Why We Still Need Abolition: 2-Part Series on Abolition & Militarism

As we strive to continue to organize in philanthropy to support movement during this time of repression and carcerality, it is perhaps most important to return to thinking about the world we want to see. In our efforts to remain in solidarity with BIPOC community organizing towards justice, funders must remain committed to our own ongoing learning. Amidst crises competing for our attention, let’s revisit foundational political education in deeper ways - building understanding and systemic analysis in order to provide greater clarity in how we can think about and sustain social change as new challenges continue to arise. 

While state violence continues to repress voices for liberation and disappear people into cages, abolition reminds us that surveillance, policing, and imprisonment are still not true solutions to economic, social, and political problems, and its principles can be applied to all of the issues we face. US militarism is, in many ways, the global extension and resource engine of the carceral state. At $997 billion in military spending in 2024, the US has remained by far the largest military spender in the world. We live in a war economy that is consistently making profits off of both domestic policing and global occupation, at the expense of real public resources for our communities. 

How can we divest from systems of violence and continue to be in solidarity with communities that bear the brunt of state violence? Join us to learn more about these systems, how community organizers are resisting, and the ways we can build something different.

Session 1: Abolition, Thursday Oct 2, 10am-11am PT

Session 2: Militarism, Thursday Oct 16, 10am-11am PT

*Speakers to be announced*

About Rooted: NFG Political Education

NFG cultivates spaces of connection, strategy, and action to shift more philanthropic resources to community organizing. Rooted is a space for intentional political education and funder organizing to learn more about why philanthropy must do things differently, and how. Learn more about previous webinars here, here, and here.