Stacey Abrams and Roosevelt Institute award
Alabama Institute for Social Justice
SEAP Funding to Advance Public Policy
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Stacey Abrams
, a well-known national political and civic leader, is founder and executive director of SEAP, a policy initiative to spur innovation and collaboration by connecting researchers, leaders, experts, and organizers. SEAP is a project of the
Roosevelt Institute
, a New York nonprofit dedicated to carrying forward the legacy and values of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt. The institute develops progressive ideas and bold leadership in the service of restoring America’s promise of opportunity for all.
"We are excited to support AISJ as they expand into environmental justice policy," Ms. Abrams said. "We know change happens because of the work of committed advocates who are on the ground fighting for justice for their communities. We look forward to having AISJ's voice in this critical debate."
In 2019, AISJ established environmental justice as one of its six focus areas. Since that time, considerable hours have been spent in Alabama’s Black Belt communities observing conditions facing residents, who are predominantly African-American, female, and poor. From wastewater management to clean water, these issues erode the overall well-being for those who, through no fault of their own, continue to reel from the lingering legacy and implications of structural racism and oppression. This SEAP funding will allow AISJ to work with a policy analyst to construct an agenda regarding environmental concerns, particularly in the Black Belt region and among women and people of color. The environmental policy framework will expand AISJ's advocacy efforts and offer a collective and systemic view on issue areas.
“Receiving this award is an incredible opportunity for our organization," said Lenice Emanuel, executive director of AISJ. "This funding will allow us to strategically connect economic disparities, witnessed on the ground, to policy deficits that vastly undermine the quality of life in marginalized communities. AISJ is committed to creating a state where economic, political, and social equity exist for everyone, having a mission that is rooted in setting and acting upon a racial equity and social justice policy agenda. The support of SEAP is catalytic in elevating our environmental justice work, bolstering our capacity and impact.”
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The Southern Economic Advancement Project (SEAP) partners with policy thinkers and doers to amplify their efforts and bridge gaps in policy infrastructure. We act as a connector, convener, and policy entrepreneur across issues and states, translating good ideas to the Southern context. Our goal is to advance policies that improve economic security, healthcare access, and environmental justice for all Southerners.
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About the Alabama Institute for Social Justice
:
The Alabama Institute for Social Justice (AISJ) focuses on addressing systemic change that is necessary because of institutional and structural inequities. Among its strategies, AISJ works to remove barriers that particularly limit and/or undermine the economic well-being of women and people of color through leadership development and training, advocacy and public policy, and racial healing and reconciliation. To learn more about the organization, please visit
www.ALISJ.org
.
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About Stacey Abrams
:
SEAP
was founded and is led by
Stacey Abrams
as Executive Director. She is a nonprofit CEO, serial entrepreneur, political leader and New York Times bestselling author. After serving for eleven years in the Georgia House of Representatives, seven as Minority Leader, in 2018, Abrams became the Democratic nominee for Governor of Georgia. She founded and chairs Fair Fight Action, a 501(c)(4) organization dedicated to ensuring voter engagement and participation as well and elections reform to promote fairness in our elections. She also founded Fair Count, a 501(c)(3) with a focus on the 2020 Census and long‐term civic engagement. Over the course of her career, Abrams has founded multiple organizations devoted to voting rights, training and hiring young people of color, and tackling social issues at both the state and national levels. She also co‐founded NOWaccount Network Corporation, a financial services firm. Formerly, she was Deputy City Attorney for the City of Atlanta. Prior to her tenure at the City, she was Special Tax Counsel at Sutherland, with a focus on tax‐exempt organizations.
About the Roosevelt Institute
:
The
Roosevelt Institute
is a
think tank
and
campus network
that believes in an economy and democracy by the people, for the people. The few at the top — corporations and the richest among us — hold too much wealth and power today, and our society will be stronger when that changes. Armed with a bold vision for the future, we want our work to move the country toward a new economic and political system: one built by many for the good of all. The Roosevelt Institute is the nonprofit partner to the
Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum
in Hyde Park, NY — America’s first presidential library.
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