NEW GRANTS

Grandmother Stripped of Nation Standing. $7500 for the five children ages seven to 14 living with their grandmother, who refused to act against another tribal member and organized for reform. She was demoted at work, forced to resign, and had her services and benefits as a Nation member revoked, including educational stipends, legal support and health insurance. IN  

Community Resists Oppression. $3500 for a group grant for educational and cultural activities for dozens of indigenous youth ages six to 18, designed to help children “reclaim the identity and pride that has been unjustly stripped away from [their people]; and to ensure the culture and traditions will continue…for future generations.” SD  

Father Fired for Organizing. $3000 for summer camp, sports and voice lessons for the six-year-old brother and sister whose father grew up in an activist family. He was pepper-sprayed during a police raid on his community, and later fired from his job for using his break-time to recruit his co-workers to participate in a social justice program. GA  

Environmental Activists & Children Threatened. $2000 for educational support for the five-year-old son whose parents work to protect and restore a local river basin. His father and older brother have been harassed and faced death threats, and the family dog was poisoned because of the parents’ work monitoring and confronting illegal pollution and development activities. LA 

Family Endures Separation. $2000 for a computer for the 17-year-old grandson of a former political prisoner and member of the Black Panther Party who was targeted by COINTELPRO and forced to live in exile. IL

Young Activist Evades Subpoena. $1000 Development grant* for a computer for the 24-year-old targeted activist youth (TAY) who was part of a support group for grand jury resisters. When subpoenaed herself, she spent two years hiding to avoid testifying. She was unable to work under her own name, denied a passport and could not communicate with her family. OR 

(*Development grants of up to $1000 are given to TAY to further their education, support their emotional needs or develop their organizing skills.)

Walmart Organizer Fired. $500 for sports activities for the seven-year-old son whose mother organized and advocated for her fellow Walmart workers. CA (See front page for more.)

CIVIL LIBERTIES

Mother Forced From Job. $4100 for sports programs, summer camps, and school tuition for the three children, ages nine to 13, whose mother’s support for an arrested Muslim caused her boss to pressure her to find a job where she’d “feel more at home.” GA  

Youth Activist Assaulted. $1600 for a Development grant and a Carry It Forward (CIF) award* for the 24-year-old TAY who was pepper-sprayed, beaten by police and threatened with prosecution while engaged in non-violent protest at his school. PR    

(*CIF awards of $600 are given to 18 to 24-year-olds to help pay for the costs associated with college or similar programs designed to prepare them for adult life.)

Suicide-Prevention Advocate Harassed. $1000 Development grant for the 22-year-old TAY who started a student support group in high school. Despite numerous acts of sabotage from the principal, the organization continues to thrive. CA   

CIVIL RIGHTS & RACIAL JUSTICE

Parents Fight for Better Environment, Racial Equality. $27,500 for a broad range of programs for 17 children, ages three to 18, from six families. Several parents were beaten and arrested while marching against environmental racism; others were attacked and/or imprisoned for their community organizing work. CA, GA, NY

Mayor Targets Mother. $5300 for music and dance lessons for three children, ages seven to 14, whose mother, an anti-environmental racism activist, was harassed for requesting to know a city council member’s position on locating a soil processing plant in her low-income, predominantly minority community. PA

Family Threatened by KKK. $5100 for orthodontia, educational support and music lessons for four children, ages 10 to 16, whose mother received death threats from the Klan for her efforts to desegregate a public housing complex. OR 

Mother Continues Family Legacy of Activism. $4900 for summer camp and childcare for the four children, ages three to 15, whose mother has worked for children’s, women’s and impoverished people’s rights and against racism. She has been arrested, beaten and jailed for her activism. OR  

Activism Costs Family. $4700 for therapy, cultural programs and a computer for the four children, ages four to 10, whose mother was dismissed from her graduate program for advocating for students’ rights. She lost her job teaching at the university and cannot find full-time employment in her field. CO

Civil Rights Organizer Serving 28 Years. $3000 for sports and summer camp for the two daughters, ages 12 and 17, whose father was a leader of an organization committed to black and brown unity, and human and civil rights. He was convicted of racketeering and sentenced to decades in prison despite maintaining his innocence. NC  

Teacher Fired for Advocating for her Students. $2600 for school tuition and a CIF award for the two children, ages seven and 19, whose mother, a public school teacher, lost her job because of her efforts on behalf of her special needs students. GA  

Mother Beaten, Pepper-Sprayed and Harassed. $2000 for two computers for the 14-year-old son and 17-year-old daughter whose mother, a community organizer for racial and economic justice, was targeted by the local police. GA     

Fired for Reporting the Truth. $1100 for sports activities for the 14-year-old son whose father, an independent journalist, lost his job and was blacklisted for expressing progressive views and covering controversial topics. MN

Family’s Home Bulldozed. $1000 for orthodontia and sports equipment for the 17-year-old son whose mother had her nation standing stripped, home destroyed and job threatened because of her work against the Bureau of Indian Affairs-appointed leader of her nation. NY  

ENVIRONMENTAL & ANIMAL RIGHTS

Family Fears Physical Harm. $2000 for childcare for the 18-month-old son whose parents faced physical threats for their environmental activism. (See front page for more.) OR 

Twice-Imprisoned Father. $3000 for music lessons and cultural activities for the 12-year-old daughter and 13-year-old son whose father served time for destroying traps set for mountain lions, and was re-incarcerated for accepting a Facebook friend request.  MI

Young Activist Endures Gunfire and Arson. $1000 Development grant for the 20-year-old TAY working for environmental, animal and educational rights, whose family faced attacks at their home. CA   

GENDER EQUALITY, LGBTQ & REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS

Doula’s Livelihood Threatened. $4500 for school tuition for the three children, ages six to nine, whose mother, a reproductive rights advocate, was harassed by hospital staff and barred from that hospital. GA   

Mother Threatened with Loss of Son. $3000 for educational support for the seven-year-old daughter and 15-year-old son whose mother was threatened by the state with the removal of her son because of her organizing on behalf of LGBTQ rights. OR

Jailers Threaten to Burn Children. $2100 for summer programs and a CIF award for the 15-year-old son and 22-year-old daughter of a refugee women’s rights activist who was tortured and warned that her children could be attacked. OK     

Daughters Assaulted. $2000 for educational support for the eight-year-old son and 13-year-old daughter whose mother, an anti-female genital mutilation activist, was forced to flee her home country after two of her daughters were attacked in retaliation for her work. NY   

Mother Disabled by Beating. $1500 for therapy and music lessons for the 16-year-old daughter whose mother was  assaulted by a cop at the RNC and has faced on-going harassment for her LGBTQ activism. WA  

Children & Mother Flee. $1200 for two CIF awards for the 20-year-old daughter and 24-year-old son whose mother fled after receiving death threats for organizing against mass rape in Congolese warfare. IL         

HUMAN RIGHTS

Family Targeted for Decades. $4000 for childcare and educational support for the two sons, ages three and seven, whose father has been followed and targeted his entire life for his family’s organizing. GA 

Daughter of Iraqi Refugee. $2000 for piano lessons and educational support for the 17-year-old daughter whose mother assisted civilians in Baghdad. She was kidnapped, interrogated, beaten and forced to flee, eventually settling in the U.S. IL 

Family Forced to Flee. $2000 for educational support for the 18-year old daughter whose family was forced to leave Guatemala after her human rights activist father received death threats. IL  

Mother Fights to End Torture. $2000 for summer camp for the 10-year-old daughter whose mother advocated for women whose rights had been violated in her home country. She was detained and arrested before seeking refuge in the U.S. IL  

Father Refuses to be Silenced. $2000 for tennis lessons and a tablet for the 14-year-old daughter whose father survived a year in a concentration camp in Bosnia. He testified against his captors despite receiving numerous death threats. IL     

Father Jailed, Tortured. $1500 for an after-school circus arts program and educational support for the 13-year-old daughter whose father was a leader in the fight against human rights violations in his home country. He was imprisoned and tortured before escaping with his daughters to the U.S. IL 

Two Generations Fight for Activists. $1128 for swimming lessons for the 14-year-old daughter whose mother and grandmother were detained and tortured for protesting students’ human rights violations in their home country, and fled to the U.S. IL  

Father Disappeared, Mother and Daughter Flee. $600 CIF award for the 19-year-old daughter whose father was “disappeared” during the Guatemalan civil war for his anti-military regime, pro-student efforts. IL

LABOR & ECONOMIC JUSTICE

Family Forced to Relocate. $2765 for summer camp and sports programs for two sons, ages 11 to 14, whose mother was threatened with prison for trying to address the needs of low-income families. TX     

Union Dad Imprisoned. $2000 for sports and after-school programs for the 11-year-old son whose father, a labor organizer, was the co-founder of an immigrants’ rights collective and was arrested on politically motivated charges. FL      

Mother Organizes Post-Katrina. $2000 for sports and summer programs for the son and daughter, ages eight and 12, whose mother was a leader in the movement demanding the right for residents to return to their public housing units after Katrina. In retaliation, she was harassed and convicted on false assault charges. LA 

Family Threatened with Loss of Home. $1567 for summer camp for the 12-year-old daughter whose mother was active with Occupy Wall Street. After a magazine named her as a key member of the group, she struggled to find work and had to temporary relinquish full-time custody of her daughter while facing eviction. NY    

PEACE

Parents Working Together for Peace. $9600 for educational support, sports and a CIF award for seven children, ages four to 20, from four families whose parents are members of pacifist communities. The parents have engaged in peaceful anti-war protests and some have been imprisoned for civil disobedience. ME, NJ, NY, VA

Muslim Peace Activists Targeted. $9225 for educational support, two CIF awards and two Attica Fund Prison Visit grants* for ten children, ages nine to 21, from two families. Their fathers were convicted of terrorist-related money laundering after an FBI sting targeting them for their public anti-war activities and support for a local Mosque. NY

(*Attica Fund Prison Visit grants enable the children and grandchildren of political prisoners to visit their jailed loved ones.)

Mother Gives Birth Behind Bars. $7500 for extracurricular activities and childcare for the five children, ages one to 13, whose war resister mother fled to Canada. After five years she was deported to the U.S. where she served eight months in the brig while pregnant. TX  

Father Charged for Protesting with His Children. $6535 for summer camp, music and sports programs, a computer, and a CIF award for six children, ages 10 to 21, whose father was arrested at a peaceful demonstration. He faced additional charges of contributing to the delinquency of a minor for bringing his children to the event. NC 

Support for Children of Pacifist. $4500 for childcare and sports programs for the three children, ages four to 18, whose father was arrested during an anti-missile shield action. OK (See front page for more.)

Son Reunited with Father. $3000 to allow an eight-year-old son to visit his war resister father for the first time in four years. His dad fled to Canada, but was denied asylum and returned to the U.S. where he served 15 months in the brig; he is forbidden from returning to visit his son. Canada

Parents Face Threat of Deadly Force. $2012 for music lessons for the son and daughter, ages 14 and 15, whose parents continue to protest at a local Air Force base despite a declaration from officials allowing the use of “deadly force” against demonstrators. CA  

Family’s Home Raided. $2000 for cultural and sports programs for the 10-year-old daughter whose father faced harassment after refusing to testify before a grand jury investigating peace and international solidarity activists. IL 

Five Years for Demonstrating. $1075 for school tuition for the 16-year-old daughter whose father was imprisoned for protesting the Navy’s use of Vieques as a bombing range. PR  

PRISONERS’ RIGHTS/ U.S. POLITICAL PRISONERS

Son of Political Prisoner Targeted for his Activism. $7500 for school tuition for the five children, ages nine to 19, whose father, himself the son of a political prisoner, was fired for giving a lecture supporting political prisoners. GA 

Former Political Prisoner Faces Ongoing Harassment. $4000 for educational support for the seven-year-old twins whose father was incarcerated for years for anti-apartheid efforts. Since his release he continues to work for the release of political prisoners despite ongoing targeting which has cost him several jobs. MA 

Mother Targeted for Helping Prisoners. $1500 for cultural programs for the four-year-old son whose mother, a human rights activist, created an alternative program for inmates at a federal penitentiary. She was accused of conspiring with a political prisoner and threatened with prosecution. NY

Second-Generation Activist. $1200 for art lessons for the 14-year-old daughter whose father, the son of an African American political prisoner, has been harassed by police for years for his efforts on behalf of his father, political prisoners and other human rights issues. PA             

Father Fought for the Incarcerated. $950 for orthodontia for the 17-year-old son whose father advocated for Native American prisoners’ rights. NM