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Melissa Spatz

@melissaspatz.bsky.social
353 followers 418 following 20 posts

These times call for moxie. Bringing US philanthropy together to defend democracy and push back against authoritarianism. Posts are my own.

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Melissa Spatz @melissaspatz.bsky.social · 30/01/2025
People are confusing a lack of mass rallies with a lack of action. People are pushing back on harmful policies and authoritarianism. Every act matters.
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Bend the Arc: Jewish Action @bendthearc.bsky.social · 29/01/2025
Last week, we said it wouldn’t be long before Trump did something that *looks* like it's good for Jews but really threatens all of our safety. Today, we'll get an executive order to address antisemitism…by deporting people. We strongly condemn this. 🧵 www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
bloomberg.com
Trump to Sign Executive Orders on Antisemitism, School Choice
President Donald Trump will sign education-related executive actions that aim to combat antisemitism on campuses, ease money for school choice programs and cut funds for public schools that teach crit...
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Mother Jones @motherjones.com · 23/01/2025
"I won’t take a pardon—because it would be a slap in the face to the Capitol Police, the rule of law, and to our nation.
motherjones.com
Meet the insurrectionist rejecting Trump’s pardon
Taking a pardon, Pam Hemphill told Mother Jones, "would be a slap in the face to the Capitol Police, the rule of law, and to our nation."
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Alliance for Justice @afj.org · 23/01/2025
A federal judge has temporarily blocked President Donald Trump’s executive order redefining birthright citizenship, calling it “blatantly unconstitutional” during the first hearing in a multi-state effort challenging the order. #CourtsMatter www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-...
huffpost.com
Federal Judge Temporarily Blocks Trump’s Executive Order Ending Birthright Citizenship
Several states sued the Trump administration over the order, arguing the 14th Amendment and Supreme Court case law have cemented birthright citizenship.
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Melissa Spatz @melissaspatz.bsky.social · 21/01/2025
This. And so we will need to continue to engage the public in understanding what unfolded and what the threats ahead are. The record, on its own, will not be enough.
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Taniel @taniel.bsky.social · 21/01/2025
Die Zeit, a prominent German publication, titles its article: 'A Hitler salute is a Hitler salute is a Hitler salute.'
screengrab of Die Zeit story on Elon Musk
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Melissa Spatz @melissaspatz.bsky.social · 17/01/2025
Really good challenges for philanthropy in this piece
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Melissa Spatz @melissaspatz.bsky.social · 17/01/2025
"In reality, change is a process of successfully building an entire ecosystem, not just one thing, to compete with and replace the entire existing ecosystem...How to fund and build this ecosystem strategically is the question." www.thenation.com/article/soci...
thenation.com
Left Organizing Is in Crisis. Philanthropy Is a Major Reason Why.
Progressive philanthropy lacks good strategy, so too many of our organizations are hollow—and that left us unable to prevent a second Trump term.
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Democracy Docket @democracydocket.com · 17/01/2025
Throughout the confirmation hearing for Pam Bondi, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for U.S. attorney general, one question was asked numerous times: who won the 2020 election? She never gave a straight answer.
democracydocket.com
Pam Bondi, Trump’s Attorney General Pick, Refuses to Say Who Won 2020 Election
Read more here.
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NonprofitAF @nonprofitaf.bsky.social · 14/01/2025
“our sector often falls into the third group: the leaders and organizations who say they are for equity and justice, but whose words and actions continue to advance injustice. These are the white moderates that MLK warned us about, and our sector is full of them.”
nonprofitaf.com
Nonprofit and philanthropy and our white moderate tendency to obey tyranny in advance
Next week, because the universe has a perverse sense of humor, we have MLK Jr. Day on the same day...
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CREW @citizensforethics.org · 13/01/2025
Trump's inauguration will be entirely privately funded, allowing it to avoid disclosing which people or corporations are donating. The lack of transparency creates the opportunity for him to pay them back in favors with no public knowledge of it.
politico.com
The troubling secrecy around who funded Trump's transition
Donald Trump's transition will be funded entirely by private donors. His move to reject federal funds typically allocated to presidential transitions allows him to shield the identity of donors.
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Melissa Spatz @melissaspatz.bsky.social · 06/01/2025
"America's democracy is only as strong as our willingness to fight for it."
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Melissa Spatz @melissaspatz.bsky.social · 13/12/2024
Are they running on the ice?? What is happening here? I cannot wait to share this with my German family.
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Anat Shenker-Osorio @anatosaurus.bsky.social · 11/12/2024
Authoritarian regimes don't give you cookies for appeasing them. They give you more kicks to the head: you've signaled to them you will take it without fighting back. Being conciliatory to an abuser doesn't halt or forestall the abuse.
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Melissa Spatz @melissaspatz.bsky.social · 10/12/2024
For organizers who might be tired right now - Windcall residency applications open Dec 13 - offering retreats & support to experienced grassroots community & labor organizers. I cannot say enough good things about this program. windcall.org/residency/
windcall.org
Windcall Residency – Windcall Institute
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Melissa Spatz @melissaspatz.bsky.social · 10/12/2024
Literally was going to reach out to you for this, also on behalf of Alex 😂
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Melissa Spatz @melissaspatz.bsky.social · 07/12/2024
If we needed another reminder that US and European democracy groups should be working together
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Movement Law Lab @movementlawlab.bsky.social · 03/12/2024
🌟 Movement Lawyers, Organizers, and Justice Advocates—We’re Here! 🌟 🌌 We’re building community with: ⚖️ Lawyers who defend & flank social movements ✊ Organizers fighting for dignity, justice & liberation 💡 Advocates countering authoritarianism & reimagining democracy
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Melissa Spatz @melissaspatz.bsky.social · 06/12/2024
And within that, a starting point to understand the landscape: www.icnl.org/post/analysi...
icnl.org
10 Major Legal Threats to U.S. Civil Society
A growing array of legal threats make it harder for nonprofit organizations and activists in the U.S. to do their work. This article covers 10 major legal threats to U.S. civil society.
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Melissa Spatz @melissaspatz.bsky.social · 06/12/2024
One really good source for learning about threats to civil society even beyond HR 9495 is the Int'l Center for Not for Profit Law. Library of US resources here: www.icnl.org/resources#re...
icnl.org
Resources
Explore ICNL's collection of resources on a diverse range of issues relevant to civil society – from our US Protest Law Tracker to our Civic Freedom Monitor.
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Melissa Spatz @melissaspatz.bsky.social · 27/11/2024
If there was ever a time for philanthropy to move gen op $$$, surely that time is now. Threats will evolve quickly, and organizations will need to be able to pivot just as quickly. Gen op dollars provide that flexibility.
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Democracy Fund @democracyfund.bsky.social · 26/11/2024
Deepak Bhargava of JPB Foundation, @joegoldman.bsky.social, and Laleh Ispahani of Open Society Foundations, outline a strategy for how philanthropy can stand with the pro-democracy field and take on the challenges that lie ahead. www.insidephilanthropy.com/home/facing-...
insidephilanthropy.com
Facing Uncertainty Together: How Philanthropy Can Stand for Democracy in Challenging Times
As authoritarian threats emerge to target civil society, guest authors Deepak Bhargava, Joe Goldman and Laleh Ispahani say funders “must not back down or act out of fear.”
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Melissa Spatz @melissaspatz.bsky.social · 24/11/2024
We've been in this conundrum for years, and unfortunately have treated it as a messaging problem rather than a vision problem.
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Teddy Wilson @reportbywilson.bsky.social · 13/11/2024
New to Bluesky? If you want to understand the far right, violent extremists, White Supremacists, and Christian nationalists, these are the journalists, researchers, academics, and other experts that monitor, research, and provide analysis on all the flavors of the far right and extremist movements.
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@NewsJennifer (Jennifer Schulze) @newsjennifer.bsky.social · 21/11/2024
I wrote a column earlier this week that included a list of news outlets & journalists meeting this critical moment. I promised to expand that list so here it is: my FEARLESS MEDIA starter pack. ⤵️ I think you'll find everyone here is up to the challenges ahead. go.bsky.app/MjqCB1i
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Melissa Spatz @melissaspatz.bsky.social · 21/11/2024
If you're trying to figure out how you can have real impact in this time, you can't do better than starting with this workshop series @prisonculture.bsky.social is holding over the next two months.
prisonculture.substack.com
How Do I Take Action Where I Am?
A Workshop Series for Grounding Ourselves in the Fight Ahead
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Dove Kent @dovekent.bsky.social · 21/11/2024
Well done, friends. 55 national + local Jewish organizations speak out against jeopardizing constitutional protections or stifling free speech under the guise of combating terrorism. No to HR 9495 or any other threats to democracy. rac.org/press-room/r...
rac.org
The Religious Action Center for Reform Judaism Rallies More Than 55 Jewish Organizations in Opposition to H.R. 9495
The Religious Action Center, the Union for Reform Judaism and dozens of prominent Jewish organizations speak out against H.R. 9495.
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Melissa Spatz @melissaspatz.bsky.social · 19/11/2024
Concrete strategy and words of hope from Maria Stephan, who has studied #authoritarianism here and around the world. Well worth a read.
wagingnonviolence.org
How we can meet the challenges of authoritarianism
This is not our first rodeo with authoritarianism. Americans have collectively risen to seemingly impossible challenges in the past, and we can again.
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Melissa Spatz @melissaspatz.bsky.social · 18/11/2024
Important action to take today to defend civil society
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Melissa Spatz @melissaspatz.bsky.social · 18/11/2024
The risks are certainly far greater than in 2017 but we are also far stronger, more strategic and better prepared. We have all learned from the first go-around on how to defend our people. Do not despair, get involved.
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Melissa Spatz @melissaspatz.bsky.social · 17/11/2024
Local level will be critically important now.
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Melissa Spatz @melissaspatz.bsky.social · 17/11/2024
The work now: (1) Find your lane and your people. What are your skills, connections, passion? Find the thing that will make a difference and determine how you can be most helpful. (2) Be kind, tearing each other down won't build a just society. (3) Live with joy. It doesn't do to forget to live.
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Melissa Spatz @melissaspatz.bsky.social · 16/11/2024
Hi! Just migrated over here 👋 and hoping you are well
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Indivisible ❌👑 @indivisible.org · 16/11/2024
Please contact your representative (especially if it’s one of these Democrats who supported the bill earlier this week!) and tell them to vote no on H.R. 9495: indivisible.org/resource/tel...
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