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Dear John,
This month is Black History month, but we know at Race Forward, we’re focused on Black-led solutions year-round. It’s an integral part of who we are. And in this month, we invite you to join us in elevating the ways in which Race Forward has contributed to the movement—all in the name of racial justice and democracy.
We hope that not only will you be inspired to make a donation to support the vital work of today, but that you also celebrate and uplift the decades of work and contributions of our Black leaders that got us here.
Each of the entries below represent a critical moment in our shared work toward a just, multiracial democracy—and how that work remains alive and thrives today.
March 31, 1981 |
Gary Delgado founded the Applied Research Center as an analytic resource for community organizations of color in the Center for Third World Organizing (CTWO) network. |
Today, Gary Delgado has returned to Race Forward as a Senior Fellow—leading work to advance health equity in the treatment of Aphasia.
May 1, 1998 |
The first issue of Colorlines the magazine is published by Bob Wing and Jeff Chang, emerging from the merging of Racefile and Thirdforce. The print magazine paved the way for its transformation into a digital, daily news site. |
Today, Colorlines is now a leading source for accessible media on race, power and democracy—with a fresh batch of explainer videos, organizing stories, and community conversations—all to bring us toward continual power-building moments and movements.
September 8, 2002 |
The Applied Research Center launches the Racial Justice Leadership Institute (RJLI)—the predecessor to our popular offering of Building Racial Equity Trainings. |
Today, Race Forward offers a comprehensive series of public training—all in an effort to build a shared racial justice analysis and vision of multiracial democracy. We train individuals, organizations, government agencies, corporations, and communities.
September 23, 2002 |
The brain child of Civil Rights Attorney Maya Wiley and Political Scientist Jocelyn Sargent—the Center for Social Inclusion was founded. |
Today, we still see and feel the legacy of the Center for Social Inclusion since its official merger with Race Forward in 2017–from incubating the Government Alliance on Race and Equity (GARE) to projects spanning the social sector like food equity, transportation equity, and energy democracy.
November 11, 2004 |
The Applied Research Center holds their first national conference on race and public policy. Renamed Facing Race in 2007, this event still gathers 4,000+ attendees biennially in cities across the nation. |
Today, Facing Race continues its 20+ year tradition—with this year's event taking place from November 20 - 22, 2024 in St. Louis, MO. We’re proud to host the nation’s largest multiracial racial justice conference, as it continues to serve as a space for folks across sectors–from community organizers, to program officers, to government practitioners to artists–all to build power and strategies to advance racial justice.
November 9, 2015 |
The Government Alliance on Race and Equity becomes a joint project of the Center for Social Inclusion and Haas Institute for a Fair & Inclusive Society, and has since grown to 450+ member organizations. |
Today, the GARE Network comprises over 400 member jurisdictions and counting, serving as a centralized space for racial equity practitioners to connect, access resources, and learn from one another—working to achieve racial equity and advance opportunities for all. We’re also home to the Federal Initiative to govern for Racial Equity (FIRE), which seeks to improve racial equity at the federal government level.
September 15, 2021 |
Prompted by the attacks on Critical Race Theory (CRT), Race Forward launches the HEAL Together Initiative to build power in school districts across the nation and preserve honest, equitable, and fully funded public education. |
Today, HEAL Together is a growing national movement of students, parents, educators, and school board members who believe in honest, fully-funded, equitable public education. Through HEAL Together’s tools and trainings, we’re organizing local communities for public schools that our neighborhoods deserve.
As we approach another election cycle, I invite you to join me in reflection of our past work, people, and movement building that have gotten us to this moment, and what we’re doing today and every day, to advance a vision of just, multi-racial democracy. And please consider giving a gift of any amount in honor of that legacy.
Whether you came to our community via the Applied Research Center, the Center for Social Inclusion, or any of the programs and initiatives that are the foundation of Race Forward’s origin story, thank you for being with us on this journey.
Yours in solidarity,
Everette R. H. Thompson-François
VP of Movement Capacity Building, Race Forward
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