Even if you do noting else, watch this trailer and make a plan to see Just Mercy when it comes out.
It seems like every day is hashtag something day, and to be honest, I would really love a #bekindtoyourselfandturnofftheinternet day right about now. But that’s not happening any time soon. And as today is the one #day I can get behind, I figure I may as well harness the power of the world wide web for good and highlight a few places that you might not be aware of and that are well worth donating to.
Today is the day that we are supposed to “give back”… hopefully after we’ve shopped ourselves silly on #blackfriday, #smallbusinesssaturday, and #cybermonday. And there are so many organizations that could use the help– especially in these crazy times. If you are anything like me, you probably feel overwhelmed and unsure of what to do with the limited resources you have to spare. So I thought I’d help by narrowing the field a bit. If you’re concerned about women’s reproductive rights or mass incarceration (aka modern day slavery), check out these slightly under the radar orgs where even just a few dollars will go a long way.
Mass Incarceration:
The Equal Rights Initiative is a human rights organization in Montgomery, Alabama working to eliminate unfair sentencing, to exonerate innocent death row prisoners and to confront abuse of the incarcerated and mentally ill. Founded by Bryan Stevenson in 1989, EJI has been working to change the narrative about race in America both in the courts, and through writings, films and memorials. Mr Stephenson’s memoir, Just Mercy, has just been made into a film by the same title. It hits the theaters on December 25… and man, after you see it (which you will), you will be so glad you supported this work.
The Gathering for Justice is working to build a national movement to end child incarceration while removing the racial inequities in the criminal justice system that enliven mass incarceration. Founded in 2005 by Harry Belafonte after he witnessed a news report of a 5 year old black girl being handcuffed and arrested in her Florida classroom for “being unruly”, The Gathering is currently led by Carmen Perez and has been working tirelessly to engage disadvantaged and underserved communities in the work of empowering themselves to combat injustice in our prisons and on our streets.
Women’s Reproductive Rights:
We all know about the amazing work Planned Parenthood is doing. But there are so many lesser known organizations where even a small donation can really move the bar. Check out these places–
The National Network of Abortion Funds builds power with members to remove financial and logistical barriers to abortion access by centering people who have abortions and organizing at the intersections of racial, economic, and reproductive justice.
The Texas Equal Access Fund provides financial assistance to low-income people who want an abortion and can’t afford it.
The Center for Reproductive Rights uses the power of law to advance reproductive rights as fundamental human rights around the world.
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