LSU Museum of Art’s Post

We should be clear that our movements and movement leaders are targets for right-wing disinformation, legislation, strategy, and violence. And those attacks are well-funded.

always with vision and wisdom, Maheen Kaleem

In our latest 'Latinas Who Lead' series, we're focusing on the trailblazers. Those who write history tend to bury women, especially Latinas, in the footnotes, only to be mentioned in passing. It's because of the roads these women have paved that we have easier paths to follow on our respective journeys. Meet the trailblazers: Katherine Archuleta, Rosie Castro, María Elena Salinas, Linda Chavez-Thompson, and Maria Contreras-Sweet. Do yourself a favor and learn about these game changers. ⁠ https://lnkd.in/dTtzX3Zh

Utah recently joined Florida, Texas, North Carolina, North Dakota, and Tennessee in having laws on the books restricting or banning Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion efforts. 25 other states have introduced more than 70 bills targeting DEI at public institutions. Additionally, more than 150 bills in 35 states were introduced aiming to restrict access to library materials, and to punish library workers who do not comply. The American Library Association reported a record-breaking number of attempts to ban books in 2023. The backlash against 2020 is in full swing. The Sankofa Impact team experiences the backlash in a number of ways. Companies and institutions that were aggressively reaching out for programming in 2020 and 2021 have gone silent. This aligns with our friends in DEI who have been downsized or eliminated. Program participation, once teeming, has dropped precipitously. This aligns with the fear and fatigue that comes when forces in power belittle movements toward justice. Come by our office and we will share more stories. The history of racial progress in the United States can be defined, in some ways, by advance and backlash. The abolition of slavery met with the dismantling of reconstruction. Black wealth and military service in the early 20th century met with a campaign of racial terror. Gains made during the Civil Rights era met with assassinations, gerrymandering, and decades of racist legal rulings. And so it goes. After the murders of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd, everyday people hit the streets. Millions called for change. The response? Empty statements leading to book bans, “woke” has become pejorative, and the very notion that historically marginalized people be at the decision making table is under attack. Here’s to the everyday activists who refuse to be moved by backlash. To all the librarians, DEI professionals, educators, students, nonprofit and business professionals who remain hopeful in the face of fear and doubt. And here’s to the Sankofa Impact team who shows up, day in and day out, speaking the unvarnished truth about our shared history, bringing us a little closer to the collective liberation of all people. . . . #SankofaImpact #Seattle #Backlash #DEI #BookBanning #EverydayActivism #Hope #History

My earliest memories of social and political discourse are around the Civil Rights and the anti-war movements of the 1960’s.  I was too young to remember John F. Kennedy’s assassination in 1963, but I do remember the choc and consternation by the adults around me following Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s and Robert F. Kennedy’s murders in April and June of 1968 respectively.   It seemed that, in just five years, the world had turned upside down.  And that reassembling of the paradigm had happened under the watch of the 36th US President: Lyndon B. Johnson. A once generally popular, powerful, effective horse-trading politician, driven to winning by all means necessary, he sat out the 1968 elections a broken, tired, disaffected man.  Taken down by the antiwar left flank of his party protesting the absurdity of US involvement in Vietnam, and the Southern Democrats, who bailed the Party and found their way home along the Nixon “Southern Strategy” route. And yet, his progressive accomplishments were many. The legislation that changed the racial and social dynamics in this country–the Civil Rights Act, the Voting Rights Act, the Higher Education Act, appointing Thurgood Marshall as the first Black Supreme Court Justice–were pillars of his Great Society. All that couldn't drown out “Hey, hey, LBJ, how many kids have you killed today.” Fast forward to Joe Biden, the 46th President… to his impressive progressive accomplishments… And the similarities between these two savvy senators then Vice Presidents, then Presidents being overtaken by historical events they thought they could control. What is happening on colleges campuses today is not a blip on the radar. It’s a movement where students and their supporters are forcing us to look squarely at the genocidal violence taking place in Gaza with this administration’s acquiescence.   Jess Bidgood of the NYT writes, “There are many differences between then and now, and it is much too soon to know whether the campus protests happening now will come to feel like what happened that seismic year (1968). But the bubbling up of protest activity across college campuses half a year before a presidential election has made 2024 — a year already knotted by war overseas and deep domestic political division — that much more complicated. It’s another question mark in a political season already full of them.” As for Biden, as he shifts uncomfortably between ingrained support for Israel–regardless of who is leading it and the lawlessness of its actions –and his conscience, he should heed the words of Nicholas Kristoff:  “Gaza has become the albatross around Biden’s neck. It is his war, not just Benjamin Netanyahu’s. It will be part of his legacy, an element of his obituary, a blot on his campaign — and it could get worse if Gaza cascades into a full-blown famine or violent anarchy, or if a wider war breaks out involving Iran or Lebanon.” Who will benefit from this? In 1968 it was Nixon… In 2024?  

Breaking News - Metro Detroit Leaders Rally Around Mary Waters for Congress. Will you join The Future - Today & Tomorrow campaign to elect Mary Waters too? Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan and other Leaders are Supporting Mary Waters for Congress, we need your support to help us elect Mary Waters now more than ever! We are at a pivotal moment in our nation’s history. Yesterday's conviction of Donald Trump & the MAGA Republican's attacks on our system of Governance and Justice means the fight for democracy, real diverse representation, equality is more critical than ever. The Future - Today & Tomorrow, an African American Super PAC founded to advocate for civil liberties, women's rights, and the protection of our democracy, is calling upon you to support our campaign to elect a serious and exceptional African American Woman of Excellence to Congress: Detroit City Councilmember Mary Waters for Michigan's 13th Congressional District. This week, Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, Detroit City Council members Fred Durhal III, Latisha Johnson, Scott Benson and Angela Whitfield-Calloway and Michigan State Representatives Michigan State Rep. Tyrone Carter, Kimberly Edwards and Alabas Farhat announced that they are united around electing Mary Waters and so are we at The Future - Today & Tomorrow. Your donation today can make a substantial impact on our campaign activities. By supporting our campaigns in support of Mary Waters, you are investing in a future where the voices of African American voters, Minority voters, Democratic and Independent voters are amplified, diversity is protected and celebrated, and every voice is heard in Congress. About The Future - Today & Tomorrow The Future - Today & Tomorrow is a Super PAC dedicated to the advancement and protection of civil liberties across the United States. We strive for a future where democracy is unassailable, and every citizen's right to vote is sacrosanct. Our mission is to ensure that technology serves to enhance, not inhibit, the democratic process, fostering a society where everyone has the freedom to choose their leaders without fear or interference. For more information about The Future - Today & Tomorrow, please visit www.futurepac.today. Paid for by The Future - Today & Tomorrow (www.futurepac.today) and not authorized by any candidate or candidate committee. https://lnkd.in/geKex_zf

Saturday Spotlight: Peoria PlayHouse Children's Museum The Peoria PlayHouse Children's Museum provides children with the tools and inspiration they need to be explorers and creators of the world. They do this in part through understanding, supporting, and promoting play in the fullest sense of the word, one that includes imagination and creativity. Along with their mission, they have four core values: 1. They believe that, with support, a child can be anything they want to be. The PlayHouse provides children with the opportunity and inspiration to imagine, practice, and become. A PlayHouse visit sparks experiences and ideas that keep kids playing, exploring, and creating. Who knows where a PlayHouse experience might lead? 2. They believe we are more effective when we collaborate with others. Collaboration with individuals and organizations throughout and beyond Peoria allows them to effectively support families and achieve shared goals. 3. They believe the PlayHouse is for all children and families. They are committed to equity – the fair treatment of all people and ensuring everyone has access to the opportunities and resources they need to thrive. They embrace people of all abilities, ages, cultures, genders, national origins, races, religions, sexual orientations, and any socio-economic status. 4. They believe the PlayHouse is a safe space for the exchange of ideas. They believe in science and the positive affirmation of all people and their identities. Listening to and understanding each other’s ideas and beliefs enriches and strengthens individuals and the community. Visit the PlayHouse or become a member today to find out what they are all about!

Representation matters… can’t recommend these talks enough

The City of Philadelphia has released the results from a long-awaited community impact assessment to independently evaluate the impact of a new $1.55 billion sports arena near Philly's 150-year-old historic Chinatown. While the Black Clergy of Philadelphia has endorsed the project as a means to revitalize a struggling commercial area, opponents of the arena like the Save Chinatown Coalition have been raising concerns about increased traffic congestion and the potential for displacement due to increased property values. The community impact assessment affirms these concerns: “Although the project will not lead to direct housing displacement, there is evidence for increased indirect displacement of small businesses and low- and fixed-income individuals through gentrification and loss of cultural identity in Chinatown if the 76 Place were built,” researchers concluded. 🗞 Read a summary of the assessment from WHYY: https://lnkd.in/ev9uT4qU ➡ See coverage of the demonstration from this past weekend, organized by the Save Chinatown Coalition: https://lnkd.in/eGv7rsph 📸 Photo by Heather Chin for WHYY from the protest on September 7, 2024.

Federal Appeals court blocks Fearless Fund from awarding grants to Black women - but we’re still fighting. “America is supposed to be a nation where one has the freedom to achieve, the freedom to earn, and the freedom to prosper,” Arian Simone (Fearless Fund co-founder/CEO) said. “Yet, when we have attempted to level the playing field for underrepresented groups, our freedoms were stifled.” The appeals panel ruled 2-1 that allowing the $20,000 awards to be issued under the fund’s Fearless Strivers Grant Contest would be “substantially likely” to violate a federal statute that prohibits racial discrimination in contracts. ▪️ The judges in the majority, Kevin Newsom and Robert Luck, were appointed by President Donald Trump. The dissenting judge, Robin Rosenbaum, was appointed by President Barack Obama. As a reminder, this lawsuit was led by Edward Blum, the same affirmative-action opponent who broighy cases against Harvard and the University of North Carolina culminated with the Supreme Court overturning race-conscious college admissions last summer. I will continue to follow this case closely and support via donating, raising awareness, and joining collective activism. I encourage supporters to do the same. What’s at stake? Alll race-based initiatives. Full article: https://lnkd.in/epkNg4cJ #financialactivism #fearlessfreedom