Advancement Project

The Advancement Project was founded in 1999 by civil rights lawyers in Los Angeles and Washington D.C.{{cite news|last1=Ferriss|first1=Susan|title=School discipline reform groups question proposals for armed security|url=http://www.publicintegrity.org/2013/01/14/12026/school-discipline-reform-groups-question-proposals-armed-security|accessdate=29 May 2015|publisher=Center for Public Integrity|date=January 14, 2013}}

The organization is made up of two offices: Advancement Project National Office (based in Washington, D.C.) and Advancement Project California.{{cite news|last1=Range McDonald|first1=Patrick|last2=Stewart|first2=Jill|date=March 27, 2012|title=Molly Munger's Prop. 38 Is Spoiling Jerry Brown's Prop. 30. She's Not Sorry.|publisher=LA Weekly|url=http://www.laweekly.com/news/molly-mungers-prop-38-is-spoiling-jerry-browns-prop-30-shes-not-sorry|accessdate=29 May 2015}}

File:Judith Browne Dianis in front of the Supreme Court of the United States.jpg

The executive director of the Advancement Project's national office is Judith Browne Dianis.{{Cite web|url=https://advancementproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/ap-annual-report-2018_v2.pdf|title=Advancement Project 2018 Annual Report|last=|first=|date=|website=|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191223121856/https://advancementproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/ap-annual-report-2018_v2.pdf |archive-date=2019-12-23 |access-date=2020-03-25}} The executive director of the California-based office is John Kim. The founding co-directors include Advancement Project co-founders Constance L. Rice, Stephen R. English, and Molly Munger.{{Cite web|url=https://www.advancementprojectca.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/2019-Annual-Impact-Report.pdf|title=2019 Annual Impact Report Advancement Project California|last=|first=|date=|website=|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200325141606/https://www.advancementprojectca.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/2019-Annual-Impact-Report.pdf |archive-date=2020-03-25 |access-date=2020-03-25}}

The Advancement Project National Office is known for its opposition to voter ID laws{{cite news|last1=Wilson|first1=Reid|title=Voting rights advocates want Supreme Court to block Wisconsin voter ID law|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/govbeat/wp/2014/10/02/voting-rights-advocates-want-supreme-court-to-block-wisconsin-voter-id-law/|accessdate=29 May 2015|newspaper=Washington Post|date=October 2, 2014}}{{cite news|last1=Lachman|first1=Samantha|title=Supreme Court Won't Consider Challenge To Wisconsin Voter ID Law|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/03/23/supreme-court-wisconsin_n_6923170.html|accessdate=29 May 2015|publisher=Huffington Post|date=March 23, 2015}} and advocates for automatic voting rights restoration for all felons.{{cite news|last1=Mock|first1=Brentin|date=February 1, 2013|title=What's Next For the Voting Rights Movement?|publisher=The Nation|url=http://www.thenation.com/article/172615/whats-next-voting-rights-movement|accessdate=29 May 2015}}{{cite news|last1=Murphy|first1=Ryan|date=July 16, 2013|title=McDonnell outlines process for restoring voting rights for felons|publisher=Daily Press|url=https://www.dailypress.com/2013/07/16/mcdonnell-outlines-process-for-restoring-voting-rights-for-felons/|access-date=29 May 2015}} This includes working with Voice of the Experienced (VOTE), a Louisiana non-profit organization in 2017.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Civil rights groups fight to restore ex-felon voting rights|url=http://www.louisianaweekly.com/civil-rights-groups-fight-to-restore-ex-felon-voting-rights/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200604152404/http://www.louisianaweekly.com/civil-rights-groups-fight-to-restore-ex-felon-voting-rights/ |archive-date=2020-06-04 |access-date=2020-06-04|website=Louisiana Weekly}} In 2018, the organization was also actively involved in the passage of Amendment 4 in Florida, which restores voting rights to most ex-felons.{{cite web|title=More than a million convicted felons in Florida won their voting rights back. Now what?|url=https://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/election/article221301400.html|accessdate=2020-05-19|website=Miami Herald}} The Advancement Project also works with the non-partisan VoteRiders[https://www.voteriders.org/partners/ VoteRiders Partner Organizations] organization to spread state-specific information on voter ID requirements.

The Advancement Project National Office also advocates for an end to school disciplinary measures which it believes disproportionately put minority children into a school-to-prison pipeline.{{cite news|last1=Nave|first1=R.L.|title=Defining Effective School Discipline in JPS|url=http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/news/2015/may/13/defining-effective-school-discipline-jps/|accessdate=29 May 2015|publisher=Jackson Free Press|date=May 13, 2015}}{{cite news|last1=Maxwell|first1=Zerlina|title=The School-to-Prison Pipeline Is Targeting Your Child|url=http://www.ebony.com/news-views/the-school-to-prison-pipeline-is-targeting-your-child-405#.VWiopGYhwt8|accessdate=29 May 2015|publisher=Ebony|date=November 27, 2013}} In 2018, the organization's national office partnered with the Alliance for Educational Justice and released a national report on the state and impact of police presence in schools.{{Cite web|title=New Website Tracks School Police Violence Against Students of Color|url=https://diverseeducation.com/article/153468/|last=|first=|date=2019-08-27|website=Diverse|language=|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190914093927/https://diverseeducation.com/article/153468/ |archive-date=2019-09-14 |access-date=}}{{Cite web|title=Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley Tackles The 'PUSHOUT' Of Black Girls At School|url=https://www.essence.com/in-her-we-trust/congresswoman-ayanna-pressley-tackles-the-pushout-of-black-girls-at-school/|last=|first=|date=2019-09-17|website=Essence|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190918051937/https://www.essence.com/in-her-we-trust/congresswoman-ayanna-pressley-tackles-the-pushout-of-black-girls-at-school/ |archive-date=2019-09-18 |access-date=}}

The organization has taken part in Moral Mondays protests, which are liberal demonstrations against Republican public policies.{{cite news|last1=Among|first1=Maryalice|title='Moral Mondays' in North Carolina|url=http://www.msnbc.com/hardball/moral-mondays-north-carolina|accessdate=29 May 2015|publisher=MSNBC|date=June 24, 2013}}{{cite news|last1=Keyes|first1=Scott|title=The Biggest Liberal Protest Of 2013|url=http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2013/06/28/2207851/moral-monday-protest/|accessdate=29 May 2015|publisher=Think Progress|date=June 28, 2013}}

In 2019, Ben & Jerry's partnered with the Advancement Project on a campaign focused on criminal justice reform.{{cite web|title=Ben & Jerry's Takes on Criminal Justice Reform with New Flavor, Justice Remix'd|url=https://www.theroot.com/ben-jerry-s-takes-on-criminal-justice-reform-with-new-1837834464|accessdate=2020-04-28|website=The Root|date=3 September 2019 }}{{cite web|title=Ben & Jerry's New Ice Cream Flavor Takes Aim At Racism In The Criminal Justice System|url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/ben-and-jerrys-new-ice-cream-favor-justice-remixd_n_5d6ef43ae4b0cdfe05773785|accessdate=2020-04-28|website=Huffpost|date=4 September 2019}} The campaign included efforts to shut down a St. Louis jail, Workhouse, and other similar jails.

In 2017, Advancement Project California launched RACE COUNTS which surveyed California's counties to rank them according to racial disparity. The disparities were measured based on economic opportunity, healthcare access, education, housing, democracy, crime and justice, and environment.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ocregister.com/2017/12/01/think-race-isnt-a-problem-in-california-new-data-shows-otherwise/|title=Think race isn't a problem in California? New report shows otherwise|date=2017-12-01|website=Orange County Register|language=en-US|access-date=2020-04-06}} Marin and Imperial County were ranked highest for racial disparity.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ptreyeslight.com/article/marin-ranks-worst-racial-disparity-new-statewide-analysis|title=Marin ranks worst in racial disparity in new statewide analysis|date=15 February 2018}}

In 2019, the organization reported on the lack of child care facilities in the state.{{Cite web|url=https://edsource.org/2019/obstacles-deter-many-california-child-care-providers-from-building-expanding-facilities/612631|title=Obstacles deter many California child care providers from building, expanding facilities|last=|first=|date=|website=EdSource|language=|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190529160621/https://edsource.org/2019/obstacles-deter-many-california-child-care-providers-from-building-expanding-facilities/612631 |archive-date=2019-05-29 |access-date=2020-04-20}} In April 2020, the organization advocated for a pause on permanent California school closings during the COVID-19 pandemic. The organization identified the schools at risk of permanent closure within the most densely populated counties in California.{{Cite web|title=Advocates urge Newsom to order schools not to permanently close any buildings|url=https://edsource.org/2020/advocates-urge-newsom-to-order-schools-not-to-permanently-close-any-buildings/631151|access-date=2020-07-14|website=EdSource}} The organization also asked the state to invest in communities impacted by COVID-19 shelter-in-place orders based on children who do not have access to early education or child care.{{Cite web|last=Stavely|first=Zaidee|title=Preschool and child care plans slashed under California governor's proposed budget|url=https://edsource.org/2020/preschool-and-child-care-plans-slashed-under-california-governors-proposed-budget/631659|access-date=2020-07-22|website=EdSource|language=en}}

In May 2020, the organization released a policy brief showing the disproportionate number of COVID-19 cases between Black or Latino residents and white residents in Los Angeles County.{{Cite web|date=2020-05-28|title=Coronavirus ravages poorer L.A. communities while slowing in wealthier ones, data show|url=https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-05-28/coronavirus-surge-in-poor-l-a-county-neighborhoods-reveals-two-americas|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200528162726/https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-05-28/coronavirus-surge-in-poor-l-a-county-neighborhoods-reveals-two-americas |archive-date=2020-05-28 |access-date=2020-07-16|website=Los Angeles Times|language=en-US}} The policy brief also showed that communities with higher poverty rates had more COVID-19 cases than wealthier communities.{{Cite web|last=Champlin|first=Caroline|title=There's Unequal Risk And More Than One Curve Suggested In COVID-19 Data|url=https://laist.com/2020/05/11/coronavirus_class_race_poverty_studies_death_rates_LA_county.php|access-date=2020-07-20|website=LAist|archive-date=2020-07-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200701062645/https://laist.com/2020/05/11/coronavirus_class_race_poverty_studies_death_rates_LA_county.php|url-status=dead}}

Both Advancement Project's National Office in Washington, D.C. and Advancement Project California are governed by a 16-member board of directors.[http://www.advancementproject.org/people/c/board-of-directors "Board of Directors"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190330181017/https://advancementproject.org/staff/|date=March 30, 2019}}, Advancement Project As of 2019, the board included Bill Lann Lee, Joe Alvarez, Arlene Holt Baker, Harry Belafonte, Stephen R. English, Rinku Sen, Helen Kim, Daniel Leon-Davis, Ash-Lee Henderson, Alberto Retana, Barrett S. Litt, Molly Munger, Katherine Peck, Constance L. Rice, Tom Unterman, and Jesse Williams. In 2023, the board was composed of Arlene Holt Baker, Ash-Lee Woodard Henderson, Bill Lann Lee, Daniel Alejandro Leon-Davis, Jesse Williams, Joe Alvarez, Monica Clark, Nat Chioke Williams, Franita Tolson, Stephen R. English, Thomasina Williams, and Uzoma Nkwonta.{{Cite web |title=Board of Directors |url=https://advancementproject.org/board-of-directors/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230929081247/https://advancementproject.org/staff/ |archive-date=September 29, 2023 |access-date= |website=Advancement Project}}

{{reflist|30em}}

• {{official website|https://advancementproject.org/}}
• [https://www.catalystcalifornia.org/ Catalyst California]

Category:Organizations established in 1999

Category:1999 establishments in the United States

Category:Community organizing

Category:Legal organizations based in the United States

Category:Election and voting-related organizations based in the United States

Category:Voter registration

Category:Voter turnout organizations