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Culture shapes democracy by providing a framework for society through shared beliefs, values, and behaviors. Author Yuval Noah Harari, in the book Sapiens, shares that culture is formed and human society shaped by a combination of imagined realities—shared beliefs, myths, and stories—that people collectively accept and shared behaviors. Havari further asserts that while there is no single “natural” way of life; every society’s way of living is the result of cultural choices.
This nation’s culture has been enriched by both its original Native American inhabitants and by the people who arrived here from across the globe—both willingly and unwillingly. Weaved into the fabric of this nation are the various artistic traditions found in Native American pottery, textiles, and design; the musical genres of jazz, rock and roll, and hip-hop, the creation of
American barbecue, and foundational linguistic patterns found in literature by those of the African Diaspora; and the invention of Tex-Mex cuisine, festive, colorful costumes, and dance of those of Latino origin.
Today, however, our culture and history is being erased through the banning of books, closure of museums, removal of our contributions from websites, and rewriting (whitewashing) of history.
But we cannot and will not let this happen!
And that is why Americans all across this country will be coming together, beginning tomorrow November 8, through next Saturday, November 16, to participate in Race Forward’s Cultural Week of Action on Race and Democracy. Choosing to imagine a just, multiracial democracy, everyday people, including artists, activists, political representatives, storytellers, authors, teachers, and musicians, will join together to tell and document our stories through music, storytelling, movement, and learning.
We encourage you to join us in this powerful movement.
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Glenn Harris
President, Race Forward
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Starting TOMORROW—but there's still time to participate!
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It’s a time to shift the narrative, reclaim the deeper meaning of democracy, and elevate the power of culture to shape what comes next.
The Cultural Week of Action on Race and Democracy—a national pulse point for multiracial democracy and cross-racial solidarity—starts TOMORROW! From November 8 through 16, people in communities, cities, towns, and virtual spaces, will come together to take action to build a society where all are cared for.
NOW is your time to join us. You can:
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Narrative-Shifting Resources
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Messages to Grow and Uproot: Narrative Strategy Amid Attacks on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Racial Justice
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Narrative IS power. The stories and messages we repeat over time shape policies, outcomes, culture and material conditions.
Race Forward's new guide equips organizations with the tools to counter harmful narratives while strengthening messages that advance racial equity and justice. It’s perfect for diversity, equity and inclusion practitioners, communications professionals, organizational leaders, community advocates, and anyone defending equity work in their organization or community.
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- Reflection and Assessment Tool to sharpen your messaging strategy
- Sample messages you can adapt for your organization
- Communication considerations for navigating high-risk environments
- Real examples of how Race Forward applies narrative strategy
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Don't let harmful narratives go unchallenged. Equip your organization with the tools to fight back and build the narrative power our movement needs.
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Butterfly Lab for Immigrant Narrative Strategy
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Millions of immigrants make this country their home, contribute to its well being—its political, social, and civic fabric. However, our policies tend to criminalize and demonize immigrant communities, separate families and exploit labor. To build a country that values all people, we need to change the narrative and policies to protect immigrants rather than attack them.
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Race Forward’s Butterfly Lab, a three-year initiative launched in 2020, brought together an incredibly diverse group of leaders with vast experience and expertise in advocacy, the law, human rights, policy, organizing, and popular culture to build power for effective pro-immigrant narratives that honor the humanity of migrants, refugees, and immigrants.
Revisit the impact of our Butterfly Lab, with resources to help you shift narratives towards a multiracial democracy that includes ALL of us.
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From Project 2025 to Project 2029: How We Resist an Authoritarian Takeover and Turn Public Administration into a Force for Equity and Justice
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Project 2025 has posed a profound authoritarian threat to democratic governance and our vision of a just, equitable, and multi-racial democracy. It has been dismantling the core democratic functions of public administration by weaponizing federal agencies against marginalized communities. This has been causing disastrous consequences for communities of color, workers, immigrants, middle- and working-class families, women, and LGBTQ+ people.
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But we cannot surrender to these ongoing attacks. Our toolkit has the insights you need to fight authoritarianism in all of its forms. This toolkit offers strategies to:
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- Resist potential authoritarian takeover attempts
- Block efforts to undermine democratic institutions
- Address long-term injustices that fuel authoritarianism
- Transform public administration into a force for equity and justice
- Review recent progress and build on successful initiatives
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With this toolkit, we can plant seeds for a collective Project 2029 driven by the movement for a multiracial democracy.
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Looking Back to Move Forward: Reflections from the 2025 GARE Leaders’ Summit
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From September 8–10, over 125 racial equity practitioners in government from across the country gathered in Montgomery, Alabama for the 2025 Government Alliance on Race and Equity (GARE) Leaders’ Summit. The member-led event calls together seasoned racial equity practitioners to reflect, make meaning, and strategize for what’s to come.
During the multi-day convening, participants engaged in dynamic plenary sessions, dug into focused breakout tracks, connected with their regional peers, and spent a full day at the Equal Justice Initiative’s Legacy Sites. As they reflected on the past, confronted the challenges of our current moment, and recommitted to building a just, multiracial democracy, a set of themes emerged that gave the summit its energy and direction.
Take a close look at GARE’s Leaders’ Summit with more in-depth takeaways for civil
servants.
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From Minneapolis to LA — History, Flashpoints, and the Fight for Community Safety
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In this episode, Race Forward’s Alex Frank talks with John Pineda, Deputy Director and founding member of the MILPA (Motivating Intergenerational Leadership for Public Advancement) Collective, about how communities from Minneapolis to Los Angeles are redefining public safety. Together they reflect on the lasting impact of state control, surveillance, and militarization, and the ways communities have responded through cultural organizing, resilience, and healing.
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As America confronts militarization of its cities through the deployment of national troops, this conversation highlights the power of intergenerational leadership and storytelling to challenge dominant ideas of safety. In the end, guest John Pineda and host Alex Frank remind us that true safety means more than the absence of harm — it’s the presence of trust, connection, and imagination to build something better together.
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Racial justice isn't history. Racial justice is happening every day.
Shop online at our new store and choose from an array of products like shirts, water canteens, hats, and sweaters. No matter the weather, we make history together!
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Services for Organizations
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Race Forward is committed to transformational, sustainable change for racial justice. We provide services to help organizations develop and advance racially equitable policies and practices.
Our services are developed and delivered by a multiracial and multigenerational team of experts with extensive knowledge and experience in various areas, including policy and program development, leadership development and strategic coaching, community organizing, and racial equity.
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Copyright © Race Forward, PO Box 96353, Washington, DC 20090-6353, USA
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