National Farmworker Awareness Week

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.

Christmas

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.

U.S. Supreme Court ruled against Fred Korematsu

On this day in 1944, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against Fred Korematsu, declaring the denial of civil liberties based on race and national origin was constitutional. Fred Korematsu was a U.S. citizen and the son of Japanese immigrants. He had refused to be interned with other Japanese-Americans during World War II. Use this anniversary to paint a vision of a nation where racism has no place. Discuss this anniversary by citing the values of equity, voice, and community.

International Human Rights Day

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 recommend leading with the values of equity, safety, and economic opportunity.

Department of Homeland Security

On this day in 2002, the Department of Homeland Security was founded when President George Bush signed the Homeland Security Act into law, more than a year after the September 11th attacks. This bold government restructuring reframed immigration as a national security issue. Use this anniversary to discuss the legacy of DHS agencies like Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Border Patrol. Cite the values of safety, economic opportunity, and community when discussing this anniversary.

Sesame Street Airing Anniversary

On Nov. 10, 1969, the public television children’s show, Sesame Street, first aired. At the time, it was the most racially diverse children’s show ever on TV. As one of the actors, Loretta Moore Long, noted, Sesame Street “seeks to bolster the Black and minority child’s self-respect and to portray the multi-ethnic, multicultural world into which both majority and minority child are growing.” Use this anniversary to talk about the need for inclusion and intersectionality in television programs. Cite the values of voice, equity, and community.

Fall of Berlin Wall

On Nov. 9, 1989 the Berlin Wall fell. The anniversary is an opportunity to discuss militarization at the U.S. southern border and pivot to an affirmative vision of what it looks like to protect human rights and invest in creating economic opportunity in border communities. Cite the values of safety and community.

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