Right To Democracy Project

Our Participatory Advocacy program works to confront and dismantle the undemocratic colonial framework governing all five U.S. territories through policy, advocacy, and litigation strategies that are developed by engaging people and communities from each territory, their diaspora, and throughout the United States. Our advocacy is directed towards creating systemic change and accountability across all three branches of the federal government. Key highlights: engaging civil rights, social justice, and community partners as well as congressional allies to press the U.S. Department of Justice to condemn the Insular Cases; developing new client-centered litigation focused on democracy, self-governance, and self-determination; advancing equity in federal benefits programs, philanthropic investments, data collection, and veterans services; and addressing issues of climate and environmental justice. Our work is supported by more than 1,000 hours of pro bono support from law firm partners.

Our Narrative and Cultural Change program works to combat the cultural normalization of undemocratic colonial rule in U.S. territories. We do this through engagement with journalists, educators, artists, and others, both in the territories and throughout the United States, leveraging our advocacy to raise the visibility of these issues both at a national level and in each territory. Key highlights: artist listening tour across the territories and convenings for the Decolonial Monument Project with national and local partners; highlight colonial injuries and their intersections with trending issues and current events to increase awareness of US colonialism; Op-Ed placements in national and local media; a social media campaign on the 125th anniversary of the Treaty of Paris and the 250th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence; developing historical educational primers for each of the territories.