October 14, 2020

Support communities of colour in Southern USA

topic:	Racism
tags:	#Black Lives Matter, #NGO, #donation, #Mutual Aid, #systemic racism, #grassroots activism, #community building
located:	USA
by:	Yair Oded

As the battle against systemic racism persists throughout the United States (and the world), communities of colour and people of low-income backgrounds continue to face specific challenges throughout the U.S. South. From poor access to healthcare, disproportionate targeting by law enforcement agencies, and violation of human and civil rights - minority dwellers of Southern United States are subject to relentless discrimination by their governments. 

Recent natural disasters induced by the climate crisis and the scourge of coronavirus all disproportionally affected communities of color throughout the South, highlighting these communities' vulnerability and marginalization. 

Project South is a Southern-based, non-profit leadership development organisation cultivating regional grassroots movements throughout the South. Founded over 30 years ago, the organisation works to empower local marginalised communities to fight injustices and develop solutions to a myriad of social, economic, and political challenges facing them. It does so through a variety of workshops, education training and tools, and advocacy efforts.

Project South concentrates on four main areas of work.

As part of its education initiative, Project South provides year-round political education for leadership development, community organising and bottom-up movement building. Through its sessions, publications, and other materials, the organisation provides trainees with both a thorough historical knowledge and context as well as tools to enhance visionary planning toward a more just future. 

The organisation also provides strategic support to existing grassroots movements led by people of colour across the South in an attempt to establish “a constellation of strong, autonomous organizations led by the communities most affected by injustice and oppression.”

Project South also facilitates regional and local youth-led grassroots organising and engages in legal support and advocacy efforts, specifically on behalf of immigrants, undocumented migrants, refugees, Muslims communities, and Black young people. 

“Project South also affects policy at the municipal level, [and] produces reports and analysis that impact decision-makers,” the organisation states on its website. 

Shortly after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Project South orchestrated an expansive mutual aid effort to provide free testing for communities of colour in South Atlanta. 

“Given this country’s history of inferior healthcare for Black, Brown, Indigenous and poor folks, as well as its active methods of keeping our communities locked out of access to education, living wages, and other resources that would move folks out of poverty, we knew that with COVID-19, our communities would suffer the most," Project South's report on the initiative reads. 

Please visit Project South’s website to learn more about its work, access its resources and reports, become a member of their coalition, and pledge a donation. 

Image: Camille Wheeler