We’re launching our spring fundraising campaign, in the midst of pandemic times. People in positions of power are using this coronavirus crisis to advance their own anti-democratic agendas. The greedy few at the top want to add fuel to systems that only work for them, while they try to divide us against each other based on what someone looks like, where they come from, or how much money they have.
Our government’s response to the crisis should be focusing on how this pandemic’s multi-generational, heartbreaking, and devastating impacts hurt the health, safety, and financial security of working class people and hit hardest the people who were already most exploited or most vulnerable– particularly poor and houseless people, people of color, and undocumented people. Instead, the Trump-Pence approach, nationally and locally, is broadening and deepening long-standing inequities along race and class lines.
Because of members like you, together we can cultivate hope by listening to people courageously telling their own stories, by joining together across all walks of life, and by taking action together because we care about loved ones and strangers in our human family.
Due to the pandemic and to ensure the safety of our members, we’ve had to cancel fundraising events, and we can’t meet in person with donors. Right now, our goal is to raise $40,000 by the end of May to be sure we can sustain our organizing and education. We need your support as we move forward together, turning up the heat on policymakers, expanding membership involvement, and sustaining our ability to educate and organize!
For all of PJALS’ 45 years, our most unwavering source of support is the community, and that means you. Will you help sustain our grassroots organizing and activist education?
With PJALS’ lean and efficient budget, every gift is important and valued!
This is a great time to become a monthly sustaining member — whether you give $5 or $50 a month — monthly giving stretches your gift out over the year. And, monthly giving at any amount lets PJALS do less asking and more doing!
Or, will you support PJALS with a membership gift of $60, $100, $250, or the right level for you?
Contributions from members like you are powering our work:
- Calling on elected leaders to address systemic racism in the justice system leaving African Americans, Indigenous, Latinx, and non-English speakers behind as they are rapidly reducing the population of the jail, with our partners in Smart Justice Spokane
- Raising money for undocumented families who are excluded from pandemic support with Spokane Immigrant Rights Coalition
- NEW – Webinar Wednesdays to sharpen skills, deepen analysis, and power effective action: May webinars will be Anti-Asian Racism: Bystander Intervention and Preventing White Nationalist Recruitment Online
- Anti-racist education in our book group (we’re reading We Keep Us Safe: Building Secure, Just, and Inclusive Communities!)
- Building support for the No War with Iran Act, shifting funding from the Defense budget to necessary services to address the pandemic, and calling for an end to sanctions against Iran
- Youth-led organizing in our Young Activist Leaders Program, providing workshops and creating an online gallery of social justice art by young art-ivists!
We’re continuing to learn and think creatively about how we can mobilize together when we’re not physically together — how we can effectively pressure decision-makers when our usual tactics are not healthy options.
With members like you, together we can come out of this crisis stronger, more resilient, more vibrant, and able to accomplish even more in the future. Together, we can make lasting change because of what we’re doing now.
Thank you!