While the promises of justice, equality, and the right to participate in civic life are fundamental to democratic societies, many communities across the United States face significant barriers to full engagement and participation.

In particular, Human Rights Program Officer Rose Cahn says in a Q&A with grantee RISE Together Fund, “Black, African, Arab, Middle Eastern, Muslim, and South Asian (BAMEMSA) communities have been the targets of evolving state-sponsored campaigns of surveillance and criminalization designed to shut down, chill, and diminish an engaged and active civil society.”

Through regranting and tailored capacity and infrastructure support, the RISE Together Fund supports organizing, leadership development, and power-building within BAMEMSA communities. An initiative of Proteus Fund, it is the only national donor collaborative dedicated to supporting the BAMEMSA communities––and an important partner in the Human Rights program’s strategy to challenge broader systems of racism, surveillance, and criminalization.

In this Q&A, Cahn talks about what drew the Foundation’s Human Rights program to support the RISE Together Fund, the importance of building power amongst BAMEMSA communities, and how this work aligns with the Human Rights program’s vision to support a society where people can live whole, safe, and dignified lives.