afropunk atl: activism row, black futures lab

Activism Row is where you’ll find all the warriors who represent and fight for ALL of us. We highlighted some of our fave orgs doing the damn thing.

What is your name and where are you from?
My name is Alicia Garza and I live in Oakland, California — and am born and raised in the Bay Area.

Describe what you do and what your organization is about?
I’m an organizer, a strategist, and a freedom dreamer. I helped start the Black Lives Matter Global Network, which has grown from a hashtag and a group of social media pages to an organization that has nearly 40 chapters in 4 countries. I build the power of women of color in my role as the Strategy + Partnerships Director for the National Domestic Workers Alliance. Last year I started an organization called the Black Futures Lab which works to make Black communities powerful in politics. This year we released the largest survey of Black communities in America in 154 years called the Black Census Project. Now we’re turning that data into action on the issues we care about through our Black Agenda, and by registering at least 10,000 Black voters in advance of the upcoming Presidential primaries.

Define activism.
An activist is someone who takes action on the issues they care about. I started being an activist when I was 12 years old — and the issue I cared a lot about was reproductive justice. An organizer is someone who brings people together to change conditions in our communities, learns about the root causes of the problems we face, and develops a strategy to build the power we need to win short and long term change. I became an organizer when I was 22 years old, fighting gentrification, displacement, and environmental racism.

What’s something fest-goers should check out at your booth?
We have excellent Black Futures Lab swag, we’re registering Black voters, and we’re collecting stories of what a Black future looks and feels like. Come and check us out! We want to make sure that you have a voice in the decisions that are important for your life — and that you look good while doing it.

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