The last seven days of March are National Farmworker Awareness Week. Since 1999, Student Action with Farmworkers has coordinated this week of action to “raise awareness about farmworker issues, honor their everyday contributions, and gain more allies to help advocate for better living and working conditions in the fields.” Farm work exposes workers to significant occupational hazards and has few federal labor protections such as overtime pay or unemployment insurance. Talk about farmworker rights citing the values of economic opportunity, equity, and community.
Tag: economic justice
Winter Storm Uri
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.
Hanukkah
As you prepare for the holiday season, help your audiences get ready for effective and meaningful family conversations about racial justice and economic opportunity. Refer to values of equity, voice, and community.
Black Friday
The Friday after Thanksgiving is often dubbed “Black Friday” because consumer spending puts retailers’ revenues “in the black.” As a counter to big business, the day after has been declared “Small Business Saturday.” Use these hooks to share the Shop Your Values campaign run by the Main Street Alliance that supports small businesses that are actively advocating for economic and racial justice across the country. Also see Give Women Your Money: A Shoppable Spreadsheet for women-lead businesses and Color of Change’s Black Business Green Book.
Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week
Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week is sponsored each year by the National Coalition for the Homeless and the National Student Campaign Against Hunger and Homelessness. The event is an annual opportunity for people to come together and draw attention to the problems of hunger and homelessness. When talking about homelessness this week, cite the values of community and economic opportunity.
Mental Illness Awareness Week
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.
Welcoming Week
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.
New NFL Season without Colin Kaepernick
For a seventh consecutive year, the National Football League (NFL) will kick off regular season play without Colin Kaepernick on the field. The former NFL quarterback played his last game in January 2017. That season, Kaepernick helped signal boost the national conversation regarding police brutality by taking a knee. Since then, NFL teams have been accused of colluding to keep him off NFL rosters. Cite the values of Voice and Equality on opening weekend.
National Food Bank Day
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.
Comic-Con International
The Comic-Con International show kicks off today in San Diego, CA. The massive crowds that flock to this convention make it one of the can’t-miss annual events for lovers of popular arts and comics. The conference presents an opportunity for creative interventions uplifting the powerful impact of pop culture representation—#PowerofPop—to shape narratives through the stories we love. Cite the values of voice, economic opportunity, and equity.
