Addressing a Legacy of Injustice
Despite the historic strides made during the Civil Rights Movement, racial disparities persist in areas such as the criminal legal system, education, health care, housing, employment and more. Across the Deep South, Black and Brown communities continue to disproportionately face police violence, mass incarceration and discrimination. Compounding these challenges, the unrelenting assault on voting rights by antidemocratic forces aims to silence the voices of those who bear the brunt of unjust policies.
This dire situation demands a sustained movement to dismantle the entrenched structures of racism and inequality in our country and to implement policies that will achieve permanent change for vulnerable communities that need it most.
Achieving Progress through Policy
To make meaningful progress that will improve the lives of communities of color and others who are pushed to the margins, the SPLC advocates for bold, forward-thinking policies that can help drive transformative change in the Deep South and beyond. By analyzing issues like poverty and mass incarceration, we are able to design solutions that address the complexity and interconnectedness of these challenges.
Rather than reacting to problems, we strive to proactively address root causes and advance policy solutions that shape a future where equity and justice are foundational principles of society. Simultaneously, we remain steadfast in our commitment to protecting and defending the civil rights of all people. These rights form the foundation of every movement for equality, including those advocating for Black, Indigenous, and other communities of color, women’s rights, LGBTQ+ rights, the rights of people with disabilities, immigrants’ rights, and the rights of religious minorities.
The Latest
Our Priorities
Addressing the SPLC’s core policy priorities is critical for advancing justice and enabling people of color to access ladders of opportunity.
Priorities by state
Policy Advocacy
2025 Policy priorities for Alabama
In a true democracy, voting should be a simple, convenient process that allows every eligible voter to participate easily. But too often in Alabama, this is not the case.
Policy Advocacy
2025 Policy priorities for Florida
Florida is an outlier nationally, prosecuting more children as adults for felonies than any other state — often at thesole discretion of prosecutors.
Policy Advocacy
2025 Policy priorities for Georgia
Georgia is one of six states that neglects to provide dedicated funding to rescue financially insecure public schools, which disproportionately harms more than 567,000 kids.
Policy Advocacy
2025 Policy priorities for Louisiana
Police departments and sheriffs’ offices across Louisiana are not required to report even the most fundamental law enforcement information, such as the number of stops or arrests they make.
Policy Advocacy
2025 Policy priorities for Mississippi
Currently, Mississippi spends about 5% of its $86.5 million annual TANF award on cash payments to needy families, which means it spends less than 10% of its federal allocation on direct assistance.
Defend Youth in Louisiana
If Act 3 passes, Louisiana’s legislators could pass laws to lock up more young people in adult prisons for even minor incidents like trespassing, graffiti, or possessing small amounts of marijuana. You can still stop Act 3.
