Allyship Workshops
What does it mean to be effective allies to people of color in our work for racial equity? Whitney Parnell, executive director and co-founder of Service Never Sleeps (SNS), will lead an intensive, fast-paced webinar series designed to explore how to use individual and collective areas of privilege to advance racial justice. Using SNS’ CLAIM framework (Care, Learn, Act, Influence, Maintain), this workshop will explore what it means to adopt an Allyship lifestyle.
If you seek to promote racial equity within your organization, this workshop will equip you with tools to be an active ally for racial justice through methods of naming white privilege, centering people of color, navigating intersectionality across identities, influencing others, and continuing your own self-work journey. You’ll leave this workshop committed to the Allyship lifestyle, and prepared to facilitate change in your own workspace. These workshops are open to individuals living in or serving the Alexandria community. This webinar series workshop will be divided into two virtual sessions on Zoom. Please only sign up if you are able to attend both dates (June 18 and 19 or July 13 and 14) and you are able to use the Zoom platform.
Register here for June 18 and 19
Register here for July 13 and 14
If you have any questions or need scholarship assistance, please contact Brandi Yee at brandi.yee@actforalexandria.org
Facing Racism. Demanding Change. Virtual Town Hall, Tuesday, June 2, 7-8:30PM
This first in a series of town hall discussions promoted sharing and understanding about how systemic racism impacts Alexandria. More than 1,200 people shared perspectives, suggested solutions and demanded accountability. We hope this will be an ongoing, essential dialogue for the empowerment of our community and collective action on a call to action.
If you were not able to participate, you can view the event on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ACTforAlexandria
Click here to read a summary of public comments from the event. Click here to view the poll/survey responses from the event.
Want to get involved? Complete this Google Form to sign up and get involved.
ACT Now Tuesday Talks
Join us for our ACT Now Tuesday Talks at noon on May 5, 19, June 2, 16 and 30. This special series of talks will feature beneficiaries of the ACT Now COVID-19 Response Fund grants and partners who are addressing food insecurity, homelessness and housing, health, early care and education, and racial equity in our community. These experts will share what’s happening on the ground, how they are partnering with local organizations and City agencies, ways individuals can “act now” to support their efforts, and time for Q&A.
These 45-minute sessions will also be recorded and shared on ACT’s website and social media. View them here or on ACT for Alexandria’s Facebook Live.
ACT Now COVID-19 Response Fund
ACT for Alexandria is pleased to announce that the ACT Now COVID-19 Response Fund, established by ACT and the City of Alexandria, has raised $1.19M in just three months. The spirit of collective action is core to Alexandria and Alexandrians have responded to the call to come together to support those in need and contribute to the vitality and vibrancy of our community.
As of June 9, 2020, The ACT Now COVID-19 Response Fund has awarded more than $914,000 to more than 80 organizations providing emergency relief to support our neighbors affected by the COVID-19 outbreak.
We believe that these disproportionate impacts of COVID-19 is a racial equity issue and the virus has exacerbated the pre-existing inequities in our community. Prioritizing racial equity in our grantmaking is the most effective way to respond to the needs of our community now and in the future. Moving forward, The ACT Now Response Fund will award grants reflecting our commitment to racial equity.
Click here for an infographic summary of the Fund's work.
Click here to read the ACT Now COVID-19 Response Fund Racial Equity Statement.
Donate to the ACT Now COVID-19 Response Fund:
Donate to the ACT Now COVID-19 Response Fund to support the vitality and health of our community. Please know a donation of any size will make a big difference. To learn more about the Fund, click here.
For Nonprofits:
We have paused the grant request process as we reassess community needs and priorities. Revised grant guidelines will be available at the end of June.
As the weeks progress, our understanding of the pandemic’s impact on Alexandrians evolves. We are seeing that the financial and health challenges brought on by COVID-19 are not equally distributed. People of color, immigrants and low-income families and individuals are experiencing more severe hardships. Based on feedback we received from our community survey and conversations, we will be re-examining the funding priorities of the ACT Now Fund and taking a pause on accepting new applications.
Resources for Community Members:
ACT is working with local nonprofits to provide a regularly updated list of emergency resources for community members in need. For a list of emergency resources, click here. For information regarding free COVID-19 testing, click here.
Spring2ACTion 2020!
Spring2ACTion, Alexandria’s Giving Day, celebrated its 10-year anniversary on Wednesday, April 15. More than $2.4M was given by 8,453 to 156 local nonprofits!
It was an incredible day where Alexandrians came together, lifted one another up, and supported the organizations that serve our community in the best of times and during challenging times. To learn more or to continue giving, visit: www.Spring2ACTion.org.
Census Mini Grants
Beginning in mid-March, all Alexandrians will be called upon to be counted as part of the 2020 Census. ACT envisions a City that embraces residents from all walks of life and where everyone can fully participate in our civic life and economic prosperity. Census data helps us understand the full story of our community by counting everyone who lives here. In order to facilitate a complete count in Alexandria, ACT is allocating $10,000 for Census Mini Grants to be awarded to nonprofit organizations working to build awareness in hard to count commmunities in Alexandria. Find out more.
City of Alexandria to purchase Freedom House
The City of Alexandria and the Northern Virginia Urban League (NVUL) reached an agreement on December 31 for the City to purchase the Freedom House Museum in order to preserve and interpret this National Historic Landmark for future generations. The building, located at 1315 Duke Street, was once part of the headquarters for the largest domestic slave trading firm in the United States. From 1828 to 1861, five successive firms forced as many as 50,000 enslaved adults and children from the Chesapeake Bay area to the slave markets in Natchez, Miss., and New Orleans by foot or ship. The City plans to enlist partners to help us restore the building and expand the exhibits to tell the story of the domestic slave trade and those who were enslaved.
Click Here to donate and support the purchase of Freedom House.
Together, we can make a difference in Alexandria!
