Growing Grassroots Movements

The results of the 2008 presidential election make two things abundantly clear:  change is possible, and the fight for justice continues. The jubilation that came with witnessing the election of our nation's first African-American president was tempered by the passage of Proposition 8, which will ban -- for a time, at least -- the right of same sex couples to marry in the State of California.  In this kind of environment, filled with hope, but also marked by bitter loss, what are the next steps for a small social justice foundation like ours? 

The answer is found in the passions of our people. In 2008 friends of the Foundation for Change committed wholeheartedly not just to campaigns for electoral office at all levels of government, but also to two local causes for social justice:

1) the fight to defeat Proposition 8;
2) the fight against the federal government's construction of a triple fence along the U.S.-Mexico border near the coast in San Diego.

From this work of community organizing, a future strategy for the Foundation for Change is coming clear.  By supporting these causes we have been positioning the foundation as a critical player in two local movements for social justice:

1) the movement for immigrant rights and justice;
2) the movement for LGBT rights and justice.

There may be other movements we can resource in the future, but right now these are two local movements on which the Foundation for Change can have dramatic and immediate impact. 

In this section of our website you can read more about this emerging strategic focus at the Foundation for Change.  If you have questions – or would like to share your own ideas about the future of social justice movements in our region – please don't hesitate to contact me. 

Thank you for your continuing interest in the work of the Foundation for Change.

Looking forward,

John Fanestil (john@foundation4change.org)