Southern Center for Human Rights

As we witness the erosion of civil liberties, the suppression of dissent, and the growing fear that our voices will be silenced, we will not be passive observers of oppression and repression; rather, we must rise. 

We must rise together to create a community where safety is not a privilege but a fundamental right, where every individual feels empowered to raise their voice without fear of reprisal.

We must rise together to safeguard our community’s well-being, redefining public safety from a system that criminalizes people of color and people experiencing poverty to accountability practices that repair harm and promote compassion.

We must rise together.

This Giving Tuesday, we call on our community to join our movement to foster safe communities. Our goal is to raise $30,000 today, and we need your help!

Thanks to the kindness and commitment of Adria and C. Allen Garrett, all donations up to $15,000 will be matched, doubling the impact of your gift.

Your generosity will enable us to:

• Coordinate legal support to those unfairly targeted for exercising their right to protest. Through our First Amendment Lawyer Bridge (“The Bridge”), we are building infrastructure to rapidly respond to the suppression of dissent and actively discourage it. The Bridge is the formalized lawyer pairing project housed at SCHR that facilitates effective legal defense for people arrested while exercising their First Amendment rights. Read more.
• Elevate community voices in State conversations on community safety and policing. In 2022, SCHR launched the Community Safety and Police Violence project tasked with analyzing and understanding the impacts of policing in the City of Atlanta. Earlier this summer, this community-based project led to the development of seven policy recommendations informed by Atlanta residents' lived experiences and knowledge. These recommendations are currently under consideration by local government officials. Learn more by watching this video.
• And so much more!

Donate today and join us in this transformative journey as we rise to ensure that equality, dignity, and justice are not just ideals but lived realities. Together, we can rise to the challenge of injustice and create a community where everyone feels safe, respected, and empowered.

Leaving behind nights of terror and fear
[We] rise
Into a daybreak that’s wondrously clear
[We] rise