Julian: Civil Rights & Human Rights Legal Org

The first step in civil rights is courage. This reward honors the courage of Mrs. Fannie Lou Hamer who risked everything, was beaten, and maimed for life because she believed with everything in her that we were all meant to be free. Follow her in taking the first step. 

In civil rights, we lead by example because we are not just building the beloved community; we are the beloved community. Mrs. Ella Baker was the mastermind behind the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), the organization that fought against oppression through direct action, such as sit-ins at lunch counters across the South. She taught SNCC that civil rights "is bigger than a hamburger." Those words ring true today. This isn't just about not being lynched or brutalized. It's the freedom to be authentically who you are in any setting. It's being born somebody to everybody. It's acceptance and love. It's a new world. 

This playlist carries with it the emotions, joy, and purpose of that world. Many of these songs, I fell in love with at the same time I fell in love with civil rights, and they remind me of my calling. Let them lead you to see the leader you are and the one you will become. 

In civil rights, not every day will feel like a victory. On those troublesome days--the days in between--we must have faith and keep working toward the victory that will come. One thing John Lewis always said in public and in private in his office was "Keep the faith." He knew how important that single element was to fulfilling our calling on this earth and creating the world we deserve. 

This Julian carryall is symbolic of that faith that you must carry with you at all times. It encapsulates all that we do, just as this carryall is a capsule for your materials, your life, the element of you. All you have to do is keep the faith. 

Any effective strategy contains strong tactics. This reward honors the tactics of Dorothy Height, a leader of the civil rights movement and founder of The National Council of Negro Women who was involved in the planning of the March on Washington but who was not allowed to speak at the event because she was a woman. But Dorothy Height didn't back down even with all the discrimination she faced within civil rights. She famously said that we could get a lot done if we didn't care about who got the credit. She devised the ingenious tactic of having influential white women from northern states go down to Mississippi for advocacy work, which helped to change the perception of the civil rights struggle across the nation. Her selfless spirit is one to admire and emulate. 

This reward includes the coconut apricot cream wax candle "Unique" by Marqus Profic. This limited edition luxury candle was designed by artisan Candace Parrish, Ph.D. and Julian client Marqus Profic who has been wrongfully incarcerated in Pennsylvania for 17 years for a murder he could not have possibly committed.  This gift also includes the Juneteenth playlist + the Julian Carryall.

Julian Bond, one of the co-founders of SNCC, the former leader of the NAACP,  and one of the greatest political voices of his time, is largely responsible for what we know about the civil rights movement. He placed the movement's actions in the press and preserved them for the historical record as SNCC's Communications Director.  He explained the movement to press and to the world in a way that made people see the activists on their own terms and their work as critical to the American story. This reward honors him--Julian's namesake. He loved music, even though he couldn't dance a lick. And the music he loved was an ode to the love of freedom and the importance of message.

This collection of vinyl records and books are some of his favorites that will keep the work going and the message beating in our hearts. 

This reward honors Julian's cutting-edge vision and work. Our vision is about how things feel rather than just how they look. Julian is an opportunity to create a different palette of feelings in this nation. In the past few years, people have felt collective outrage and despair regarding civil rights, but rarely has there existed the feeling of unity or collective love that was felt during the civil rights movement. This project will help to foster those emotions. What we feel affects civil rights because civil rights at its basis is about treating somebody how you would want to be treated. Treatment, in turn, impacts someone's dignity, their self respect, their feelings about themselves. It goes to the core of who they are. So, in this sense, to transform a feeling means transforming people. It could possibly truly transform not just the law, but hearts and minds.

This reward features a canvas print of "How Far is a Light Year?" by artist Alexander Grahovsky.

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This reward also features a hard copy edition of "Race Against Time," signed by its author, Investigative Journalist Jerry Mitchell, who went face to face against the assassins of NAACP leader Medgar Evers, Vernon Dahmer, and the three civil rights workers of Freedom Summer and secured their convictions. 

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The limited edition soy wax candle set "Unique" by Marqus Profic. This set was designed by artisan Candace Parrish, Ph.D. in concert with Julian client Marqus Profic who has been wrongfully incarcerated in Pennsylvania for 17 years for a murder he could not have possibly committed. 

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The Julian t-shirt, carryall, playlist, and our selection of books and records, as well.

Julian is the future of civil rights. 

In today's world, slaying it in your profession requires being a boss public speaker. This exclusive workshop will teach you how to be just that and learn how to write your own amazing speeches, led by  Jill Collen Jefferson who was Senator Wendy Davis' chief speechwriter and was one of four speechwriters on President Obama's 2012 presidential campaign before serving as chief speechwriter at President Obama's non-profit Organizing for Action, writing for President Obama, the executive director, and surrogates. 

This interactive workshop will teach you how to write and structure speeches, how to connect with your audience, how to have them hang on your every work, and how to mobilize them to action.  At the end of this workshop, you will have written your first draft of a speech.  You'll also walk away with templates for writing an effective speech, and Jill's own personal checklist of key considerations that every great speech must incorporate.  As a bonus, Jill will personally review your speech, provide edits, and help you take it to the next level. 

Pro tip: If you have an event approaching where you will speak, bring your event details, and use this workshop to get your first outline or draft out of the way. 

This exclusive workshop only has 10 spots. 

Before Julian founder Jill Collen Jefferson was an attorney, she was a political speechwriter. She served as Senator Wendy Davis’s chief speechwriter and was one of four speechwriters on President Obama’s 2012 presidential campaign before serving as chief speechwriter at President Obama’s non-profit, Organizing for Action, where she wrote remarks for President Obama, the executive director, and surrogates.

She’s written for a president, celebrities, cabinet members, and CEOs. Yet, while Jill is honored by the opportunities she’s had, she sees speechwriting as a past life and rarely, if ever, accepts requests to write remarks these days. In order to help Julian grow, she has agreed to offer a small number of one-on-one speechwriting consultations to a handful of lucky people!

During a virtual appointment Jill will help you to be a boss public speaker and learn how to write your own amazing speeches. This consultation, Jill will teach you how to write and structure speeches, how to connect with your audience, how to have them hang on to your every word, and how to mobilize them to action.  You'll also walk away with templates for writing an effective speech and Jill's own personal checklist of key considerations that every great speech must incorporate.  

Pro tip: If you have an event approaching where you will speak, bring your event details, and use this appointment to get your first outline or draft out of the way. 

Before Julian founder Jill Collen Jefferson was an attorney, she was a political speechwriter. She served as Senator Wendy Davis’s chief speechwriter and was one of four speechwriters on President Obama’s 2012 presidential campaign before serving as chief speechwriter at President Obama’s non-profit, Organizing for Action, where she wrote remarks for President Obama, the executive director, and surrogates.

She’s written for a president, celebrities, cabinet members, and CEOs. Yet, while Jill is honored by the opportunities she’s had, she sees speechwriting as a past life and rarely, if ever, accepts requests to write remarks these days. In order to help Julian grow, she has agreed to personally write a set of short remarks for two lucky people, meaning there are only two of these available.

If you have a real or virtual event coming up, and you’re stressed about what you’re going to say, put your mind at rest because Julian and IFW are coming to the rescue!

Jill’s offer includes an initial interview to understand what the individual wants to accomplish and to document the event’s logistics. She is also offering optional additional conversations throughout the writing process to better understand the individual’s voice.

Jill engages in deep research throughout the process and may ask to interview other individuals who are relevant to the event, the principal, or the subject matter.

Jill will discuss the editing process with the individual to craft a schedule and methodology that meets the individual at their level of comfort.

At the end of the writing process, you’ll have a short speech that’s perfectly tailored to you and your audience, written by a seasoned speechwriter.

Level up.

Before Julian founder Jill Collen Jefferson was an attorney, she was a political speechwriter. She served as Senator Wendy Davis’s chief speechwriter and was one of four speechwriters on President Obama’s 2012 presidential campaign before serving as chief speechwriter at President Obama’s non-profit, Organizing for Action, where she wrote remarks for President Obama, the executive director, and surrogates.

She’s written for a president, celebrities, cabinet members, and CEOs. Yet, while Jill is honored by the opportunities she’s had, she sees speechwriting as a past life and rarely, if ever, accepts requests to write remarks these days. In order to help Julian grow, she has agreed to personally write a keynote address (25 minutes of speaking) for one person.

Her offer includes an initial interview to understand what the individual wants to accomplish and to document the event’s logistics. She is also offering optional additional conversations throughout the writing process to better understand the individual’s voice.

Jill engages in deep research throughout the process and may ask to interview other individuals who are relevant to the event, the principal, or the subject matter.

Jill will discuss the editing process with the individual to craft a schedule and methodology that meets the individual at their level of comfort.

At the end of the writing process, you’ll have a keynote address that’s perfectly tailored to you and your audience, written by a seasoned speechwriter.

Level up.

Fund one month of Julian's travel expenses. As your reward, you may choose between any of the speechwriting rewards listed on this campaign, with the exception of a keynote address. 

Fund one month of Julian's travel, accommodations, and utilities to keep us going.

Fund 1/4 of a modern-day lynching investigation, which takes one year total. 

Julian's Upcoming Investigations that Need to Be Funded: The lynching of Raynard Johnson, 17, and the lynching of Nick Naylor, 23.  Both young men were found hanging from trees in Mississippi. 

As a reward, you may choose from among any or all of the awards listed in this campaign.* 

*This excludes rewards reserved for funders of over $100,000.

Fund an entire modern-day lynching investigation, which takes one year.

Julian's Upcoming Investigations that Need to Be Funded: The lynching of Raynard Johnson, 17, and the lynching of Nick Naylor, 23.  Both young men were found hanging from trees in Mississippi. 

As a reward, you may choose from among any or all of the awards listed in this campaign. Additionally, you may elect to have a private meal with Jill Collen Jefferson, the Julian team, and a surprise guest in Mississippi.