Donations Instead Of Gifts: 12 Charities To Help This Holiday
Sylvia Rivera in front of a fountain in 1970. (Image via Kay Lahusen)
1. Sylvia Rivera Law Project
Cause: Transgender rights
Why Choose This Charity: The Sylvia Rivera Law Project works to protect the rights of transgender Americans. Thanks again to the current political climate and incoming presidential administration, many in the transgender community are worried for their right to live a peaceful, protected life.
Even before the specter of the 2016 administration had truly raised its head, transgender people faced outright discrimination. For instance, the now infamous North Carolina “bathroom bill” (also known as HB2 or the Public Facilities Privacy & Security Act) seeks to prevent transgender people from using the bathroom that corresponds with their chosen gender identity.
Needless to say, it appears that everyone will see increased legal action against the transgender community (not to mention LGBT people in general). The Sylvia Rivera Law Project (SRLP) thankfully already exists, with the explicit intent to help transgender people. It seeks “to increase the political voice and visibility of low-income people of color who are transgender, intersex, or gender non-conforming. SRLP works to improve access to respectful and affirming social, health, and legal services for our communities.” The SLRP takes its name from Sylvia Rivera, a pioneering transgender woman who fought for LGBT rights.
The SRLP is especially focused on low-income transgender people of color, who are uniquely affected by legal and social challenges in their local communities and on a national level. It provides assistance with prison reform, identity documentation, healthcare advocacy, immigration, and more.
Links to Send Gift Givers: Their donation page here.
Next: 17 Non-Profit Organizations That Need Your Support in 2017
Other charities
Obviously, this list can’t encompass every single charity out there. Below are a few more that you may want to consider. Feel free to investigate on your own as well. Just be sure to check out your particular charity’s scores on Charity Navigator to make sure you’re happy with how your charity is run and funded.
She Should Run (encourages women to run for state and federal office)
PEN America (first amendment rights)
NAACP (civil rights for people of color)
Anti-Defamation League (civil rights, combating anti-Semitism)
Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund (disability rights)
Bat Conservation International (environmentalism, adorable bats)
NARAL Pro-Choice America (reproductive rights)
National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (domestic violence)
Union of Concerned Scientists (environmentalism, science advocacy)