of racism against Black communities. Cite the […]
Also on this day during the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech. Use this anniversary to remind your audiences about the importance of reaffirming our values and our commitment to winning liberation. Cite the values of community, voice, and equity.
On this day in 2005, Hurricane Katrina made landfall in Louisiana and Mississippi. The humanitarian disaster that followed laid bare racial and economic inequities and served as a precursor to the disparate impacts of recent natural disasters. Use the anniversary to discuss the need for equitable infrastructure spending and emergency assistance. Cite the values of […]
In 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Food Stamp Act, which formalized the federal program now called the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Use this hook to discuss protecting a program that supports the economic security of families and protects the American values of community and economic opportunity
September is National Recovery Month, which raises awareness about mental illness and substance abuse disorders. It also provides the opportunity to talk about harm reduction, alternatives to incarceration, and the need for health insurance and federally-supported programs to expand access to treatment and housing. Cite the values of Redemption and Community.
September is Hunger Action Month when Feeding America and the nationwide network of food banks spread the word and take collective action on the hunger crisis. As a result of the pandemic, more than 42 million people face food insecurity nationwide. Use this hook to discuss the need to address underlying economic injustice that creates […]
On this day in 1916, President Woodrow Wilson signed into law the Adamson Act, which established an eight-hour workday, with additional pay for overtime work for railroad workers. The Act was the culmination of organizing by railroad workers and the first federal law to regulate the hours of workers in private companies. Discuss the importance of unions […]
Hunger Action Month continues with National Food Bank Day when communities recognize the importance of fighting hunger. Use this day to extend the conversation to focus on the underlying economic injustices that create hunger. Cite the values of Economic Security and Community.
Today, the National Football League (NFL) kicks off its regular season. When former quarterback Colin Kaepernick took a knee during the 2017 NFL season, he transformed the playing field into a platform for change, sparking a national dialogue about police brutality and racial inequity. His courageous stand—and the price he paid for it—demonstrated how cultural […]
