Together, we are a powerful force for good
We are more than one million members, activists, and advocates fighting for Truth, Justice, and the American Way. Our country is at a pivotal moment. We are facing daunting challenges that have been building for generations.
We need a movement to meet this moment. In addition to its core work strengthening democracy and countering far right extremism, People For the American Way will focus on three strategic priority areas to promote Truth, Justice, and the American Way:
- Truth is the freedom for educators to teach and students to learn the full story of our nation’s rich and complicated past. Every child should be prepared to participate and lead in our democracy.
- Justice is the work of reimagining public safety, protecting the freedom to live in peace without fear of unwarranted police violence and supporting communities to adopt new models for public safety departments.
- And the American Way is the freedom to vote and have those views fairly represented in our democracy. The candidate who earns the most popular votes in the country should be the one to secure the presidency.
We are more than one million members, activists, and advocates fighting for Truth, Justice, and the American Way. |
A letter from People For President Ben Jealous
Dear friends,
Like our foremothers and forefathers who assembled to find the courage and inspiration to fight injustice, we are here now to find similar courage and inspiration in each other. People For the American way is dedicated to bringing together our country’s most dynamic elected officials, faith leaders, civil rights leaders and activists to find solutions to the biggest challenges of our time. These solutions are anchored in our common values, which we can sum up in the familiar phrase: Truth, Justice and the American Way.
Truth
Truth is under attack in our country today, as forces of oppression seek to stifle the teaching of history and to rewrite recent history themselves, by perpetuating lies about our last election. Valuing truth means protecting key freedoms. It starts with the freedom of educators to teach and students to learn the full story of our nation’s rich, often troubled, and ultimately complicated past, so that every child is prepared to participate and lead in our democracy. And it doesn’t stop there: we are called upon to counter the forces of hate and bigotry who seek to further entrench their own power by undermining truth. This is a charge we accept with humility and commitment, and it guides our steps every day.
Justice
Justice is at the core of our shared belief in the promise of America. Today we believe that true justice means transforming our public safety systems, and protecting the freedom to live in peace without fear of unwarranted police violence. It means supporting communities to adopt new models for public safety departments. It means that nowhere in this country should it be a crime to be Black or Brown, or LGBTQ+, or unhoused, or ill, or without financial resources.
The American Way
The American Way is rooted in our profound commitment to representative democracy. It is the freedom to vote and have our views fairly represented. In its ideal form, it means that the candidate who earns the most popular votes in the country should be the one to secure the presidency. Our antiquated Electoral College system has robbed us of authentic representation over the years, and more than once it has elevated persons to the presidency even though they lost the popular vote. It is time to explore alternative ways to conduct presidential elections in our country.
Our challenges are big, but our faith and our values are bigger. I invite all of us to enter this movement with open minds, open hearts, and the curiosity to learn from one another. Ask questions, speak what is in your heart, and approach every person with love. Together we are a powerful force for good. I look forward to being in community with all of you over the next few days, and to taking our movement for Truth, Justice and the American Way to a more meaningful level.
Thank you for joining us in this movement, and God bless you as we come together in peace and hope.
Warmly,
Ben Jealous