Posted on April 16, 2025
CREDO Mobile Customers Supported Nine Projects in Schools with DonorsChoose
With the help of new CREDO Mobile customers, we were able to support nine school projects, helping teachers across the country to provide a better education to their students. Too often, teachers have to spend their own money in their classrooms. We were thrilled to be able to help out. One hundred percent of these projects have an Equity focus and directly impact historically underfunded classrooms. We were able to support teachers and students across the country: from Florida to California; from Michigan to Texas. We were able to help purchase art supplies, reading materials, costumes for a play, STEM materials and even a chicken egg incubator. You can read more about each project that was funded below:
Construction Kits for Art Class | Gastonia, NC | Grades 3-5
With these kits, not only can I introduce them to sculpture and architecture, but they would be able to create their own 3D pieces. All while learning how to share and collaborate with others, which teaches them team building skills.
I am so excited to offer my students this opportunity to unleash their creativity as they are using problem solving skills and social skills of collaboration and sharing. They will be so excited to engage and care for this generous gift. Thank you for loving my kiddos as much as I do.
Costumes for Shrek, the Musical | New York, NY | Grades 6-8
Our school is excited to share that our scholars are preparing for an upcoming production of Shrek: The Musical. This is an awesome opportunity for our students to showcase their talents and hard work to the entire school community.
Thank you for your amazing donation towards this year’s production. The students are so excited and this will – for sure – brighten up their day. Thank you for taking the time to donate to our production.
Chickens and Eggs | Henderson, TX | PreK – Grade 2
A chicken egg incubator, along with educational books and hands-on activities related to the life cycle of a chicken. This project will provide an engaging, hands-on learning experience for students, fostering their curiosity about nature, life sciences, and responsibility.
I can’t fully express my thanks and gratitude for your donation. My students will greatly benefit from the supplies you have provided. With this, my students can continue and reinforce their science concepts and learning about chickens. Your donation helps me connect to students while teaching in a technology driven world. The materials provided will help each Spring come to life. Thanks again for helping me provide the most and best that I can as a teacher!!!
Environmental Education for High Schoolers | Camden, NJ | Grade 9-12
This project allows students from an urban setting to participate in caring and growing food while learning about the importance of conservation of the environment, while also promoting healthy lifestyles and activities for our young scholars.
Thank you for supporting this project and contributing to students finding value in science , gardening and chemistry . Your donation will not only provide a learning opportunity for so many students but will also provide fresh produce that students will enjoy knowing they played an important part in growing while learning about the chemistry of gardening .
Art Supplies for Middle School Students | Miami, FL | Grades 6-8
A Cricut machine will be an invaluable tool for my students, fostering creativity and hands-on learning. It allows us to create precise, professional-quality designs for classroom projects, from personalized name tags and bulletin board decorations to intricate models for science and art lessons.
We are incredibly grateful for your generous donation toward our new Cricut machine! Your support means so much to us and will open up endless creative possibilities for our students. Thanks to you, we can’t wait to dive into exciting projects, from personalized gifts to classroom decorations and so much more. This machine will spark creativity, hands-on learning, and new skills that will benefit our students for years to come. Thank you again for your kindness and generosity. We can’t wait to share our creations with you!
Inventor Kits and Education | Washington, DC | Grades 3-5
Included in this project are a variety of STEM activities ranging from a coding robot, magna tiles, LEGO building blocks and several STEM kits. There is no better way for students to understand the process of discovery by having students “tinker” with materials as they create and build.
Words can not express the appreciation I have for all of you. I began to doubt this proposal would receive enough support to earn full funding. Your belief in the work that we do has saved this project. My Scholars and I would like to thank each and every one of you for your contributions. Donors like you make it possible for me to do my job effectively and give students an experience that they can remember for a lifetime. Thank you.
Whiteboards for Economics Classes | Detroit, MI | Grades 9-12
These whiteboards & markers are essential for practicing graphing and help to add learning elements to our Econ classroom experience.
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! We so appreciate every donor for their contributions to our classroom. We are always so excited to have projects funded and thank you for your contribution to make that happen!
Adaptive Learning Materials | Madera, CA | PreK – Grade 2
My goals for this project are to provide my students with adaptive learning materials, some students are non-verbal and TPT offers resources that I can use in the classroom to better communicate with my students.
Thank you for your generous donation towards our adaptive learning needs. I am so grateful, but most importantly our students and parents will be very grateful as well. Your generosity, support and investment to our SDC classroom is so appreciated.
Books for Young Readers | Chicago, IL | Grades 3-5
My students absolutely love to read! They cannot get enough! In order to continue to foster this love of learning, we are in need of additional books that can go home with the students. Many of my students do not have access to quality books or to books at their individual reading level.
Thank you so much for your generous donation to our classroom. The students will love these new books for our library. The books will be a welcome addition for all of my students. They will be thrilled to be able to take these books home and share them with their families. Thank you again – we are so very grateful!
Thank you for your help in supporting these teachers, their classrooms and DonorsChoose.
Posted on April 15, 2025
For a cooler climate: CREDO Mobile makes a difference
Recently, CREDO Mobile sent a grant to Planet Reimagined, which uses an innovative action-research strategy to create effective solutions to our most urgent climate problems.
CREDO Mobile is proud to support Planet Reimagined as it brings together researchers and advocates from around the world to take on all aspects of the climate crisis: energy, waste, water, farming, finance, production, transportation, environmental justice and more.
Pushing sensible policy to make real progress
Research by Planet Reimagined contributed to the bipartisan Co-Location Energy Act recently introduced by Sen. John Curtis (R-UT) and Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-CO). If passed, the legislation will allow federal land leased for oil and gas production to be evaluated for renewable energy development. It also streamlines environmental review and permitting to accelerate timelines and reduce costs. With the Bureau of Land Management prioritizing fossil fuels leasing over the next four years, co-location is a viable solution that aligns with the administration’s goals.
However it fares, this bill’s introduction is a major win for Planet Reimagined’s Common Grounds initiative. Common Grounds is an effort to ease the co-location of wind and solar power on federal oil and gas lands. Planet Reimagined hired a new clean energy environmental justice advisor who oversaw completion of the Common Grounds Environmental Justice Brief, which ensures project-implementation priorities like community consent, benefit agreements and participatory decision-making to advance equity in energy transitions. After an extensive and targeted search, Planet Reimagined also successfully recruited an energy lease analyst with expertise in land acquisition, mineral rights and renewable energy. With over a decade of experience in land management, the new analyst has swiftly initiated engagement with oil and gas stakeholders in Colorado, New Mexico and Utah.
Harmonizing people nationwide to promote climate solutions
Planet Reimagined’s Amplify project also made notable progress in its effort to mobilize public support for policy-level climate solutions. Fully three-quarters of Americans attend music concerts every year, which makes the events a rich opportunity to bring communities together and remind them of their collective ability to produce change. Amplify partnered with multiplatinum indie-pop band AJR to enact this strategy across AJR’s sold-out nationwide arena tour—25 shows in 21 cities—with stops including Madison Square Garden and the Forum in L.A. 35,000 fans took high-impact actions at the shows. They signed letters and petitions, called their representatives and signed up to join environmental and climate groups in their hometowns. Yes, the 2024 election showed that celebrity endorsements of a candidate don’t guarantee success but Amplify’s locally focused, issue-based approach has achieved many wins. It helped pass seven state ballot measures and notched rare victories for climate-related measures, including Washington’s No on 2117, California’s Proposition 4 and Wisconsin’s No on Questions 1 & 2.
Upon completion of its inaugural Climate Active fellowship, Planet Reimagined brought both participating fellows into permanent roles to continue their work on Amplify by launching phase two of the initiative in early 2025 and expanding the program to maximize onsite engagement with event audiences. This will mobilize support for local and state policy initiatives that can be implemented without national-level political support, such as: electrifying city vehicles and expanding public transit, increasing air and water quality standards, ensuring that climate change is taught in schools and investing in core infrastructure and incentives for sustainable agriculture, resilient construction and renewable energy production. In preparation for the 2026 U.S. midterm elections, Amplify will work alongside strategic partners and collaborators including the Environmental Defense Fund, Live Nation and REVERB to effectively activate people, cities and states to promote and adopt transformative climate policies and to increase public support for national action.
Making an impact with new projects
Through its innovative action-research method to incubate and scale creative solutions to our most pressing climate problems, Planet Reimagined advanced a compelling fellowship theme for its third impact project. This is an organization-wide commitment to multiyear implementation of Delta Connective: Bridging Global River Communities for Local Climate Action. This new pillar of Planet Reimagined’s work supports urgent efforts to protect river systems that sustain livelihoods, with local community involvement in restoring three key river deltas: the Danube, the Mekong and the Mississippi. One standout advocacy product from this project is the viral blog post by fellow Jessica Sirois. First published on WWF’s Freshwater blog series, it’s titled Bummerland or Thriving Wetland? The Mississippi River Delta Is at a Crossroads. The blog spurred enough dialogue and attention to be republished in Medium’s New Climate series, with 11,000 followers. Sirois is one of three Planet Reimagined fellows who have stayed on in consultant roles to continue making progress on the project and extend it into 2025. All three are currently helping recruit the new 2025 fellows to focus on the Mekong, Danube and Mississippi River deltas and to identify current and upcoming advocacy opportunities.
In addition to the seven newly onboarded staff and consulting fellows noted above, Planet Reimagined has been able to grow its team with three additional staff members. All of this rapid growth is a direct result of the significant media exposure and public engagement the group achieved in 2024 through diverse platforms, including print, radio, television, digital media, podcasts and conferences. The campaign successfully reached millions, influencing public opinion, policy and practice—and prompting generous philanthropic actors like CREDO Mobile to get involved. Based on aggregated data, the estimated total media reach is approximately 7.19 million impressions, with a unique reach conservatively estimated at 4.31 million individuals (assuming 60% unique impressions). This could not have been achieved without the support of partners like CREDO Mobile for Planet Reimagined’s effort to ignite conversion and inspire action.
Making a difference with CREDO Mobile
We could not support organizations like Planet Reimagined without the support of our loyal customers.
If you’re a CREDO Mobile customer, thank you. If you’re not a customer, please consider joining us now. You’ll get all you want from your mobile service: the nation’s largest 5G network, competitive plans, great deals on new devices and friendly customer service.
And you’ll get much more. You’ll get a powerful way to support the causes you care about. Causes like climate action, women’s rights, reproductive freedom and an economy that works for everyone.
Switching is easy. You can bring your current device and your current number. Go to CREDOMobile.com to learn more.
Posted on April 15, 2025
Donations spotlight: Support Democracy Now!, news made by the people, not the powerful
Note from the CREDO Mobile team: This April, Democracy Now! is among three amazing nonprofits that will receive a share of our monthly grant. Funding from the CREDO Mobile community will be critical to the group as it continues to produce a much-needed independent news program featuring journalists, grassroots leaders and independent analysts, as well as ordinary people directly affected by world events and U.S. policy.
Read this important blog post from Democracy Now!, then visit CREDO Donations and cast your vote to help send vital grant money to the group to assist its efforts—and the efforts of our other outstanding April grantees.
Going to where the silence is. That’s the responsibility of a journalist: giving a voice to those who have been forgotten, forsaken and beaten down by the powerful. It’s the best reason I know to carry our pens, cameras and microphones out into the world.
When you hear people speaking for themselves, it challenges the stereotypes that fuel division and hate. You don’t have to agree with what you hear. How often do we agree with our own family members? But when you listen, you start to understand where a person is coming from. And that understanding is the beginning of peace.
Taking the media back from special interests
The media can be the greatest force for peace on Earth. Instead, all too often, it’s wielded as a weapon of war.
That’s why Democracy Now! is fighting to take the media back from government interests and corporations that, in the words of George Gerbner, late dean of the Annenberg School of Communication at the University of Pennsylvania, “have nothing to tell and everything to sell.”
On February 19, 1996, Democracy Now! aired for the first time on nine community radio stations. It was the only show in public broadcasting that focused daily on the national election. When that 1996 election wrapped up, with Bill Clinton winning the presidency over Bob Dole, we thought Democracy Now! would wrap up as well.
But there was more demand for the show after the election than before. Why? Because people are hungry for real solutions and authentic voices—not just the same handful of pundits on the network shows who know so little about so much, explaining the world to us and getting it so wrong.
Producing journalism powered by the people
This year Democracy Now! is celebrating 29 years of independent reporting. Over the past quarter-century, we’ve become one of the leading independent news outlets in the world, reaching tens of millions of people in English and Spanish through our website, newsletters, social media channels from YouTube to Instagram, apps, and audio and video podcasts.
When we report on the climate emergency, our coverage isn’t brought to you by the oil, gas, coal and nuclear companies. When we cover war, our reporting isn’t sponsored by the weapons manufacturers. Our journalism is powered by the people, which gives us the editorial freedom to report on the issues that matter most: war and peace, the climate crisis, abortion rights, gun control, immigration, racism and police brutality, wealth inequality, LGBTQ rights, healthcare and much more.
In these challenging times, as we face innumerable threats to our democracy, we need a media that covers power, not a media that covers for power. We need a media that is the fourth estate, not for the state. We need a media that covers the movements causing static and making history.
That’s the power of independent media. And that’s the media that will save us.
Posted on April 15, 2025
This Earth Day, Earth needs you
Let’s work together—because there is no planet B.
April 22 is Earth Day. It’s now the largest civic event in the world, with billions of people joining Earth Day activities and pushing for solutions to our planet’s problems.
This year, many of those activities will focus on climate change. Which, on the long list of threats we face, certainly belongs at the top. It’s existential. We solve it or we’re done. There is no plan B—there is no planet B.
The crisis we’ve long feared is here. So what can we do? Well, the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, so that’s what we can do: take that step. Then another, then another. Some will be big, many will be small, all will help.
A good place to start is EarthDay.org, where you’ll find resources you can use to educate, advocate and mobilize. One easy, meaningful step you can take is to pledge an Earth Action on social media: share what you’re doing on Earth Day and encourage others to get involved.
Here’s another step you can take. Switch to CREDO Mobile, the one phone company that cares about our planet as much as you do. To date, we’ve donated over $95 million to progressive nonprofits dedicated to positive change, with a large share of it going to environmental groups like 350.org, Inside Climate News, Earth Guardians and Defenders of Wildlife.
Join CREDO Mobile and you’ll get all you want from your mobile service: money-saving data plans, great deals on new devices and superfast coverage on the nation’s largest 5G network.
And you’ll get much more. You’ll get an easy, effective way to create positive change, just by using your phone.
Working together, we can make our world better. We can and we must. As noted above, there is no planet B. Yes, there are those who think we can just trash Earth and move to Mars. But this would require “terraforming” the red planet—which is the stuff of science fiction.
Here’s a better idea. Let’s terraform Earth. Everybody’s favorite astrophysicist, Neil deGrasse Tyson, puts it this way: “If we can turn Mars, from what it is today, into Earth, then we can turn Earth back into Earth! Ya think?”
We think he’s right. And we think Earth Day is a great time to start. Join us.
Posted on April 8, 2025
Donations spotlight: Support CREW in its fight for a government that’s ethical, accountable and open
Note from the CREDO Mobile team: This April, CREW is among three amazing groups that will receive a share of our monthly grant. Funding from the CREDO Mobile community will be critical to the nonprofit as it uses bold legal actions and in-depth investigations to target government officials who sacrifice the common good to special interests for personal gain.
Read this important blog post from CREW —Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington — then visit CREDO Donations and cast your vote to help send much-needed grant money to the group to assist its efforts—and the efforts of our other outstanding April grantees.
As the most corrupt president in American history, Donald Trump has unprecedented conflicts of interest, resulting in regular use of the presidency for self-enrichment, constant risk that key decisions will be made in his business interests rather than the public interest, and growing consolidation of power by a small group of millionaires and billionaires. On top of that, the second Trump administration has set out to systematically dismantle the federal government and the services it provides to regular Americans and to eliminate the checks and balances that constrain presidential power.
Government ethics and accountability are a democracy issue. That’s why CREW is dedicated to taking high-impact legal action to enforce ethics laws and preserve American democracy in the face of authoritarianism.
In 2017, CREW sued Donald Trump on his first full day in office for violating the Emoluments Clauses of the Constitution, and we have been working hard to hold him accountable ever since.
Last year, we took Trump to the Supreme Court in an attempt to bar him from seeking the presidency under the 14th Amendment for his incitement of the January 6th insurrection. And although the Court allowed him to remain on the ballot, they did not dispute the finding in our case that he incited the insurrection.
Through aggressive legal actions, in-depth investigations, and detailed policy research, CREW is standing up to this administration to protect democracy and the interests of the American people. Some of our recent work includes:
- A suit against the so-called Department of Government Efficiency “DOGE,” the Office of Management and Budget, Elon Musk, Russell Vought, and the National Archives and Records Administration to get crucial records of what they are doing. In a key early victory, a court found they must obey records laws which will ensure transparency and accountability to the American people.
- Tracking foreign payments to Trump businesses, such as a Swiss bank’s purchase of millions worth of shares of Trump Social, which could allow foreign countries to improperly try to influence the Trump administration.
- Congressional testimony by CREW’s Executive Director on the importance of independent inspectors general to protecting the government from waste and fraud, in the face of the administration’s firing of these key watchdogs.
Working for widespread reform
However, defending democracy doesn’t just mean taking the fight to Donald Trump. It also means advocating for meaningful ethics reforms for Congress and the Supreme Court, standing up for the merit-based civil service, demanding transparency from the federal government, and tackling the corrosive impact of unchecked anonymous money in our elections.
We’re no strangers to taking on big fights, and that’s expertise that will prove invaluable during this administration. Thank you for supporting our work to make the government work for the people, instead of wealthy political donors or corrupt interests.
Learn more about the CREW’s core issues and recent victories here.
Posted on April 4, 2025
In April, CREDO Mobile is supporting Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), Democracy Now! and GLSEN
April showers bring 3 new nonprofits. This month, CREDO Mobile is supporting Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), Democracy Now! and GLSEN. April’s donations will be allocated at the end of the month based on the number of votes for each organization. You can vote for 1, 2 or all 3 nonprofits at www.credodonations.com
Citizens For Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW)
CREW brings accountability to those who abuse democracy. In the face of rising authoritarianism, we work to change a broken system, ensure a fair and representative government, and safeguard the survival of our democracy and the rule of law. Funding from CREDO Moble will support CREW’s efforts to pushback against the ethical violations of the Trump administration, raise awareness of anti-democratic activities in government, and provide policy guidance on achievable democracy and ethics reform.
Democracy Now!
Democracy Now! is a daily, independent news hour hosted by award-winning journalists Amy Goodman and Juan González. Our reporting includes breaking news headlines and in-depth interviews with people on the frontlines of today’s most pressing issues. Democracy Now! brings tens of millions of people critical information about war and peace, threats to democracy, the climate crisis, abortion rights, gun control and more.
GLSEN
Every day GLSEN works to ensure that LGBTQ+ students are able to learn & grow in a school environment free from bullying & harassment. Together, we can transform our nation’s K-12 schools into the safe & affirming environments all youth deserve. Funding from CREDO members helps GLSEN continue to advocate for inclusive & equitable policy, shape the national conversation on systemic change & education justice, and equip students, educators, and families with the support & tools they need most.
These donations are funded by our CREDO Mobile customers. If you are a CREDO Mobile customer, thank you. If you are not, check out CREDO Mobile and see how your mobile phone can make a difference in the world.
Posted on April 2, 2025
Your TV is watching you: Here’s how to make it stop
When you sit in front of your smart TV, you’re not the only one watching. Your TV is watching too. It’s watching you.
Just about every smart TV these days collects data on your viewing habits, including what you watch, what time you watch it and for how long. If you use your smart TV to access the internet, it will monitor your online activity as well. If your smart TV has a built-in microphone and camera, it could be eavesdropping on your conversations and capturing video of you.
The company that made your smart TV uses the data it collects to build and maintain a profile of you and show you ads it thinks you’ll like based on that profile. The TV company might sell airtime to advertisers directly. It might also sell your profile to advertisers and data brokers, which then use it to target you with ads themselves. Bingeing “Top Chef”? You’ll probably be seeing more food-related commercials. Love “Growing a Greener World”? Expect more ads for lawn-care products. And so on.
A cheap TV comes with a price
Many of the smart TVs on the market are budget-friendly, often sold for less than they cost to manufacture. That’s because smart TV companies now make most of their money, not from your purchase, but from the targeted ads they can sell for as long as you own the TV.
What’s streaming? You
This smart TV business model represents a broad expansion of corporate surveillance. It also raises many privacy concerns. Based on your viewing habits, a smart TV company can make all kinds of judgments about you, from your income to your ethnicity to your political affiliation—which is somewhat alarming given today’s political environment.
When your TV-viewing profile is sold to advertisers and data brokers, it’s linked to your IP address. This enables corporations to mesh your TV habits with your online activity and watch a live stream of you—no matter what screen you’re on. Data is sent to the manufacturer continually, from every few seconds to every few minutes.
Smart TVs use a number of tools to monitor you and TVs from many manufacturers have these tools switched on by default. It’s up to you to go into settings and switch them off. Doing it may take a bit of time. You may have to go deep into the settings and the steps to turn off the monitoring tools vary depending on the manufacturer. Try Googling the name of your TV along with what you want to do, such as, “Turn off ACR on LG smart TV.”
Here’s a general guide.
Turn off automatic content recognition
ACR is a technology that identifies whatever video or audio is running on your smart TV. It will hear, see and recognize content regardless of where it comes from—a streaming service, a USB, a CD or a game. ACR data is used to target you with ads. It’s also used to profile you as an individual—your politics, ethnicity, sexual orientation, profession, economic status, gender identity, religion and more.
On some TVs, ACR is an opt-in feature. On others, it’s on by default. As noted, the steps to turn off ACR will vary depending on your TV’s manufacturer. Usually, you’ll go to Settings > Privacy. Then, look for Smart TV Experience, Viewing Information Services or words to that effect. When you find ACR, toggle it off. If you see a box labeled Use Info from TV Inputs, uncheck it.
Turn off the internet-based advertising service
This is a system that delivers targeted ads directly to your TV via your internet connection based on the profile that the TV’s manufacturer maintains on you. The system is designed to target ads at cord-cutters who mostly watch streaming services like Netflix and Hulu.
To turn it off, go to Settings, then go to Privacy, Support or Terms and Conditions, depending on your TV brand. Look for Ad Settings and/or Internet-Based Advertising or a similar descriptor. Toggle it off or uncheck the box.
Delete the advertising ID
Every smart TV has an advertising ID. This is a unique identifier that enables ads to be targeted to your TV based on the profile your smart TV company has built on you.
You can reset the ID, which takes your profile back to zero. If you do, the ads you see will not be personalized for a time but they’ll slowly get more so as your profile rebuilds.
You can also delete your advertising ID and opt out of profiling. Go to Settings, then go to Privacy, Device Preferences or a similar descriptor. Go to Ads and select Delete Advertising ID.
Turn off the camera
Some smart TVs come with cameras built-in, for video calling, gesture control and facial recognition. Some TVs will now recommend shows based on the faces of all the household members. Some even monitor your facial expressions while you watch, which is kinda creepy. It’s also conceivable that, if you don’t regularly update your operating system, a hacker could find a security gap and turn your TV into a live webcam.
To turn the camera off, go to Settings, then go to Privacy, Device Preferences or a similar selection. Find the Camera and toggle it off. Or, for a quick solution, stick a piece of black tape over the camera lens.
Switch to CREDO Mobile
We’re the one mobile service that cares about privacy as much as you do. That’s why we support the ACLU, whose Privacy and Technology division defends your right to privacy and protects you against surveillance technologies. And Fight for the Future, which advocates technology as a force for liberation, not oppression.
Join CREDO Mobile and you’ll get all you want from your phone company: the nation’s largest, most reliable network, competitive plans, great deals on new phones and friendly customer service.
And you’ll get much more. You’ll get an easy, effective way to make change in the world.
Switching is easy. You can bring your current phone and your current number. Just go to CREDOMobile.com.
Posted on April 1, 2025
April Events
You’re invited to April events. These events are nationwide, some in person and some virtual.
Texting Tuesdays – Black Voters Matter | Every Tuesday in April 6pm Eastern | Virtual
Join us on Zoom at 6pm every week as we gather to drive change through digital organizing. Our texting campaigns will give you the opportunity to engage residents across the U.S. while empowering them to make a positive impact in their communities.
Day of (No) Silence – GLSEN | April 4th | Virtual/Everywhere.
Learn more about the Day of (No) Silence and how you can support LBTGQ+ youth.
https://www.glsen.org/dayofnosilence
Defenders of Wildlife at Awesome Con – Defenders of Wildlife | April 4-6 | Washington, DC
Defenders of Wildlife will have a booth with giveaways and robust science education programming.
https://awesome-con.com/exhibitor-list/#/artist/defenders-of-wildlife
Empowering Communities: Guidance on KYR in Protected Areas – National Immigration Law Center | April 10 @ 4:00-5:00pm ET / 1:00-2:00pm PT | Virtual
At this special session, we will provide essential guidance Know Your Rights in protected areas and answer the most common questions we receive from advocates seeking to support and defend immigrant families. *Please note that NILC does not provide individual legal advice and this webinar series is meant to cover general questions from the field.
https://nilc-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/8817405818232/WN_LKU7gS0BRQi9hunUEqz3Ow#/registration
Black Voters Matter Book Club – Black Voters Matter | April 17th 6:30PM Eastern | Brooklyn, NY and Virtual (Livestream)
We will host an in-person panel at MOCADA that includes different members of the Black diaspora. If you are in the New York area, join us. If you are not, join the Black Voters Matter livestream of the event.
https://www.mobilize.us/blackvotersmatter/event/751343/
Care Talk on the Budget – Health Care Voices | Anytime | Virtual
The budget reconciliation process is complicated. So, Bobby Kogan of Center for American Progress explains how it works and what happens next, in our Care Talk streaming show. We’ll keep explaining what’s going on with the budget process and how you can push back in weekly episodes of Care Talk.
https://www.youtube.com/live/h_qqd_xf1Aw
YEO Network 20th Anniversary Convening – People for the American Way Foundation | April 30th – May 4th | Washington, DC
People For the American Way Foundation will host its 20th anniversary convening for the Young Elected Officials (YEO) Network in Washington, DC. Bringing together a diverse and dynamic group of young elected officials, faith leaders, activists, innovators, policy experts, and partners from across the nation to share best practices, while participating in three days of intensive issue and skills-based trainings.
Posted on April 1, 2025
Donations spotlight: Help GLSEN create safe, inclusive K-12 learning environments where all students can succeed
Note from the CREDO Mobile team: This April, GLSEN is among three amazing groups that will receive a share of our monthly grant. Funding from the CREDO Mobile community will be vital to the nonprofit as it works to ensure that LGBTQ+ students can learn and grow in a school environment free of bullying and harassment.
Read this important blog post from GLSEN, then visit CREDO Donations and cast your vote to help send much-needed grant money to the group to assist its efforts—and the efforts of our other outstanding April grantees.
In classrooms across America, LGBTQ+ students are facing unprecedented challenges. These challenges are impacting their wellbeing and their ability to thrive throughout their education journey. Indeed, today’s young people are confronting a coordinated assault on their very existence, especially in K-12 learning environments. More than 380 anti-LGBTQ+ bills have already been introduced in state legislatures this year, with nearly 50% of those bills aiming to restrict student and educator rights.
Additionally, GLSEN, like many of our peer organizations and the communities we serve, is not immune to the widespread and sudden changes occurring across political, social and economic landscapes—changes that have brought a stark decrease of critical support and funding for LGBTQ-focused organizations and their missions.
The overall message is clear: Some people believe that LGBTQ+ identities don’t belong in our nation’s schools and they don’t deserve to be represented within the curriculums that are taught or the content that’s available to students. But at GLSEN we stand firm in our conviction that every student deserves to learn in an environment free of bullying and discrimination.
The impact of safe, affirming schools
When LGBTQ+ students have supportive educators and inclusive policies, their educational outcomes improve dramatically. They experience less harassment, miss fewer school days, earn higher GPAs and have stronger feelings of belonging. Most important, they see a future for themselves.
As Ollie (they/them), a former member of GLSEN’s National Student Council, shares, “GLSEN has given me community, a purpose and a platform. Having an organization that advocates for my equality and gives me the opportunity to meet like-minded people made a frightened, uncertain middle-schooler realize that change is possible. Now, I’m able to provide support to other people who are as vulnerable as I was and to empower my community because GLSEN provides me mobilization space, the educational resources to inform myself, the community to make change with and the resources to develop events and spaces where queer youth can feel recognized and protected.”
Ollie’s journey exemplifies what is possible when young people have the support they need. From a “frightened, uncertain middle-schooler” to an empowered advocate, Ollie’s transformation illustrates why we can’t abandon this work—especially now.
Meeting this moment
In the face of growing hostility, GLSEN is focused on advancing our most impactful work to meet the needs of students, educators, families and our broader community. We continue to advocate for inclusive and equitable policies, shape the national conversation on systemic change and education justice (informed by young people themselves), strengthen our national movement by working locally with communities across the country and equip stakeholders year-round with the support, training, tools and community-building networks they need.
But we can’t do this work alone. We need help. Here are a few key ways you can get involved.
- Use GLSEN Navigator: Understanding the landscape of LGBTQ+ education policy is crucial for effective advocacy. Whether you’re a student seeking to know your rights, an educator working to improve your school environment or an advocate pushing for policy change, GLSEN Navigator equips you with evidence and tools you can use to drive meaningful action.
- Download and share GLSEN resources: Our extensive library of free downloadable resources offers something for everyone who’s working to create safer schools. From inclusive curriculum guides and lesson plans to GSA toolkits and inclusive sports models, these evidence-based materials are designed for real-world implementation. Each download and share extends our reach, helping more people understand how to create affirming spaces for LGBTQ+ youth.
- Support educators: Teachers and school staff are on the front lines. Share GLSEN’s professional development opportunities and resources with educators in your community, as well as our Rainbow Library program. Our research-based approaches help create affirming classrooms even within the context of challenging policy environments.
- Amplify GLSEN’s voice: Follow GLSEN on social media (@GLSEN) to stay updated on our latest initiatives, success stories and calls to action. You can also subscribe to our email newsletter for in-depth updates and exclusive content. When you share our posts or forward our emails, you help expand our message beyond existing supporters to reach new allies and advocates.
Despite current challenges, we remain hopeful about the future we’re creating together. Every day, we witness the resilience of LGBTQ+ youth and their allies who continue to organize, support one another and advocate for positive change.
Our vision—of schools where all students thrive regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression—is one worth pursuing, not just because it’s right but because we’ve seen the transformative impact it has. Students like Ollie remind us that when we provide supportive environments young people flourish and go on to create positive change in their own communities.
Will you join us? Visit GLSEN.org today to find your place in this movement.
Posted on March 24, 2025
The gender pay gap is getting worse: Here’s how you can help fix it
March 25 is Equal Pay Day, dedicated to raising awareness of the gender pay gap. It’s an important occasion—and also an unusual one, as it happens on a different day each year.
This year it’s March 25, because that’s how long into 2025 a woman must work before she earns what a man earned in 2024 alone. In 2024, Equal Pay Day was March 12. Which means we’re headed in the wrong direction. After years of narrowing, the gender pay gap is growing again.
How bad is it?
- Women who work full-time in the U.S. earn just 84 cents for every dollar a man makes, a difference of more than $10,000 a year. Women who work part-time earn 78 cents for every dollar a man makes.
- Women earn less than men for doing the same job even in professions typically dominated by women.
- Women working in financial management make just 71% of what men do. In retail sales, 72%. In education and childcare administration, 79%. Women working as administrative assistants make only 80% of what men do.
- The pay gap is far smaller for workers aged 25-34 than for all workers. This indicates that men get more raises in their careers than women do.
- Over the course of her career, a woman will make $417,000 less than a man.
- The pay gap persists into retirement. The average woman has 50% less in her 401(k) and gets around $4,000 less in annual Social Security benefits.
If you’re an American woman (or man) you should be outraged. Not only does the gender pay gap harm women, it harms the economy and every American. It cuts the purchasing power of women, undervalues their talents, reduces their participation in the workforce and increases poverty among older women.
The gender pay gap is more than an imbalance, it’s a tipping point. Unequal pay leads to unequal wealth (the typical single man has over $82,000 in wealth, the typical single woman just $58,000) and unequal wealth leads to all sorts of bad outcomes.
In her 2024 book Holding It Together, sociologist Jessica Calarco wrote that “other countries have social safety nets, the U.S. has women.”
This is why one of CREDO Mobile’s issue areas is Women’s Rights. We’ve donated over $11 million to over 150 nonprofits working for Women’s Rights.
Join us
CREDO Mobile is more than a phone company. CREDO Mobile is an easy, effective way to make a difference.
Will you join us? You’ll get all you want from your mobile service: the nation’s largest 5G network, competitive plans, great deals on new devices and friendly customer service.
And you’ll get much more. You’ll get an easy, effective way to support the causes you care about, like women’s rights, reproductive freedom, climate action and an economy that works for everyone.
Switching is easy. You can bring your current phone and your current number. Just go to CREDOMobile.com.
