Whether you’re looking to volunteer, donate money, or you’re interested in more information about how to get involved, it’s important to find an organization that you believe in. When you pitch in and help one of them, you can help make a big difference in society. Here are 10 organizations that are working hard right now to support racial equality in America.
NAACP
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) was founded in 1909 in response to the ongoing violence against Black people around the country. The NAACP is the largest civil rights organization in the nation with over 2 million activists involved in its 2,200 units across the country. Its mission is to secure the political, educational, social, and economic rights of Black people and to eliminate race-based discrimination. Its website offers ways to volunteer and donate.
Black Youth Project
The Black Youth Project (BYP) examines the attitudes, resources, and culture of Black millennials. It explores how culture influences the decisions young people make in terms of health, sex, and politics. BYP conducts research, shares knowledge, and takes action. Its headquarters are in the Chicago area, but they have chapters in cities across the nation where they provide social activism training to young people. BYP offers several ways people can help its members make a difference, including pitching and writing articles related to racial injustice, LGBTQIA+ issues, and feminism or by making a donation.
The Las Americas Immigrant Advocacy Center
The Las Americas Immigrant Advocacy Center is a nonprofit organization that works to serve the legal needs of low-income immigrants who aren’t able to afford legal aid. Las Americas reports providing legal care to people in Texas and New Mexico. It has served more than 30,000 low-income immigrant residents in the El Paso area alone, and its clients come from all over the world. From helping individuals gain asylum to providing general immigration relief, Las Americas’ legal services are abundant. To help, you can apply to be a volunteer.
The American Civil Liberties Union
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) seeks to ensure constitutional freedoms for every gender, race, and sexual orientation. You can help the ACLU take action as its members continue to lobby for systemic change across the country. Common issues addressed include free speech, human rights, racial injustice, and criminal justice. The ACLU is composed of hundreds of attorneys and thousands of volunteers who are committed to protecting civil liberties in the country.
KIND
Kids in Need of Defense (KIND) protects immigrant children by providing legal and social services to children who have crossed the U.S. border by themselves. It strives to make sure that no child appears in court alone. Members work to advance the laws around children’s rights in the United States and offer several resources on how you can get involved. They also advocate for legal changes that will protect vulnerable children who enter the U.S. themselves or those who are detained and separated from their families.
Advancement Project
Advancement Project is a civil rights organization whose mission is: “fulfill America’s promise of a caring, inclusive, and just democracy.” The organization uses innovative tools to strengthen social movements and achieve high-impact policy change. Advancement Project is involved in a variety of different campaigns and provides multiple opportunities for volunteers to get involved in various projects. Its website provides an abundance of resources and information for anyone who wants to know how they can help.
Color Of Change
Color Of Change is an online racial justice organization whose goal is to mobilize its members to knock down walls that hold Black people back. Color Of Change was founded after Hurricane Katrina. Its organizers discovered that there weren’t enough resources dedicated to protecting and assisting Black people who experienced devastating losses. Since then, they’ve started addressing police brutality against the Black community by leading campaigns to deter elected officials from supporting, investing in, and protecting an unaccountable police force. They’re actively working on developing people-powered movements that will make a difference. Color of Change offers a variety of ways to get involved, from donating money to joining its campaigns to end racist policies. You can sign up for its newsletter to learn how to get involved.
Live Free USA
Live Free USA wants to reduce gun violence and county jail incarcerations. With over 118 million people attending weekly faith-based services in over 350,000 congregations across the U.S., its aim is to create social justice by reaching faith institutions. It partners with congregations and leaders throughout the country with its LIVE FREE Campaign. Its goal is to end “gun violence, mass incarceration, and the criminalization of Black and Brown bodies that tears at the soul of our society.” There are a variety of resources for congregations who want to get involved and help spread their message. There are also clear action plans available for anyone who wants to get involved.
The National Coalition on Black Civic Participation
The National Coalition of Black Civic Participation seeks to encourage civic participation in the Black community. It educates, organizes, and mobilizes citizens to view civic participation as a cultural responsibility and tradition. This organization envisions a nation in which all people have the tools to fully participate in the democratic process at the local, state, and national levels. Its organizers fight to eliminate barriers to civic participation and promote greater social and economic justice. From local events to donating money, there are a number of ways to get involved in getting more people to vote and run for office.
Black Lives Matter
Black Lives Matter (BLM) was founded in 2013. It’s a global organization in the U.S., U.K., and Canada. Its mission is to eradicate white supremacy and build local power to intervene in violence inflicted on Black communities. By combating and countering acts of violence, creating space for Black imagination and innovation, and centering Black joy, its members are winning immediate improvements in Black lives. The BLM movement has been instrumental in organizing protests following the death of George Floyd. BLM’s work is often misrepresented in the media. Its members ask that people report suspicious sites, stories, ads, social accounts, and posts about BLM. To get involved, you can join the movement.
