With a Trump presidency and administration, we need to strengthen and support organizations and news groups that fight to protect democracy and the rights of all human beings.
To follow is a list of organizations that I created based on my personal holiday giving. I don’t have the finances to donate to all of these groups but I hope that readers can look at this list and support one of more of the following individuals, organizations and sources of actual news and information.
Within the US
The first group are the Native Americans and their supporters who are doing all that is humanly possible to protect the water on their land for themselves and others. The Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) is to go under the Missouri River and with the history of oil leaks and other disasters related to the transfer of oil, the Native Americans are fighting back with the help of numerous groups and individuals.
Orignaly, the pipeline was to go above/through Bismarck but the city had concerns about their water becoming polluted by pipeline leaks so it was decided to run the pipe south of Bismarck and instead through unceded Native American land and adjacent to a reservation.
An oil spill anywhere south of theMissouri River will affect the lives of thousands if not millions of people.
The water protectors are facing a harsh winter and have determined to stay the course.
For more information on what is happening and how to donate, go to:
DAKOTA ACCESS PIPELINE DONATION FUND
For more on #NoDAPL, see Bill Moyers’ report Activists Around the World Take #NoDAPL Fight to the Banks.
The ACLU, North Dakota Chapter
The ACLU-ND is working with the water protectors, ensuring they are represented in court.
Also, on their website they provide this handy list on knowing your rights:
- Stopped by police
- Demonstrations and protests
- Photographers
- Stops and arrests
- Questioning from law enforcement
You can donate here to the ACLU.
The National Lawyers Guild provides observers during confrontations with the police, sheriff units from around the country, private security firms and whoever else is out there with guns and militarized weaponry, protecting the interests of oil companies and big banks. The National Lawyers Guild also filed suit in the US District Court against Morton County, Morton County Sheriff Kyle Kirschmeier, and other law enforcement agencies for using excessive force against peaceful Water Protectors on the night of November 20, 2016.
You can join here with the option of becoming an active member.
The Civil Liberties Defense Center (CLDC)
CLDC attorneys, Lauren Regan & Cooper Brinson, are providing legal support to the water and land protectors in North Dakota.
They are in North Dakota now providing on-the-ground frontline support for the #NoDAPL movement. I have seen them in interviews at the water protectors’ camp and observing the confrontations with the militarized police and other armed groups protecting the interests of the pipeline investors and providing legal representation to those arrested.
They are awesome.
To donate to this effort, go to http://cldc.org/nodapl/.
TYT Politics Reporter Jordan Chariton spoke with Angie Spencer, a female water protector and trauma counselor from Seattle who was arrested near the Standing Rock Sioux camp on October 27th, 2016.
To follow is her account:
News and information outlets that are not bought and need our support:
Yes, I am a bit biased with this selection but the Progressive has provided a national platform for bloggers around the country providing insight into what is happening regionally and beyond on all things education.
From their website:
In 1986, a group of Milwaukee-area teachers had a vision. They wanted not only to improve education in their own classrooms and schools, but to help shape reform throughout the public school system in the United States.
Today that vision is embodied in Rethinking Schools.
Rethinking Schools began as a local effort to address problems such as basal readers, standardized testing, and textbook-dominated curriculum. Since its founding, it has grown into a nationally prominent publisher of educational materials, with subscribers in all 50 states, all 10 Canadian provinces, and many other countries.”
This publication is always ahead of the curve on issues of education and their articles are top notch. A must read for anyone involved with education or concerned about the future of our schools.
You can donate here.
Need I say more? OK, I will.
Amy Goodman and her staff cover all of the news that mainstream media doesn’t.
Amy’s co-host, Juan Gonzalez, has done some great work reporting on charter schools in New York City and beyond and the privatization of our public school system.
You can donate here.
Seattle Education
We have never asked for donations since we started this blog seven years ago but…while this is the giving season, we could really use a new laptop, I mean, really use a new laptop.
You can contact us directly at seattledicloud.com if you would like to donate to the cause.
Organizations fighting for our rights
The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF)
These folks do a lot of good work in the realm of freedom in usage of the internet, issues of privacy and the protection of online journalism.
I’m a member and encourage all bloggers to join this organization.
There is lots of good information for online journalists on their website.
This is their description of the organization:
The Electronic Frontier Foundation is the leading nonprofit organization defending civil liberties in the digital world. Founded in 1990, EFF champions user privacy, free expression, and innovation through impact litigation, policy analysis, grassroots activism, and technology development. We work to ensure that rights and freedoms are enhanced and protected as our use of technology grows.
You can donate here.
The Civil Liberties Defense Center
I wrote about a specific arm of the CLDC that is working with the Water Protectors in North Dakota but these folks do good work everywhere.
This is the description provided on their website:
Civil Liberties Defense Center’s mission focuses on defending and upholding civil liberties through education, outreach, litigation, legal support, and assistance. CLDC strives to preserve the strength and vitality of the Bill of Rights and the U.S. and state constitutions, as well as to protect freedom of expression.
We will need these people in the next four years.
You can donate here.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)
The ACLU’s homepage has a photo of Trump with the words “See you in court” across the page.
What else can I say?
Besides working with the Water Protectors, they have joined forces with the Center for Reproductive Rights and Planned Parenthood in lawsuits to protect and expand access to medically safe abortions as well as other health related services for women. In October they simultaneously filed three challenges to medically unnecessary abortion restrictions in Alaska, Missouri, and North Carolina.
Per their website:
For nearly 100 years, the ACLU has been our nation’s guardian of liberty, working in courts, legislatures, and communities to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties that the Constitution and the laws of the United States guarantee everyone in this country.
Our civil liberties will be under attack more so now than ever and we will need the ACLU to provide legal protection for citizens.
To donate, go to https://action.aclu.org/donate-aclu?ms=web_horiz_nav_hp.
Planned Parenthood
Planned Parenthood provides health services for women who cannot afford to see a doctor.
Per their website:
These health centers provide a wide range of safe, reliable health care — and the majority is preventive, primary care, which helps prevent unintended pregnancies through contraception, reduce the spread of sexually transmitted infections through testing and treatment, and screen for cervical and other cancers.
With the threat of Medicaid being cut, the Affordable Health Care Act abolished and the possibility of Federal cuts to Planned Parenthood, more and more women will need a health provider with a focus on their needs. Planned Parenthood has been in existence for 100 years and counting and needs our support to continue particularly during these difficult times.
To donate to Planned Parenthood, go here.
International support
Haitian Women for Haitian Refugees
I heard about this program on Democracy Now and was struck by the woman who was being interviewed, Ninaj Raoul, Executive Director of Haitian Women for Haitian Refugees and a board member of IFCO/Pastors for Peace.
When Amy Goodman asked her how people could help after Hurricane Matthew hit Haiti, Ms. Raoul said that giving to the people who know what the Haitians need goes much farther than giving to international organizations.
To follow is the interview:
To donate to Haitian Women for Haitian Refugees, go here.
There are other groups and organizations worthy of our support.
If you would like to add to the list, please share in the comment section below.
Dora Taylor
Seattle Education 
Might I also suggest Team Read so that reluctant readers will learn to read critically.