Donate to Bail Fund/General Support

BALT believes that to achieve progress we must base our work on the work that has already occurred in our community.  In social justice movements, there is a history of outside people and organizations responding to local justice efforts for a short period of time and then, by necessity, retreating back to their respective communities.  Difficult work is left behind. Often times, the community is left with unmet promises or unachievable expectations from the instant-but-outside responders.  This adds to the already necessary reconstruction and reconciliation that must be done by local justice workers.

In order to minimize these dilemmas caused by volunteers, short-term workers, or newly arrived or newly engaged people and organizations, BALT asks each partner to respect the work that has already gone on and the history that has occurred. In order to respect this work and history, people must first learn it. Practically, this respect means that for newcomers to the community, learning must be prized over teaching, and reflection with the community must precede action. BALT will not take actions or make verbal commitments or raise expectations in the community that are not achievable. Unmet promises and unfilled expectations seriously undermine and discourage local organizing and justice work. This reality also means that BALT must establish a strong, ongoing infrastructure that can respond to emerging situations, protests, and injustice as it happens rather than rely on the short-term work of outside entities.

Your donation will help BALT establish that infrastructure. We cannot do it without you.  Thank you.