Much of the media we consume, the content we share, and the history we learn is steeped in Black trauma, struggle, and oppression.  Consistent and well-informed conversation about systemic racism and anti-Blackness is important.  However, it often presents the Black experience as a one-dimensional, trauma-filled narrative.  In order to counteract the negative impacts of the constant bombardment and commodification of Black pain, many have turned to expressing and celebrating Black joy.

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Even though one in four Americans is disabled, ableism is one of the few remaining socially accepted forms of discrimination. It’s time to change how society values people with disabilities and create an equitable and inclusive world for all disabled people.

Here’s how.

Every day, more than 110 Americans are killed with guns and more than 200 are shot and wounded. This is a uniquely American problem. In fact, even though the U.S. represents less than 5% of the world’s population, it has 46% of the world’s civilian-owned guns. It doesn’t have to be this way.

Here’s what you can do.

Many people aren’t aware that human trafficking is a problem in the U.S. That’s why we love Freedom Network USA and its members who work tirelessly to end human trafficking and ensure that survivors have access to supportive services.

Get inspired.

There are more than 800 million people experiencing hunger and 3 billion people experiencing food insecurity across the globe. In the U.S., more than 38 million people don’t have access to enough food. Yet, we have the solutions to end hunger.

Here’s how.

Since the pandemic began, millions of Americans have fallen behind on rent or mortgage payments. Wage and job losses combined with surging rent and home prices to create the perfect storm. Nearly 7.7 million Americans are behind. Despite this, pandemic-related jobless benefits, renter protections, and a nationwide eviction moratorium came to an end in October 2021. As a result, eviction filings are surging across the country.

Here’s how you can help

Over 331 human rights defenders were killed in 2020 alone, with thousands more threatened, attacked, detained, and abused in other ways. But attacks are only part of the story. Human rights defenders courageously put themselves on the line to save our planet and to create a more just and equitable world for all.

Get inspired.

One in three women will experience some form of gender-based violence during their lifetime. That’s an estimated 1.3 billion women worldwide. And this figure is likely under-reported due to societal norms, stigma, shame, and silencing. Gender-based violence is pervasive, but it is also preventable. Stand in solidarity with survivors and fight for the rights of women, girls, trans women, and other vulnerable people to live free from violence.

Here’s how.

In our increasingly polarized and divided society, tolerance and civility can be hard to come by. While we need them both to progress as a society, they’re often misunderstood. In fact, calling someone intolerant or uncivil is sometimes used as a weapon to shut down intellectual exchange, civil discourse, and critical debate. This can make it hard to know when to promote tolerance — and when it’s ok to not tolerate the intolerable.

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Many public health concerns (think: drug and alcohol use, smoking, sexual activity) use either a harm reduction or an abstinence strategy to improve health outcomes. In the U.S., there is often a partisan divide on which strategy is preferred. Progressives tend to prefer harm reduction, while conservatives often favor abstinence. This impacts what kids get taught in school, what programs get government funding, and how people seeking services are treated.

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Civic participation is core to democracy. Democracy only works when citizens are well informed and actively engaged. And not just on election day.

Yet, civic engagement and trust in the federal government have been declining in the United States for decades.

Here’s what you can do about it.

Climate change is a real and undeniable threat to our entire civilization. Climate disasters like flooding, hurricanes, and wildfires are impacting people around the world at a scale never seen before. We are on the precipice of a catastrophic global temperature rise that will affect all aspects of our lives. The good news is that environmental action groups from the frontlines to the global level are more organized and mobilized than ever with solutions to turn this mess around.

The time to act is now. Learn how.

There are many things you can do, from land acknowledgments to avoiding expressions that disparage Native cultures (example: “Indian giver”) to supporting Native artists, creators, and businesses. One of the best ways is to learn from, take action with, and donate to Native-led organizations. There are so many organizations and causes to choose from. Here are a few to get you started.

Get inspired!

It’s time to tell accurate narratives and reject stereotypes, amplify Native voices, advocate for Native rights, and celebrate the rich and diverse contributions of Native peoples. As part of this, we must heal generational trauma, change the narrative, and support movements to decolonize and indigenize.

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Despite record voter turnout in the last presidential election, the U.S. has one of the lowest voter turnout rates compared to other established democracies. And, at least 18 states enacted 30 laws restricting access to voting in the first half of 2021. These two factors combine to further disenfranchise voters and weaken our democracy.

Here’s what you can do about it.

There are countless organizations and individuals who are quietly going about changing the world. We like to spotlight organizations and changemakers doing great work and help you to learn about how you can support them.

Get to know Brave Space Alliance.

Labor Day became a federal holiday in 1884 to pay tribute to the contributions of workers and honor the labor movement. Yet, many of us don’t spend the time to reflect on why we celebrate this holiday. So, we thought it was a good time to talk about how the labor movement shows up for workers’ rights and impacts your life.

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Corporate profits are at an all-time high, yet wages are at a 65-year low. The federal minimum wage has been stuck at $7.25 since 2009. Nobody working 40 hours per week should live below the poverty line and not be able to pay their bills, feed their families, or keep a roof over their head. It’s time to raise the minimum wage.

Here’s what you can do about it.

On Saturday, August 14, a 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck Haiti, about 78 miles west of the capital Port-au-Prince. With recovery efforts still underway, at least 1,400 people have died, over 6,000 injured, and more than 7,000 have lost their homes. This comes after last month’s destabilizing crisis when President Moise was assassinated, and in between two tropical storms (Fred and Grace) passing over the island that could cause mudslides and make rescue efforts more difficult.

Here’s how you can help.

Every child deserves the care, support, and services they need to thrive. Yet, migrant children entering the U.S. are often confined in detention centers, separated from their families, prevented from quick reunification with family or sponsors, denied access to legal representation, and deprived of accurate information in a language they can understand. Others, who were brought to the U.S. as children by their parents and now call the U.S. home, remain in a state of limbo without a pathway to citizenship.

Here’s what you can do about it.

Much of the food we eat has been grown, picked, processed, or packaged by workers in sub-standard conditions (think: poverty wages, occupational hazards, violence, and sexual assault). Sometimes these workers are even subject to forced labor, a form of human trafficking or modern slavery. Yet, many food retailers claim that they are not responsible for the human rights abuses within their supply chains.

CIW set out to change that.