Reframe, Redirect Jennifer Kotting Reframe, Redirect Jennifer Kotting

Military veterans call for condemnation of political violence

Military veterans from Common Defense Fund and Courage for America called on GOP leaders to condemn political violence after the January 6th attack. They pushed back against efforts to rewrite the event as justified and worked to hold perpetrators accountable. Despite their advocacy, Republican leaders refused to change course, and the broader discourse on political violence remained unchanged.

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Reveal, Reframe Jennifer Kotting Reveal, Reframe Jennifer Kotting

Youth Protests Defend Democracy in Burkina Faso

In 2014, after 27 years in power, Burkina Faso’s then president Blaise Compaoré sought to remove term limits so that he could remain in power indefinitely. While Compaoré had long functioned as a semi-authoritarian leader, removing term limits would have made a shift to democracy significantly more difficult. Sensing a unique (and fleeting) opportunity, the youth of Burkina Faso gathered together to lead a transformative protest movement which revealed the authoritarian nature of such a move and reframed a seemingly dire situation as an opportunity for the people to work together to make change by taking to the streets.

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Reframe, Redirect, Redeem Jennifer Kotting Reframe, Redirect, Redeem Jennifer Kotting

Parasol Patrol

In 2019, Eli Bazan’s all-ages drag show in Colorado received an influx of hate mail that included death threats and plans to lock the doors and burn the building. In response Bazan stood guard at the event, and continued to do so at following events, recruiting a growing group of volunteers seeking to protect LGBTQ+ youth events and the families that attended them.  

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Resist, Reframe, Redirect Jennifer Kotting Resist, Reframe, Redirect Jennifer Kotting

Malheur National Wildlife Refuge

Imagine if armed militia and Patriot groups from across the country descended on your community to occupy nearby public lands and claimed that they were protecting you. Well, that’s exactly what happened in Burns, Oregon, a town of 2,700 people, for 41 days in the winter of 2016.  Just like many rural communities across the US, Harney County residents were fed up with these attempts at using intimidation and violence to gain political influence, and decided to say enough is enough.

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Redeem, Reveal, Reframe Jennifer Kotting Redeem, Reveal, Reframe Jennifer Kotting

Responses to far-right riots in the UK

Far-right riots in the UK tried to spread fear and division, but organizers and communities fought back. Through counter-protests, rebuilding efforts, and mass mobilization, anti-racism organizers made it clear—hate will not go unchallenged. By the next wave of planned demonstrations, they had flipped the script: the far-right was outnumbered, and their violence exposed.

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Reframe, Redeem Jennifer Kotting Reframe, Redeem Jennifer Kotting

People rally to support Haitian community in Springfield, OH

When white supremacists tried to spread fear in Springfield, Ohio, the Haitian community and its allies refused to back down. Through public rallies, economic support, and legal action, they countered racist disinformation with solidarity and truth. The fight isn’t over, but Springfield’s resistance has sent a clear message—intimidation won’t work here.

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Reveal, Reframe, Redirect Jennifer Kotting Reveal, Reframe, Redirect Jennifer Kotting

The Selma to Montgomery Marches

On March 7th, 1965, hundreds of people began to march peacefully in Selma, but the work leading up to that day began well before. For years, groups like the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee had been holding lunch counter sit-ins and Freedom Rides to advocate for equal rights for Black Americans…

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