- Cargle, Rachel Elizabeth, When Feminism is White Supremacy in Heels, Harper’s Bazaar
- Coates, Ta-Nehisi, The Case for Reparations, The Atlantic
- Giorgis, Hannah, “How White People Can Support People of Color Now“, BuzzFeed
- Hannah-Jones, Nikole, The 1619 Project, The New York Times Magazine
- Jones, Kenneth and Okun, Tema, The Characteristics of White Supremacy Culture, Showing Up For Racial Justice
- Kim, Catherine, “They just see that you’re Asian and you are horrible”: How the pandemic is triggering racist attacks“, Vox
- Kim, Vivekae and Venkataramanan, Meena, “Stories from the Border: Sharing migration stories from the Arizona-Mexico borderlands and beyond“, Medium
- Lorde, Audre, The Uses of Anger: Women Responding to Racism, BlackPast
- McIntosh, Peggy, White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack, Independent School (Winter 1990)
- Page, Kira, White Supremacy Culture in Organizations, Center for Community Organizations
- Powell, Tunette, My son has been suspended five times. He’s 3., The Washington Post
- Shutack, Corinne, 75 Things White People Can Do for Racial Justice, Medium
- Home
- Virtual Engagement
- Social Justice Engagement
Social Justice Engagement
Conversation about identity, social (in)justice, and (in)equity has been at the forefront of our daily lives.
Whether you are just beginning to learn about various diversity and social justice topics, or are looking to build upon your existing knowledge, the Office of Civic & Community Engagement has compiled a variety of resources that delve into different identities, frameworks, and theories.
From books and articles to podcasts and television shows, no matter the medium, learn more about different social justice topics through the resources below.
Let Us Know
Do you have a book, podcast, article, TV, or documentary that has influenced your understanding of a social justice topic?
Let us know, and we will add it to our website to share with others.

Social Justice Book Club
Join WFU students, faculty, and staff while exploring books about race, gender, immigration, poverty, or criminal justice issues through guided conversation.
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Articles
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Books [Non-Fiction]
- Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
- Beyond Respectability: The Intellectual Thought of Race Women (Women, Gender, and Sexuality in American History) by Brittney C. Cooper
- Black Indian by Shonda Buchanan
- Biased: Uncovering the Hidden Prejudice that Shapes What We See, Think, and Do by Jennifer L. Eberhardt
- Bird of Paradise: How I Became Latina by Raquel Cepeda
- Democracy is Black: How Race Still Enslaves the American Soul by Eddie S. Glaude Jr.
- Ebony and Ivy: Race, Slavery, and the Troubled History of America’s Universities by Craig Steven Wilder
- Eloquent Rage: A Black Feminist Discovers Her Superpower by Brittany Cooper
- Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City by Matthew Desmond
- For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enuf by Ntozake Shang
- God Save the Queens: The Essential History of Women in Hip-Hop by Kathy Iandoli
- Habits of Whiteness: A Pragmatist Reconstruction by Terrance MacMullen
- How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi
- Me and White Supremacy: Combat Racism, Change the World, and Become a Good Ancestor by Layla F Saad
- Myth of the Model Minority: Asian Americans Facing Racism by Rosalind S. Chou and Joe R. Feagin
- On Being Included: Diversity and Institutional Life by Sara Ahmed
- Pushout: The Criminalization of Black Girls in Schools by Monique Morris
- Racism without Racists: Color-Blind Racism and the Persistence of Racial Inequality in America by Eduardo Bonilla-Silva
- Raising White Kids: Bringing Up Children in a Racially Unjust America by Jennifer Harvey
- Sister Citizen: Shame, Stereotypes, and Black Women in America by Melissa Harris Perry
- Sister Outsider by Audre Lorde
- So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo
- Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America by Ibram X. Kendi
- The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America by Richard Rothstein
- The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin
- The Half Has Never Been Told: Slavery and the Making of American Capitalism by Edward E. Baptist
- The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander
- The Racial Healing Handbook: Practical Activities to Help You Challenge Privilege, Confront Systemic Racism, and Engage in Collective Healing by Anneliese A Singh, Ph.D., LPC
- The Sisters Are Alright: Changing the Broken Narrative of Black Women in America by Tamara Winfrey Harris
- The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America’s Great Migration by Isabel Wilkerson
- This Book Is Anti-Racist: 20 Lessons on How to Wake Up, Take Action, and Do The Work by Tiffany Jewell
- This Will Be My Undoing: Living at the Intersection of Black, Female, and Feminist in (White) America by Morgan Jerkins
- White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin DiAngelo
- White Rage: The Unspoken Truth of Our Racial Divide by Carol Anderson
- Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? by Beverly Daniel Tatum
- Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge
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Books [Fiction]
- Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
- An American Summer: Love and Death in Chicago by Alex Kotlowitz
- An American Sunrise: Poems by Joy Harjo
- Beloved by Toni Morrison
- Black Is the Body: Stories from My Grandmother’s Time, My Mother’s Time, and Mine by Emily Bernard
- Citizen: An American Lyric by Claudia Rankine
- Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin
- I’m Still Here: Black Dignity In A World Made For Whiteness by Austin Channing Brown
- On Beauty by Zadie Smith
- On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong
- Parable of the Sower, Parable of the Talents, Kindred by Octavia Butler
- Tell Me Who You Are: Sharing Our Stories Of Race, Culture, & Identity by Winona Guo and Priya Vulchi
- The Fire This Time: A New Generation Speaks about Race by Jesmyn Ward
- The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead
- The Other Americans by Laila Lalami
- The Travelers by Regina Porter
- The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead
- White Teeth by Zadie Smith
- Who Fears Death by Nnedi Okorafor
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Podcasts
1619
In August of 1619, a ship carrying more than 20 enslaved Africans arrived in the English colony of Virginia. America was not yet America, but this was the moment it began. No aspect of the country that would be formed here has been untouched by the 250 years of slavery that followed. On the 400th anniversary of this fateful moment, it is time to tell the story. “1619” is a New York Times audio series hosted by Nikole Hannah-Jones.
About Race
From the author behind the bestselling Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race comes a podcast that takes the conversation a step further. Featuring key voices from the last few decades of anti-racist activism, About Race with Reni Eddo-Lodge looks at the recent history that lead to the politics of today.
Code Switch
What’s CODE SWITCH? It’s the fearless conversations about race that you’ve been waiting for! Hosted by journalists of color, our podcast tackles the subject of race head-on. We explore how it impacts every part of society — from politics and pop culture to history, sports, and everything in between. This podcast makes ALL OF US part of the conversation — because we’re all part of the story.
Pass The Mic
Pass The Mic is the premier podcast of The Witness – A Black Christian Collective. Tune in every week for engaging discussions and high profile interviews addressing the core concerns of African Americans biblically.
Find more podcasts on The Witness Podcast Network
See Something, Say Something
Each week, Ahmed Ali Akbar covers everything that American Muslims are talking about right now — misrepresentation in the media, equality in the mosque, Asahd memes, and much more.
Small Doses with Amanda Seales
Comedian Amanda Seales is dropping gems with, “Small Doses,” a weekly podcast that brings you potent truths for everyday use.
Recommended Episode: Side Effects of White Women
Smartest Person in the Room
Laura Tremaine is not the smartest person in the room, but she knows someone who is. Driven by her belief that we all learn, grow, and become better when we surround ourselves with people who are smarter than us, she’ll take you along to meet people who are brilliant in their fields. With the casual tone of the best dinner party conversation you’ve ever had, Smartest Person in the Room offers fascinating, funny, and thought-provoking learning you won’t want to miss.
Recommended Episode: Well-meaning white people
Still Processing
Step inside the confession booth of Wesley Morris and Jenna Wortham, two culture writers for The New York Times. They devour TV, movies, art, music and the internet to find the things that move them — to tears, awe, and anger. “Still Processing” is where they try to understand the pleasures and pathologies of America in 2020.
Therapy for Black Girls
A weekly conversation with Dr. Joy Harden Bradford, a licensed Psychologist in Atlanta, Georgia, about all things mental health, personal development, and all the small decisions we can make to become the best possible version of ourselves.
Yo, is this Racist?
Every Wednesday host Andrew Ti, co-host Tawny Newsome, and their guests answer questions from fan-submitted voicemails and emails about whether or not something is, in fact, racist.
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Short Videos
5 Tips For Being An Ally
If you’re not black and would like to show your support of the black community, popular Youtuber Franceshca Ramsey, AKA Chescaleigh, has five helpful tips on how to be an ally
Angela Davis on Violence
An excerpt from The Black Power Mixtape features a powerful interview with Angela Davis in 1972 in which she speaks about violence, which is still relevant today.
Cracking the Codes: Power Analysis
Individuals name and reflect upon personal, social, and systemic instances of power.
Deconstructing White Privilege with Dr. Robin DiAngelo
“White fragility,” is a state in which even a minimum amount of racial stress becomes intolerable, triggering a range of defensive moves. These moves include an outward display of emotions such as anger, fear, and guilt, and behaviors such as argumentation, silence, and leaving the stress-inducing situation.
It’s Time To Unpack White Fragility
Dr. Robin DiAngelo has heard every excuse in the book from white people on why they aren’t racist. It’s time to unpack her concept of “White Fragility”.
It's Time To Unpack White Fragility
Dr. Robin DiAngelo has spent 20 years running diversity trainings within companies in the US. She’s heard every excuse from white people: that they're "color blind" or that their “best friend is black." Surely they aren’t racists. Why are white people so bad at talking about race?
Posted by Strong Opinions Loosely Held on Tuesday, November 13, 2018
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TV, Documentaries & Movies
13th
Scholars, activists, and politicians analyze the criminalization of African Americans and the U.S. prison boom in this documentary.
Dark Girls
A fascinating and controversial film that goes underneath the surface to explore the prejudices dark-skinned women face throughout the world.
Paris is Burning
an unblinking behind-the-scenes story of fashion-obsessed New Yorkers who created “voguing” and drag balls.
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Local Nonprofits and Grassroots Organizations
- Black Lives Matter Winston-Salem: For those in Winston-Salem (as well Forsyth, Yadkin, Davidson, Davie, etc) who stand up to state and racist violence waged on Communities and People of Color.
- Black Organizing for Leadership and Dignity: A national training intermediary focused on transforming the practice of Black organizers in the US to increase their alignment, impact, and sustainability to win progressive change through training programs, coaching, and technical assistance.
- Black Organizing Project: Racial, social, and economic justice through grassroots organizing and community building by prioritizing developing leadership skills and political analysis of key member-leaders within the community to act as critical change agents.
- Equity Forsyth: Advance racial justice in Winston-Salem. Follow Black leaders, support Black-led organizations throughout Forsyth County, and get involved.
- Institute for Dismantling Racism: The Institute for Dismantling Racism, Inc. educates, organizes, and supports communities and organizations in developing policies and procedures to create diverse and inclusive cultures.
- NAACP Winston-Salem: The NAACP ensures the political, educational, social, and economic equality of minority group citizens of the United States and eliminates race prejudice. The NAACP seeks to remove all barriers of racial discrimination through democratic processes.
- Siembra NC: An organization of Latinx people defending our rights & building power “with papers and without papers” with member leadership teams in Alamance, Durham, Forsyth, Guilford, Orange, and Randolph counties. Siembra NC is pro-Black, pro-undocumented, pro-working class, pro-woman, pro-LGBTQ, pro-transgender, pro-indigenous because our communities are all of those things and more.
- Winston-Salem Urban League The Winston-Salem Urban League empowers and advocates for African Americans and other disenfranchised communities, and promotes socioeconomic progress and parity through education, training, and civic engagement.
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Resources
- Black Lives Matter: Black Lives Matter Foundation, Inc. is a global organization in the US, UK, and Canada, whose mission is to eradicate white supremacy and build local power to intervene in violence inflicted on Black communities by the state and vigilantes.
- Racial Bias Test: Find hidden biases through an Implicit Association Test by Project Implicit.
- Racial Equity Tools: Designed to support individuals and groups working to achieve racial equity. It offers tools, research, tips, curricula, and ideas for people who want to increase their own understanding and to help those working toward justice at every level – in systems, organizations, communities, and the culture at large.
- Resources for White People to Learn and Talk About Race and Racism: A jumping-off point for white people to learn about Race and Racism.
- White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack: An essay written by American feminist scholar Peggy McIntosh. It covers 50 examples, or hidden benefits, from McIntosh’s perspective, of the privilege white people, experience in everyday life.
Dive into race, racism, & anti-racism
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Articles
- Weiss, Suzannah, “7 Examples of Benevolent Sexism That Are Just As Harmful As Hostile Sexism”, Bustle
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Books
- All the Single Ladies: Unmarried Women and the Rise of an Independent Nation by Rebecca Solnit
- Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay
- Difficult Women by Roxane Gay
- How We Fight for Our Lives by Saeed Jones
- Men Explain Things to Me by Rebecca Solnit
- Pleasure Activism: The Politics of Feeling Good by Adrienne Maree Brown
- Real Queer America: LGBT Stories from Red States by Samantha Allen
- Redefining Realness: My Path to Womanhood, Identity, Love & So Much More by Janet Mock
- Sex Object: A Memoir by Jessica Valenti
- Sister Outsider: Essays and Speeches by Audre Lorde
- The Stone Wall Reader by New York Public Library
- The Crunk Feminist Collection by Brittney C. Cooper, Susana M.Morris, and Robin M. Boylorn
- Wordslut: A Feminist Guide to Taking Back the English Language by Amanda Montell
- Asking For It: The Alarming Rise of Rape Culture — and What We Can Do About It by Kate Harding
- Bad Feminist: Essays by Roxane Gay
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Podcasts
Call Your Girlfriend
A podcast for long-distance besties everywhere. Co-hosted by BFFs Ann Friedman and Aminatou Sow. Produced by Gina Delvac. Brand new every Friday.
Stuff Mom Never Told You
Join hosts Anney and Samantha to listen to “Stuff Mom Never Told You,” continuing the conversation of what it is to identify as female through research-based discussion around feminism and how it impacts everyday life. New episodes come out Wednesday and Friday.
Unladylike
Find out what happens when women break the rules – those unwritten but all too real bullsh*t expectations of how we should live our lives. Cristen Conger and Caroline Ervin tackle questions through their trademark obsessive research, stories from rule-breakin’ ladies, and a solid dose of delightful feminist rage.
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Short Vidoes
How microaggressions are like mosquito bites • Same Difference
For people that still don’t think microaggressions are a problem: just imagine that instead of being a stupid comment, a microaggression is a mosquito bite.
Sometimes You’re A Caterpillar
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TV, Documentaries & Movies
Dark Girls
A fascinating and controversial film that goes underneath the surface to explore the prejudices dark-skinned women face throughout the world.
Live Nude Girls Unite
Julia Query, activist, comedian, lesbian and stripper at a club called the Lusty Lady, put in long hours on stage and in the peep booth along with fellow exotic dancers Decadence, Lolita, and Octopussy. But when faced with no sick leave, unfair demotions, safely and privacy concerns, and racial discrimination, Query and her co-workers decide to organize and unionize the exotic dancers of the Lusty Lady.
Like Totally Whatever by Melissa Lozada-Oliva
Miss Representation
Explore how the mainstream media’s often disparaging portrayals of women contribute to the under-representation of females in positions of leadership.
The Mask You Live In
Explore America’s narrow definition of masculinity and the harm it causes boys and men.
Paris is Burning
An unblinking behind-the-scenes story of fashion-obsessed New Yorkers who created “voguing” and drag balls. Watch on YouTube.
Sex, Explained
From the biology of attraction to the history of birth control, explore the ins and outs of sex in this entertaining and enlightening series. Available on Netflix.
She’s Beautiful When She’s Angry
A provocative and rousing look at the birth and legacy of the women’s liberation movement in the late 1690s, and a tribune to the outrageous, often brilliant women behind it.
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Local Nonprofits and Grassroots Organizations
- Equality NC – Equality NC is the oldest statewide organization in the country dedicated to securing rights and protections for the LGBTQ community.
- LEAD Girls NC: Learning Everyday Accomplishing Dreams (LEAD) is dedicated to providing the tools and resources that low-income/at-risk preteen girls must have to become productive citizens and active leaders in their communities. Using an evidence-based curriculum, LEAD encourages and mentors girls to aspire and achieve greatness academically, emotionally, and creatively.
- North Star LGBTQ Center – North Star is Winston-Salem’s LGBTQ Community Center. North Star seeks to empower and enrich the lives of LGBTQ people in the Triad area.
- Women’s Fund of Winston-Salem: The Women’s Fund of Winston-Salem engages our community to build economic security for women and girls in Forsyth County.
Explore gender, sex, and sexuality
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Articles
- Gay, Roxanne, Unruly Bodies, Gay Mag
- Tovar, Virgie, How to Feel Normal When the World Says You’re Too Big, Medium
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Books
- The Cancer Journals by Audre Lorde
- Care Work: Dreaming Disability Justice by Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha
- Health at Every Size: The Surprising Truth About Your Weight by Linda Bacon
- Heavy: An American Memoir by Kiese Laymon
- Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body by Roxane Gay
- Lessons from the Fat-o-sphere: Quit Dieting and Declare a Truce with Your Body by Kate Harding and Marianne Kirby
- Oppression and the Body: Roots, Resistance, and Resolutions edited by Christine Caldwell and Lucia Bennett Leighton
- Resistance and Hope: Essays by Disabled People by Alice Wong
- The Body Is Not an Apology: The Power of Radical Self-Love by Sonya Renee Taylor
- Thick: And Other Essays by Tressie McMillan Cottom
- Things No One Will Tell Fat Girls: A Handbook for Unapologetic Living by Jes Baker
- You’d Be So Pretty If… by Dara Chadwick
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Podcasts
She’s All Fat: A Body Positive Podcast
The podcast for body positivity, radical self-love, and chill vibes ONLY. Join Sophie and April to talk about current events, popular culture, and the intersections between fatness and feminism.
The Fearless Rebelle Radio with Summer Innanen
Fearless Rebelle Radio is dedicated to empowering you to break free of societal standards and body shame. Summer interviews the leading experts in body image, the anti-diet movement, self-help and feminism, covering a range of topics that include: body positivity, size acceptance, self-worth, self-esteem, intuitive eating, and eating disorder recovery, health at every size and positive psychology.
Body Kindness: Transform Your Health and Never Say ‘Diet’ Again
This is a show about health, not weight loss. It’s time to redefine what it means to pursue health, where your well-being matters more than your weight. When you practice Body Kindness®, you create a more satisfying life by being good to yourself. Learn how self-compassion and acceptance help you cultivate a “caregiver” voice and quiet the “inner critic”.
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TV, Documentaries & Movies
Embrace
Embrace is a social impact documentary that explores the serious issue of body loathing, inspiring us to change the way we feel about ourselves and think about our bodies. Available on iTunes, Google Play, and Amazon Prime.
Challenge, Think & Reflect on Bodies
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Articles
- Crenshaw, Kimberle Williams, Mapping the Margins: Intersectionality, Identity Politics, and Violence Against Women of Color
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Books
- All About Love: New Visions by bell hooks
- Beyond Survival: Strategies and Stories from the Transformative Justice Movement edited by Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha and Ejeris Dixon
- Emergent Strategy: Shaping Change, Changing Worlds by Adrienne Maree Brown
- Feminism is for Everybody: Passionate Politics by bell hooks
- Fumbling Towards Repair: A Workbook for Community Accountability Facilitators by Mariame Kaba and Shira Hassan
- Organizing for Social Change: Midwest Academy Manual for Activists (2010) by Kimberly Bobo, Steve Max, et al.
- Radical Hope: Letters of Love and Dissent in Dangerous Times by Carolina De Robertis
- Roots to Power: A Manual for Grassroots Organizing by Lee Staples
- Rules for Radicals: A Practical Primer for Realistic Radicals by Saul Alinksy
- Stir It Up: Lessons in Community Organizing and Advocacy by Rinku Sen
- Turn This World Inside Out: The Emergence of Nurturance Culture by Nora Samaran
- VITAL: A Torch for your Social Justice Journey by Kyle C. Ashlee and Aeriel A. Ashlee
- We Make Change: Community Organizers Talk About What They Do–and Why by Kristin Layng Szakos and Joe Szakos
- Well, That Escalated Quickly: Memoirs and Mistakes of an Accidental Activist by Franchesca Ramsey
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Local Nonprofits and Grassroots Organizations
- Black Organizing for Leadership and Dignity: A national training intermediary focused on transforming the practice of Black organizers in the US to increase their alignment, impact, and sustainability to win processive change through training programs, coaching, and technical assistance.
- Black Organizing Project: Racial, social, and economic justice through grassroots organizing and community building by prioritizing developing leadership skills and political analysis of key member-leaders within the community to act as critical change agents.
- Forsyth Freedom Federation: The People’s liberation movement from the status quo. We bring together progressive voices of our community to represent the values of everyday people and demand that the government champions our rights and interests.
- Highlander Research and Education Center: Through popular education, participatory research, and cultural work, Highlander works with people fighting for justice, equality, and sustainability, supporting their efforts to take collective action and shape their own destiny.
- Historic Thousands on Jones Street (HKonJ) Peoples Assembly Coalition: To ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate racial hatred and discrimination.
- Minister’s Conference of Winston-Salem and Vicinity: Utilize organizational resources and networks to promote social, economic, and educational change or status throughout the Piedmont Triad Area by working across denominations, cultures, races, and socioeconomic classes.
- North Carolina Justice Center: As a leading progressive research and advocacy organization, our mission is to eliminate poverty in North Carolina by ensuring that every household in the state has access to the resources, services, and fair treatment it needs to achieve economic security.
- Southern Coalition for Social Justice: Partner with communities of color and economically disadvantaged communities in the South to defend and advance their political, social, and economic rights through the combination of legal advocacy, research, organizing, and communications.
- Southerners on New Ground: SONG envisions a sustainable South that embodies the best of its freedom traditions and works towards the transformation of our economic, social, spiritual, and political relationships. We envision a multi-issue southern justice movement that unites us across class, age, race, ability, gender, immigration status, and sexuality; a movement in which LGBTQ people – poor and working-class, immigrant, people of color, rural – take our rightful place as leaders shaping our region’s legacy and future. We are committed to restoring a way of being that recognizes our collective humanity and dependence on the Earth.