People For the American Way
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| People For the American Way | |
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| Founder(s) | Norman Lear |
|---|---|
| Type | Interest group |
| Founded | 1981 |
| Headquarters | Washington D.C. |
| Key people | Norman Lear |
| Area served | United States |
| Focus | Progressive advocacy |
| Method | Media attention, direct-appeal campaigns |
| Website | PFAW Official Website |
People For the American Way (PFAW) is a progressive, politically liberal advocacy organization in the United States. Under U.S. tax code, PFAW is organized as a tax-exempt 501(c)(4) non-profit organization.
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[edit] Purpose
Since its inception, PFAW has been particularly visible in battles over judicial nominations. It has also been active in recent years on issues including school class size, separation of church and state, civil rights, voting rights for Washington, DC, in the U.S. Congress, equal rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered (LGBT) people, and promotion of civic participation.
PFAW describes itself as "an energetic advocate for the values and institutions that sustain a diverse democratic society ... threatened by the influence of the radical right and its allies who have risen to political power."[1] Its principal rivals have been Religious Right organizations such as Christian Voice (USA), Moral Majority, and Focus on the Family.
[edit] History
PFAW was founded by television producer Norman Lear (All in the Family, Maude, The Jeffersons, etc.) in 1981 specifically to counter the efforts of the religious right. According to the PFAW website, Lear was particularly concerned with the growing clout of televangelists such as Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell. Co-founders included Barbara Jordan, Andrew Heiskell, and other leaders from the political, religious, business, and entertainment communities. PFAW began as a project of the Tides Center.[2]
PFAW continues to maintain its ties to each of those communities today, with such figures as actress Kathleen Turner and the Rabbi David Saperstein sitting on its boards. Each year, PFAW holds "Spirit of Liberty" awards dinners, which usually honor such prominent figures from the various communities as well. Recent recipients have included Sharon Stone (entertainer), Peter Lewis (businessman), and Reg Weaver (president of the National Education Association).
When it was first formed, PFAW was broadly bipartisan after Norman Lear had changed his voter registration to Republican Party and endorsed John Anderson's campaign, as an independent, for President in 1980. Former Republican President Gerald Ford also served for a number of years as co-chairman. The former presidents of PFAW are Anthony Podesta (1981-1987), Arthur Kropp (1987-1995), Carole Shields (1996-2000) and Ralph Neas (2000-2007).
Soon after its founding, PFAW launched an affiliated 501(c)(3) organization, PFAW Foundation, for the purpose of conducting more extensive educational and research activities. Later, the PFAW 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.
[edit] Scope of Activity
Located in Washington, D.C., PFAW is prominent within the progressive political movement for monitoring right-wing activities, conducting rapid response, political lobbying, and volunteer mobilization. In addition, PFAW's affiliated foundation runs programs designed for voter education and progressive infrastructure building. PFAW Foundation programs include Democracia USA, which conducts Hispanic civic engagement; Young People For, which identifies, trains, and supports future progressive leaders; and the Young Elected Officials Network, which identifies and supports progressive elected officials from around the country who are under the age of 35. Another new endeavor is the Center for American Values in Public Life, a think tank tasked with studying and clarifying the intersection of religion, morality, and progressive politics.[3]
[edit] Leadership
- Nick Ucci, Acting President and Chief Operating Officer
- Marge Baker, Executive Vice President for Policy and Program Planning
- Carol Blum, Executive Vice President and Senior Advisor to the President
- Mary Jean Collins, Senior Vice President and Political Director
- Sharon Lettman, Vice President for External Affairs and National Programs and Outreach Director
- Jorge Mursuli, Vice President for Hispanic Affairs, Florida Director and National Executive Director of Democracia U.S.A.
- Ann Beaudry, Vice President for Institutional Development
- Peter Montgomery, Vice President for Communications
- Judith E. Schaeffer, Legal Director
- Laurie Boeder, Media Relations Director
[edit] Board Members
- Alec Baldwin, Board Member
- Dolores Huerta, Board Member
- Howie Klein, Board Member
- Norman Lear, Board Member and Founder
- Rabbi David Saperstein, Board Member
- Carole Shields, Board Member (and former Executive Director)
- Kathleen Turner, Board Member
- Rev. Tim McDonald, Board Member
- Ralph Neas, President Emeritus
[edit] Notable Staff
- Alisha Thomas Morgan, YEO Network Membership Services Manager and Georgia State Representative
- Elliot Mincberg, (former staff) Counsel to House Judiciary Committee
[edit] 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 Rights
- Fair Taxes for All
- Partners for Public Education
- Emergency Campaign for America's Priorities
- The DC Vote Coalition
- National Coalition Against Censorship
[edit] References
- ^ http://www.pfaw.org/pfaw/general/default.aspx?oid=22838
- ^ Tides Center: Projects & Impact. Tides Center. Retrieved on 2007-06-28.
- ^ Home Center For American Values
