The Horizons Project
@horizonsprjt.bsky.social
130 followers 42 following 120 posts
Weaving together all our efforts for a just, inclusive and peaceful democracy. #SocialJustice #PeaceBuilding #Democracy #NarrativeChange #Movements
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Reposted by The Horizons Project
protectdemocracy.org
We created the Faithful Fight series with @horizonsprjt.bsky.social to help religious communities continue their tradition as key defenders of democracy. Read and share: https://protectdemocracy.org/work/the-faithful-fight
Reposted by The Horizons Project
forcommunities.bsky.social
#mustread 🧵and download thanks to @mariajstephan.bsky.social @paxchristiusa.bsky.social #nonviolence #peoplespower #resistance

cc @peterdiganderson.bsky.social @robinpugh.bsky.social
horizonsprjt.bsky.social
🕊️ What does nonviolence look like in the face of authoritarianism?

At the @paxchristiusa.bsky.social Annual Conference, The Horizons Project's Co-Lead Maria J. Stephan delivered a powerful keynote on reclaiming the strategic and moral power of nonviolence in this moment.
paxchristiusa.org
Reposted by The Horizons Project
aflcio.org
Happy #HispanicHeritageMonth!

America’s unions are proud to celebrate and honor the history, culture and incredible contributions Hispanic and Latino communities have made in our lives, our workplaces and our labor movement.
National Hispanic Heritage Month | AFL-CIO
Reposted by The Horizons Project
seiu.org
Feels like the world’s on fire half the time, but workers keep showing up. We are the backbone holding communities together, and that’s why our fight for fair pay and dignity can’t be ignored.
Reposted by The Horizons Project
aft.org
AFT @aft.org · 23d
We’re kicking off the next #NOKINGS day of action with a national call on Sept. 18.

Hear from AFT President @rweingarten.bsky.social & others about the vision, urgency, and strategy behind this movement.

Get details & RSVP here ⬇️
No Kings October Mobilization Kick Off Call · No Kings
The No Kings Coalition is proud to announce the kick-off to our October 18th national protest! Join us to learn more about the vision, urgency, and strategy behind this national day of action. Wheth...
www.mobilize.us
horizonsprjt.bsky.social
🖼️ What role can artists and cultural organizers play in the fight against authoritarianism? A powerful one.

🎨 We've launched a new tool that showcases the transformative power of art & culture in the movement for inclusive democracy. Explore how creative practice can strengthen democratic futures →
ART CULTURE & DEMOCRACY RESOURCES
Artistic and cultural processes are uniquely well-suited to counter rising authoritarianism and strengthen inclusive democracy because they have the power to engage us cognitively, emotionally, sensor...
padlet.com
horizonsprjt.bsky.social
We unpacked the behind-the-scenes organizing that made it possible:
🫂 Years of relationship-building laid the groundwork for unlikely coalitions.
⛪️ Framing around faith, family, and fairness made space for real compromise.
📌 Tension, discomfort, and honest negotiation were all part of the process.
Lessons on Broad Based Organizing from the Utah Compromise: A BOLD Case Study
horizonsproject.us
horizonsprjt.bsky.social
🚨 Our latest report explores The Utah Compromise—one of the most compelling case studies of recent memory: a red state, a deeply conservative legislature, and a powerful faith institution working across their differences to secure historic LGBTQ+ protections.

Here's what we learned:
Lessons on Broad Based Organizing from the Utah Compromise: A BOLD Case Study
horizonsproject.us
horizonsprjt.bsky.social
Effective stories:
📌 Focus on lived experiences of injustice than abstract anti-corruption pledges
📌 Connect corruption to everyday harms like public health, education, and safety
📌 Emphasize accountability and possibility to counter fatalism and build public trust
Forging Effective Corruption Narratives to Counter Democratic Erosion
Harnessing public concern over rising corruption makes sense for U.S. democracy advocates—but doing so can fuel apathy and authoritarianism unless corruption narratives also cultivate hope.
carnegieendowment.org
horizonsprjt.bsky.social
Corruption narratives shape how people understand democracy and whether they believe change is possible.

📌 This new piece from @carnegieendowment.org (which features The Horizons Project) unpacks the stories that work (and don’t) when fighting democratic erosion.
Forging Effective Corruption Narratives to Counter Democratic Erosion
Harnessing public concern over rising corruption makes sense for U.S. democracy advocates—but doing so can fuel apathy and authoritarianism unless corruption narratives also cultivate hope.
carnegieendowment.org
horizonsprjt.bsky.social
Some key insights:

📌 Faith communities are essential to organizing - providing sanctuary, holding symbolic power, & building bridges across movements.
⛪️ Authoritarianism thrives on co-opting religion. Faith leaders must reclaim moral clarity & resist scapegoating and nationalist frames.
horizonsprjt.bsky.social
🕊️ What does nonviolence look like in the face of authoritarianism?

At the @paxchristiusa.bsky.social Annual Conference, The Horizons Project's Co-Lead Maria J. Stephan delivered a powerful keynote on reclaiming the strategic and moral power of nonviolence in this moment.
paxchristiusa.org
horizonsprjt.bsky.social
📌 Looking to organize within your union or professional association? This toolkit has stories, case studies, and strategies for shifting power and defending democracy from the inside. →
THE PILLARS PROJECT: Labor Unions
Why should labor unions and professional associations care about authoritarianism?
horizonsproject.us
horizonsprjt.bsky.social
📌 When democracy was under threat, labor unions teamed up with business and faith to defend our vote. In 2020, @aflcio.org, @seiu.org, @aft.org , @unitehere.org, and a few unlikely allies stood in solidarity to ensure every vote was counted and every official stayed safe. #LaborDay #LaborMovements
Unions Join Unlikely Allies to Defend American Elections
On Election Day 2020, The AFL-CIO and US Chamber of Commerce, amongst other partners, released a statement calling for the respect of election results and the peaceful transfer of power. The notable c...
horizonsproject.us
horizonsprjt.bsky.social
📌 In Tunisia, labor unions helped turn protests into a democratic breakthrough. Their organizing power helped anchor the Arab Spring and paved the way for real reform. #LaborDay #WorkerPower #ProDemocracy #LaborMovements
Tunisian Unions Support the Arab Spring
The Tunisian General Labour Union’s (UGTT) well-established and far-reaching infrastructure enabled it to play an indispensable role in Tunisia’s revolution. While the UGTT was originally a core pilla...
horizonsproject.us
horizonsprjt.bsky.social
📌 When India’s democracy was threatened, millions of farmers blocked roads in one of the largest strikes in human history - defending their rights and democratic process. #LaborDay #WorkerPower #ProDemocracy #LaborMovements
Indian Farmers’ Unions Block Roads to Bolster Democracy
In response to the anti-democratic passage of the Farm Bills in India, farm unions across various regions coordinated a coalition of 32 farm unions who came together in a nonviolent movement demanding...
horizonsproject.us
horizonsprjt.bsky.social
📌 Ahead of U.S. elections, unions mobilized members to become poll workers, fighting voter suppression and building trust in our electoral system from the ground up. #LaborDay #WorkerPower #ProDemocracy #LaborMovements
American Unions Mobilize Poll Workers
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, for the 2020 election poll workers were scarce, in person voting was challenging and unfeasible in some jurisdictions, and typical “get out the vote” campaigns were stymi...
horizonsproject.us
horizonsprjt.bsky.social
📌 In Hungary, teachers became the resistance. Faced with authoritarian laws and gag orders, educators led strikes and civil disobedience to protect democratic freedoms. #LaborDay #WorkerPower #ProDemocracy #LaborMovements
Teachers in Hungary Oppose Democratic Backsliding
One key target of democratic backsliding in Hungary is the education system. The dismissal of five teachers in 2022 for striking galvanized tens of thousands of teachers, parents, and students to prot...
horizonsproject.us
horizonsprjt.bsky.social
📌 In the U.S. South, labor unions stood shoulder to shoulder with civil rights leaders proving that the fight for worker justice and racial justice has always been connected. #LaborDay #WorkerPower #ProDemocracy #LaborMovements
Labor Unions Join the Fight for Civil Rights
A key element of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference’s (SCLC) strategy was leveraging existing communities to then mobilize individuals into a collective movement. Accordingly, the SCLC devel...
horizonsproject.us