The Take Back 003

Welcome to the March Edition of The Take Back: the newsletter of resistance for people of color.

People of color have always been “the resistance” in the United States; they have been the moral conscience pushing us toward equal justice through long-fought struggles. Each edition of The Take Back is an effort to update you on this resistance, share resources and highlight the work of the Movement.

Advancement Project's racial justice work with grassroots organizations across the country has positioned us to uplift the work. Read and share the stories of the incredible efforts happening on the ground, to inspire, and deepen your commitment to the work that lies ahead.

#NoCopsNoGuns: Marching for Brown and Black Students' Lives

Advancement Project has been in rapid-response mode since February 14, the tragic day Parkland, FL, students were impacted by a school shooting. From bringing our national and local partners together on a call, offering a know-your-rights toolkit for students participating in the March 14, National School Walk Out Day, to marching in Washington with our Florida partners Dream Defenders and Power U Center for Social Change amongst 500,000 participants, Advancement Project has been hard at work to ensure voices from Brown and Black communities were heard alongside the predominantly White Parkland students who organized the March for Our Lives.

"It's about saying we don't need more cops, more criminalization or more guns in our schools," said Advancement Project Senior Attorney, Kaitlin Banner in a Mic.com article.

Prior to the march, we launched our #NoCopsNoGuns: Student Walkout Toolkit and an updated policy brief on lessons learned from past school shootings and subsequent calls and funding for more police in schools - the latter being an unfortunate ask within the March for Our Lives manifesto that our very own education partners have been fighting against.

Check out our #NoCopsNoGuns resources page on our website.

Take 45 (A Call to Action):
What are you going to do about it?

In the wake of Parkland's fatal school shooting last month, on March 9, Florida's Governor Rick Scott signed SB7026, a bill that promises to arm teachers, coaches, nurses and other school faculty. Advancement Project's national office, along with our Florida partners Power U Center for Social Change and Dream Defenders collected signatures to deliver to the governor asking for him to veto this legislation in an effort to keep more guns out of schools, but Florida policymakers moved hastily on legislation they should have otherwise taken their time on. This new bill allots $400 million to make our schools feel more like prisons when they should feel sanctuaries. This bill will have catastrophic consequences for insurmountable numbers of Black, Brown and poor youth in Florida. Our representatives have a responsibility to act in a way that keeps all Florida children safe.

Take action now by using our online tool to tell your Governor not to abandon Black and Brown students.

Channel Orange:
Fighting Against ICE Raids

On March 3, Perla Morales- Luna, was aggressively dragged and detained by ICE agents in front of her children. In a widely shared viral video taken of this heart wrenching moment, the piercing screams of her children are heard. After more than two weeks, Morales-Luna was released by a federal judge on March 20, despite ICE's accusation that Morales-Luna was a part of a network of human smugglers. The inhumane nature of this arrest has become far too common among immigrant families in the U.S. This story, among scores of others, have prompted the ACLU to file a class-action lawsuit accusing the federal government of separating immigrant families.

Read more about it here.

On The Ground:
What Power Really Looks Like

Voice of the Experienced (VOTE)

In late February, VOTE v. Louisiana, the case brought by formerly incarcerated people living and working in communities throughout Louisiana to claim their right to vote, held oral arguments before the Louisiana Court of Appeal, First Circuit, in a special setting held on the campus of Louisiana State University School of Law in Baton Rouge.

With Advancement Project's national office as co-counsel, this monumental case could result in more than 70,000 Louisianans - neighbors, community members, and citizens who are on probation or parole - recovering their right to vote. As part of its case in court, VOTE is making clear that suspending Louisiana's right to vote for people on parole and probation goes against the state's constitution's express guarantee of the right to vote.

On behalf of Voice of the Experienced (VOTE), the plaintiff in the case, Advancement Project held a press conference and teach-in to uplift the importance of the right to vote in communities of color. ICYMI: Check out our blog post here on why supporting the right to vote in Louisiana is so important.

RACE COUNTS: Health Care Access Report

Check it out! Our California office, just released a new interactive report on health care access. Even with the gains from the Affordable Care Act, health care access disparities still affect people of color across California. Learn more here.

Stay Woke/ Stay Well

"Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare."

-Audre Lorde

Women's HERstory Month: a Blog Series

In the spirit of power during this month-long observation has celebrated the brilliance of women of color in the movement through a short blog series. Written by Advancement Project's staff, this short series uplifts the work and writing of women creating tomorrow's HERstory today. If you haven't already done so check out some of the most recent entries below.

Ferguson Freedom Fighter Mildred Clines

Because of HERstory, I knew I could: Judge Hood

For the Love of the Sheroes in My Life: A Short Poem on Power

A Playlist for Your Inner Queendom

You may find that this becomes one of your favorite playlists this year. Bauce Mag launched an hour-long playlist on Spotify to celebrate one's inner Queendom. Filled with cool classics and vibes that speak straight to your soul, the list itself will give you life as you sing your heart out dance off to the 80s. If you are in need of an instant glow up or a reminder that you were born to slay, you'll want to hit play. If you don't have Spotify click the link here for the list of songs to create your own playlist.

ICYMI: Recent updates from the National Office

If you haven't already done so make sure you pick up a copy of the March edition of Essence magazine which features several different covers of "Black Panther" cast members. Read "The New Rule of Law," highlighting the new growing trend of Black women attorneys using their legal acumen to tackle social issues. Our very own Executive Director Judith Browne-Dianis is featured as a trailblazer in racial justice in this collection of Black women attorneys and directors.

"Racial justice work is my purpose" says Judith Browne-Dianis. "I was put on this earth to undo the wrongs of the past on behalf of Black people and [other] people of color. It is my passion. I am blessed to do this work."

You can also catch our Executive Director Judith Browne-Dianis on episodes two and three of "Divided States," a four-part documentary series highlighting how racial tensions and hate crimes are impacting communities in the United States and Europe, and how community members are confronting the problem and fighting back.
 
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