Dear Friend,

I just accepted the inaugural Kettering Foundation Democracy Prize honoring individuals who champion and defend inclusive democracy. This award has given me an opportunity to reflect on my time at Advancement Project and celebrate our many historic wins to advance racial justice and fight for a caring, inclusive and just democracy.

It’s been a tremendous honor to nurture and grow Advancement Project from a team of three to a dynamic, Black women-led organization with over 40 brilliant, committed staff—movement lawyers, strategists, organizers, communicators, and administrative staff. We’ve trained a new generation of creative legal advocates, partnered with over 75 organizations in 18 states, and continued to innovate in our approach to movement lawyering.

I’m filled with immense pride by what we have and will continue to accomplish.

We’ve transformed the lives of people of color in many communities and left an indelible mark on our nation. As I look back, some of the highlights of this work have been:

Pioneering work with communities to define and push back on the “school-to-prison pipeline”
Filing four lawsuits in New Orleans on behalf of survivors of Hurricane Katrina and working with them to gain their Right to Return;
Being on-the-ground in Ferguson and Baltimore to support organizers after police murders of Mike Brown and Freddie Gray;
Supporting the ballot initiative in Florida that restored the right to vote for over 1.4million people with felony convictions.

Over the past 26 years, I’ve witnessed the beauty of our movements, standing shoulder to shoulder with organizers, visionaries, and everyday people who refuse to settle for anything less than liberation, including the youth. Our next generation of leaders know we can and must do better. They’re pushing for what often seems impossible, but their resolve is unwavering and their courage is extraordinary. This is what has kept me going through difficult times, continuing onward in the face of struggle.

Our struggle is righteous. Our people are powerful. And our victory is inevitable—because we will make it so.

With love and solidarity,
Judith Browne Dianis
Executive Director