February may be the shortest month of the year but it hasn’t stopped anti-LGBTQ+ politicians from pushing constant legislative attacks on the queer community. Across Groundwork partner states, we’ve seen anti-LGBTQ+ legislation popping up more and more. We’ve seen the harm these bills have on trans people, drag communities, and LGBTQ+ people as a whole.
If you’re like me, you’re ready to fight back and put an end to this hate. And that’s why I love what we do here at Groundwork – our grantees are on the frontlines of protecting our rights. Because what happens in places like Alabama, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and West Virginia eventually affects us all.
That’s why I am hoping we can count on you to keep us on track to fund even more grantees:
https://secure.actblue.com/donate/gwp_eom#February-Deadline
You can read more news from the ground in our partner states this month in Emily’s message below.
Aspen
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Aspen Christian (they/them)
Digital Director
Groundwork Project
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Support Groundwork in supporting progressive organizations and organizers on the front lines reclaiming power in traditionally “red states.”
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February provided endless examples of the importance of our work and why the moment to fight is NOW:
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In Mississippi, the majority-white, GOP-led state legislature recently proposed establishing a second, un-elected, state-appointed justice system in the Blackest city in our nation, Jackson.
The House has voted in favor and we expect the same from the Republican-led Senate. This bill is racist, plain and simple, and could usher in a new Jim Crow era.
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In Oklahoma, GOP members of the state legislature are seeking to criminalize some drag performances and include a $20,000 fine for drag queens.
This bill is part of a wave of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation that has been sweeping the nation and especially in conservative-led legislatures – like the ones found in our partner states.
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The rights of LGBTQ+ people are also at risk in West Virginia with a conservative state legislature set to advance a ban on gender-affirming care.
Activists have been pleading with lawmakers to resist the ban.
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Alabama continues to be the frontline in the national fight for voting rights. Last year, the Supreme Court heard arguments in Merrill v. Milligan, a federal challenge to the state of Alabama’s latest congressional districts that would effectively gut Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act (VRA) which prohibits racial discrimination. This case could have drastic consequences for the entire nation.
Our Alabama grantees and partners have been leading the charge on this issue & driving the national debate.
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This is why we do what we do. We know the only way to fight these draconian conservative policies is with collective, hyper-local organizing power.
Groundwork Project supports the organizers and organizations on the front lines in places our national politics have overlooked for too long. They’re fighting the battles at the ground level.
And here’s the really cool part – you can play a direct role in helping them. How many of you have doom-scrolled the news or sat there wondering how you could actually make an impact in all that is happening right now?
Groundwork is providing you that space to take real action in areas where the ripple effects of our efforts will be felt almost immediately. Tomorrow is our FIRST budget deadline since we relaunched our 2023 grant program. Now is the time – help us hit our goal to raise $15,000 by the end of the month!
You’re a major part of this team and I hope to see your name on the donor list before tomorrow night.
Thanks,
Emily
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Emily Kaufman (she/her)
Executive Director
Groundwork Project