#SundayCivics

Continuing our conversation on immigration, L. Joy is discussing the fastest growing immigrant population in the country-African immigrants. They are also fighting for civil rights, opportunity, and a better life for their families here in the United States. Amaha Kassa comes to the front of the class to give us the information and the context we need to know right now. 

We have heard from a member of Congress and a Dreamer on immigration for this series. Now to give us the nuts and bolts on immigration-from who is immigrating, how they are immigrating, to who are the “deciders” when it comes to immigration, and is there an actual “line” to become a citizen, L. Joy brings noted immigration attorney Allen Orr Jr. to the front of the class.

Just the word immigration elicits feelings, but do you know the facts? This episode is the first part of a series where L. Joy takes a deep dive into immigration. She is hearing from organizations working on immigration reform, attorneys, elected officials, and others, to help answer what is comprehensive immigration reform, who are the decision makers, and how do we get civically engaged around m...

L. Joy is happy! Why? Because she’s been civically engaged, along with community partners, around voting rights. Those civic actions have resulted in both houses of the New York State Legislature passing the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act of New York State. This legislation is how New York is stepping up in the absence of federal protections. Then L. Joy brings Alicia Garza to the front of the cl...

It’s time to get primed and prepped for the midterm elections. L. Joy walks us through step by step how to on creating a report card for your elected officials, grading them, then engaging them. Next, L. Joy brings Nse Ufot back to the front of the class to discuss the continued laser focused work of the New Georgia Project on winning in Georgia.

Media has always played a part in social justice movements. Cellphones, social media, and the internet give an immediacy and democratization to today’s media, for good and for bad. L. Joy brings Marc Lamont Hill and Todd Brewster to discuss their book, Seen and Unseen, our greater connectivity because of technology,  and how all of this new media is used to amplify the voices of the marginalized. 

We are living in a digital explosion. Opportunities are seemingly everywhere but out of reach for too many Americans, especially those already marginalized. The pandemic has heightened the need to close the digital divide, expand education access to credentialed courses in the field, and an immediate call for a digital Bill of Rights. To have the conversation on how we bring dignity to this digita...

Franklin D. Roosevelt advocated for it in his 1944 State of the Union Address. Martin Luther King Jr. demanded it over 20 years later during the Poor People’s Campaign. Yet, we still do not have an Economic Bill of Rights. L. Joy brings Nina Turner to the front of the class to discuss how an Economic Bill of Rights for the 21st Century would help close the wealth gap, the mortality gap, and bring...

Check cashing places, payday loan lenders, car title loans, and flex loans are examples of predatory financial products that are pretty much the only resort for people living in low income areas. With repayment rates of up to 400%, how do people who are starting off with less survive if they continuously have to pay more? To break down what we need to know about predatory financial products and so...

According to the United Nations, adequate, effective and prompt reparation is intended to promote justice by redressing gross violations of international human rights law or serious violations of international humanitarian law. Reparation should be proportional to the gravity of the violations and the harm suffered. To take us on a deep dive into the history and context of reparations and break do...

Did you know that the Asian American Pacific Island (AAPI) population is, according to the AAPI Victory Fund, 23 million plus people strong with roots from countries in East, South, and Southeast Asia, and the Pacific Islands. They have vast ethnic, linguistic, and religious diversity and make up approximately six percent of America’s population. L. Joy brings AAPI Victory Fund President and CEO,...

“Congratulations, you are simply glowing!” “You’re going to be a wonderful mother, I’m so happy for you,” are just a few of the phrases said to women who are pregnant. But when it comes to teenage pregnancy and teenage fatherhood, you may not hear those words and most certainly will experience shame and lack of support, at a time when you would need the most support. L. Joy brings Nicole Lynn Lewi...

We are aware of the fight for and civic actions we should take to protect voting rights. But how much thought do we give to our method of voting? Right now, we mostly use plurality voting, in which the winner takes all, yet there are other methods too. L. Joy nerds out on this episode with Aaron Hamlin to discuss Approval Voting as a voting method. First, Nakita Hemmingway is featured in the Vote...

Since Texas passed SB8, several states legislatures have followed suit with their own versions of legislation that would severely restrict abortion access in the hopes it will be challenged on the federal level, placing Roe v Wade at risk. To give us the lay of the reproductive justice land and action steps to get engaged, L. Joy brings Kelley Robinson to the front of the class. But first, L. Joy...

You may think the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), which states “Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex,” is already the law of the land, maybe, kind of. And it is, but it is complicated. To explain the history of the ERA of and what is happening now so we can get engaged, L. Joy brings Carol Jenkins, CEO of ERA Coalitio...

Although President Barack Obama made being an organizer “sexy,” being an organizer from the ground up is hard work. L. Joy brings the new Executive Director of Community Voices Heard (CVH), Juanita O. Lewis, to the front of the class to discuss her life in organizing, best practices and strategies for organizing, and she shares CVH’s survey and initiative, Follow Black Women. 

It is time. It’s time to get to the heart of how we think about our societal problems and solutions differently. Thinking differently about public safety, education, health care--dealing with the actual issues and finding common ground, which may be messy and uncomfortable, but can be done. L. Joy begins class with our new Vote Mama candidate Spotlight on Nicole Horn, then brings Professor Alex To...

Celebrating Black History should not just be regulated to one month. L. Joy always celebrates and uplifts Black History because we need history and context to enact effective change. We celebrate and uplift C. Virginia Fields, who is the epitome of living Black History, as she comes to the front of the class to discuss her remarkably civically active life and shares the important work the National...

Public safety and policing. Does one need the other? Is having police manage matters of social disorder the way to best solve our social problems? L. Joy brings Professor Alex Vitale to the front of the class to give us more history and context we need to reimagine and get engaged around public safety. 

L. Joy has discussed criminal justice reform and how as a society we can think through and get engaged around making change, and we are going to keep the conversation going. On this episode, L. Joy brings State’s Attorney for Prince George’s County Maryland, Aisha Braveboy to the front of the class to  break down exactly what the school to prison pipeline is, how her office is approaching juvenile...

L. Joy gives us important actions to take today, and throughout the year on Voting Rights. She reviews our lesson “No Constitutional Right To Vote” with guest Barbara Arnwine at the front of the class, giving us the historical context, and recent history, as to why we continue to fight to secure voting rights. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. stated in 1957, "So long as I do not firmly and irrevocably...

Elected prosecutors are part of the community. They hold the power to determine who gets prosecuted and their sentences. What tools do prosecutors have that can ensure fairness and equity, as well as criminal justice reform? To continue the conversation L. Joy began with Brooklyn DA Eric Gonzalez on conviction and sentencing review units; she has brought State’s Attorney for Baltimore, Maryland, M...

“Create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality affordable homes for all” is part of the US Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) mission statement and is the goal for most people. The premise seems simple enough but we still have yet to get there. L. Joy brings Eugene Jones to the front of the class to give us the primer we need on one of the most important things in...

Iimani David said “art is what separates us from the animals.” With arts and culture being such a big part of our lives from the economy, to mental health, to community, why aren’t more of our tax dollars used to support them? To explain how the government funds the arts and what COVID recovery looks like for that sector, L. Joy brings Taneshia Nash Laird, Liz Janneman and Rachel S. Moore, to the...

L. Joy wanted to talk about creating a democracy agenda, advocacy in the C-Suite and Silicon Valley, coalition building, and how to #WinWithBlackWomen. She brings Jotaka Eaddy comes to the front of the class for this conversation that gives great strategic points to help you #GetCivicallyEngaged.