All people can live free from fear.
Western States Center envisions inclusive democratic movements and societies rooted in justice and equity.
The four pillars of our work
Build Movements
We strengthen the organizing capacity of often-marginalized communities, with an emphasis on gender and racial justice.
Develop Leaders
We provide training, leadership development, and organizational capacity support to social justice movement leaders.
Shift
Culture
We convene culture-makers to shift the narrative and use culture as a vehicle for social change.
Defend Democracy
We help communities and civil society effectively respond to anti-democratic social movements.
New Resource!
CONFRONTING WHITE NATIONALISM IN LIBRARIES
Libraries are increasingly on the frontlines of defending democracy, and resisting growing efforts to disrupt LGBTQ+ programming, ban books focused on inclusivity, and attack critical race theory. Western States Center’s toolkit gives librarians, administrators and communities the tools needed to effectively push back against these efforts.
What if the January 6, 2021 Insurrection had been successful?
Written by Alan Jenkins and Gan Golan and illustrated by Will Rosado, 1/6 asks and answers the question: What if the January 6, 2021 Insurrection had been successful?
The graphic novel chillingly illustrates how close we came to authoritarian rule in America and the threats to our democracy that we still face. In the tradition of speculative fiction from George Orwell’s 1984 to Margaret Atwood’s Handmaid’s Tale to the Twilight Zone, it explores themes of autocracy, scapegoating, strategic disinformation, and more, all told through a compelling, character-driven story.
Drawing on real-life events, 1/6 travels the road that led from back-room meetings, white supremacist rallies, and the Four Seasons Landscaping parking lot to a violent attack on the Capitol that left several Americans dead and shook our nation to its core.
The 4 issue series will debut in early 2023. Written by Alan Jenkins and Gan Golan. Artwork by Will Rosado. Colors by Lee Loughridge. With additional contributions by comics masters Shawn Martinbrough, Jamal Igle and more.
Access our Toolkits & Resources
We provide resources, toolkits, and trainings that equip communities, organizations, individuals and local governments to defend inclusive democracy.
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Personal story:
How we defend democracy
“WSC consistently punches above its weight class, shaping narratives, crafting strategies, and developing leaders rooted in the lived experience of the Pacific Northwest & Mountain States that influence the entire country. That’s why SPLC counts on WSC as a core program partner and I’m proud to serve on the board of directors.”
Lecia Brooks,
Southern Poverty Law Center Chief of Staff
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