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Class Action focuses on the personal, interpersonal, and organizational levels of classism. We are a national resource center on class, providing individuals, organizations, and institutions with the tools and resources needed to work on eliminating classism.
What We Do
1. Create Spaces for Consciousness Raising and
Education about Class
Class Action sponsors workshops to
create open spaces for people to better understand their
own and other's experience with class and classism in all
aspects of their lives. We also conduct workshops that
focus on the intersections of identity, including Gender
and Class and Race
and Class. People from across the class
spectrum participate in these workshops.
We find that since class issues are so
deeply embedded that deeper work often happens in support
groups over time
and with others who are in the same situation. We also
facilitate longer- term cross-class dialogue groups composed
of people from across the class spectrum.
Class Action also works to build the capacity to provide
class training across the country by developing a national,
sustainable network of cross-class classism trainers and
the tools and resources to do the work. We hope to support
research on class issues,
race and class intersections,
and promote the emerging field
of Class Studies.
We also raise awareness around classism
by speaking
to many people each year at conferences, religious congregations,
community groups, activist organizations, social service agencies,
and educational institutions.
We increase the capacity of others to do work about issues of class, classism, and the intersections of race and class by developing materials, trainers, and leaders. We offer leadership development and training of trainers programs to increase the impact of our work.
2. Deepen Understanding of Race and Class Intersections
The Class and Race Intersections Program advances research and education on how race and class intersect. Through Class Action’s work, the voices and experiences of the people most affected by issues of racism and classism will move more into the public eye. Through focus groups and one-on-one interviews, we are collecting data about the lived experiences of people of color across the class spectrum, as well as low-income white people.
3. Class and Society: Media and Public Education
Class Action works to reach the general public by engaging
in education about the nature of classism in U.S. society.
We are increasing consciousness of the nature of class
and class oppression, through daily print, electronic commentary,
radio interviews, television interviews, and periodicals.
We are developing the capacity to provide rapid commentary
in response to contemporary issues through the lens of
class and classism.
We use our website as a place to share
information, resources, articles,
and links to
other organizations concerned with class. We use radio
talk shows, media interviews, and book tours as a way
to further magnify our message.
We publish books, articles, pamphlets and other resources
on issues of class and classism.
4. Cross-Class Alliance Building
Class Action helps organizations and institutions to address their class cultures and biases. We help them examine their institutional policies and practices to eliminate class bias. We support their cross-class alliance-building so they more effectively accomplish their goals. Through our organizational consulting, Class Action works with staff, boards, donors, and constituents. We focus our work on the non-profit sector: educational organizations, social change organizations, foundations, faith-based organizations and social services.
5. Moving Resources to Where They are Most Needed and Increasing Access
A. Philanthropic Advising and Coaching. Class Action works with financially wealthy people to direct their resources to social change. We are in contact with various wealth networks, participating in conversations about philanthropy and donors' roles in social change.
B. Increasing Access. Class Action works to increase access to resources and institutions for those who have been systematically denied. Education has traditionally functioned as the access channel to upward mobility, but that access channel has narrowed rather than widened. We work to broaden access channels and link resources and needs.
Read more about the impact of Class Action’s work. Download our year-end
report.
Class Action is a sister organization to United For a Fair Economy.
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