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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 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 […]
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.
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 […]
The “mother of social work,” Jane Addams, was also born on this day in 1860. Use this news hook to talk about the role of our nation’s public welfare programs in reducing poverty. Cite the values of Economic Security and Community.
Labor Day honors the contributions of American workers and the labor movement (the people who brought you the weekend, the eight-hour work day and improved working conditions). Use this holiday to highlight the importance of worker rights, including the right to organize and join a union.
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 […]
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 […]
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.
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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.
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 […]
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.
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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.
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 […]
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.
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 […]
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.
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.