Advancement Project

Advancement Project
Formation 1999
Type Non-profit corporation
Purpose Political advocacy
Headquarters Washington, D.C.
Region served
United States
Website www.advancementproject.org

The Advancement Project is a liberal American nonprofit organization that focuses on racial justice issues.[1][2] The organization opposes voter ID laws, supports automatic voting rights restoration for all felons, and seeks to reform public school disciplinary procedures which it believes disproportionately impact minority students.

The stated mission of the Advancement Project is to "fulfill America’s promise of a caring, inclusive and just democracy."[3]

Organization overview

The Advancement Project was founded in 1999 by civil rights lawyers in Los Angeles and Washington D.C.[4]

Advancement Project Co-Director Judith Browne Dianis

The co-directors of Advancement Project’s national office are Judith Browne Dianis and co-founder Penda D. Hair. The organization also has a California-based office whose directors include Advancement Project co-founder Constance L. Rice.

The Advancement Project has received funding from George Soros and the Tides Foundation and is a recommended funding target of the Democracy Alliance, a network of progressive donors who coordinate their political giving.[5][6][7]

Activities

The Advancement Project is known for its opposition to voter ID laws.[8][9] The Advancement Project was a primary supporter of the defeated California Proposition 38 in 2012, which would have increased state income tax rates for most Californians, resulting in increased revenues to the state of about $10 billion a year.[10]

The Advancement Project advocates for automatic voting rights restoration for all felons.[11][12]

The Advancement Project advocates for an end to school disciplinary measures which it believes disproportionately put minority children into a school-to-prison pipeline.[13][14]

The organization has taken part in Moral Mondays protests, which are liberal demonstrations against Republican public policies.[15][16]

Board of Directors

Advancement Project's national office in Washington, D.C. is governed by a 17-member board of directors.[17] The board includes Bill Lann Lee, Joe Alvarez, Arlene Holt Baker, Harry Belafonte, Stephen R. English, Bonifacio "Bonny" Garcia, Esq, Penda D. Hair, Gerry Hudson, Barrett S. Litt, Pam Martinez, Molly Munger, Katherine Peck, Constance L. Rice, Sheila Thomas, Gerald Torres, Tom Unterman, and Jesse Williams.

References

  1. Moore, Solomon (September 13, 2007). "Gangs Grow, but Hard Line Stirs Doubts". New York Times. Retrieved 29 May 2015.
  2. Williams, Juliet (March 27, 2012). "Molly Munger, California Tax Proponent, Motivated By Civil Rights Passion". Huffington Post. Retrieved 29 May 2015.
  3. "About Us". The Advancement Project. Retrieved 29 May 2015.
  4. Ferriss, Susan (January 14, 2013). "School discipline reform groups question proposals for armed security". Center for Public Integrity. Retrieved 29 May 2015.
  5. Riddell, Kelly (January 14, 2015). "George Soros funds Ferguson protests, hopes to spur civil action". Washington Times. Retrieved 29 May 2015.
  6. Grim, Ryan (February 29, 2012). "Democracy Alliance Dumps Progressive Organizations". Huffington Post. Retrieved 29 May 2015.
  7. Payton, Bre (June 19, 2013). "Tides Foundation behind push to restore felon voting rights in VA". Virginia Watchdog. Retrieved 29 May 2015.
  8. Wilson, Reid (October 2, 2014). "Voting rights advocates want Supreme Court to block Wisconsin voter ID law". Washington Post. Retrieved 29 May 2015.
  9. Lachman, Samantha (March 23, 2015). "Supreme Court Won't Consider Challenge To Wisconsin Voter ID Law". Huffington Post. Retrieved 29 May 2015.
  10. Range McDonald, Patrick; Stewart, Jill (March 27, 2012). "Molly Munger's Prop. 38 Is Spoiling Jerry Brown's Prop. 30. She's Not Sorry.". LA Weekly. Retrieved 29 May 2015.
  11. Mock, Brentin (February 1, 2013). "What's Next For the Voting Rights Movement?". The Nation. Retrieved 29 May 2015.
  12. Murphy, Ryan (July 16, 2013). "McDonnell outlines process for restoring voting rights for felons". Daily Press. Retrieved 29 May 2015.
  13. Nave, R.L. (May 13, 2015). "Defining Effective School Discipline in JPS". Jackson Free Press. Retrieved 29 May 2015.
  14. Maxwell, Zerlina (November 27, 2013). "The School-to-Prison Pipeline Is Targeting Your Child". Ebony. Retrieved 29 May 2015.
  15. Among, Maryalice (June 24, 2013). "'Moral Mondays' in North Carolina". MSNBC. Retrieved 29 May 2015.
  16. Keyes, Scott (June 28, 2013). "The Biggest Liberal Protest Of 2013". Think Progress. Retrieved 29 May 2015.
  17. "Board of Directors", Advancement Project

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 5/23/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.