ColorOfChange

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"> <html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> <head><script type="text/javascript" src="https://web-static.archive.org/_static/js/bundle-playback.js?v=7YQSqjSh" charset="utf-8"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="https://web-static.archive.org/_static/js/wombat.js?v=txqj7nKC" charset="utf-8"></script> <script>window.RufflePlayer=window.RufflePlayer||{};window.RufflePlayer.config={"autoplay":"on","unmuteOverlay":"hidden"};</script> <script type="text/javascript" src="https://web-static.archive.org/_static/js/ruffle/ruffle.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript"> __wm.init("https://web.archive.org/web"); __wm.wombat("http://colorofchange.org/about/","20140702013849","https://web.archive.org/","web","https://web-static.archive.org/_static/", "1404265129"); </script> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="https://web-static.archive.org/_static/css/banner-styles.css?v=p7PEIJWi" /> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="https://web-static.archive.org/_static/css/iconochive.css?v=3PDvdIFv" />  <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"/> <title>ColorOfChange | About</title> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="/web/20140702013849cs_/http://colorofchange.org/static/css/main.css"/> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1, maximum-scale=1"> <link rel="shortcut icon" href="/web/20140702013849im_/http://colorofchange.org/favicon.ico" type="image/x-icon"/> <meta property="fb:admins" content="701690"/> <meta property="fb:app_id" content="127053160685288"/> <meta property="og:type" content="article"/> <meta property="article:publisher" content="https://www.facebook.com/colorofchange"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary"> <meta name="twitter:site" content="@colorofchange"> </head> <body> <div id="wrapper" class="orange_border"> <div id="header"> <div class="wrapper_inner"> <div class="logo"> <h1><a href="/web/20140702013849/http://colorofchange.org/">ColorOfChange.org changing the color of democracy</a></h1> </div> <nav class="navigator"> <ul id="header-nav" class="list-nav"> <li id="tab_about" class="orange"><a href="/web/20140702013849/http://colorofchange.org/about/">about</a></li> <li id="tab_campaigns" class="red"><a href="/web/20140702013849/http://colorofchange.org/campaigns/">campaigns</a></li> <li id="tab_blog" class="purple"><a href="/web/20140702013849/http://colorofchange.org/blog/">blog</a></li>  <li id="tab_press" class="yellow"><a href="/web/20140702013849/http://colorofchange.org/press/">press</a></li> <li id="tab_donate" class="blue"><a href="/web/20140702013849/http://colorofchange.org/donate/?source=donate_navbar">donate</a></li>  <li id="tab_contact" class="green"><a href="/web/20140702013849/http://colorofchange.org/contact/">contact</a></li> </ul> </nav>  </div> </div> <div class="wrapper_inner"> <div id="content" class="about_page">  <div class="left_frame">  <div class="paragraph_bordered"> <h2>What Is ColorOfChange.org?</h2> <div class="our_mission"> <p>ColorOfChange.org exists to strengthen Black America's political voice. Our goal is to empower our members - Black Americans and our allies - to make government more responsive to the concerns of Black Americans and to bring about positive political and social change for everyone.<br/></p>  </div> <p>We were heart-broken and outraged by the catastrophe that followed Hurricane Katrina. And we were devastated to realize that no African-American organization or coalition had the capacity to respond on the necessary scale.</p> <p>Hurricane Katrina made it clear that our lack of a political voice has life-and-death consequences. With no one to speak for them, hundreds of thousands of people - largely Black, poor, and elderly - were left behind to die. But it wasn't just Black folks. Poor, sick, and elderly people of every color were abandoned too. We are not alone, and when we work to protect Black lives and interests, we do the same for all who have been left behind in political silence.</p> <p>ColorOfChange.org is comprised of Black folks from every economic class, as well as those of every color who seek to help our voices be heard. Our members are united behind a simple, powerful pledge: we will do all we can to make sure all Americans are represented, served, and protected - regardless of race or class.</p> </div> <div class="slideshows_block">  <div class="half_width"> <label class="grey">RECENT SUCCESS</label> <div class="white_block shadow"> <div class="slideshow" id="success_slideshow"> <div class="success"> <div class="photo"> <img src="/web/20140702013849im_/http://colorofchange.org/media/uploads/recent_news/COPS.jpg"> </div> <div class="text_block"> <label class="orange">Fox Drops COPS From Its Primetime Lineup</label> <span class="quote"> After months of pressure, senior executives at Fox let us know this dangerous and dehumanizing show will not return for a 26th season. </span> </div> </div> <div class="success"> <div class="photo"> <img src="/web/20140702013849im_/http://colorofchange.org/media/uploads/recent_news/EnglewoodFivePic_final_1.jpg"> </div> <div class="text_block"> <label class="orange">Exonerations in Cook County</label> <span class="quote"> Judges vacated the convictions of ten men falsely arrested and harshly prosecuted as teenagers for crimes they did not commit. </span> </div> </div> <div class="success"> <div class="photo"> <img src="/web/20140702013849im_/http://colorofchange.org/media/uploads/recent_news/bloomberg.216x160.jpg"> </div> <div class="text_block"> <label class="orange">NYPD to Now Follow State Law</label> <span class="quote"> ColorOfChange.org members were part of a huge victory against racially-biased marijuana arrests in New York City. </span> </div> </div> <div class="success"> <div class="photo"> <img src="/web/20140702013849im_/http://colorofchange.org/media/uploads/recent_news/OH_mom.216x160.jpg"> </div> <div class="text_block"> <label class="orange">Clemency for Kelley Williams-Bolar</label> <span class="quote"> The single mom's felony convictions for sending her kids to a school outside her district have been reduced to misdemeanors. </span> </div> </div> <div class="success"> <div class="photo"> <img src="/web/20140702013849im_/http://colorofchange.org/media/uploads/recent_news/ATT216x160.jpg"> </div> <div class="text_block"> <label class="orange">DOJ sues to block AT&T/T-Mobile Merger</label> <span class="quote"> U.S. Justice Department agrees that the $39 billion proposed telecom merger would harm consumers. </span> </div> </div> <div class="success"> <div class="photo"> <img src="/web/20140702013849im_/http://colorofchange.org/media/uploads/recent_news/glenn.216x160.png"> </div> <div class="text_block"> <label class="orange">Goodbye Glenn Beck</label> <span class="quote"> Fox News dropped Beck after our campaign highlighting his race-baiting pressured 300 sponsors to pull their ads. </span> </div> </div> </div> <div class="cube"></div> </div> </div>  <div class="half_width"> <label class="grey">HISTORY</label> <div class="white_block shadow"> <div class="slideshow" id="history_slideshow"> <div class="success"> <div class="photo"> <img src="/web/20140702013849im_/http://colorofchange.org/media/uploads/recent_news/Satellite_Voting.216x160.jpg"> </div> <div class="text_block"> <label class="orange">Satellite Voting for Katrina Survivors</label> <span class="quote"> Gov. Blanco urged to protect displaced New Orleanians' voting rights in first post-hurricane mayoral election. </span> </div> </div> <div class="success"> <div class="photo"> <img src="/web/20140702013849im_/http://colorofchange.org/media/uploads/recent_news/jena_6.216x160.png"> </div> <div class="text_block"> <label class="orange">Rally for Jena 6</label> <span class="quote"> Six young men were charged with attempted murder for a schoolyard fight with a White classmate; the charges were reduced to simple misdemeanors. </span> </div> </div> <div class="success"> <div class="photo"> <img src="/web/20140702013849im_/http://colorofchange.org/media/uploads/recent_news/Foreclosures.216x160.jpg"> </div> <div class="text_block"> <label class="orange">Lose Your Home, Lose Your Vote?</label> <span class="quote"> Michigan GOP planned to target every voter with a house on a foreclosure list to challenge their voting rights in the last presidential election. </span> </div> </div> <div class="success"> <div class="photo"> <img src="/web/20140702013849im_/http://colorofchange.org/media/uploads/recent_news/Valley_Swim.216x160.jpg"> </div> <div class="text_block"> <label class="orange">DOJ Investigates "Whites Only" Pool</label> <span class="quote"> Philadelphia's Valley Swim Club shut down as a result of financial pressures from class action lawsuit and civil rights investigation. </span> </div> </div> <div class="success"> <div class="photo"> <img src="/web/20140702013849im_/http://colorofchange.org/media/uploads/recent_news/dobbs.216x160_2.jpg"> </div> <div class="text_block"> <label class="orange">CNN Ousts Lou Dobbs</label> <span class="quote"> Dobbs called to account for using his platform to legitimize bogus questions about President Obama鈥檚 citizenship. </span> </div> </div> </div> <div class="cube"></div> </div> </div> </div>  <div class="paragraph_no_border"> <h2>What We Do</h2> <p><strong>Using the Internet, we enable our members to speak in unison, with an amplified political voice. We keep them informed about the most pressing issues for Black people in America and give them ways to act. We lobby elected representatives using email, the telephone, and face-to-face meetings. </strong></p> <p>We bring attention to the needs and concerns of Black folks by holding coordinated events in different parts of the country, running TV and print advertisements, and demanding that the news media cover our issues. We also work with other groups - online efforts and other organizations that are doing related work - to magnify our impact.</p> <p>When we come together and speak with one voice, we cannot be ignored.</p> </div> </div>  <div class="right_frame"> <h3>ColorOfChange Staff</h3> <ul class="staff_list"> <li><strong class="name">Rashad Robinson</strong> <a href="#" class="more_link">» </a><span class="more_text"><p>Rashad Robinson serves as Executive Director of ColorOfChange, the nation’s largest online civil rights organization. Under Robinson’s leadership, ColorOfChange has been at the forefront of issues ranging from fighting for justice for Trayvon Martin, to battling attempts to suppress the Black vote, to ending Pat Buchanan’s tenure as an MSNBC analyst. Robinson spearheaded ColorOfChange’s American Legislative Council (ALEC) national campaign. After ColorOfChange exposed ALEC’s involvement in passing discriminatory voter ID and harmful Shoot First laws, over 50 corporate funders ended their financial support of ALEC.</p> <p>Robinson has appeared in hundreds of news stories, interviews, and political discussions through outlets including ABC, BET, CNN, MSNBC, OWN, the New York Times, Fast Company and NPR. His op-eds have appeared in the New York Times, LA Times, Newsday and Huffington Post, among others. For the past four years, Washington Post’s “The Root” named Robinson to “The Root 100,” a list of influential African Americans under 45-years old. Robinson is also the proud recipient of the “Transforming America” award from Demos and the “Bayard Rustin Citizen Change” award from Americans for Democratic Action. He previously held leadership roles at the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), Right to Vote Campaign and FairVote.</p> <p>Robinson currently serves on the Board of Directors for ALLOUT, the Global Campaign for LGBT Equality, Applied Research Center and State Voices.</p></span><a href="#" class="less_link"><br>« hide</a></li><li><strong class="name">Keith Goodman</strong> <a href="#" class="more_link">» </a><span class="more_text"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">serves as the Chief of Staff and Operations at ColorOfChange. Throughout his career, he has focused on solving problems with multi-disciplinary teams and innovative strategy, with deep experience working at the intersection of organizing, data, and technology. Keith previously worked at the AFL-CIO where he developed targeting strategies for the 2004 election and the Democratic National Committee and Obama Campaign, where he led the 2008 Neighbor-to-Neighbor online voter contact program for the general election. Keith has also advised dozens of progressive organizations and mission-oriented for-profits on strategic planning, organizational design, online organizing, and data management.</p></span><a href="#" class="less_link"><br>« hide</a></li><li><strong class="name">Arisha Michelle Hatch</strong> <a href="#" class="more_link">» </a><span class="more_text"><p> serves as the Managing Director of Campaigns at ColorOfChange.org and leads the organization's civic engagement, voting rights, corporate accountability and media work. Prior to joining ColorOfChange, Arisha left behind a legal career to organize for the Obama Campaign in 2008, and later as National Organizing Director of the Courage Campaign, led innovative earned media campaigns including "Tax Kim Kardashian" in support of the California Millionaire's Tax (the precursor to the historic Proposition 30), as well as, a variety of efforts aimed at mobilizing the LGBT community during the aftermath of Prop 8. Her creative approach to online campaigning -- concentrated at the intersection of politics and pop culture -- has been featured in hundreds of news stories. She earned degrees in Economics and Creative Writing from Stanford and her juris doctorate from Santa Clara University.</p></span><a href="#" class="less_link"><br>« hide</a></li><li><strong class="name">Sonia Pe帽a</strong> <a href="#" class="more_link">» </a><span class="more_text"><p>joined ColorOfChange.org in 2013 and serves as the Finance Director. Prior to joining ColorOfChange, Sonia served as the Associate Director of Finance and Operations at the Applied Research Center (ARC) from 2000-2012. She is a graduate of the Center for Third World Organizing's (CTWO) Minority Activist Apprenticeship Program (MAAP) and worked for CTWO from 1988-2000 as a program director, organizer and trainer. She has trained leaders and organizers in the skills of community organizing, organizational development, and grassroots fundraising. Sonia has a degree in Sociology from the University of Colorado in Boulder.</p></span><a href="#" class="less_link"><br>« hide</a></li><li><strong class="name">Aim茅e Castenell</strong> <a href="#" class="more_link">» </a><span class="more_text"><p>joined ColorOfChange in April 2012 and serves as a Campaign Director. Prior to joining ColorOfChange, Aimée worked for several human rights organizations including the US Human Rights Network, WITNESS, Unicef and Amnesty International USA. She is a human rights activist and writer. Aimée holds a B.A. in Anthropology and Film Studies from Smith College and a Masters in Activism and Social Change from the University of Leeds in the UK.</p></span><a href="#" class="less_link"><br>« hide</a></li><li><strong class="name">Matt Nelson</strong> <a href="#" class="more_link">» </a><span class="more_text"><p>joined the ColorOfChange.org campaign staff in the spring of 2010 and serves as Organizing Director. As a campaign strategist, organizer and communications expert, Matt has trained and mentored hundreds of community leaders and organizers around the country, and has started four successful small businesses that promote alternative economic structures, including the first fair trade, worker collective café in Milwaukee, WI.</p></span><a href="#" class="less_link"><br>« hide</a></li><li><strong class="name">Lyla Bugara</strong> <a href="#" class="more_link">» </a><span class="more_text"><p>joined the ColorOfChange team in summer 2012 as a Campaign Fellow and now serves as a Campaign Manager. Prior to joining ColorOfChange, Lyla interned with Human Rights Watch and the Correctional Association of New York. Lyla spends her free time supporting anti-prison expansion work. She holds a BA from Hampshire College in Race, Legal and Prison studies.</p></span><a href="#" class="less_link"><br>« hide</a></li><li><strong class="name">Dallas Donnell</strong> <a href="#" class="more_link">» </a><span class="more_text"><p>joined the ColorOfChange team in September 2013 and serves as the Communications Manager. Prior to joining ColorOfChange, Dallas worked as the Web Coordinator for the Black Youth Project, an organization dedicated to lifting up the voices and experiences of young Black people, and mobilizing communities of color beyond electoral politics. He graduated from the University of Chicago with a degree in Comparative Race and Ethnic Studies, focusing specifically in African American Studies and English.</p></span><a href="#" class="less_link"><br>« hide</a></li><li><strong class="name">Jamar S. Hooks</strong> <a href="#" class="more_link">» </a><span class="more_text"><p>joined ColorOfChange in June 2012 and serves as a Campaign Manager. Jamar spends his free time working with Displaced Africans and at-risk youth. Prior to joining ColorOfChange, Jamar worked for the New York State Legislature on economic development, education and criminal justice reforms. Jamar holds a B.A. in Political Science and Social Policy from Syracuse University and a Master of Social Welfare Policy from Syracuse University.</p></span><a href="#" class="less_link"><br>« hide</a></li><li><strong class="name">Aimee Elizabeth Lang</strong> <a href="#" class="more_link">» </a><span class="more_text"><p>joined ColorOfChange in January 2012 and serves as Executive Assistant/Special Projects Manager. Prior to joining ColorOfChange, Aimee worked for New York University's Women of Color Policy Network, National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Ghana's Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice, United Nations Development Programme and the Brennan Center for Justice. Aimee holds a B.A. in Africana and Metropolitan Studies from New York University.</p></span><a href="#" class="less_link"><br>« hide</a></li><li><strong class="name">Hannah Lucal</strong> <a href="#" class="more_link">» </a><span class="more_text"><p>joined ColorOfChange in July 2013 and serves as Program Manager. Prior to joining ColorOfChange, Hannah was a New York City Coro Fellow, where she completed projects for organizations in the government, labor, business, non profit and political campaign sectors. She holds a B.A. from Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota.</p></span><a href="#" class="less_link"><br>« hide</a></li><li><strong class="name">Johnny Mathias</strong> <a href="#" class="more_link">» </a><span class="more_text"><p>joined the ColorOfChange team in June 2012 and serves as a Campaign Manager. Prior to joining ColorOfChange, Johnny managed numerous electoral campaigns across the Mid-Atlantic, Mid-South and Midwest. In 2008, he worked field for Al Franken in Minnesota until the last ballot was counted. Johnny organized with SEIU in Wisconsin during the historic uprising in Madison in the winter of 2011. He holds a BA in Government & Politics from the University of Maryland, College Park with a concentration in African American studies.</p></span><a href="#" class="less_link"><br>« hide</a></li><li><strong class="name">Erika Strong</strong> <a href="#" class="more_link">» </a><span class="more_text"><p>joined ColorOfChange in November 2012 and serves as the Development Officer and Grant Writer. Prior to joining ColorOfChange, Erika worked in program planning, development, and coordination in various areas including criminal justice reform, hunger action, and public health. Erika is an active anti-racist organizer and trainer in NYC. She received a Master of Public Health in Community-Oriented Public Health Practice from the University of Washington in Seattle.</p></span><a href="#" class="less_link"><br>« hide</a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> <div id="footer"> <div class="wrapper_inner"> <div class="copyright"> <span class="creative_commons">c</span>2005-2013 ColorOfChange.org. <a href="/web/20140702013849/http://colorofchange.org/about/copyright">Some rights reserved</a> </div> <div class="footer_menu"> <ul id="footer-nav" class="list-nav"> <div class="mobile"> <li> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20140702013849/http://twitter.com/#!/colorofchange">twitter</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20140702013849/http://www.facebook.com/colorofchange">facebook</a> </li> </div> <li><a href="/web/20140702013849/http://colorofchange.org/about/privacy/">privacy policy</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20140702013849/http://colorofchange.org/">home</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20140702013849/http://colorofchange.org/contact/">contact us</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20140702013849/http://colorofchange.org/jobs/">jobs</a></li> <li class="last"> <label>follow us:</label> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20140702013849/http://twitter.com/#!/colorofchange" target="_blank" class="social_icon twitter">twitter</a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20140702013849/http://www.facebook.com/colorofchange" target="_blank" class="social_icon facebook">facebook</a> </li> <div class="copyright mobile"> <span class="creative_commons">c</span>2005-2012 ColorOfChange.org. <a href="/web/20140702013849/http://colorofchange.org/about/copyright">Some rights reserved</a> </div> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div> <script src="//web.archive.org/web/20140702013849js_/http://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/1.8.0/jquery.min.js"></script> <script src="/web/20140702013849js_/http://colorofchange.org/static/js/jquery-ui.custom.min.js"></script> <script src="/web/20140702013849js_/http://colorofchange.org/static/js/main.js"></script> <script src="/web/20140702013849js_/http://colorofchange.org/static/js/jquery.cycle.min.js"></script> <script> $(document).ready(function onload(){ $("#tab_about a").addClass("selected"); //setup slideshows $('.slideshow').each(function(){ var p = this.parentNode; $(this).cycle({ timeout: 0, pager: $('.cube', p), fastOnEvent: true, }); }); //setup staff list $('span.more_text').hide(); $('a.less_link').hide(); $('a.more_link').click(function(){ $(this).hide(); $(this).siblings('.more_text').show(); $(this).siblings('.less_link').show(); }); $('a.less_link').click(function(){ $(this).hide(); $(this).siblings('.more_link').show(); $(this).siblings('.more_text').hide(); }); $(".staff_list strong.name").toggle(function(){ $(this).siblings('.more_link').click(); }, function(){ $(this).siblings('.less_link').click(); }); }); </script> <script type="text/javascript"> var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-18073459-4']); _gaq.push(['_setDomainName', '.colorofchange.org']); _gaq.push(['_setAllowHash', false]); _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); (function() { var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 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ColorOfChange | About