People For the American Way
Encyclopedia
People For the American Way (People For) is a progressive
advocacy group
in the United States
. Under U.S. tax code, People For the American Way is organized as a tax-exempt 501(c)(4) non-profit organization.
PFAW has been active in recent years in battles over judicial nominations and on issues including school class size, and actively support such proposals as the separation of church and state, civil rights, voting rights for Washington, DC in the U.S. Congress and equal rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered (LGBT
) people and promotion of civic participation.
producer
Norman Lear
(All in the Family
, Maude
, The Jeffersons
, etc.) in 1981 specifically in response to what it felt was the divisive rhetoric of such increasingly influential televangelists as Pat Robertson
and Jerry Falwell
. Co-founders included Barbara Jordan
, Andrew Heiskell
, and other leaders from the political, religious, business, and entertainment communities.
Figures such as actress Kathleen Turner
and the Rabbi David Saperstein
sit on the board of People For the American Way's affiliate foundation, People For the American Way Foundation.
The former presidents of PFAW are Anthony Podesta (1981–1987), Arthur Kropp (1987–1995), Carole Shields (1996–2000), Ralph Neas
(2000–2007), and Kathryn Kolbert
(2008–2009). Michael B. Keegan is the organization's current president.
Soon after its founding, People For the American Way launched an affiliated 501(c)(3) organization, PFAW Foundation, for the purpose of conducting more extensive educational, research activities for left-wing causes. Later, the People For the American Way Voter Alliance was launched as a political action committee
, which, as opposed to its sister organizations, has the legal capacity to endorse candidates for office and generally endorses liberals.
work.
Progressivism
Progressivism is an umbrella term for a political ideology advocating or favoring social, political, and economic reform or changes. Progressivism is often viewed by some conservatives, constitutionalists, and libertarians to be in opposition to conservative or reactionary ideologies.The...
advocacy group
Advocacy group
Advocacy groups use various forms of advocacy to influence public opinion and/or policy; they have played and continue to play an important part in the development of political and social systems...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Under U.S. tax code, People For the American Way is organized as a tax-exempt 501(c)(4) non-profit organization.
Purpose
The "Our Mission and Vision" page on their website states:- People For the American Way is dedicated to making the promise of America real for every American: Equality. Freedom of speech. Freedom of religion. The right to seek justice in a court of law. The right to cast a vote that counts. The American Way.
- Our vision is a vibrantly diverse democratic society in which everyone is treated equally under the law, given the freedom and opportunity to pursue their dreams, and encouraged to participate in our nation’s civic and political life. Our America respects diversity, nurtures creativity and combats hatred and bigotry.
- We believe a society that reflects these constitutional principles and progressive values is worth fighting for, and we take seriously our responsibility to cultivate new generations of leaders and activists who will sustain these values for the life of this nation.
- Our operational mission is to promote the American Way and defend it from attack, to build and nurture communities of support for our values, and to equip those communities to promote progressive policies, elect progressive candidates, and hold public officials accountable.
PFAW has been active in recent years in battles over judicial nominations and on issues including school class size, and actively support such proposals as the separation of church and state, civil rights, voting rights for Washington, DC in the U.S. Congress and equal rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered (LGBT
LGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
) people and promotion of civic participation.
History
PFAW was founded by televisionTelevision
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
producer
Television producer
The primary role of a television Producer is to allow all aspects of video production, ranging from show idea development and cast hiring to shoot supervision and fact-checking...
Norman Lear
Norman Lear
Norman Milton Lear is an American television writer and producer who produced such 1970s sitcoms as All in the Family, Sanford and Son, One Day at a Time, The Jeffersons, Good Times and Maude...
(All in the Family
All in the Family
All in the Family is an American sitcom that was originally broadcast on the CBS television network from January 12, 1971, to April 8, 1979. In September 1979, a new show, Archie Bunker's Place, picked up where All in the Family had ended...
, Maude
Maude (TV series)
Maude was an American television sitcom that was originally broadcast on the CBS network from September 12, 1972 until April 22, 1978.Maude starred Beatrice Arthur as Maude Findlay, an outspoken, middle-aged, politically liberal woman living in suburban Tuckahoe, Westchester County, New York with...
, The Jeffersons
The Jeffersons
The Jeffersons is an American sitcom that was broadcast on CBS from January 18, 1975, through June 25, 1985, lasting 11 seasons and a total of 253 episodes. The show was produced by the T.A.T. Communications Company from 1975–1982 and by Embassy Television from 1982-1985...
, etc.) in 1981 specifically in response to what it felt was the divisive rhetoric of such increasingly influential televangelists as Pat Robertson
Pat Robertson
Marion Gordon "Pat" Robertson is a media mogul, television evangelist, ex-Baptist minister and businessman who is politically aligned with the Christian Right in the United States....
and Jerry Falwell
Jerry Falwell
Jerry Lamon Falwell, Sr. was an evangelical fundamentalist Southern Baptist pastor, televangelist, and a conservative commentator from the United States. He was the founding pastor of the Thomas Road Baptist Church, a megachurch in Lynchburg, Virginia...
. Co-founders included Barbara Jordan
Barbara Jordan
Barbara Charline Jordan was an American politician who was both a product and a leader, of the Civil Rights movement. She was the first African American elected to the Texas Senate after Reconstruction and the first southern black female elected to the United States House of Representatives...
, Andrew Heiskell
Andrew Heiskell
Andrew Heiskell was chairman and CEO of Time Inc. , and also known for his philanthropy, including for the New York Public Library...
, and other leaders from the political, religious, business, and entertainment communities.
Figures such as actress Kathleen Turner
Kathleen Turner
Mary Kathleen Turner is an American actress. She came to fame during the 1980s, after roles in the Hollywood films Body Heat, Peggy Sue Got Married, Romancing the Stone, The War of the Roses, Who Framed Roger Rabbit and Prizzi's Honor...
and the Rabbi David Saperstein
David Saperstein (rabbi)
David Saperstein is a rabbi, lawyer, and Jewish community leader. He has served as the director and chief legal counsel at the Union for Reform Judaism's Religious Action Center for more than 30 years. Saperstein succeeded Rabbi Richard G. Hirsch as leader of the Washington D.C.-based political...
sit on the board of People For the American Way's affiliate foundation, People For the American Way Foundation.
The former presidents of PFAW are Anthony Podesta (1981–1987), Arthur Kropp (1987–1995), Carole Shields (1996–2000), Ralph Neas
Ralph Neas
Ralph G. Neas is CEO of the National Coalition on Health Care , a non-profit, non-partisan organization working to improve America's health care system....
(2000–2007), and Kathryn Kolbert
Kathryn Kolbert
Kathryn Kolbert is the director of Barnard College’s Athena Center, the newly revamped Barnard Leadership Initiative. She is a former president of People for the American Way and the People for the American Way Foundation....
(2008–2009). Michael B. Keegan is the organization's current president.
Soon after its founding, People For the American Way launched an affiliated 501(c)(3) organization, PFAW Foundation, for the purpose of conducting more extensive educational, research activities for left-wing causes. Later, the People For the American Way Voter Alliance was launched as a political action committee
Political action committee
In the United States, a political action committee, or PAC, is the name commonly given to a private group, regardless of size, organized to elect political candidates or to advance the outcome of a political issue or legislation. Legally, what constitutes a "PAC" for purposes of regulation is a...
, which, as opposed to its sister organizations, has the legal capacity to endorse candidates for office and generally endorses liberals.
Scope of activity
Located in Washington, D.C., People For the American Way monitors what it characterizes as "right-wing" activities, conducting rapid response, political lobbying, and volunteer mobilization. In addition, the organization's affiliated foundation (People For the American Way Foundation) runs programs designed for voter education and politically progressive infrastructure building. PFAW Foundation programs include Young People For, which identifies, trains, and supports future progressive leaders; the Young Elected Officials Network, which identifies and supports progressive elected officials from around the country who are under the age of 35; and African American Religious Affairs, which mobilizes and supports progressive activism in African American congregations and communities.Leadership
- Michael B. Keegan, President
- Nick Ucci, Chief Operating Officer
- David J. Perlman, Chief Financial Officer
- Marge Baker, Executive Vice President for Policy and Program Planning
Board Members, People For the American Way
- John Hall Buchanan, Jr.John Hall Buchanan, Jr.John Hall Buchanan, Jr. served as a United States Congressman from Alabama's 6th congressional district.- Early life :...
, Baptist preacher and former Alabama Republican U.S. representative - Howie KleinHowie KleinHowie Klein is an American DJ, music producer, record label founder, record label executive, and political blogger, who was president of Reprise Records from 1989 to 2001....
, Board Member - Norman LearNorman LearNorman Milton Lear is an American television writer and producer who produced such 1970s sitcoms as All in the Family, Sanford and Son, One Day at a Time, The Jeffersons, Good Times and Maude...
, Board Member and Founder - Carole Shields, Board Member (and former Executive Director)
Board Members, People For the American Way Foundation
- Alec BaldwinAlec BaldwinAlexander Rae "Alec" Baldwin III is an American actor who has appeared on film, stage, and television.Baldwin first gained recognition through television for his work in the soap opera Knots Landing in the role of Joshua Rush. He was a cast member for two seasons before his character was killed off...
, Board Member - Dolores HuertaDolores HuertaDolores C. Huerta is the co-founder and First Vice President Emeritus of the United Farm Workers of America, AFL-CIO , and a member of the Democratic Socialists of America.-Early life:...
, Board Member - Rabbi David Saperstein, Board Member
- Kathleen TurnerKathleen TurnerMary Kathleen Turner is an American actress. She came to fame during the 1980s, after roles in the Hollywood films Body Heat, Peggy Sue Got Married, Romancing the Stone, The War of the Roses, Who Framed Roger Rabbit and Prizzi's Honor...
, Board Member - Rev. Tim McDonald, Board Member
Notable staff
- Alisha Thomas MorganAlisha Thomas MorganAlisha Thomas Morgan is a member of the House of Representatives in the U.S. state of Georgia. Morgan is a Democrat representing District 39, which encompasses parts of southern Cobb County.-Sources:* Attends destiny world church...
, YEO Network Membership Services Manager and Georgia State Representative - Andrew GillumAndrew GillumAndrew D. Gillum is a city commissioner in Tallahassee, Florida, USA. At the age of 23, Gillum became the youngest person ever elected to the Tallahassee City Commission in February 2003.-Background:...
, YEO Network Founder and City Commissioner in Tallahassee, Florida - Elliot MincbergElliot MincbergElliot Mincberg is Chief Counsel for Oversight and Investigations, House Judiciary Committee.Mincberg grew up on the south side of Chicago, Illinois and received his BA degree from Northwestern University in 1974, where he was active on the debate team, and his JD from Harvard Law School in...
, (former staff) Counsel to House Judiciary Committee
Coalitions, partnerships, and joint ventures
PFAW is a member of a number of progressive coalitions surrounding various issues, and it sometimes conducts joint campaigns with other organizations. Some of these partners and projects include:- Election Protection
- Leadership Conference on Civil RightsLeadership Conference on Civil RightsThe Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights , formerly called The Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, is an umbrella group of American civil rights interest groups.-Organizational history:...
- Fair Taxes for All
- Partners for Public Education
- Emergency Campaign for America's Priorities
- The DC Vote Coalition
- National Coalition Against CensorshipNational Coalition Against CensorshipThe National Coalition Against Censorship , founded in 1974, is an alliance of 50 national non-profit organizations, including literary, artistic, religious, educational, professional, labor, and civil liberties groups...
Young People For
Young People For (YP4) is a leadership development program for college students and provides organizational and financial support for social justiceSocial justice
Social justice generally refers to the idea of creating a society or institution that is based on the principles of equality and solidarity, that understands and values human rights, and that recognizes the dignity of every human being. The term and modern concept of "social justice" was coined by...
work.
External links
PFAW on social networks
- Group on FacebookFacebookFacebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
- Page on FacebookFacebookFacebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
- Change.org Network
- MySpace profile
- Twitter feed