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Quick Actions

Bonus: June Calls Us to Action!

by Ashia May 22, 2024

written by Ashia

Igniting the next generation of kind & courageous leaders

Get Free Social Justice Toolkits For Kids

QUICK ACTIONS

June Calls Us To Action!

Raising Luminaries ignites the next generation of kind & courageous leaders.

Co-Created by Shannon Brescher Shea & Ashia Ray

WE DID IT!

We're cheering on...

STAY CURIOUS, STAND BRAVE & SMASH THE KYRIARCHY

You give us hope

This June, we create brave spaces for our kids to embrace who they are for a kinder, more courageous future together.

RESISTBOT TEMPLATES via SARAH SAYER

Daily 10-Second Ceasefire Texts

Sarah Sayer creates texting templates with sources, explanations, and calls to end violence against the people of Palestine. Subscribe to her free for a new Resistbot message every day.

Already on Resistbot? Text FOLLOW WATERMELON to the number 50409

PETITION via MPOWER CHANGE

University Presidents: Stop suppressing students free speech

Tell University Presidents to stop sending police and armed guards to suppress students protesting war and genocide.

PETITION via NATIONAL CAMPAIGN FOR JUSTICE

Tell Democrats in Congress to reject AIPAC

In 2022, AIPAC launched a super PAC that spent a staggering $41 million to defeat progressive Democrats who dared to criticize the Israeli government or advocate for Palestinian rights.

FILM SCREENING via DEFENSE FOR CHILDREN INTERNATIONAL

Understand Palestinian Youth Detention

Each year the Israel military arrests, interrogates, and imprisons 500-700 children as young as 12 years old. Two documentaries explore Israel’s military 'justice system' for Palestinian children.

Free | Watch anytime online before June 16, 2024

PETITION via MPOWER CHANGE

Tell the US Government: Investigate ShotSpotter

WIRED just revealed that a shocking 70% of ShotSpotter surveillance microphones monitor predominantly Black, Brown, and low-income neighborhoods in the U.S. Demand a federal investigation into the use and funding of ShotSpotter tech.

WORKSHOP via WORLD ANIMAL PROTECTION

Restoring biodiversity in your garden

Learn how to restore biodiversity and create a safe haven for native wildlife in your back yard.

48 Minutes | On-Demand | Online | Free

FREE TOOL via NATIVE PLANT TRUST

New England Native Plant Finder

Identify or search for plants based on size, color, sunlight needs, moisture, season, and native ecoregion.

AUDIO TRAINING via COME BACK TO CARE

How to raise change agents

You and Nat are going to connect the dots raising our children to take social justice action and the university students who are a part of the anti-war movement now. Explore 3 parenting strategiesto nurture your child’s sense of justice and advocacy skills.

PETITION via EVERYTOWN FOR GUN SAFETY

Tell Congress: Protect new guidelines restricting unlicensed gun sales

The ATF issued a rule for unlicensed gun sellers to become licensed dealers and run background checks. The gun lobby is attacking this rule, so urge your lawmakers to protect it in Congress.

PETITION via MOMS RISING

Tell Congress: Stop protecting the gun industry

In 2005, Congress passed the 2005 Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA), which effectively shields the industry from lawsuits. We can (and must) change this!

AMPLIFY YOUR ACTION

Suggest An Action

Recommend a youth-centered action organized by people with lived experience.

LETTER TEMPLATE via RAISING LUMINARIES

Dear Teachers: Choose 'Acceptance' over 'Awareness'

I’d love to introduce a simple way to amplify this effort toward diversity and inclusion. Sometimes it’s as simple as a tweak of language.

AFFINITY GROUP via AANE

Support group for BIPOC Neurodivergent Adults

This 18+ support group for BIPOC Autistics are peer-led and provide an opportunity for participants to explore how our multiple identities show up and address our specific needs.

June 11, 12 noon ET | Online | Free

PETITION via HIP HOP CAUCUS

Congress: Protect Black History Education

Contrary to the faux panic whipped up by conservatives, “[C]ritical race theory states that U.S. social institutions … are laced with racism embedded in laws, regulations, rules, and procedures that lead to differential outcomes by race.” Trying to ban discussions and teaching about racism is an act of institutional racism. If you never learn about racism, you cannot combat it.

JOIN THE NEWSLETTER

Tackle tricky conversations with confidence

Need help starting hard conversations with your kids?

Get stories, tips, and tools to ignite the next generation of kind & courageous leaders.

TRAINING via ADVOCATES FOR YOUTH

Act Out! Pride Month Training For Young People

Support young people outraged by anti-LGBTQ+ attacks nationwide. Learn how to mobilize against these awful policies and meet young people across the country doing the same.

June training TBD | Online

DAY OF ACTION via ZINN EDUCATION PROJECT

Teach Truth Pop-Up Actions

We invite educators, students, parents, and community members to host an information table or event to defend the right to #TeachTruth and defend LGBTQ+ rights.

June 8th | Your neighborhood | Free

PETITION via MOMS RISING

Tell the Dept of Education to Stop LGBT+ Book Bans

We invite educators, students, parents, and community members to host an information table or event to defend the right to #TeachTruth and defend LGBTQ+ rights.

June 8th | Your neighborhood | Free

ACTIVIST PARENTING GUIDE

Raising Climate Justice Advocates

These monthly Quick Action guides are brought to you with the help of our Quick Action Coordinator, Shannon Brescher Shea.

Check out her book on juggling climate advocacy & parenting, Growing Sustainable Together

This is an Amazon affiliate link, since Bookshop keeps selling out!

FREE VIRTUAL TRAINING via RIGHT TO BE

Bystander Intervention to Support the LGBTQIA+ Community

We’ll talk through five strategies for intervention: distract, delegate, document, delay, and direct; and how to prioritize your own safety while intervening.

June 10, 4pm ET | Online | Free

PETITION via COALITION ON HUMAN NEEDS

Tell Congress: Reject unconstititional, xenophobic questions in the US census

The House will soon vote on xenophobic legislation that would require the Census Bureau to ask about citizenship in the decennial census and apportion House seats based solely on citizenship. The 14th Amendment to the Constitution plainly states that every person must be counted for purposes of determining congressional districts.

PETITION via MOMS RISING

Tell Congress: Protect immigrant kids access to health, nutrition & housing

Many immigrants work in low wage jobs like childcare to support the US economy. 1/3 of childcare providers experience food insecurity due to low wages. These workers are prevented from accessing legally eligible public benefits fear that this will adversely impact their immigration status.

PETITION via SIERRA CLUB

Increase outdoor access for targeted families

The bipartisan EXPLORE Act increases accessibility for outdoor sites in economically disadvantaged & BIPOC neighborhoods. Creates affordable park access for disabled people, veterans, and active duty members, and provides 4th graders and their families free access to over 2,000 federal parks and recreational water spaces.

PETITION via MOMS RISING

Tell Congress: Protect parents access to infertility treatments

After seven years of infertility and two devastating miscarriages, I became a parent thanks to medical infertility care. The recent Alabama Supreme Court ruling devastating the infertility industry has thrown medical providers and families lives into chaos, barring access to medical care for families like ours.

SUMMER WORKSHOP via RAISING LUMINARIES

Summer Luminator Collective

Join our 6-week summer collective, where radically progressive parents reflect, assess, and take action to make a laser-beam impact all year round.

It’s fun. You will like it. Join us.

July 8 through August 16, 2024 | Online | Sliding Scale

Let us know we're not alone:

What step have you taken this month to make create brave spaces for the next generation?

RAISING LUMINARIES

Raising Luminaries creates workshops, training, and educational resources for parents & caregivers igniting the next generation of kind & courageous leaders.

ABOUT | MISSION | FINANCIALS | ACCOUNTABILITY

SHOW YOUR SUPPORT

MEMBER LOGIN

STAY IN TOUCH

Get free email notifications with stories, toolkits, guides to help you raise kind & courageous leaders

FREE STUFF

JOIN OUR COMMUNITY

SHOP

Bookshop

Posts may contain affiliate links and sponsorships, which allow me to earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

AFFILIATE POLICY

PARTNERS IN CAHOOTS

TOPICS

CONTACT

WHAT DID I MISS?

RECIPROCATE

You’re welcome to share & boost this toolkit, with attribution to Raising Luminaries.

Raising Luminaries is anchored in the land of the Wampanoag & Massachusett People.
Support Wôpanâak early childhood education here.

▲

This page may use affiliate referral links. We may earn a small commission if you choose to make an order using these links. Learn how we use affiliate links to support our community.

Photographs via Unsplash & Illustrations via Storyset, used with permission.

May 22, 2024 0 comments

Quick Actions

Bonus: May Calls Us to Action!

by Ashia April 15, 2024

written by Ashia

Igniting the next generation of kind & courageous leaders

Get Free Social Justice Toolkits For Kids

QUICK ACTIONS

May Calls Us To Action!

Youth-centered calls to action to ignite the next generation of kind & courageous leaders.

Co-Created by Shannon Brescher Shea & Ashia Ray

WE DID IT!

We're cheering on...

STAY CURIOUS, STAND BRAVE & SMASH THE KYRIARCHY

You give us hope

This May, we take small steps of courage. Try something a little scary, rest and recover - and repeat.

RESISTBOT TEMPLATES via WATERMELON

Daily 10-Second Ceasefire Texts

Sarah Sayer creates texting templates with sources, explanations, and calls to end violence against the people of Palestine. Subscribe to her free for a new Resistbot message every day.

Already on Resistbot? Text FOLLOW WATERMELON to the number 50409

PETITION via ADALAH JUSTICE PROJECT

Boycott the White House Correspondents' Dinner

*DUE 4/26* On April 27, the White House Press Association will host its annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner, where journalists and celebrities break bread with President Biden while Palestinian journalists in Gaza are being targeted and killed by Israel using U.S.-supplied weapons.

PETITION via MOVE ON

Justice for Jaahnavi Kandula

Seattle Police officer hit and killed 23-year-old Jaahnavi Kandula through reckless driving. The NPD then made disparaging and inhumane remarks about Kandula. The ACLUC of Washington notes shameful as a pattern of violence in SPD that disproportionately targets BIPOC civilians. Tell Seattle & Washington elected officials and the white house - these officers accountable.

PETITION via MPOWER CHANGE

Let Asna Speak

After a social media campaign of disinformation targeting South Asian-American Muslim student Asna Tabassum, USC school administrators responded with fear and cowardice by silencing her and cancelling her valedictorian speech.

PETITION via MOMS RISING

Salary Transparency & Paycheck Fairness Act Now!

Full-time working women earning just 84 cents to an average man's dollar. Mothers make even less compared to fathers. Women of color (whether moms or not) face even further wage gaps than white women. The Paycheck Fairness Act & Salary Transparency Act combats pay discrimination to close the wage gap.

PETITION via OXFAM AMERICA

Demand Amazon & Walmart End Harmful Surveillance

Amazon and Walmart constantly monitors their warehouse workers, fostering inhuman, unsustainable productivity pressure and standards leading to health and safety risks.

PETITION via WIN WITHOUT WAR

End the Famine in Gaza NOW

Children like ours are starving to death due to a man-made famine. Before the war, at least 10,000 trucks carried food to Gaza every month. That number has plummeted to just over 11,000 TOTAL in the five months since Israel started its latest siege on Gaza.

PETITION via NATIONAL CAMPAIGN FOR JUSTICE

Stop Book Bans Now!

In the first half of the 2022-23 school year, 30% of banned books were related to race or featured characters of color, while more than half of those banned in 2023 focused on LGBTQ+ issues.

PODCAST EPISODE via COME BACK TO CARE

Why Intentions Don't Matter

When you’re triggered and in protection mode... you have no access to your beautiful parenting intentions or the well-researched parenting strategies you read about last night. Or at least not until you soothe your nervous system, turn off the danger alarm, take off your superhero costume, and get from the fight-flight-freeze-fix-people please mode back into your bandwidth.

AMPLIFY YOUR ACTION

Suggest An Action

Recommend a youth-centered action organized by people with lived experience.

LETTER TEMPLATE via FORJ AT BROWN

Dear School Admin: Reconsider 'Crazy Hair Day'

As the school year wraps up and we celebrate theme days, pause and reflect on whether these themes are inclusive and welcoming to all students in our community.

What implicit messages or values do these themes convey? Who is missing from the conversation about planning these themes?

FREE VIRTUAL TRAINING via RIGHT TO BE

Resilience Training for Asian/Americans Experiencing Harassment

We’ll talk through five strategies for intervention: distract, delegate, document, delay, and direct; and how to prioritize your own safety while intervening.

May 20, 2pm ET | Online | Free

FREE VIRTUAL TRAINING via RIGHT TO BE

Bystander Intervention to Stop Anti-Asian/American & Xenophobic Harassment

We’ll talk through five strategies for intervention: distract, delegate, document, delay, and direct; and how to prioritize your own safety while intervening.

May 15, 2pm ET | Online | Free

CEREMONY via COMBATANTS FOR PEACE

Israeli-Palestinian Memorial Day Ceremony

Our ceremony is radically different from the typical ceremonies that promote a narrative that war and death are inevitable and necessary. Instead, the joint memorial event is a unique opportunity for Israelis and Palestinians to grieve together and stand united in demanding an end to the bloodshed.

PARENTING GROUP via RAISING LUMINARIES

Support Group for Community Caregivers

The Luminary Braintrust hosts Spring Hangouts for frazzled parents. We discuss the challenges of juggling parenting, oppression, and community care - and create a plan to move forward together.

Your membership supports Ashia's labor providing these free Monthly Quick Actions & Family Action Toolkits.

Online | Tuesdays May 14 & 28 | 1pm ET
Free for Luminary Braintrust Members (sliding scale)

6-WEEK COLLECTIVE via RAISING LUMINARIES

Summer Caregiver Collective

Are you modeling healthy care work for your kids - or saviorism, martyrdom & toxic hustle? Focus your floodlight into a laser-beam of sustainable action.

July-August 2024 | Online | Sliding Scale

JOIN THE NEWSLETTER

Tackle tricky conversations with confidence

Need help starting hard conversations with your kids?

Get stories, tips, and tools to ignite the next generation of kind & courageous leaders.

Let us know we're not alone:

What small step of courage have you taken this month?

RAISING LUMINARIES

Raising Luminaries creates workshops, training, and educational resources for parents & caregivers igniting the next generation of kind & courageous leaders.

ABOUT | MISSION | FINANCIALS | ACCOUNTABILITY

SHOW YOUR SUPPORT

MEMBER LOGIN

STAY IN TOUCH

Get free email notifications with stories, toolkits, guides to help you raise kind & courageous leaders

FREE STUFF

JOIN OUR COMMUNITY

SHOP

Bookshop

Posts may contain affiliate links and sponsorships, which allow me to earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

AFFILIATE POLICY

PARTNERS IN CAHOOTS

TOPICS

CONTACT

WHAT DID I MISS?

RECIPROCATE

You’re welcome to share & boost this toolkit, with attribution to Raising Luminaries.

Raising Luminaries is anchored in the land of the Wampanoag & Massachusett People.
Support Wôpanâak early childhood education here.

▲

This page may use affiliate referral links. We may earn a small commission if you choose to make an order using these links. Learn how we use affiliate links to support our community.

Photographs via Unsplash & Illustrations via Storyset, used with permission.

April 15, 2024 0 comments

Quick Actions

Bonus: April Calls Us to Action!

by Ashia March 20, 2024

written by Ashia

Igniting the next generation of kind & courageous leaders

Get Free Social Justice Toolkits For Kids

QUICK ACTIONS

April Calls Us To Action!

Youth-centered calls to action to ignite the next generation of kind & courageous leaders.

Co-Created by Shannon Brescher Shea & Ashia Ray

WE DID IT!

We're cheering on...

STAY CURIOUS, STAND BRAVE & SMASH THE KYRIARCHY

You give us hope

This April, we embrace appreciation, hope, and a little mischief as we strive to build a better future together.

RESISTBOT TEMPLATES via WATERMELON

Daily 10-Second Ceasefire Texts

Sarah Sayer creates texting templates with sources, explanations, and calls to end violence against the people of Palestine. Subscribe to her free for a new Resistbot message every day.

Already on Resistbot? Text FOLLOW WATERMELON to the number 50409

#AutisticWhileBlack PETITION via MOMS RISING

Justice for Ryan Gainer

Ryan Gainer was a Black autistic child who police killed in response to a call for help.

Join us in calling for the San Bernardino County Sheriff department to release all information connected to this investigation.

PUBLIC COMMENT via AUTISTIC SELF ADVOCACY NETWORK

FDA: Band Torture Against Disabled People, Too

At the Judge Rotenberg Center, people with disabilities are punished using painful electroshock devices for refusing to take off jackets or flapping their hands. This is illegal to do to non-disabled people and animals, but it's still used on us today.

HOUSING EQUITY PETITION via COALITION ON HUMAN NEEDS

Supreme Court: Affirm The Right To Adequate Housing

The US Supreme Court will hear arguments for City of Grants Pass v. Johnson, the first major case on homelessness to be heard by the Supreme Court since the 1980s. The city began penalizing people who find refuge on public property due to a lack of safe, alternative shelters.

HOUSING EQUITY PETITION via COALITION ON HUMAN NEEDS

Congress: Invest In Housing To Prevent A Crisis

Speaker Mike Johnson is threatening to cut current funding levels so deeply that housing assistance would be eliminated for nearly 700,000 households. Tell Congress to invest in, not cut, housing assistance to prevent generations of medical, educational, and political debt.

EARTH DAY PETITION via PEOPLE VS FOSSIL FUELS

Don't Let The DOJ Silence Youth Voices

The DOJ has taken action to shut down the youth activists behind Juliana v. United States, asserting that US government’s actions knowingly cause climate change and violate our constitutional rights to life, liberty, and property. Tell the DOJ to stop silencing them and allow the case to move forward.

WORLD IMMUNIZATION WEEK PETITION via MOVEON

Bring Back Affordable COVID Testing

The Biden Administration's program sending 4 free tests to Americans upon request ended in March 2024. Americans who can't afford testing still need effective diagnosis tools to mitigate the spread of COVID.

LGBTQiA2S+ SILENCE PETITION via NATIONAL CAMPAIGN FOR JUSTICE

Tell Governors: Protect LGBTQiA2S+ Students

LGBTQiA2S+ centers are being systematically dismantled and replaced throughout states like Texas and Florida. Research consistently shows that these centers play a pivotal role in student safety, support, and connection to their communities - significantly contributing to their academic achievements and survival.

AUTISM BEWARENESS PETITION via MOMS RISING

Tell Congress: End Deadly Restraint in Schools

Xavier Hernadez, an Autistic student, died after being physically restrained at school. His crime? Running out of a classroom. Almost 80% of students abused and killed using these practices are disabled and/or Black boys.

The Keeping All Students Safe Act (H.R. 3470) would make it illegal for any school receiving federal funds to seclude a child or use dangerous restraint practices.

RIGHT TO READ PETITION via MOMS RISING

Tell Congress: Pass The Books Save Lives Act

Book bans are not about protecting children, they are about silencing vulnerable children. Pass the Books Save Lives Act (HR 6830) to counteract the rise in book bans and help ensure an inclusive learning environment for all students.

PASSOVER PETITION via JEWISH VOICES FOR PEACE

Tell Congress: Stop Funding The Torture of Children

Tell your Representative to cosponsor the “Promoting Human Rights for Palestinian Children Living Under Israeli Military Occupation Act” (H.R. 2407), which would prohibit any US aid from being used to mistreat Palestinian children in Israeli military detention.

EARTH DAY EXPERIMENT via RAISING LUMINARIES

Don't Buy - Borrow

Local libraries are starting to lend physical items like games and household tools. Instead of filling your closets with rarely-used stuff, look for a local Library of Things near you.

Try out an induction cooktop, hiking poles or electricity usage monitor to celebrate Earth Day.

LETTER TEMPLATE via RAISING LUMINARIES

Dear Labor Vampires: Yes, You Have To Pay Me

During Autism Bewareness Month, paid educators and employee resource groups ask disabled advocates to provide free education and do their jobs for them. Here's a template to identify well-intentioned labor vampires and set boundaries to end the cycle of extractive labor.

AMPLIFY YOUR ACTION

Suggest An Action

Recommend a youth-centered action organized by people with lived experience.

ONLINE WORKSHOP via COME BACK TO CARE

Write Your Own Parenting Playbook

Shift parenting from "winging it" to "I got this."

Reclaim your agency & Raise your child according to your social justice values with our favorite Trans Auntie & somatic therapist, Nat Vikitsreth of Come Back To Care.

Self-Paced | Online | $27

VIRTUAL WORKSHOP via WORLD ANIMAL PROTECTION

Restore Biodiversity in Your Backyard

Learn how you can help reverse the decline of butterflies, bees, and songbirds in your own backyard.

April 10, 2pm ET | Online | Free

BYSTANDER TRAINING via RIGHT TO BE

Bystander Intervention for Youth

We’ll talk through five strategies for intervention: distract, delegate, document, delay, and direct; and how to prioritize your own safety while intervening.

April 11, 3pm ET | Online | Free

FREE VIRTUAL TRAINING via RIGHT TO BE

Bystander Intervention to Stop Antisemitic Harassment

We’ll talk through five strategies for intervention: distract, delegate, document, delay, and direct; and how to prioritize your own safety while intervening.

April 26, 4pm ET | Online | Free

6-WEEK COLLECTIVE via RAISING LUMINARIES

Summer Caregiver Collective

Are you modeling healthy care work for your kids - or saviorism, martyrdom & toxic hustle? Focus your floodlight into a laser-beam of sustainable action.

July-August 2024 | Online | Sliding Scale

AFFINITY GROUP via ASSOCIATION FOR AUTISM & NEURODIVERSITY

Support Group for Autistic BIPOC Adults

Peer-led space to support participants exploring how our multiple identities show up and addressing our specific needs.

April 16, 12pm ET | Free | Online

PARENTING GROUP via RAISING LUMINARIES

Support Group for Community Caregivers

The Luminary Braintrust hosts Spring Hangouts for frazzled parents. We discuss the challenges of juggling parenting, oppression, and community care - and create a plan to move forward together.

Your membership supports Ashia's labor providing these free Monthly Quick Actions & Family Action Toolkits.

Online | Tuesdays April 9 & 23, May 14 & 28 | 1pm ET
Free for Luminary Braintrust Members (sliding scale)

Let us know we're not alone:

What small steps toward change have you taken this April?

RAISING LUMINARIES

Raising Luminaries creates workshops, training, and educational resources for parents & caregivers igniting the next generation of kind & courageous leaders.

ABOUT | MISSION | FINANCIALS | ACCOUNTABILITY

SHOW YOUR SUPPORT

MEMBER LOGIN

STAY IN TOUCH

Get free email notifications with stories, toolkits, guides to help you raise kind & courageous leaders

FREE STUFF

JOIN OUR COMMUNITY

SHOP

Bookshop

Posts may contain affiliate links and sponsorships, which allow me to earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

AFFILIATE POLICY

PARTNERS IN CAHOOTS

TOPICS

CONTACT

WHAT DID I MISS?

RECIPROCATE

You’re welcome to share & boost this toolkit, with attribution to Raising Luminaries.

Raising Luminaries is anchored in the land of the Wampanoag & Massachusett People.
Support Wôpanâak early childhood education here.

▲

This page may use affiliate referral links. We may earn a small commission if you choose to make an order using these links. Learn how we use affiliate links to support our community.

Photographs via Unsplash & Illustrations via Storyset, used with permission.

March 20, 2024 0 comments

Quick Actions

Bonus: March Calls Us to Action!

by Ashia February 28, 2024

written by Ashia

Igniting the next generation of kind & courageous leaders

Get Free Social Justice Toolkits For Kids

QUICK ACTIONS

March Calls Us To Action!

Youth-centered calls to action to ignite the next generation of kind & courageous leaders.

Co-Created by Shannon Brescher Shea & Ashia Ray

WE DID IT!

We're cheering on...

STAY CURIOUS, STAND BRAVE & SMASH THE KYRIARCHY

You give us hope

This March, we share our power as accomplices and direct our anger and pain into good trouble..

RESISTBOT TEMPLATES via WATERMELON

Daily 10-Second Ceasefire Text Templates

Sarah Sayer creates texting templates with sources, explanations, and calls to end violence against the people of Palestine. Subscribe to her free for a new Resistbot message every day.

Already on Resistbot? Text FOLLOW WATERMELON to the number 50409

CIVIL ACTION via VOTE CEASEFIRE

Send Biden a Message: Write 'CEASEFIRE' On Your Primary Ballot

President Biden will not be able to defeat Trump in November if he continues to endorse Israel's attack on Gaza.

Use the power of primary polls to convince him: demanding a ceasefire is the only way to re-engage liberal, leftist, and democratic voters.

When is your state primary? >> Find your election dates

PETITION via PEOPLE VS FOSSIL FUELS

Tell Biden & The DOJ: Stop Trying To Silence Youth Climate Activists!

The Department of Justice (DOJ has tried to silence Juliana youth climate activists 22 times in the last 9 years.

If allowed to proceed, these kids will go to trial, and they will win—forcing the United States, the BIGGEST contributor to climate change in the world, to make systemic change and phase out fossil fuels.

PETITION via MOVE ON

Demand The Department of Justice Protect LGBTQiA2S+ Children

On February 7, after a year of being bullied, Nex Benedict, a 16-year-old Choctaw Indigenous gender-fluid teen in Oklahoma, was brutally assaulted by their classmates and died the next day.

Nex's bullying had been sanctioned by the state and the school district, who had forced a teacher to resign for allying with LGBTQ+ children.

ONLINE WORKSHOP via COME BACK TO CARE

How To Talk To Kids About Race

For caregivers with kids ages 2-5, it's time to talk to your littles about race and racism. This 90-minute interactive, self-paced course is for you.

Self-Paced | $17

PETITION via HIP HOP CAUCUS

Tell Congress: End Jim Crow Voter Disenfranchisement

Our mass incarceration system is silencing the voices and communities most impacted by it. And that’s by design – dating back to the Jim Crow era, felony disenfranchisement laws are one of many tactics used to attack Black people’s political power.

PETITION via SIERRA CLUB

Tell Congress: Strengthen The Endangered Species Act

Since it's enactment in the 1970's, The Endangered Species Act (ESA) has protected iconic species and brought many back from the brink of extinction.

It's time for Congress to make the extinction crisis a priority. We need them to strengthen and fully fund implementation of the ESA.

PETITION via COALITION ON HUMAN NEEDS

Tell Congress: Stop Forcing People With Disabilities Into Poverty

Low-income seniors and people with disabilities don’t qualify for the SSI Cash assistance program if they have more than 2-3k in savings or personal property, which keeps them from saving for emergencies and stuck in poverty. Introducing the SSI Savings Penalty Elimination Act, which increases asset limits to $10-$20k

PETITION via MOMS RISING

Tell Congress: Pass the Ending Pushout Act

The Ending PUSHOUT Act (H.R. 2690) aims to eliminate suspensions and expulsions over minor infractions like tardiness and absenteeism or violations of grooming and appearance policies that consistently discriminate against students of color.

PETITION via MOMS RISING

Tell Congress: Expand the Working Families Tax Credit

HB1075/S 5249 expands the Working Families Tax Credit to low-income, working young people and seniors.

Urge your lawmakers to champion this bill!

PETITION via SIERRA CLUB

Demand Stronger Protections For Climate-Stabilizing Forests

Mature forests - or "future old growth" - represent the majority of the national forest system and, overall, hold the majority of the forests' stored carbon. Protecting these trees would protect our clean water and clean air, safeguard wildlife habitats, and offer a much-needed buffer against the worst impacts of the climate crisis.

AMPLIFY YOUR ACTION

Suggest An Action

Recommend a youth-centered action organized by people with lived experience.

LETTER TEMPLATE via RAISING LUMINARIES

Dear Pet Stores: Stop Torturing Betta Fish

For pre-writers, emerging, and advanced writers, this letter template helps kids raise their voices against cruel and inhumane treatment of animals in pet stores.

FREE VIRTUAL TRAINING via RIGHT TO BE

Bystander Intervention to Stop Islamophobic Harrasment

We’ll talk through five strategies for intervention: distract, delegate, document, delay, and direct; and how to prioritize your own safety while intervening.

March 11, 4pm ET | Free
April 17, 1pm ET | Free

FREE WEBINAR via ASAN

End Subminimum Wage Webinar

Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act allows employers to pay disabled workers subminimum wage. Disabled employees working under a 14(c) certificate earned an average of $3.34 per hour.

March 14, 1pm ET | Free

FREE VIRTUAL TRAINING via RIGHT TO BE

Bystander Intervention to Support Trans Kids

We’ll talk through five strategies for intervention: distract, delegate, document, delay, and direct; and how to prioritize your own safety while intervening.

March 22, 2pm ET | Free

Let us know we're not alone:

How are you transforming frustration and despair into action?

RAISING LUMINARIES

Raising Luminaries creates workshops, training, and educational resources for parents & caregivers igniting the next generation of kind & courageous leaders.

ABOUT | MISSION | FINANCIALS | ACCOUNTABILITY

SHOW YOUR SUPPORT

MEMBER LOGIN

STAY IN TOUCH

Get free email notifications with stories, toolkits, guides to help you raise kind & courageous leaders

FREE STUFF

JOIN OUR COMMUNITY

SHOP

Bookshop

Posts may contain affiliate links and sponsorships, which allow me to earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

AFFILIATE POLICY

PARTNERS IN CAHOOTS

TOPICS

CONTACT

WHAT DID I MISS?

RECIPROCATE

You’re welcome to share & boost this toolkit, with attribution to Raising Luminaries.

Raising Luminaries is anchored in the land of the Wampanoag & Massachusett People.
Support Wôpanâak early childhood education here.

▲

This page may use affiliate referral links. We may earn a small commission if you choose to make an order using these links. Learn how we use affiliate links to support our community.

Photographs via Unsplash & Illustrations via Storyset, used with permission.

February 28, 2024 0 comments

Quick Actions

Bonus: February Calls Us to Action!

by Ashia February 1, 2024

written by Ashia

Igniting the next generation of kind & courageous leaders

Get Free Social Justice Toolkits For Kids

QUICK ACTIONS

February Calls Us To Action!

Youth-centered calls to action to ignite the next generation of kind & courageous leaders.

Co-Created by Shannon Brescher Shea & Ashia Ray

WE DID IT!

We're cheering on...

STAY CURIOUS, STAND BRAVE & SMASH THE KYRIARCHY

You give us hope

This February, we stay persistent in supporting children's rights, envisioning Black Futures, and abolishing the prison industrial complex.

RESISTBOT TEMPLATES via WATERMELON

Tap 'YES' once a day to end ethnic cleansing Gaza

Sarah Sayer creates new text letter templates with sources, explanations, and calls to end violence against the people of Palestine. Follow @Watermelon on Resistbot and get daily alerts when templates are ready to send.

Or text FOLLOW WATERMELON to the number 50409

ACTIVITY via MOVEMENT FOR BLACK LIVES

Send a Black Futures Valentine

This Black Futures Month, we celebrate the Future of Black Love and exchange love notes that articulate manifestations of love beyond romance, binaries, and capitalism and into the ever-expansive realms of justice and liberation.

PETITION via MOMS RISING

Tell Congress: Pass The People's Response Act Now!

The current approach to public safety is not working for children, for families, and particularly for Black and brown communities.

We must reimagine our public safety system’s focus on criminalization and replace it with thoughtful, strategic, and appropriate care and response.

PETITION via THE NATIONAL WOMEN'S LAW CENTER

Tell Congress: Save Child Care Now!

Emergency funding that saved the child care industry from collapse during the pandemic has expired, threatening the stability of an already fragile system. Since Congress has failed to act, millions of children are at risk of losing access to child care, families are facing increased costs, and early educators continue to be underpaid and undervalued.

LETTER TEMPLATE via NATIONAL ARAB AMERICAN WOMENS ASSOCIATION

Dear City Officials: Stop Equating Criticism of Israel with Antisemitism

Concerned about the violations against our right to free speech when it comes to calling for a ceasefire? Challenge inaccuracies and biases in city policies that fuel antisemitism and islamophobia against citizens speaking up against genocide.

PETITION & DIVSTMENT via STOP COP CITY SOLIDARITY

Stop Cop City

The Atlanta Police Foundation, corporations, and local officials are trying to destroy hundreds of acres of the Weelaunee Forest to build a massive police training compound. The compound would train cops from around the world in militarized police tactics.

From calling and emailing targets, to organizing solidarity protests and actions, there are many ways to help #StopCopCity.

PETITION via EKŌ

Tell Banks to Stop Financing Private Prisons

Geo Group helped build his concentration camps along the Mexican-US border where kids were separated from their parents.

Almost all banks in the world, including JP Morgan and BNP, have publicly stated that they would no longer loan money to private prison companies. This has cost Geo Group roughly one billion dollars in loans and its stock price to plummet.

PETITION via COALITION ON HUMAN NEEDS

Tell Congress: Expand The Child Tax Credit

House and Senate negotiators released a tax proposal that would improve the Child Tax Credit for about 80% of families with low incomes who now do not receive the full credit and lift an estimated 400,000 children above the poverty line.

PETITION via MOVEON

Pass The Books Save Lives Act To Stop Censorship

In 2023, over 700 book bans in public libraries targeted marginalized authors and topics, including books on race and racism and LGBTQIA+ topics.
The Books Save Lives Act would require trained librarians in schools, require public and school liberties to maintain a diverse collection, classify discriminatory book bans as violation of federal civil rights laws, and establish tracking and reporting on book bans on marginalized communities.

PETITION via NATIONAL CAMPAIGN FOR JUSTICE

Tell Your Governor: Rectify Funding Gap For Black Universities

According to a recent analysis, historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have been underfunded by $13 billion over the last 30 years.

The law requires equal funding for colleges created through segregation. increased funding supports critical infrastructure, student services, and competitiveness for research grants -- and finally begin to right decades of inequity.

PETITION via NATIONAL CAMPAIGN FOR JUSTICE

Abolish the Death Penalty NOW!

The death penalty is flawed, unjust, and discriminatory. Convicts on death row are more likely to be Black, poor, and to have mental illness or intellectual disabilities. And the death penalty is more frequently imposed when the victims are white.

AMPLIFY YOUR ACTION

Suggest An Action

Recommend a youth-centered action organized by people with lived experience.

VIRTUAL WORKSHOP via BLACK MAMA'S BAIL OUT

#FreeBlackMamas Bail Out Info Session

During this session, we will provide a comprehensive overview of National Bail Out, delve into the bail out process, guide you through the steps to participate in this year's Black Mama's Bail Out, and answer any questions you may have.

February 12, 2pm ET | Free

BOOK CLUB via LIBRARY FREEDOM PROJECT

Library Freedom Project Book Club

Our focus this month will be From the River to the Sea: Essays for a Free Palestine (click through for free ebook).

February 19, 9pm ET | Free

WORKSHOP via LIBRARY FREEDOM PROJECT

Labor Organizing in Libraries

Featuring Kelly McElroy and Meredith Kahn

February 28, 7pm ET | Free

FREE VIRTUAL TRAINING via RIGHT TO BE

How To Be An Ally When You Witness Abuse Online

As more of our personal and professional lives go digital, online hate and harassment are on the rise. Abusive trolls join forces to disproportionately target BIPOCs, women, and LGBTQIA+ folks to intimidate, discredit, and silence. Each and every one of us can be an ally.

February 23, 1pm ET | Free
April 29, 4pm ET | Free

FREE VIRTUAL TRAINING via RIGHT TO BE

Bystander Intervention for Educators

This 75-minute training will teach you Right To Be’s 5Ds of bystander intervention methodology, created in collaboration with T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights. We’ll start by talking about the forms of antisemitism that the Jewish community faces right now — from microaggressions to violence — and how to interrupt it while staying safe.

February 29, 2024 5pm | FREE
March 13, 6pm | FREE

Let us know we're not alone:

How are you staying persistent in the steady fight for justice?

RAISING LUMINARIES

Raising Luminaries creates workshops, training, and educational resources for parents & caregivers igniting the next generation of kind & courageous leaders.

ABOUT | MISSION | FINANCIALS | ACCOUNTABILITY

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Get free email notifications with stories, toolkits, guides to help you raise kind & courageous leaders

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AFFILIATE POLICY

PARTNERS IN CAHOOTS

TOPICS

CONTACT

WHAT DID I MISS?

RECIPROCATE

You’re welcome to share & boost this toolkit, with attribution to Raising Luminaries.

Raising Luminaries is anchored in the land of the Wampanoag & Massachusett People.
Support Wôpanâak early childhood education here.

▲

This page may use affiliate referral links. We may earn a small commission if you choose to make an order using these links. Learn how we use affiliate links to support our community.

Photographs via Unsplash & Illustrations via Storyset, used with permission.

February 1, 2024 0 comments

Quick Actions

January Calls Us to Action

by Ashia December 20, 2023

written by Ashia

Igniting the next generation of kind & courageous leaders

Get Free Social Justice Toolkits For Kids

QUICK ACTIONS

January Calls Us To Action!

Youth-centered calls to action to ignite the next generation of kind & courageous leaders.

Co-Created by Shannon Brescher Shea & Ashia Ray

WE DID IT!

We're cheering on...

STAY CURIOUS, STAND BRAVE & SMASH THE KYRIARCHY

You give us hope

This January, we get tenacious in supporting vulnerable elders, medicare, and people targeted by police brutality.

RESISTBOT TEMPLATES via WATERMELON

Tap 'YES' once a day to lift the siege on Gaza

Or text FOLLOW WATERMELON to the number 50409

PETITION via CIVIC SHOUT

Tell Advertisers: Stop Advertising on Twitter

Elon Musk, the owner of Twitter/X, has endorsed dangerous, antisemitic commentary multiple times. He often engages with antisemitic users and their violent content. Advertisers removing their support from Twitter/X would undercut their financial viability and ability to spread hate.

CAMPAIGNS via COALITION ON HUMAN NEEDS

Tell Congress: Block Backdoor Cuts to Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and SNAP

House Republicans are demanding the establishment of a bipartisan commission to tackle the nation’s debt—including looking at the Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and SNAP programs—while ignoring the importance of making the wealthy and corporations pay their fair share of taxes.

PETITION via BLACK LIVES MATTER GLOBAL

Demand Congress Make Medicare For All A Top 2024 Priority

Part of body acceptance and positivity is the ability to take care of your body and receive medical care. Medicare for All is an important step toward creating a more equitable and fair system -- so that no matter where you live, you will be guaranteed quality, affordable health care.

PETITION via MOMS RISING

Tell Congress: Pass The People's Response Act Now!

The People’s Response Act provides the resources and assistance to scale up efforts from state, local, and tribal governments implementing strategies to prevent violence, reduce harm, and prevent police violence. It would reframe how we think about and respond to crisis situations with an approach that meets the demands and needs of our communities.

PETITION via SIERRA CLUB

Tell Congress: Stop Attacking the Endangered Species Act

Congress passed the Endangered Species Act fifty years ago. Since it was enacted, 99 percent of the species under its protection have been saved from extinction. But now many endangered species and the ESA itself are again under attack from anti-regulation, anti-wildlife interests in Congress.

PETITION via SIERRA CLUB

Demand Biden Stop A Disastrous Gas Export Project

Despite affordable alternatives, natural gas used for heating in homes is a major greenhouse gas causing devastation on our rapidly heating climate. The Biden administration is considering approving the largest liquified natural gas facility ever for export, emitting an alarming 190 million tonnes of CO2e annually, equivalent to 42 million gas-powered cars or 51 coal-fired power plants each year.

PETITION via NATIONAL CAMPAIGN FOR JUSTICE

Stop Scapegoating Asians To Attack Higher Education

The DETERRENT scapegoats Asian Americans in an attempt to demonize inclusive policies in higher education. Claiming to “combat foreign influence on college campuses,” but what it really does is institutionalize xenophobia and discrimination, singling out the “Chinese Communist Party” as if China is trying to take over US higher education.

LETTER TEMPLATE via NATIONAL ARAB AMERICAN WOMENS ASSOCIATION

Dear Educators: Stop Misinformation Fueling Islamophobia

Concerned about the recent increase of racism and islamophobia against Muslim, Arab, and Palestinian students? Challenge inaccuracies and biases in school curricium that fuel hate and bigotry against students with connections to the Middle East.

AMPLIFY YOUR ACTION

Suggest An Action

Recommend a youth-centered action organized by people with lived experience.

FREE VIRTUAL TRAINING via RIGHT TO BE

Bystander Intervention to Stop Islamophobic and Xenophobic Harassment

This one-hour, interactive training will teach you Right To Be’s 5Ds of bystander intervention methodology. We’ll start by talking about the types of disrespect that Muslims and those who are perceived to be Muslim are facing right now -- and how to take action while staying safe.”

January 8th, 4:30-5:45pm ET | Free
January 26th, 3:30-4:15pm ET | Free

FREE VIRTUAL TRAINING via RIGHT TO BE

Bystander Intervention to Stop Antisemitic Harassment

January 11th, 4-5:15pm ET | Free
January 26th, 1-2:15pm ET | Free

VIRTUAL WORKSHOP via CREATE WRITE HERE

Craft & Chat!

Join us for some dedicated time to have a good conversation and make something fun! Suggested craft idea will be sent before the event but you can make whatever you want!

January 17th, 7pm ET | Free

VIRTUAL WORKSHOP via CREATE WRITE HERE

Stories That Save Us

Embrace personal storytelling as a path to radical progress. During this event we will chat about the ways we are changed by our favorite stories, celebrate the healing power of sharing, and write some new stories to tell.

January 21, 11am – 1:30pm ET | Sliding Scale

There's been a lot of LIFE happening and I've been so burnt out and overwhelmed. The weekly Luminary Braintrust updates are nice reminders that even if I can't move from my couch right now, I can still stay engaged and connected to other parents with the same goal of kinder, more fair world.

Cat L.

Luminary Braintrust Member

Ashia (they/them or she/her)

Raising Luminaries is run by Ashia R., an Autistic, multiracial (Chinese/Irish) 2nd-generation settler raising two children alongside their partner on the homelands of the Wampanoag and Massachusett people.

Stay Curious, Stand Brave & Smash The Kyriarchy

Help me keep these resources free & accessible for all

Let us know we're not alone:

How is your family staying tenacious?

RAISING LUMINARIES

Raising Luminaries creates workshops, training, and educational resources for parents & caregivers igniting the next generation of kind & courageous leaders.

ABOUT | MISSION | FINANCIALS | ACCOUNTABILITY

SHOW YOUR SUPPORT

MEMBER LOGIN

STAY IN TOUCH

Get free email notifications with stories, toolkits, guides to help you raise kind & courageous leaders

FREE STUFF

JOIN OUR COMMUNITY

SHOP

Bookshop

Posts may contain affiliate links and sponsorships, which allow me to earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

AFFILIATE POLICY

PARTNERS IN CAHOOTS

TOPICS

CONTACT

WHAT DID I MISS?

RECIPROCATE

You’re welcome to share & boost this toolkit, with attribution to Raising Luminaries.

Raising Luminaries is anchored in the land of the Wampanoag & Massachusett People.
Support Wôpanâak early childhood education here.

▲

This page may use affiliate referral links. We may earn a small commission if you choose to make an order using these links. Learn how we use affiliate links to support our community.

Photographs via Unsplash & Illustrations via Storyset, used with permission.

December 20, 2023 0 comments

Quick Actions

December Calls Us to Action

by Ashia November 15, 2023

written by Ashia

Igniting the next generation of kind & courageous leaders

Get Free Social Justice Toolkits For Kids

QUICK ACTIONS

December Calls Us To Action!

Youth-centered calls to action to ignite the next generation of kind & courageous leaders.

Co-Created by Shannon Brescher Shea & Ashia Ray

WE DID IT!

We're cheering on...

STAY CURIOUS, STAND BRAVE & SMASH THE KYRIARCHY

You give us hope

This December, we take collective action through boycotts to end genocide and ethnic cleansing.

RESISTBOT TEMPLATES via WATERMELON

Tap 'YES' once a day to lift the siege on Gaza

Or text FOLLOW WATERMELON to the number 50409

BOYCOTT via BOYCOTT DIVESTMENT & SANCTIONS

Know what to boycott

The Palestinian BDS National Committee (BNC) calls for a boycott of Israeli and international companies that are complicit in violations of Palestinian rights.

PETITION via #CONGOSTRONG

Call on US Congress & UK Parliament to stop funding genocide in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Western powers have a financial interest in gaining access and control over the Cobalt mines, and what better way to do so than to create societal instability across the country? This is why we need to use our voices.

CAMPAIGNS via IF NOT NOW

Talk About Apartheid

Thousands of American Jews are demanding Biden and all of our elected officials implement and continue a ceasefire. We will channel our grief towards securing a future where all Palestinians, Israelis, and Jews are safe. Will you join us and help stop a genocide?

PETITION via MOMS RISING

Tell US Senate to support paid family leave ASAP

The United States is one of only six countries in the world that guarantees zero weeks of paid family and medical leave. Everyday we are without comprehensive paid leave is a day parents, caregivers, and families are forced to make impossible choices.

PETITION via FAITHFUL AMERICA

Event Venues: Don't Host Franklin Graham

Graham's upcoming spring roadshow is ironically called the "God Loves You Tour" -- ironic because the notoriously bigoted preacher has a history of hatefully calling LGBTQ Americans "evil and rebellious" and of fanning the flames of MAGA conspiracy theories and political violence.

PETITION via CIVIC SHOUT

Support Vaccine Access For Vulnerable Kids

In large swaths of the United States, the new COVID-19 vaccine is not available for kids. Urge the CDC to do everything in its power to ensure the updated COVID-19 vaccine is available to everyone who wants it.

LETTER TEMPLATE via RAISING LUMINARIES

Reject Free Speech Criticism of Zionism & Colonization

Many US states have adopted policies to squelch free speech and criticism of the Israel government's occupation and genocide against Palestinians. Send a letter to your schools, state reps, and committees highlighting the dangers of equating anti-Zionism with antisemitism in US legislation.

Wait – what’s so wrong with the IHRA definition of antisemitism? / ACLU / JVP / Guardian

FREE VIRTUAL TRAINING via RIGHT TO BE

Bystander Intervention for Educators

In response to the rise in bullying and violence in schools, Right To Be has adapted the 5Ds of bystander intervention training for teachers K-12. Scholarship on bullying and violence in schools, indicates that when teachers model bystander intervention, students are significantly more likely to safely and effectively intervene when witnessing bullying.

December 11th, 5-6pm EST | Free

AMPLIFY YOUR ACTION

Suggest An Action

Recommend a youth-centered action organized by people with lived experience.

FREE VIRTUAL TRAINING via RIGHT TO BE & CAIR

Bystander Intervention to Stop islamaphobic and Xenophobic Harassment

You’ll learn what to look for and the positive impact that bystander intervention has on individuals and communities. We’ll talk through five strategies for intervention: distract, delegate, document, delay, and direct; and how to prioritize your own safety while intervening.

December 18th, 5-6:15pm EST | FREE

6-WEEK COLLECTIVE via RAISING LUMINARIES

Activist Caregiver Winter Incubator

Can't catch up? Feeling trapped? On a trip wire with your kids?

What if we dropped all the busywork and bullshit and did something COMPLETELY DIFFERENT?!

It's time to focus your floodlight of overwhelm into a laser-beam of sustainable action.

January through February 2024 | Online | Sliding Scale

VIRTUAL WORKSHOP via CREATE WRITE HERE

Let's Make Vision Boards!

Let's hang out and craft or digitize some goals for 2024. Low-key, low pressure, and lots of fun. What will you dream up?

Friday, December 15th | 10AM Eastern | Free

Let us know we're not alone:

How is your family staying curious and standing brave?

RAISING LUMINARIES

Raising Luminaries creates workshops, training, and educational resources for parents & caregivers igniting the next generation of kind & courageous leaders.

ABOUT | MISSION | FINANCIALS | ACCOUNTABILITY

SHOW YOUR SUPPORT

MEMBER LOGIN

STAY IN TOUCH

Get free email notifications with stories, toolkits, guides to help you raise kind & courageous leaders

FREE STUFF

JOIN OUR COMMUNITY

SHOP

Bookshop

Posts may contain affiliate links and sponsorships, which allow me to earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

AFFILIATE POLICY

PARTNERS IN CAHOOTS

TOPICS

CONTACT

WHAT DID I MISS?

RECIPROCATE

You’re welcome to share & boost this toolkit, with attribution to Raising Luminaries.

Raising Luminaries is anchored in the land of the Wampanoag & Massachusett People.
Support Wôpanâak early childhood education here.

▲

This page may use affiliate referral links. We may earn a small commission if you choose to make an order using these links. Learn how we use affiliate links to support our community.

Photographs via Unsplash & Illustrations via Storyset, used with permission.

November 15, 2023 0 comments

Quick Actions

November Calls Us to Action

by Ashia October 24, 2023

written by Ashia

Igniting the next generation of kind & courageous leaders

Get Free Social Justice Toolkits For Kids

QUICK ACTIONS

November Calls Us To Action!

Youth-centered calls to action to ignite the next generation of kind & courageous leaders.

Co-Created by Shannon Brescher Shea & Ashia Ray

WE DID IT!

We're cheering on...

STAY CURIOUS, STAND BRAVE & SMASH THE KYRIARCHY

You give us hope

This November, we take action to strengthen democracy, transform the adoption & donor industry, hold space for Indigenous mourning, and protect trans kids.

QUICK TOOLS via VOTE.ORG

See what's on your ballot

Preview your federal, state, and local ballot.

@jenagaza This is Jena. She is sharing her perspective on what is happening in Gaza right now. طفلة تعيش في غزة تشارك قصتها مع الأحداث الحالية. #فلسطين🇵🇸 #غزة #jena #palestine #gaza ♬ original sound - Al-Aihm الأَيـِــهَّــــٓـم

PETITION via ADALAH JUSTICE PROJECT

Tell Congress: Cosponsor Ceasefire NOW Resolution

More than 1,030 children like ours have already been killed by Israeli bombs this week. The new siege is preventing all water, electricity, medicine, fuel and food from getting into Gaza. Hospitals have been bombed and others are struggling without water or electricity. People are already dying.

I appeal to you – with the greatest urgency – to cosponsor this resolution for an immediate ceasefire.

Use your platform to stop Gaza Genocide with the#CeasefireNow Toolkit and the Rising Majority calls to action.

PETITION via NATIVE ORGANIZERS ALLIANCE ACTION

Tell the Senate: Pass the Native Child Protection Act Now

The NACPA will give Tribes the tools they need to more effectively prevent, investigate, prosecute, and treat family violence and child abuse and neglect. The bill is critical to the health and safety of Native children and a huge step forward in honoring our obligations to Native people nationwide.

PETITION via NATIONAL CAMPAIGN FOR JUSTICE

Keep Anti-LGBTQ+ Propaganda Out of Our Schools

PragerU founder, Dennis Prager openly admitted Partnerships between PragerU and educational departments in Florida and Oklahoma raise serious concerns about the integrity of content in our schools.

OPEN LETTER via FIGHT FOR THE FUTURE

Tell Congress: KOSA Endangers LGBTQ+ Kids

Despite the misleading name, the 'Kids Online Safety Act' empowers state attorneys general to censor positive or even neutral internet content by and about LGBTQ+ people.

PETITION via COALITION ON HUMAN NEEDS

Tell Congress to Invest in Housing

We’re demanding members of Congress oppose any budget amendments that would cut federal investments in affordable housing and homelessness programs.

Due November 17th – when the stopgap spending bill ends – to pass funding and avoid a government shutdown.

PETITION via SIERRA CLUB

Stop Drilling on Gwich’in and Inupiat Lands

Tell the Bureau of Land Management to limit all possibilities of oil drilling in the izhik Gwats’an Gwandaii Goodlit Actic Refuge.

EXCUSE TO DO LESS via WILD SEED PROJECT

#LeaveTheLeaves: Ease Up on Fall Cleanup

Leaf 'litter' is food and shelter for baby bumblebees, butterflies, beetles, bees, moths, and more. Tell friends and neighbors to avoid leaf cleanup until late spring when night temperatures stick above 50F.

FREE VIRTUAL TRAINING via RIGHT TO BE

Bystander Intervention to Stop Antisemitic Harassment

This 75-minute interactive training will teach you Right To Be’s 5Ds of bystander intervention methodology, created in collaboration with T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights.

November 2nd or 14th, 7-8pm ET | Free

FREE VIRTUAL TRAINING via RIGHT TO BE

Bystander Intervention to Islamaphobic & Xenophobic Harassment

November 1st 5:30-6:30pm ET or November 17th 1:30-2:30pm ET | Free

WORKSHOP via PROJECT NIA

Transformative & Restorative Justice at Home

Caregivers, youths and families will be invited to build their own family circles and reflect on the cultural and interpersonal aspects of building successful restorative and transformative practices at home.

Free | Online | Thur 11/9, 6pm ET

AMPLIFY YOUR ACTION

Suggest An Action

Recommend a youth-centered action organized by people with lived experience.

LIVE HANGOUTS via RAISING LUMINARIES

Luminary Braintrust Caregiver Hangouts

Brace yourself for hard conversations and courageous action at home - with support from caregivers on the same path.

Get access to informatl virtual gatherings, seasonal collaborations, a parent-activist resource library, and more.

Nov 6th & 20th | 1pm EST | Online | 24/7 Portal Access | Sliding Scale

6-WEEK COLLECTIVE via RAISING LUMINARIES

Activist Caregiver Winter Incubator

Can't catch up? Feeling trapped? On a trip wire with your kids?

What if we dropped all the busywork and bullshit and did something COMPLETELY DIFFERENT?!

It's time to focus your floodlight of overwhelm into a laser-beam of sustainable action.

January through February 2024 | Online | Sliding Scale

AFFINITY GROUP via ASSOCIATION FOR AUTISM & NEURODIVERSITY

Support Group for BIPOC Autistic Adults

This is our open support group for Autistic people of color (18+). These spaces are peer-led and provide an opportunity for participants to explore how their multiple identities show up and address their specific needs, by sharing experiences and offering support to one another. We are running these meetings through the winter and then will determine the next steps for future programming based on interest and feedback.

Monthly | Free | Online | 12-1pm ET

I’m raising three biracial boys, I’m white and their Dad is from Ghana so we have a lot of family in poverty and also a lot racial identity conversations to be had. My oldest is 5 so any guidance I can get to start these conversations I am taking.

Thank you for all you do. You’re genuinely a light for those of us stumbling down this path with barely a flickering flashlight!

Anna A.

Ashia (they/them or she/her)

Stay Curious, Stand Brave & Smash The Kyriarchy

Help me keep these resources free & accessible for all

Let us know we're not alone:

How is your family staying curious and standing brave?

RAISING LUMINARIES

Raising Luminaries creates workshops, training, and educational resources for parents & caregivers igniting the next generation of kind & courageous leaders.

ABOUT | MISSION | FINANCIALS | ACCOUNTABILITY

SHOW YOUR SUPPORT

MEMBER LOGIN

STAY IN TOUCH

Get free email notifications with stories, toolkits, guides to help you raise kind & courageous leaders

FREE STUFF

JOIN OUR COMMUNITY

SHOP

Bookshop

Posts may contain affiliate links and sponsorships, which allow me to earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

AFFILIATE POLICY

PARTNERS IN CAHOOTS

TOPICS

CONTACT

WHAT DID I MISS?

RECIPROCATE

You’re welcome to share & boost this toolkit, with attribution to Raising Luminaries.

Raising Luminaries is anchored in the land of the Wampanoag & Massachusett People.
Support Wôpanâak early childhood education here.

▲

This page may use affiliate referral links. We may earn a small commission if you choose to make an order using these links. Learn how we use affiliate links to support our community.

Photographs via Unsplash & Illustrations via Storyset, used with permission.

October 24, 2023 0 comments

Quick Actions

October Calls Us to Action

by Ashia September 13, 2023

written by Ashia

Igniting the next generation of kind & courageous leaders

Get Free Social Justice Toolkits For Kids

QUICK ACTIONS

October Calls Us To Action!

Youth-centered calls to action to ignite the next generation of kind & courageous leaders.

Co-Created by Shannon Brescher Shea & Ashia Ray

WE DID IT!

We're cheering on...

STAY CURIOUS, STAND BRAVE & SMASH THE KYRIARCHY

You give us hope

This October, we take action to decolonize our education, ensure safety for LGBTQiA2S+ youth, and demand the end of torture of disabled kids.

QUICK TOOLS via VOTE.ORG

Get Free Election Reminders

We'll remind you when and what you need to vote, so that you never miss an election again.

@jenagaza This is Jena. She is sharing her perspective on what is happening in Gaza right now. طفلة تعيش في غزة تشارك قصتها مع الأحداث الحالية. #فلسطين🇵🇸 #غزة #jena #palestine #gaza ♬ original sound - Al-Aihm الأَيـِــهَّــــٓـم

PETITION via ADALAH JUSTICE PROJECT

Tell Congress: Cosponsor Ceasefire NOW Resolution

I appeal to you – with the greatest urgency – to cosponsor this resolution for an immediate ceasefire.

Use your platform to stop Gaza Genocide with the#CeasefireNow Toolkit

LETTER TEMPLATE via RAISING LUMINARIES

Tell Your School & City: Support ALL Local Students Impacted by the Israeli Occupation

If your school & city officials are offering compassion and support for Israeli-connected families impacted by the Hamas attack, but are refusing to offer support to families with ties to Palestine, speak up. Particularly if they're using incendiary, islamaphobic dog-whistles.

PETITION via #StopTheShock

Tell the FDA to ban torture against disabled children

Electric shock therapy is illegal against animals and non-disabled adults. But it's still legal (and actively used) against disabled adults and children.

Tell the FDA to reinstate the ban on electronic skin shock torture of people of disabilities at the Judge Rotenburg Center

More actions on this issue

2-CLICK LETTER via NATIONAL CAMPAIGN FOR JUSTICE

Tell your Governor to fight book bans

Call on your Governor to reject attempts by state & local lawmakers to stop silencing libraries on the effects of book bans in your state.

PETITION via MOMS RISING

Equal Pay for Latina Equal Pay Day

Latinas earn just 52 cents for every $1 paid to white men working part-time, full-time, and part-year. For Latina moms, it’s just 40 cents because caregivers typically face additional wage discrimination and barriers to employment.

PETITION via LAKOTA PEOPLES LAW PROJECT

Protect Indigenous children at the state level

Tell your representatives to codify ICWA’s protections at the state level. Never again should any Native child anywhere be in danger of removal from their family and culture.

PETITION via ABLE DEMS

Bridge the equity gap in healthcare shortage & domestic care

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) permitted states to allow family members to be paid homecare providers for their loved ones with disabilities to address the health care worker shortage. Now family members are no longer being paid as personal care providers in the midst of the worst caregiver shortage our nation has ever seen. We need care workers, and families need support - allow family members to be paid caregivers and expand in-home care funding!

PETITION via MOMS RISING

Protect LGBTQiA2S+ Kids Stories

Age-appropriate books about diverse communities, history, and LGBTQ+ families and communities are being banned and challenged in schools across the nation.Well-funded far-right politicians are becoming a censorship machine actively working to ban age-appropriate books, erase honest and accurate American history, and attack students and teachers simply for who they love.

PETITION via NATIONAL CAMPAIGN FOR JUSTICE

Tell Corporations to stop defunding Medicare

For so many caregivers and children with disabilities, enabling Medicare to negotiate for lower drug prices will support disabled families in poverty. But Big Pharma is suing Medicare into oblivion to dismantle the protections in the Biden administrations Inflation Reduction Act. Allow medicare the same rights as every other insurer - the right to negotiate for reasonable medication prices.

PETITION via LAKOTA PEOPLES LAW PROJECT

Support #OwnVoices Indigenous Creators in Kids Movies

It’s time to address decades of harm done by the legacy of redface and Indigenous stereotypes. When our children see our stories told by our people, they feel empowered. And when the general populace sees our stories told the right way, they understand our truth.

PETITION via RAISING LUMINARIES

Protect marriage rights for disabled adults

The SSI program punishes disabled people who save more than $2,000 for individuals or $3,000 for couples, leaving us destitute in emergencies. This discriminatory policy penalizes and prevents disabled adults from marriage equality and employment, forcing us to choose between healthcare access and our work and relationships.

Make it easy: Text SIGN PDKRUI to the phone number 50409

PETITION via NATIVE ORGANIZERS ALLIANCE

Pass the Indigenous Peoples Day Act

The continued celebration of Columbus Day in the remaining 40 states is itself a celebration of the legacy of colonial land grabs and systemic racism, telling our people and our Tribes our existence and life ways can be excluded from the history of this land.

AMPLIFY YOUR ACTION

Suggest An Action

Recommend a youth-centered action organized by people with lived experience.

FREE ONLINE WORKSHOP via PROJECT NIA

Defend Your Local Library From Book Bans

Join us for a 1.5 hour how-to session on local organizing to strengthen and defend your public libraries against book bans.

October 5th | 6-7:30pm ET | Free

FREE ONLINE WORKSHOP via COME BACK TO CARE & RAISING LUMINARIES

Parenting Through the Path of Least Resistance

Exhausted from flinging your attention between childcare, global tragedy, prepping dinner, and local injustice? Together we'll cover discover how to stay focused and co-regulate together with our children to transform the parenting freak-outs that no longer serve us.

October 18th | 2pm ET | Free | Recordings available

FREE VIRTUAL TRAINING via ADVOCATES FOR YOUTH

How to Demand Change for LGBTQ Youth and Win

Join us this LGBTQ History month for a training that will give you the tools to effectively organize for change for queer and trans people in your local community.

For youth ages 14-24, LGBTQi+ & allies | 10/19 5:30pm ET

FREE VIRTUAL TRAINING via RIGHT TO BE

Bystander Intervention for Educators

In response to the rise in bullying and violence in schools, Right To Be has adapted the 5Ds of bystander intervention training for teachers K-12. When teachers model bystander intervention, students are significantly more likely to safely and effectively intervene when witnessing bullying.

October 18th | 2pm ET | Free | Recordings available

MAP via TEAL PUMPKIN PROJECT

Host an allergy-friendly Halloween

The Teal Pumpkin Project is a simple way to make trick-or-treating safer and more inclusive for the one in 13 children living with food allergies, and many others impacted by intolerances and other conditions.

Offer optional non-food treats for kids with allergies & register your neighborhood so kids can find you.

LIVE HANGOUTS via RAISING LUMINARIES

Luminary Braintrust Parenting Accountability

Brace yourself for hard conversations and courageous action at home - with support from caregivers on the same path.

Get access to informatl virtual gatherings, seasonal collaborations, a parent-activist resource library, and more.

Twice-monthly informal gatherings Oct 2nd & 16th 1pm EST | Online | 24/7 Portal Access | Sliding Scale

VIRTUAL CELEBRATIOn via AUTISM WOMEN & NONBINARY NETWORK

Disabled Joy through Dance & Laughter

Joy is a feeling that everyone deserves! Join AWN in this webinar where we will celebrate the wonders of disabled joy through dance and laughter in performances by Natalia Armacanqui and Houa Moua.

Free | October 8 | 3-4pm ET

6-WEEK COLLECTIVE via RAISING LUMINARIES

Activist Caregiver Winter Incubator

Can't catch up? Feeling trapped? On a trip wire with your kids?

What if we dropped all the busywork and bullshit and did something COMPLETELY DIFFERENT?!

It's time to focus your floodlight of overwhelm into a laser-beam of sustainable action.

January through February 2024 | Online | Sliding Scale

PARENTING PROGRAM via COME BACK TO CARE

In-Out-N-Through

Social justice parenting and inner child re-parenting program for exhausted parents and caregivers who want to parent from a more connected, centered place.

7 Week Program | November 1st through December 13th | Sliding Scale

AFFINITY GROUP via ASSOCIATION FOR AUTISM & NEURODIVERSITY

Support Group for BIPOC Autistic Adults

Monthly | Free | Online | 12-1pm ET

WORKSHOP via PROJECT NIA

Transformative & Restorative Justice at Home

Free | Online | Thur 11/9, 6pm ET

I'm happy to support the incredible work you're doing. I've followed along for a number of years now, and have a kiddo library inspired by Raising Luminaries. I am so grateful for your time, labor, transparency and love. I recently placed a quarantine order for five books from various lists, and just felt like it was the right time to support Raising Luminaries.

Thank you for all you do! I'm not good at participating digitally, but hoping my little contribution helps continue to bring the important shit to the forefront of our relationships with our children. <3 Be well.

Veronica G.W., Raising Luminaries Supporter

Patreon Supporter

Ashia (they/them or she/her)

Stay Curious, Stand Brave & Smash The Kyriarchy

Help me keep these resources free & accessible for all

Let us know we're not alone:

How are your kids reclaiming their agency amidst all the chaos?

RAISING LUMINARIES

Raising Luminaries creates workshops, training, and educational resources for parents & caregivers igniting the next generation of kind & courageous leaders.

ABOUT | MISSION | FINANCIALS | ACCOUNTABILITY

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WHAT DID I MISS?

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You’re welcome to share & boost this toolkit, with attribution to Raising Luminaries.

Raising Luminaries is anchored in the land of the Wampanoag & Massachusett People.
Support Wôpanâak early childhood education here.

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This page may use affiliate referral links. We may earn a small commission if you choose to make an order using these links. Learn how we use affiliate links to support our community.

Photographs via Unsplash & Illustrations via Storyset, used with permission.

September 13, 2023 0 comments

Quick Actions

September Calls Us to Action

by Ashia August 16, 2023

written by Ashia

Igniting the next generation of kind & courageous leaders

Get Free Social Justice Toolkits For Kids

QUICK ACTIONS

September Calls Us To Action!

Youth-centered calls to action to ignite the next generation of kind & courageous leaders.

Co-Created by Shannon Brescher Shea & Ashia Ray

WE DID IT!

Last month we cheered on...

STAY CURIOUS, STAND BRAVE & SMASH THE KYRIARCHY

You give us hope

This September, we take action to transform labor rights, fair pay, fighting antisemitism, and bystander empowerment.

QUICK TOOLS via VOTE.ORG

Check Your Voter Registration

Not sure if you're registered to vote? We'll help you check and register if you can.

PETITION via MOMS RISING

Pass the Paycheck Fairness Act for Families

We know how to close the wage gap and you can help!

Mothers must work until August 15th of 2023 to earn what dads made in 2022 alone. Moms of color face much larger wage gaps when compared separately.

Urge Congress to close the pay gap with these three vital labor rights acts.

PETITION via THE PEOPLE'S RESPONSE ACT

Redefine Public Safety With Collective Action

The safety of Black communities is dependent on our collective ability to create holistic, community-based centers of care and harm reduction. We cannot afford to protect the status quo: Tell your Representative to cosponsor the People’s Response Act.

PETITION via HIP HOP CAUCUS

Tell Congress: Reject Education Cuts

The FY24 House funding bill cuts $64 billion from public education, eliminating early childhood education opportunities from 51,000 students and slashing salaries of 224,00 teachers in low-income school districts.

PETITION via MOMS RISING

Protect The US's Most Successful Early Learning Program

Congress seeks to cut the Head Start Program by $750 million for the next fiscal year, depriving roughly 80,000 children access to this program with high rates of success and economic improvement for the country.

Tell Congress you OPPOSE cuts to Head Start.

PETITION via MOMS RISING

Fund Kids & Families

House Republicans have put forth purely partisan spending bills that slash funding for programs our families need to build a good life and that our economy needs to grow–everything from nutrition assistance like WIC, to child care assistance to funding for the IRS to collect taxes from the rich and powerful.

Tell Congress you oppose cuts to key programs that families and children rely on and notice the poison pill amendments they're trying to slip into this year's appropriations bills.

PETITION via LAKOTA PEOPLES LAW PROJECT

Defend Indigenous voting Rights

In 2021, 19 states passed 33 ordinances restricting voting, mainly affecting BIPOC communities. We have to push back — and hard. Please send a message to your U.S. senators demanding that they pass comprehensive voting rights legislation.

More actions on this issue

AMPLIFY YOUR ACTION

Suggest An Action

Recommend a youth-centered action organized by people with lived experience.

EASY LETTER via HIP HOP CAUCUS

Raise the Minimum Wage to $17/hour

The federal government has not raised the minimum wage since 2009. That’s the longest period of a stagnant wage since the very first minimum wage in 1938.

PETITION via CHANGE.ORG

Demand respect for residential school victims' remains

These were children. Some as young as 3 years old. They deserved to be treated with respect, but hey were treated as less than human, and when their lives were cut short, they were discarded like trash. It's time to return these children so their families can begin the healing process.

PETITIONS via HAWAI'I ALLIANCE FOR PROGRESSIVE ACTION

How to Support Maui

Stop predatory corporations from exploiting wildfire victims, boost mutual aid efforts, and protect clean water access for survivors.

FREE ONLINE WORKSHOP via RIGHT TO BE

Bystander Intervention To Stop Antisemitic Harassment

This one-hour interactive training will teach you Right To Be’s 5Ds of bystander intervention methodology, created in collaboration with T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights.

Available Sept 11th or Oct 11th | Online | Free

DEMONSTRATION via END FOSSIL FUELS

NYC Youth March to End Fossil Fuels

We can't breathe or play outside. Our families evacuate as homes are swept away by floods, burned in mega-fires, and destroyed in hurricanes. Democracy is under threat from the corrupting influence of fossil fuel money in politics.

But it doesn't have to be this way.

In-Person Sept 17, 1pm NYC, 56th & Broadway

MINI-RETREAT via REVOLUTIONARY HUMANS

Stories That Save Us

Embrace personal storytelling as a path to radical progress both personally and for our communities.

Available Sept 8th | Online | Sliding Scale

PARENTING COMMUNITY via RAISING LUMINARIES

Join The Luminary Braintrust

Brace yourself for hard conversations and courageous action at home - with support from caregivers on the same path.

Get access to seasonal collaborations, a parent-activist resource library, and more.

Ongoing | Online | Sliding Scale

7-WEEK PARENTING PROGRAM via COME BACK TO CARE

In-Out-N-Through

Social justice parenting and inner child re-parenting program for exhausted parents and caregivers who want to parent from a more connected, centered place.

Autumn & winter cohorts available | Online | Sliding Scale

6-WEEK COLLECTIVE via RAISING LUMINARIES

Activist Caregiver Winter Incubator

Can't catch up? Feeling trapped? On a trip wire with your kids?

It's time to focus your floodlight of overwhelm into a laser-beam of sustainable action

January through February 2024 | Online | Sliding Scale

"There's so much that needs to change, and it's a challenge to figure out where to focus, especially with little bits of time, energy, and money to send into the world."

Linda G.

Patreon Supporter

Ashia (they/them or she/her)

Stay Curious, Stand Brave & Smash The Kyriarchy

Help me keep these resources free & accessible for all

Let us know we're not alone:

How is your family modeling sustainably-paced activism?

RAISING LUMINARIES

Raising Luminaries creates workshops, training, and educational resources for parents & caregivers igniting the next generation of kind & courageous leaders.

ABOUT | MISSION | FINANCIALS | ACCOUNTABILITY

SHOW YOUR SUPPORT

MEMBER LOGIN

STAY IN TOUCH

Get free email notifications with stories, toolkits, guides to help you raise kind & courageous leaders

FREE STUFF

JOIN OUR COMMUNITY

SHOP

Bookshop

Posts may contain affiliate links and sponsorships, which allow me to earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

AFFILIATE POLICY

PARTNERS IN CAHOOTS

TOPICS

CONTACT

WHAT DID I MISS?

RECIPROCATE

You’re welcome to share & boost this toolkit, with attribution to Raising Luminaries.

Raising Luminaries is anchored in the land of the Wampanoag & Massachusett People.
Support Wôpanâak early childhood education here.

▲

This page may use affiliate referral links. We may earn a small commission if you choose to make an order using these links. Learn how we use affiliate links to support our community.

Photographs via Unsplash & Illustrations via Storyset, used with permission.

August 16, 2023 0 comments

Quick Actions

August Calls Us to Action

by Ashia July 17, 2023

written by Ashia

Igniting the next generation of kind & courageous leaders

Get Free Social Justice Toolkits For Kids

QUICK ACTIONS

August Calls Us To Action!

Youth-centered calls to action to ignite the next generation of kind & courageous leaders.

Co-Created by Shannon Brescher Shea & Ashia Ray

WE DID IT!

Last month we...

STAY CURIOUS, STAND BRAVE & SMASH THE KYRIARCHY

You give us hope

This August, we focus on education rights, healthcare, and countering misinformation about slavery and abolition.

PETITION via THE IÑUPIAT SELAWIK COMMUNITY

Enforce ICWA: Reunite Chanel With Her Family

Disregarding ICWA, Indigenous children like Chanel are still removed from their communities and placed with non-Indigenous foster parents who isolate them from their culture and support network.

After the murder of her mother, Chanel was placed with racist foster parents who humiliate and isolate her - bypassing her Iñupiat grandmother who can (and wants) to bring her home.

PETITION via COLOR OF CHANGE

End Racism In College Admissions

43% of white students admitted to Harvard University were recruited athletes, legacy students, children of faculty or staff, or on the dean’s interest list (applicants whose parents or relatives have donated to Harvard). Without these advantages, roughly 75% of these students would have been rejected.

Should colleges & corporations fail to devise equitable hiring practices, then Black communities will continue to encounter barriers to a livable wage.

PETITION via MOMS RISING

Support Harm Reduction

State, local, and tribal governments across the country are already implementing innovative strategies to prevent violence, reduce harm, and improve the wellbeing of every community, especially Black and brown communities.

The People’s Response Act provides the resources and assistance to scale up these efforts and truly transform public safety in the United States.

PETITION via ULTRAVIOLET

Protect Youth Access To Reproductive Care

The Abortion Justice Act will ensure that anyone seeking care will be able to get it when they need it, where they need it, and without worry about cost or insurance denials.

PETITION via HIP HOP CAUCUS

Push Back Against Attempts To Ban Black History

Florida, Oklahoma, Missouri, and Nebraska have renewed moves to ban African American history in an attempt to ban the truth about slavery and institutional racism in America.

STATEMENT via UNITE AGAINST BOOK BANS

Reaffirm The Freedom To Read

Book bans, unconstitutional legislation, and campaigns to criminalize the work of librarians, teachers, booksellers and other individuals for distributing materials protected by the First Amendment threaten our fundamental liberties. Together, we affirm that the freedom to read is essential to our democracy and our birthright.

PETITION via MOMS RISING

Protest Medicaid Coverage for At-Risk Families

Nearly three million children have lost their Medicaid coverage due mostly to administrative issues.

Urge the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Xavier Becerra to act again to protect Medicaid by providing more oversight of the states.

AMPLIFY YOUR ACTION

Suggest An Action

Recommend a youth-centered action organized by people with lived experience.

ACTIVITY via LITTLE FEMINIST BOOK CLUB

Diverse Reads Summer Bingo

Download your bingo chart and complete 5 squares to win prizes.

If playing for prizes, finished bingo cards are due August 18th

VIRTUAL 1-DAY MINI-RETREAT via REVOLUTIONARY HUMANS

Stories That Save Us

Embrace personal storytelling as a path to radical progress both personally and for our communities.

Available Aug 6th or Sept 8th | Online

7-WEEK VIRTUAL PARENTING PROGRAM

In-Out-N-Through

Social justice parenting and inner child re-parenting program for exhausted parents and caregivers who want to parent from a more connected, centered place.

Available Wednesdays, Sept 6th through Oct 18th.

PARENTING COMMUNITY via RAISING LUMINARIES

Join The Luminary Braintrust

Brace yourself for hard conversations and courageous action at home - with support from caregivers on the same path.

Get access to seasonal collaborations, a parent-activist resource library, and more.

Ongoing | Online

"There's so much that needs to change, and it's a challenge to figure out where to focus, especially with little bits of time, energy, and money to send into the world."

Linda G.

Patreon Supporter

Ashia (they/them or she/her)

Stay Curious, Stand Brave & Smash The Kyriarchy

Help me keep these resources free & accessible for all

Let us know we're not alone:

What does a 'right to education' look like for your family?

RAISING LUMINARIES

Raising Luminaries creates workshops, training, and educational resources for parents & caregivers igniting the next generation of kind & courageous leaders.

ABOUT | MISSION | FINANCIALS | ACCOUNTABILITY

SHOW YOUR SUPPORT

MEMBER LOGIN

STAY IN TOUCH

Get free email notifications with stories, toolkits, guides to help you raise kind & courageous leaders

FREE STUFF

JOIN OUR COMMUNITY

SHOP

Bookshop

Posts may contain affiliate links and sponsorships, which allow me to earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

AFFILIATE POLICY

PARTNERS IN CAHOOTS

TOPICS

CONTACT

WHAT DID I MISS?

RECIPROCATE

You’re welcome to share & boost this toolkit, with attribution to Raising Luminaries.

Raising Luminaries is anchored in the land of the Wampanoag & Massachusett People.
Support Wôpanâak early childhood education here.

▲

This page may use affiliate referral links. We may earn a small commission if you choose to make an order using these links. Learn how we use affiliate links to support our community.

Photographs via Unsplash & Illustrations via Storyset, used with permission.

July 17, 2023 0 comments

Quick Actions

Bonus: July Calls Us to Action

by Ashia June 4, 2023

written by Ashia

Igniting the next generation of kind & courageous leaders

Get Free Social Justice Toolkits For Kids

QUICK ACTIONS

July Calls Us To Action!

Youth-centered calls to action to ignite the next generation of kind & courageous leaders.

Co-Created by Shannon Brescher Shea & Ashia Ray

WE DID IT!

We're cheering on...

STAY CURIOUS, STAND BRAVE & SMASH THE KYRIARCHY

You give us hope

This July, we focus on themes of Interdependence, Climate Justice, Animal Rights, and Taking Local Action.

ADVOCACY TOOL via SARAH SAYER

Daily 10-Second Ceasefire Texts

Sarah Sayer creates texting templates with sources, explanations, and calls to end violence against the people of Palestine. Subscribe to her free for a new Resistbot message every day.

Already on Resistbot? Text FOLLOW WATERMELON to the number 50409

PETITION via MAURICE CARNEY

Congress: Stop US Funding Conflict in Congo

Tell your officials to stop funding genocide in the DRC. For over 25 years, United States allies Rwanda and Uganda have plundered and murdered Congolese people using diplomatic and political cover from the US.

TOOLKIT via NORA LESTER MURAD

Support Teachers & Librarians Against False Accusations of Antisemitism

False accusations of antisemitism are used to silence librarians and K-12 educators educating about Palestinian culture, history, and current events. Help local schools and libraries reduce the impacts of attacks before they arise, and learn how to respond when the attacks come for you.

PETITION via WORLD ANIMAL PROTECTION

Congress: Ban Cruel Whale Captivity

The SWIMS Act would end the capture and breeding of whales for entertainment, closing one of the cruelest chapters in aquarium history.

PETITION via EKŌ

Target Corp: Stop Poisoning Bees

Demand US retail chains refuse to sell food grown using neonics killing bee colonies everywhere. Walmart and Giant have started to move, but Target is dragging its feet.

TOOLKIT via WORLD ANIMAL PROTECTION

Ban Wild Animal Sales In Your Community

For stores like PetSmart and Petco, countless animal deaths go unreported. But employees continue to speak out about the animals suffering in stores.

AUDIO TRAINING via COME BACK TO CARE

React-Revert-Reduce Parenting

Support your child's agency to choose which survival strategies they want to keep, which ones they want to adapt and which ones they want to pass down to their own children down the line.

PETITION via AUTISTIC SELF ADVOCACY NETWORK

Congress: #StopTheShock by July 9!

Using sneaky language in a new funding bill, Congress is trying to take away the FDA's power to ban electric shock devices used to torture disabled people at the Judge Rotenburg Center.

Sign before July 9, 2024

PETITION via ABLE DEMS

Congress: Stop Forced Sterilization Of Disabled People

Tell your members of Congress to stand up for reproductive freedom for people with disabilities. Sign on to drive change and protect the freedoms that are fundamental to all.

Sign before July 9, 2024

AMPLIFY YOUR ACTION

Suggest An Action

Recommend a youth-centered action organized by people with lived experience.

DO-GOODERY CHALLENGE via PLASTIC FREE JULY

Reduce Single Use Plastic

Will you be part of Plastic Free July by choosing to refuse single-use plastics?

PETITION via AMERICANS FOR TAX FAIRNESS

Congress: Pass the 'End Polluter Welfare Act'

In 2023, Big Oil, Gas, and Coal spent nearly $137 million to lobby Congress in order to maintain their $17 billion in tax subsidies each year. Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Ilhan Omar have introduced the End Polluter Welfare Act to end the practice of our tax dollars fueling the climate crisis.

PETITION via AMERICANS FOR TAX FAIRNESS

Congress: Don't Roll Back EPA Protections

Despite state mandates, utilities have been moving ahead with gas expansions that generate harmful and unnecessary climate emissions, raise rates for customers and threaten reliability of the electric grid during extreme weather events.

PETITION via SUNRISE MOVEMENT

FEMA: classify extreme heat and wildfire smoke as major disasters

Record-breaking heatwaves and toxic wildfires continue to devastate U.S. cities and ecosystems. The Federal Emergency can unlock federal support for resource-strapped neighborhoods, cities, counties, and states where thousands are dying and disabled by these disasters.

PETITION via CLIMATE REALITY PROJECT

Stop plastic-burning facilities from harming vulnerable communities

Greenwashed incinerator plants burn plastic, creating chemicals that lead to more greenhouse gas emissions and a cocktail of toxins linked to cancer, nervous system damage, and harmful effects on reproduction and development.

WORKSHOP via BEYOND PLASTICS

Build a world without plastic pollution

Register Beyond Plastics Trainings to learn practical and powerful ways to end plastic pollution locally and engage your larger community.

First Session: Sept 7 or 10. Second Session: Sept 9 or 12 | Free | Online

JOIN THE NEWSLETTER

Tackle tricky conversations with confidence

Need help starting hard conversations with your kids?

Get stories, tips, and tools to ignite the next generation of kind & courageous leaders.

WORKSHOP via RIGHT TO BE

Resilience Training

Using guided practices to hold our pain and still find joy and recoveingr quickly when we’re knocked down by the world.

Free | Online | July 18 3p ET

KIDS SPEAK UP SURVEY via ADVOCATES FOR YOUTH

LGBTQiA2S+ Kids School Survey

Inviting LGBTQiA2S+ kids ages 13+ who attended middle or high school in 2023-24 to answer questions about about your sense of safety and ability to participate in school.

PETITION via CLIMATE REALITY PROJECT

Congress: Pass the equality act to protect LGBTiA2S+ kids

We urgently need federal protections like those laid out in the Equality Act, which would give 2SLGBTQ kids the same protections from discrimination as other protected groups under federal law.

ACTIVIST PARENTING GUIDE

Raising Climate Justice Advocates

These monthly Quick Action guides are brought to you with the help of our Quick Action Coordinator, Shannon Brescher Shea.

Check out her book on juggling climate advocacy & parenting, Growing Sustainable Together

This is an Amazon affiliate link, since Bookshop keeps selling out!

PETITION via THE MOVEMENT FOR BLACK LIVES

Congress: Replace Police Escalation With Mental Health Response

88% of Black Americans support hiring mental-health professionals as non-police first responders to de-escalate mental-health crises. he People's Response Act emphasizes and adopts an inclusive, holistic and health-centered approach to public safety.

FILM SALON via VOICES FROM THE HOLY LAND

Understand the physical & mental health needs of people trapped in Gaza

Seven months into the war, there is no ceasefire and no safety anywhere in Gaza. How could healing ever begin? What can people do now to end the trauma and support the process of recovery for survivors?

Free | Online | Ends July 21, 2024

PETITION via MOMS RISING

Congress: Address The Youth Mental Health Crisis

Congress must provide effective resources to federal agencies to establish a comprehensive system of care to address mental and behavioral health needs for infants, children, and adolescents.

LETTER TEMPLATE via RAISING LUMINARIES

Dear Schools: Reconsider 'Crazy Hair Day'

Beyond the racist and xenophobic implications of this practice, using the word “crazy” as a joke and an insult pushes people with mental health conditions to the margins and isolates students when they most need support.

KIDS ACTIVITY via FOR THE PEOPLE

Libraries & Lemonade

Show your support for public libraries this summer by sharing the impact they make on your community while serving up some cold lemonade. Libraries and Lemonade is back this year with resources to help you host your own lemonade stand.

SUMMER WORKSHOP via RAISING LUMINARIES

Summer Luminator Collective

Join our 6-week summer collective, where radically progressive parents reflect, assess, and take action to make a laser-beam impact all year round.

It’s fun. You will like it. Join us.

Enrollment closes 7/1/24 | Online | Sliding Scale

Let us know we're not alone:

What does local action look like for your family?

RAISING LUMINARIES

Raising Luminaries creates workshops, training, and educational resources for parents & caregivers igniting the next generation of kind & courageous leaders.

ABOUT | MISSION | FINANCIALS | ACCOUNTABILITY

SHOW YOUR SUPPORT

MEMBER LOGIN

STAY IN TOUCH

Get free email notifications with stories, toolkits, guides to help you raise kind & courageous leaders

FREE STUFF

JOIN OUR COMMUNITY

SHOP

Bookshop

Posts may contain affiliate links and sponsorships, which allow me to earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

AFFILIATE POLICY

PARTNERS IN CAHOOTS

TOPICS

CONTACT

WHAT DID I MISS?

RECIPROCATE

You’re welcome to share & boost this toolkit, with attribution to Raising Luminaries.

Raising Luminaries is anchored in the land of the Wampanoag & Massachusett People.
Support Wôpanâak early childhood education here.

▲

This page may use affiliate referral links. We may earn a small commission if you choose to make an order using these links. Learn how we use affiliate links to support our community.

Photographs via Unsplash & Illustrations via Storyset, used with permission.

June 4, 2023 0 comments

Quick Actions

Bonus: June Calls Us to Action!

Wordbank for Kids

Free Toolkits

Luminary Braintrust

Summer Luminator

Winter Incubator

Student Ignition Society

Bookshop

Come Back To Care

Revolutionary Humans

Growing Sustainable

Drop The ADL From Schools

Support local schools

STOP BOOK BANS

Wordbank for Kids

Free Toolkits

Luminary Braintrust

Summer Luminator

Winter Incubator

Student Ignition Society

Bookshop

Come Back To Care

Revolutionary Humans

Growing Sustainable

Drop The ADL From Schools

Support local schools

STOP BOOK BANS

QUICK ACTIONS

June Calls Us To Action!

We're cheering on...

You give us hope

Daily 10-Second Ceasefire Texts

University Presidents: Stop suppressing students free speech

Tell Democrats in Congress to reject AIPAC

Understand Palestinian Youth Detention

Tell the US Government: Investigate ShotSpotter

Restoring biodiversity in your garden

New England Native Plant Finder

How to raise change agents

Tell Congress: Protect new guidelines restricting unlicensed gun sales

Tell Congress: Stop protecting the gun industry

Suggest An Action

Dear Teachers: Choose 'Acceptance' over 'Awareness'

Support group for BIPOC Neurodivergent Adults

Congress: Protect Black History Education

Tackle tricky conversations with confidence

Act Out! Pride Month Training For Young People

Teach Truth Pop-Up Actions

Tell the Dept of Education to Stop LGBT+ Book Bans

Raising Climate Justice Advocates

Bystander Intervention to Support the LGBTQIA+ Community

Tell Congress: Reject unconstititional, xenophobic questions in the US census

Tell Congress: Protect immigrant kids access to health, nutrition & housing

Increase outdoor access for targeted families

Tell Congress: Protect parents access to infertility treatments

Summer Luminator Collective

What step have you taken this month to make create brave spaces for the next generation?

Wordbank for Kids

Free Toolkits

Luminary Braintrust

Summer Luminator

Winter Incubator

Student Ignition Society

Bookshop

Come Back To Care

Revolutionary Humans

Growing Sustainable

Drop The ADL From Schools

Support local schools

STOP BOOK BANS

Wordbank for Kids

Free Toolkits

Luminary Braintrust

Summer Luminator

Winter Incubator

Student Ignition Society

Bookshop

Come Back To Care

Revolutionary Humans