Co-hosted by Democracy Fund and Wellspring Philanthropic Fund
Tuesday, October 20, 2020
From candidates receiving death threats because of their faith or race, to communities who are intimidated to vote, many people of color face credible and real threats to their participation in US elections. Nefarious actors are disseminating white nationalist propaganda and election misinformation through tech platforms at a scale not seen in previous election cycles. Public officials have emboldened extremist organizations by openly targeting people of color and failing to regulate malicious content online. Despite these visible trends in digital spaces, communities of color are organizing to protect their right to vote as a critical form of civic participation. Join us to discuss how digital platform accountability and online voter suppression are impacting democracy in a rapidly changing environment, and learn about the strategies advocates are deploying to mitigate the harmful effects on the electorate.
Discussants:
- Daniella Flores, Wellspring Philanthropic Fund and Paul Waters, Democracy Fund (co-moderators)
- Leigh Chapman, Voting Rights Program, Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights
- Farhana Khera, Muslim Advocates
- Laura Edelson, New York University Tandon School Online Political Ads Transparency Project
- Joan Donovan, Harvard Kennedy School Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy
Cosponsors: Chesapeake Bay Funders Network, Council of New Jersey Grantmakers, Economic Opportunity Funders, Environmental Grantmakers Association, Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees, Maryland Philanthropy Network, Philanthropy New York, and United Philanthropy Forum
Resources:
- White Nationalism + Voter Suppression Recording and Slides (materials only available to FCCP members)
- Frequently asked questions about hate groups
- When the ‘Alt-Right’ Hit the Streets: Far-Right Political Rallies in the Trump Era
- How Civil Society Can Combat Misinformation and Hate Speech Without Making It Worse
- Disinfo Defense Toolkit