The historic ‘Freedom Summer’ of 1963 will be celebrated in the St. Louis region through a $100,000 Deaconess Foundation grant to Arch City Defenders to support Freedom Summer STL.
This summer marks the 60th anniversary of Freedom Summer, a pivotal moment in America’s civil rights history, as well as the 10th anniversary of the Ferguson Uprising following the killing of unarmed Michael Brown Jr.
With consequential elections in November that will possibly impact communities for generations, the Freedom Summer STL effort will focus on political and voter rights education and advocacy.
The organization will collaborate with Action St. Louis, Missouri Voter Protection Coalition, Freedom Community Center, Homes For All, and other grassroots community partners.
“It will create a space of service, activation, and recommitment to justice and transformation,” according to Blake Strode, executive director of ArchCity Defenders.
The organization will collaborate with Action St. Louis, Missouri Voter Protection Coalition, Freedom Community Center, Homes For All, and other grassroots community partners.
“Sixty years ago, Freedom Summer called into question the disparities between the American ideal and the reality of American democracy,” said Strode.
“We step into this legacy knowing that now is the moment to both celebrate the strides we have made and recenter and recommit ourselves in the work to transform the policy landscape to make our region a more just place. With Freedom Summer STL we aim to ensure our community is equipped with the information and resources to actively participate in the democratic process.”
Freedom Summer STL will focus on four priority areas: voting, expungement, abolition, and housing justice.
Throughout the summer, over a series of community events in St. Louis and St. Louis County, ArchCity Defenders and partners will provide civics training and opportunities for residents to engage with elected officials; educate residents on their voting rights – from what documents are required on election day to whether or not their right to vote has been restored following a conviction; conduct voter registration; provide criminal record expungement support; and 5) host legal clinics.
Freedom Summer STL will culminate in a rally and march in August.
“ArchCity’s Freedom Summer STL envisions public policy change in a way that inspires us,” said Rev. Bethany Johnson-Javois, President & CEO of Deaconess Foundation.
“This collaborative and multi-tiered approach to civic engagement, electorate organizing, and policy implementation will have a true impact on the community and it captures the essence of the moment we are in. Components that include the legal clinics will be transformational for many lives in the present while helping to build a more liberated future.”
Funding from the Policy Campaign Grant will assist Freedom Summer STL organizers in building capacity, with a goal of ensuring that information and resources can be easily accessed in a single setting.
The efforts will be a continuation of, and catalyst for, organizing and movement building efforts, providing community members with tools needed to impact policy change.
Deaconess’ Policy Campaign Grants support timely and urgent issue-based campaigns to advance public policy through grassroots advocacy, civic engagement and community organizing aligned with their desired impacts.
Historically, Policy Campaign grants have supported the successful mobilization of the electorate in support of Medicaid Expansion on the November 2020 Missouri ballot. In 2023, Deaconess Foundation awarded funding to two nonprofit organizations, Alive & Well Communities to support social and emotional wellness policy change for youth and Missouri Jobs with Justice, to build public support and awareness for paid sick leave and economic equity for working families through a living wage.
Freedom Summer STL will kick off on the Juneteenth Holiday, Wednesday, June 19, in collaboration with the annual Juneteenth celebration of St. John’s UCC Church, Faith for Justice, and Freedom Arts & Education Center.
The other event dates will be Saturday, June 29 and Saturday, July 27, followed by the culminating march and rally on Friday, August 30.
To learn more about the campaign and events visit bit.ly/FreedomSummerSTLInterest. Learn more about Deaconess’ funding initiatives and opportunities at deaconess.org/funding.
