Building Black Power
Black Futures Lab strives for a future where Black people are not forced into definitions of success that they don’t own or control. They want a world where society recognizes all Black people for the competent agents of change that they are. Black Futures Lab is building Black political power by transforming Black communities into active, interdependent, responsive public partners that change the way power operates—at the local, state, and national level. When Black people have power, they can create solutions to the problems they experience within their own communities.
One of the challenges to bringing about Black Futures Lab’s vision is one of centering. Who gets to speak and be heard. “One of the things we heard most commonly is no one ever asks us (Black people) what we experience or dream about—people are telling us what we should want or think, or are just solving challenges they don’t face,” said Alicia Garza, Principal, Black Futures Lab.
Black to the Future Action Fund, the c4 advocacy arm of Black Futures Lab, created Black to the Future Public Policy Institute, a policy advocacy and leadership training fellowship. The Institute’s goals are to:
Build Black communities into constituencies that wield independent political power.
Create a network of Black policymakers across the United States.
Improve the lives of Black people.
This year the Institute inducted 26 fellows broken into teams of two to four members. Each team will focus on advancing a policy goal related to one of the following issue areas: Democracy/Voting Rights, Families/Public Health and Healthcare, the Economy, Structural Barriers, and Criminal Legal. Nine teams, representing eight states, were selected out of a highly competitive pool of applicants from across the country!
The fellows will have an opportunity to build a policy campaign from the ground up. Over the next several months, the fellows will meet with and learn from movement leaders, policy makers, and organizers to gain a deeper understanding of the legislative process at the state and municipal level. Fellows will also engage in research through a community and policy lens to develop and strengthen their policy ideas.
Meet these dynamic and passionate leaders.
WDN Action’s strategy is building power, winning elections, and changing the political possibilities. We are honored to support Black to the Future Action Fund’s capacity to convene these 26 powerful leaders to teach and learn from each other.
WDN Action’s c4 dollars enable communities to have a political voice through lobbying, advocacy, ballot measure campaigns, and civic engagement around elections. We work hand in hand with the Women Donors Network, our c3 sibling organization that funds Black Futures Lab, to bring a race and gender justice lens to our work building a more inclusive and reflective democracy. This year WDN Action’s grantmaking included several national partners working closely with state-based organizations and providing important capacity and progressive infrastructure. These groups are developing new leaders, advocating for issues ranging from police accountability to immigration justice, and organizing for political impact.