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STATEMENT ON WHITE SUPREMACIST ATTACK ON CAPITOL
We are clear that the white supremacist attack on the Capitol on January 6th is a demonstration of the systemic collusion between the white ruling class, white nationalists, and the police.
We are also steadfast in our conviction that expanding policing is not what will bring about safety for most, and that calls to do so will lead to more violence in Black communities and communities of color while strengthening state repression of social movements for justice.
It continues to be imperative that we as a multi-racial community of young people with access to class privilege and wealth organize our communities of wealthy people against assaults on multi-racial democracy and towards dismantling the structures of policing, white supremacy, and wealth inequality.
Instead of distancing ourselves from these white supremacist actions, we must acknowledge that people of class privilege and wealth participated in the riot in significant numbers. It is also race and class privilege that protects them from the harshest actions of state violence, which BIPOC poor and working-class communities unjustly know all too well. To claim that the insurrection was due primarily to the discontent of poor and working class people is a racist erasure of how an overwhelmingly white mob fought to violently invalidate the votes of millions of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color), and were enabled and encouraged by white upper class politicians.
Right-wing philanthropy plays a huge role in strengthening and maintaining white supremacy.
The right and far-right have been heavily funded for decades by white, American, Christian, conservative rich people. Wealthy people who seek to protect profit made through exploitation shape policy, culture, and politics on every level. It is the white, Christian conservative ruling class who created the conditions we currently find ourselves within.
We invite you to check out our past webinar, "Shadow Money (How the Right Funds Regressive Movements)," to reflect on this moment.
This webinar featured brilliant social justice movement leaders discussing what we need to do to fight back against the massive, strategic funding on the Right and show up more authentically for social change in this crucial time.
We know from the U.S.’s long history of white supremacy and colonialism that whenever there are strides made by Black, Indigenous, and other people of color towards against racial capitalism and toward a truly inclusive cross-class, multi-racial democracy, it is followed by white violence. Examples include the 1898 white supremacist coup in Wilmington, NC which overthrew the elected multi-racial local government, to the imposition of Jim Crow after Reconstruction, the rise of White Citizens Councils after successful legal challenges to desegration, to Reaganomics and the increasing criminalization of Black people through the “War on Drugs” after the successes of the Civil Rights Movement, to the rise of the Tea Party and Trumpism after President Obama’s election.
White supremacist backlash is embedded in our country’s history, class structure, culture and beyond, and it will be part of our future until we confront and uproot it.
We hope you’ll lean into this community during these times - we can always go farther together.
RG GIVING PLEDGE AND MEMBERSHIP UPDATE
2020 was a hugely difficult year, full stop. And that said, we want to practice celebrating our wins, as well as the bigger movement wins of which they are a part. Here's a snapshot of some of the impacts RG had in 2020:
- In our second full year of the Giving Pledge, we are thrilled to share that the RG community officially raised more than $68M in 2020 Giving Pledges for social justice movements from 812 signers. This was more than double our 2019 total, and puts us well in reach of hitting $100M toward movements in 2021. Stay tuned for more!
- We tracked over $6.4M in pledges and confirmed funds to the Movement for Black Lives national network and affiliates, $1.1M to Center for Popular Democracy and affiliates, and $1.1M to the Southern Power Fund.
- We began collecting data on how folks are interacting with our Giving Guidelines for the first time, and are excited to share a few preliminary tidbits:
- 52% (over half) of people who filled out Giving Guidelines section said they are now giving at least 10% of net assets (or net income, for those with wealth through income)
- 2.6x as many people are escalating their redistribution (giving more than 10% of assets) in 2020 as were in 2019
- Our median Giving Pledge signer moved from "Start the Journey" (1-7%) to "Begin to Spend Down" (10%)
- Finally, for the first time in RG history, we have over 1,000 dues paying members!!! (To be specific, we ended the year with 1,104 😮)
Thank you to everyone for being a part of this incredible growth, and here’s to continuing to escalate together in 2021.
UPCOMING RG WEBINARS & ONLINE EVENTS!
RG 101 Orientation
Tuesday, January 26th 7pm ET/4pm PT
Register here
Did you recently hear about RG through a friend, a media story or another social justice organization? Do you know people in your network who have class privilege and/or access to wealth? Join us and invite other prospective RGers to our monthly RG 101 orientation!
You will learn about RG's vision and organizing model, share about why you're excited about being part of the community, and start building relationships with RG members and staff. The RG 101 orientation is open for all, both for people in chapter areas and those that are not. This space is geared towards young people (18-35) with access to wealth and/or class privilege, but anyone is welcome to attend. We look forward to connecting with you!
All Member Call
Thursday January 28th 6pm ET/3pm PT
Register here
Join Resource Generation members across the country for an all-member call to wrap up all that was 2020 and prepare together for the year ahead. We'll reflect on how we grew as a community, what we collectively accomplished, some of what we anticipate doing in 2021, and how you can get involved. It’ll be fun, you should come.
Land Returns Call
Monday February 1st 8pm ET/5pm PT
Register here
Join us for an hour-long workshop on the role and work of non-native people in joining the movement for Indigenous Sovereignty and Black Liberation. This space is open to anyone who is working towards land justice, including returning private land to Black and Indigenous hands, funding land return, and reparations work or organizing in support of #LANDBACK for the return of public lands. We will share the RG Land Reparations working group 'Land Justice Resource Guide' that we have compiled, and spend time connecting with others around land return goals, questions, and processes. As accomplices in this work toward collective liberation, we recognize our unique role and seek to support each other, building up our capacity instead of extracting time and expertise from other communities, organizations, and organizers.
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RG Virtual Facilitator Training Intensive
Apply by January 31st
We invite you to apply for The RG 2021 Virtual Facilitator Training Intensive! Attend this training to develop key skills in virtual facilitation tools, agitation, group dynamics, family organizing and more.
This 6 hour training will take place in 3 different sessions: Monday Feb 8th 7:30-9:30 ET, Tuesday Feb 16th 7:30-9:30 ET and Monday Feb 22nd 7:30-9:30 ET. The application deadline is January 29th. Applicants will be notified by February 2nd.
- This training is designed to prepare facilitators of RG's primary political education and personal development offerings: Virtual Praxis or High Net Wealth Praxis. We are also offering a general track for those who want to offer facilitation skills to their community but won’t facilitate national programming this year.
- The purpose of this training intensive is to equip RG volunteer member leaders with skills to hold an excellent facilitation space to bring in and build with the many new RG members who have joined our community in the past several months. There will be separate tracks for each program, and outside trainers to offer experience and wisdom on a variety of tricky facilitation topics.
- This is an opportunity to learn with a community to offer warm, challenging, politically sharp movement space that welcomes newcomers and helps us commit to justice work for the long haul.
You should apply if:
- You have some facilitation experience and you want to take your skills to the next level
- You're a dues paying member of RG and have signed the Giving Pledge
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Have a Fidelity account or have contacts at Fidelity? Support the Unmasking Fidelity Campaign!
RG, alongside Community Labor United, Muslim Justice League, Asian American Resource Workshop and Political Research Associates, has been part of the Unmasking Fidelity Campaign for the last two years.
- The coalition has been committed to challenging Fidelity’s role in funneling millions of dollars through Donor Advised Funds to white supremacist, anti-Muslim, anti-Black, anti-LGBTQ, anti-immigrant organizations.
- In the last several weeks, the coalition joined forces with Action Center on Race & Economy (ACRE) and dozens of national organizations and funders to sign onto these #StopFundingFascism demands related to the roles of four companies - Fidelity, Blackstone, Google and Amazon - in the insurrection at the Capitol.
- Learn more at https://acrecampaigns.org/stop-funding-fascism/.
If you, a family member and/or your organization has an account with Fidelity or Fidelity Charitable, if you are connected through friends or family to Fidelity or Fidelity Charitable employees, board members, or other affiliates, or if you are interested in being updated on this campaign, please fill out this form.
Any questions can be sent to [email protected].
RG CHAPTER UPDATES
ATLANTA
RG Atlanta is kickstarting 2021 by launching our chapter's first fundraising campaign. We're partnering with SONG Power, We the Plug Tho, and Partnership for Southern Equity to build on our partners' rural electoral organizing during the general and run-off elections. We're raising $60k for utility assistance and to support energy equity and power building in rural Georgia. (Plug in and follow us on instagram @rg_atlanta for campaign updates). We're also looking forward to planning our first-ever chapter retreat and visioning session.
NYC
RG NYC is busy as usual, but we’re also using these cold months to slow down and reflect. Our circles are going strong - Base Building had an incredibly busy 2020 and is continuing to plan 2021 praxis; Action is bigger than ever, with active Abolition, Climate, and Political Education circles; and Moving Money continues to do personal and collective redistribution work. As a chapter, we’re moving into elections, visioning sessions, and more cross-circle collaboration.
***RG has several local chapters (established and emerging!) across the U.S. and growing! If you are interested in connecting with your local RG chapter or community to support local organizing movements (and the long-term fight for social justice!), please check out the RG intake form.
RG IS HIRING!
 Resource Generation seeks a strategic, bold, and collaborative executive director or co-director team with strong anti-oppression values to lead its multiracial membership community.
Our next Executive Director or Co-Directors will be called upon to guide Resource Generation’s strategic planning process, sustain its financial health, represent the organization on a national level, and support a diverse and talented staff team.
Job description and application instructions here.
RG IN THE BLOG AND BEYOND
FROM PARTNERS
Learn more about RG membership here
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