“Thank you.”
We hear those two words from grantees almost everyday here at Resist.
But this is backwards. They should not be the ones thanking us; we should be the ones thanking them.
We have the easy job. Though our fundraising model is extremely rare and can present challenges, we believe it is the right one. We ask for donations, large and small, from a dedicated and passionate community of like-minded supporters. And every year they come through because they know the only way to change the world is through grassroots organizing, visioning, and creative action.
Those grassroots groups on the ground have the tough job. Despite all the dollars and energy coming in all direc- tions to subdue these grassroots movements, they are not only able to endure and grow, but they are able to win victories day after day, year after year.
Those victories build upon one another. That is how mass movements create history.
Our role is critical and of course those in power don’t like us either, but the activists on the ground are the ones that endure the real challenges: harassment, suppression, and violence from those in power. And through resolute bravery and dedication, they still persevere and win.
This edition of the Newsletter is a bit different. It features stories on how these activists do this, and what role Resist’s support played.
So to all of the donors and potential new donors out there, please know you play an essential role with your donation to Resist. You are not only supporting some of the most courageous and visionary organizations out there, you are also supporting our best hope for peace and justice.
And to all the grassroots groups out there that are reading this, please don’t thank us. We are the ones who are forever indebted to you. So thank you for another year of providing all of us here at Resist with inspiration and hope for our collective future.
In love and solidarity, Jax, Kendra, Ravi, Saif, and Seth
We hear those two words from grantees almost everyday here at Resist.
But this is backwards. They should not be the ones thanking us; we should be the ones thanking them.
We have the easy job. Though our fundraising model is extremely rare and can present challenges, we believe it is the right one. We ask for donations, large and small, from a dedicated and passionate community of like-minded supporters. And every year they come through because they know the only way to change the world is through grassroots organizing, visioning, and creative action.
Those grassroots groups on the ground have the tough job. Despite all the dollars and energy coming in all direc- tions to subdue these grassroots movements, they are not only able to endure and grow, but they are able to win victories day after day, year after year.
Those victories build upon one another. That is how mass movements create history.
Our role is critical and of course those in power don’t like us either, but the activists on the ground are the ones that endure the real challenges: harassment, suppression, and violence from those in power. And through resolute bravery and dedication, they still persevere and win.
This edition of the Newsletter is a bit different. It features stories on how these activists do this, and what role Resist’s support played.
So to all of the donors and potential new donors out there, please know you play an essential role with your donation to Resist. You are not only supporting some of the most courageous and visionary organizations out there, you are also supporting our best hope for peace and justice.
And to all the grassroots groups out there that are reading this, please don’t thank us. We are the ones who are forever indebted to you. So thank you for another year of providing all of us here at Resist with inspiration and hope for our collective future.
In love and solidarity, Jax, Kendra, Ravi, Saif, and Seth
Table of Contents
How the Youth Pass Became a Reality
In 2007, the Youth Council of the Boston-area Youth Organizing Project (BYOP) noted that using the regional public transit system—the “T”—was getting more and more difficult. That year, youth leaders launched their campaign for a deeply discounted age-based “Youth Pass” to address the fact that youth riders were increasingly priced out of the service they depend on for just about everything. Seven years later, the...
By
·Saif Rahman and Tomás Rivera
December 8, 2015
How Chains Break in Sante Fe
Resist speaks with Tomás Rivera of Chainbreaker Collective Saif: Chainbreaker Collective has been a Resist grantee since 2011, but a lot has changed since then, hasn’t it? Let’s start off by giving a little bit of background information on Chainbreaker. – a “who-what-when-where” of the organization if you will. Tomás: Sure. Chainbreaker is a membership based economic and environmental justice organization. This is our eleventh...
By
·Anirvan Chatterjee
December 8, 2015
"Best Check I Write All Year"
Dear Fellow Activists, Donors, and Resisters, As one of the curators of the monthly Berkeley South Asian Radical History Walking Tour , I research and share histories from a century of South Asian American movements for justice in Berkeley, California, using storytelling, visuals, and street theater. Some of the stories we share on our walking tour are grand epics, like the history of the Ghadar...
By
·Jax, Kendra, Ravi, Saif, and Seth
December 14, 2015
Who Should Be Thanking Who?
“Thank you.” We hear those two words from grantees almost every- day here at Resist. But this is backwards. They should not be the ones thanking us; we should be the ones thanking them. We have the easy job. Though our fundraising model is extremely rare and can present challenges, we believe it is the right one. We ask for donations, large and small, from...