Promoting Justice for All
Maintaining Virtual Connections
While our events remained virtual this past year, the drumbeat of support for activism in our community did not let up! Our first-ever Virtual Upton Sinclair Event was a huge success, and we hosted several other virtual events throughout the year that kept the Liberty Hill community engaged and informed.
2021 Virtual Upton Sinclair Event
We held our first ever Virtual Upton Sinclair Event this year, bringing our dedicated supporters together virtually as we celebrated our continued March to Progress. The event featured appearances from the iconic Jane Fonda, along with this year’s honorees, Fred Ali, CEO Emeritus of the Weingart Foundation, LaTosha Brown, co-founder of Black Voters Matter, and Ai-Jen Poo, co-founder of the National Domestic Workers Alliance and Supermajority.
My Brother's Keeper Forum with President Obama
President Obama and the My Brother’s Keeper Alliance invited Liberty Hill to participate in a dialogue about the impact of youth development and youth organizing on the systemic change we seek. Vice President of Strategic Partnerships Julio Marcial represented Liberty Hill and discussed the critical role youth organizers play in pushing the movement forward, bringing attention to the need for power to reside with those most affected by injustice.
Wally Marks Leadership Institute
Named in memory of longtime Liberty Hill donor- activist and Board Member Wally Marks, the Wally Marks Leadership Institute is a value-added benefit for organizations that receive a grant from Liberty Hill. Through a combination of customized training, one-on one coaching, and multi-group peer strategy sessions, the Leadership Institute helps organizations and individual activists accelerate their impact. This year we placed a focus on Rising Activists organizations that we define as emerging groups with budgets under $500K and fewer than three staff members. We also convened training and strategy sessions focused on electoral organizing, wellness and resilience, and leveraging city and county commissions to advance progressive policy goals.
Decompress Election Stress
The Liberty Hill community gathered for the first time since the 2020 election to decompress and take a look back at the multiracial coalition—led by women of color—that propelled us to victory nationally. Our panel discussed the road ahead with guests Deepak Bhargava, distinguished lecturer, CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies, and Liz Watson, executive director, Progressive Caucus Action Fund.
