Community

The principal mission of the “Lawyers’ Committee” is to secure equal justice for all through the rule of law, targeting in particular the inequities confronting African Americans and other racial and ethnic minorities. The Lawyers’ Committee is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization, formed in 1963 at the request of President John F. Kennedy to enlist the private bar’s leadership and resources in combating racial discrimination and the resulting inequality of opportunity — work that continues to be vital today. One of their key endeavors is the national, non-partisan Election Protection Program, which is made up of over 300 national, state, and local partners. The program provides individuals with comprehensive assistance at all stages of voting — from registration, to absentee and early voting, to casting a vote at the polls, to overcoming obstacles to their participation — using a wide range of tools and activities to protect, advance, and defend the right to vote. They recruit and train thousands of attorney volunteers to assist voters through the 866-OUR-VOTE hotline (phone and online). The Election Protection Program is a resource for all voters, including those who are targets of voter suppression, and seeks to ensure free and fair vote for all.

Much of the work they do is informational, guiding voters through questions about the process. That said, a critically important element of what they do (by phone, text, online, etc.) related to report incidents so that the Election Protection Program can jump into action, involving attorneys, election administration officials, the media, and anyone else necessary to address issues.

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The Guthrie Theater opened in 1963 and became a prototype for a new kind of theater — a nonprofit resident theater company with strong community support. It produces classics, new works, and contemporary plays, runs professional actor training programs, and has a national reputation as one of America’s premiere theaters. Through its extraordinary artists, staff, and facility, the Guthrie is committed to the people of Minnesota, and from its place, rooted deeply in the Twin Cities, influences the field as a leading 21st-century arts organization.

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Bonton Farms seeks to disrupt systems of inequity that remain far too prevalent in inner city communities across America. What started as a garden in a small lot has grown to two fully functioning farms, a farmer’s market, a café and coffee house, and much more. The organization works alongside residents of the Bonton neighborhood in Dallas, Texas, to address unjust, systemic barriers to healthy and thriving lives. Since 2014, Bonton Farms has served men and women that have been formerly incarcerated, homeless, addicted, trafficked, or domestically abused. They have never had a single person reoffend.

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Founded in 2005, Marnita’s Table seeks to build bridges of understanding through a model called Intentional Social Interaction (IZI), an approach and set of tools that guide and inspire participants to come together across difference to find common ground. Over the last two decades, more than 200,000 people have participated in thousands of separate IZIs in Minnesota and beyond to catalyze measurable concentric circles of grassroots impact. As an organization founded and led by Black and Indigenous women and nonbinary people, Marnita’s Table is proud to reflect the communities they serve.

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The mission of the North Texas Food Bank (NTFB) is to close the hunger gap in North Texas by providing access to nutritious food. Their vision is a hunger-free, healthy North Texas — achieved through a number of different programs. They distribute food through 200 partner agencies and 1,000 locations. They deliver food, including fresh produce and refrigerated items, directly to high-need communities. They provide backpacks of nonperishable food for appx. 11,000 children in 300+ elementary and middle schools to take home each Friday during the school year. They provide students and families with non-perishable items and fresh produce at local schools once per month, focused in schools where at least 90% of students qualify for free and reduced lunch. They extend Food 4 Kids and School Pantry programs into the summer months. They provide seniors aged 60+ with a box of 38 lbs. of non-perishables once per month at distribution sites or directly to homes via DoorDash. And the help families navigate the application process for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as food stamps, to help purchase food and move toward self-sufficiency.

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Every day, 120 Americans are killed with guns. In 2021, more children and teens died from firearm injuries than motor vehicle crashes. Everytown for Gun Safety exists to end gun violence and save lives. They provide research and educate the public about effective gun safety measures, and they help demand accountability from elected representatives through grassroots efforts in all 50 states. Working with mothers, students, mayors, gun owners, and survivors, they aim to encourage common-sense steps to provide evidence-based solutions that can end gun violence.

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Minnesota Public Radio (MPR) is one of the nation’s premier public radio organizations, producing programming for radio, digital, and live audiences. Operating a 46-station terrestrial radio network, MPR serves nearly all of Minnesota and parts of surrounding states. MPR’s three regional services — MPR News, Your Classical MPR, and The Current— reach 1 million listeners each week. Their mission is creating the future of public media by amplifying voices to inform, include, and inspire. Their vision is a connected America fueled by trust and understanding.

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