A new message from your friends at People For the American Way.

***********************

PFAW Member,

Last year, I announced that after more than a decade as president of
People For the American Way and People For the American Way Foundation, I
would be stepping down once an exhaustive search process was complete and
the ideal successor found.

I wanted you to get the news from me first: Today, I’m thrilled to write
you with the news that we have found a leader who matches our highest
hopes and dreams, and to tell you that Ben Jealous will be the next
president of PFAW and PFAW Foundation.

I couldn’t imagine a better person to take over the reins and lead this
organization at such a critical time for our country. Ben is an
accomplished coalition-builder, campaigner, and activist who knows how to
bring about change. The organizations will accomplish great things under
his creative and passionate leadership. Please find more information about
Ben in the attached press release below.

Serving as president of PFAW and PFAW Foundation these past 11 years has
truly been my dream job and the opportunity of a lifetime. I am so
tremendously proud of the work we’ve accomplished together and I will
forever be immensely grateful for the support you have given to People For
and me during my tenure.

When Ben officially takes the helm, he will assume leadership of an
organization that is stronger than it’s ever been thanks to you and the
rest of People For’s nationwide community of supporters.

I will do everything I can as a friend and ​the biggest fan of ​ People
For the American Way and PFAW Foundation to support ​the organizations and
Ben’s leadership. And I am confident that he will be able to count on your
continued support for the essential work that we do together – from
winning elections and protecting the pillars of our democracy to
combatting racism and fighting back the tide of right-wing extremism and
hate.

Ben will be on the job officially in mid-June. He plans to spend the
coming weeks getting better acquainted with our board, staff, network
leaders​, and all of you. So please stay tuned for more information as
well as opportunities to engage in the transition process.

​With all the gratitude in the world,

Michael

The following statement is being sent to press:

News from People For the American Way
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 2 June 2020

Ben Jealous Selected as President of People For the American Way and People For
the American Way Foundation

WASHINGTON, D.C.— The boards of directors of People For the American Way
and People For the American Way Foundation are honored to announce that
Benjamin Todd Jealous has been selected as the next president of both
organizations. Jealous will take office on June 15. He succeeds Michael
Keegan, who has served as president of the organizations for 11 years
and will continue to serve as a member of both boards.

Over the last decade, PFAW donations grew by more than 50 percent, the
number of individual donors doubled, and the number of activists who
call themselves PFAW members grew threefold. The organization has won
key political victories, expanded its programs to nurture the next
generation of progressive leaders, brought fresh awareness to the
dangerous increase in far-right influence and influencers, and helped
bring issues including democracy reform and federal judicial nominations
to the fore.

Jealous brings to the organization decades of experience as a leader,
coalition builder and campaigner for social justice, and the ability to
combine the heart and soul of an organizer with the change-making skills
of a seasoned nonprofit executive. In 2008, he was chosen as the
youngest-ever president and CEO of the NAACP. During his tenure, he
doubled the organization’s budget, grew its online activist base by
hundreds of thousands and increased its number of donors eightfold, from
16,000 to 132,000. He also positioned the organization at the forefront
of critical social justice issues such as the Trayvon Martin case, the
fight against voter ID laws and major protests over the New York Police
Department's stop-and-frisk policies. He pushed for the organization to
fight more aggressively for marriage equality, led efforts to register
374, 000 voters and mobilize 1.2 million new voters to the polls, and
worked to pass key legislative accomplishments during President Obama's
first term, most notably the Affordable Care Act. In 2013, the Baltimore
Sun named Jealous Marylander of the Year for his work on marriage
equality, abolishing the death penalty and passing the DREAM Act.
Jealous was the 2018 Democratic nominee for governor of Maryland, and
most recently served as a partner at Kapor Capital. He is a graduate of
Columbia University and Oxford, where he was a Rhodes Scholar, and he
has taught at Princeton and the University of Pennsylvania.

“Michael Keegan has been a visionary political leader at People For the
American Way, investing strategically in key states and constituencies.
At a time when so much is riding on Americans’ engagement in the
political process, I am thrilled that we are passing the baton to Ben
Jealous, who has a clear vision of what we’re fighting for and how to
move us forward,” said Lara Bergthold, chair of the board of People For
the American Way.

“Michael Keegan has led a transformed and transforming People For the
American Way Foundation, one that is raising up and supporting
progressive leaders who reflect the best of all of us. Ben Jealous
embodies leadership that is committed to a more just and equitable
America. We have been colleagues in the struggle and I am grateful to
now have him as a colleague at People For,” said Rev. Timothy McDonald,
chair of the board of People For the American Way Foundation.

“Serving as president of People For the American Way has been the honor
of my life, and I couldn’t be more excited to welcome Ben Jealous as our
incoming president. Ben is a proven leader, and an inspiring and
visionary individual who will continue building PFAW’s advocacy for
progressive values and policies. I look forward to cheering Ben on and
helping in any way I can at this critically important juncture in our
country’s and our organization’s history. PFAW is committed to shaping a
more just future for all our communities and Ben is the right person to
lead us in that mission,” said Michael Keegan, president of People For
the American Way and People For the American Way Foundation.

“I could not be more grateful to Michael Keegan for his leadership of
People for the American Way over the past decade, nor could I feel more
honored and proud to welcome its new president, the former head of the
NAACP, a stalwart American, the honorable Ben Jealous,” said Norman
Lear, founder of People For the American Way and People For the American
Way Foundation.

“I am thrilled to be joining PFAW at this critical moment, when the
people of our nation urgently need change,” said Ben Jealous,
president-elect of People For the American Way and People For the
American Way Foundation. “We are facing critical elections this fall.
The pandemic has highlighted the necessity of finishing the work of MLK,
Barbara Jordan and FDR. And the rising generation in America has made
clear that we must finally and fully reform the relationship between
police and our communities. I’m honored to build on PFAW’s long
tradition of multiracial organizing and defending freedom, opportunity,
justice and equality. With the support of our great members, staff, and
board, we will win the fights we must win.”

Jealous will assume leadership of PFAW/PFAWF following an extensive
nationwide search for a visionary leader to continue the organizations’
trajectory of success. Jealous’s selection comes at one of the most
challenging moments in our nation’s history, as we confront the need to
address the systemic racism that infects our nation, fight a global
pandemic that disproportionately affects communities that have been
historically marginalized, and prepare for the most consequential
election of our lifetimes.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

[ [link removed] ]donate:


***********************

Do not reply directly to this e-mail. Please use [email protected].

Trouble viewing the email?
VIEW AS WEB PAGE:
[link removed]

This email was sent to [email protected]. Reaching you over email
is the best way we have to let you know about the ways you can take
action to fight the Right Wing and defend our constitutional rights
and values. If you have any thoughts, comments, or criticisms, or if
there's a better email address at which to reach you, please
let us know. If you'd like to unsubscribe from our list, you
can do that here:

You can unsubscribe from this mailing list at any time:
[link removed]
. But know that if you leave, it will be harder for you to stay involved with People For the American Way and continue our
crucial work. PFAW is able to win policy battles and elections, and
counter the Right's extremism and hate, because of dedicated
activists like you, and we're always eager to hear your thoughts.
Thanks for your support.

[link removed]

CONTACT:
[link removed]

PRIVACY POLICY:
[link removed]

FACEBOOK:
[link removed]

TWITTER:
[link removed]

YOUTUBE:
[link removed]

1101 15th Street, NW, Suite 600, Washington, DC xxxxxx-5002,
202-467-4999



You can unsubscribe from this mailing list at any time:
[link removed]