Hopewatch
Hopewatch amplifies the unwavering commitment of people who tirelessly advocate for racial and social justice.
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- Strengthening Democracy & Voting Rights
Pursuing the Dream: Reflections on the Freedom Summer summit in Mississippi
More than 160 years since the Emancipation Proclamation, the question remains: When will the dream of equality and justice be fully realized? When will the descendants of enslaved people and other people of color exercise their civil rights unencumbered – especially at the ballot box? Last month in Jackson, Mississippi, I was proud to be…
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- Eliminating Poverty and Economic Inequality
Then and now: Rosenwald schools highlight legacy of educational inequality
On a recent afternoon, I viewed a stirring museum exhibition, A Better Life for Their Children: Julius Rosenwald, Booker T. Washington, and the 4,978 Schools That Changed America. The exhibit at the Virginia Museum of History and Culture tells the story of the Rosenwald schools built for Black children from 1912 to 1937 in the…
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- Dismantling White Supremacy
- Eliminating Poverty and Economic Inequality
- Ending Unjust Imprisonment
- Strengthening Democracy & Voting Rights
Advancing the SPLC’s New Strategic Direction
Since the June announcement of the Southern Poverty Law Center’s restructuring, we as executive leaders of the organization have received many questions about our vision behind the changes. We truly believe that the work of the SPLC will be strengthened by aligning the entire organization around our new strategic direction. In 2022, the SPLC adopted…
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- Strengthening Democracy & Voting Rights
Young Voters of Color in Alabama Have the Power to Decide for a Better Future
Only a third of eligible Alabama voters turned out to vote for the midterm election in 2022, ranking us fifth lowest in turnout nationwide. It would be easy to feel discouraged by this. As director of the Alabama state office at the Southern Poverty Law Center, I see it as an opportunity to further engage…
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- Strengthening Democracy & Voting Rights
Don’t let down your guard: Learn how voter access laws affect you in 2024
Voters casting a ballot in the South may encounter recently passed laws that could suppress the vote. As the Southern Poverty Law Center continues to encourage voter turnout through its The South’s Got Now | Decidimos campaign, here are some laws Southern voters need to watch out for this election year: Alabama The Alabama Legislature…
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- Dismantling White Supremacy
SPLC, partners defeat all anti-LGBTQ+ bills during Georgia legislative session
The 2024 Georgia legislative session was my sixth under the gold dome of the state Capitol, and it was one of the most difficult to work and witness as a civil rights advocate and lobbyist – with one big exception. During a session that saw almost 20 vicious anti-LGBTQ+ bills, we defeated each hateful piece…
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- Dismantling White Supremacy
Transformative Opportunities: The need for DEI programs in higher education
It was the summer of my first year of graduate school when the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the use of race-conscious college admissions. The court’s 2023 opinion made it unlawful for colleges and universities to take an applicant’s race into consideration. I remember reading the headlines and thinking to myself, “I just barely got in.”…
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- Dismantling White Supremacy
Convention encourages fair representation of Black people in the media
When I was a young reporter at a New Jersey newspaper, a small group of us in the newsroom were planning to attend a convention of the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ). A veteran white journalist, seeing and hearing our excitement over the upcoming convention, said to us, with a sincere but misguided hint…
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- Dismantling White Supremacy
SPLC President and CEO Margaret Huang, Stacey Abrams defend DEI in USA Today
As the nation has seen “a powerful, multipronged assault” on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts, it’s imperative to fight back against this attempt to repeal progress that has provided equitable opportunities in the U.S. That’s the message of a USA Today op-ed by Southern Poverty Law Center President and CEO Margaret Huang and American…
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- Ending Unjust Imprisonment
Righting historic wrongs – the DOJ must fully decriminalize marijuana
Marijuana is now legal for recreational use in 24 states and for medicinal use in 38 states. But the federal government has been slow to catch up and still classifies marijuana as a Schedule I drug under the Controlled Substances Act, putting it in the same category as heroin. Now, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration…
