Posted on June 30, 2022
Supreme Court Reverses Roe v. Wade — Support the ACLU to Defend Our Fundamental Rights
Note from the CREDO team: This June, the ACLU is among three amazing groups that will receive a share of our monthly grant. Read this important blog post from Justin Rodriguez, Manager, Corporate Engagement at ACLU below, then click here to visit CREDODonations.com to cast your vote to help determine how we distribute our monthly grant to this organization and our other amazing grantees this June.
On June 24, 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a shameful ruling overturning Roe v. Wade, the nearly 50-year-old landmark decision recognizing the federal constitutional right to abortion. The ruling in the case, Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, will allow anti-abortion politicians in states across the country to ban abortion and force millions of people to remain pregnant and have children against their will.
This decision revokes the federal constitutional right to abortion and our agency over our lives and futures. This is an outrageous attack on women’s rights and the bodily autonomy of everyone who can become pregnant, and the effects will be immediate and far-reaching.
Regardless of this horrendous decision, abortion is still our right. We all deserve the power to control our bodies, lives, and futures. Abortion is also health care. Access should not depend on where we live, how much money we make, or who we are.
What comes next for abortion rights?
- Abortion may be banned in nearly half of the country, affecting more than 36 million people.
- This will have an immediate and devastating impact on both public health and personal freedom. Banning abortion does not eliminate the need for this kind of care – rather, it will force people to seek abortion outside of the health care system. No one should be forced to carry a pregnancy against their will and face the life-altering consequences of being denied essential health care.
- This unprecedented attack on essential care on abortion access disproportionately harms the same people who have faced systemic barriers to care – communities of color, the LGBTQ+ community, undocumented immigrants, young people, those living in rural communities, people with disabilities, and people with low incomes.
What Is the ACLU Doing to Respond?
The ACLU has an office in every state. Our lawyers, lobbyists, and, organizers have been preparing for this moment. In the short-term, we will mitigate the damage and protect abortion access wherever we can, and generate an outcry in opposition to the ruling.
- In Michigan and Vermont, efforts are underway to enshrine the right to reproductive freedom in their state constitutions.
- In Kansas and Kentucky, we are fighting ballot initiatives that propose state constitutional amendments to remove abortion rights. We cannot let those measures succeed.
The ACLU’s Post-Dobbs Rapid Response includes:
- Litigation: We will file post-ruling litigation in 8–12 states in an attempt to preserve as much abortion access as possible for as long as possible.
- Education/communication: To educate the public and media about what the Supreme Court ruling actually means—both legally and in terms of human impact.
- Mobilization: We will mobilize the ACLU’s (and the ACLU affiliates’) millions of members, activists, and supporters to loudly demonstrate their opposition to the ruling—on Decision Day and beyond.
- Advising clinics: We will continue to advise clinics, abortion providers, and other organizations that provide support to people seeking abortion care in both hostile and haven states, helping them design ways to support patients seeking abortions while minimizing the legal risks to them and their patients.
- Federal administrative advocacy: We will urge the Biden administration to use its bully pulpit to react strongly against the Supreme Court ruling and to quickly prioritize the administration’s federal response to the ensuing abortion crisis.
- State legislation: We are working with our ACLU state affiliates to discuss strategies, to map out plans of action, and to provide resources (such as messaging guidance, sample legislative testimony, talking points, etc.) and will continue to do so after the ruling comes down.
Channeling people’s anger into taking action means that we will collect thousands of new activists’ contact information nationwide. We are building political power for the long-term. This is the only way to put the power back in the hands of the people.
Here are some immediate action items you can do:
- Support abortion funds and advocacy organizations. Abortion funds remove the financial and logistical barriers to abortion access. Please donate here to the National Network of Abortion Funds, which will split your contribution among more than 80 local abortion funds across the country.
- Take our pledge today and join the ACLU’s People Power network as a defender of abortion rights for ways to get involved through rallies, activist trainings, and more.
- Take your voice to the streets, and
- Send a message to politicians at the ballot box: Abortion is a right, and you can’t ignore us.
For more information, read Jessica Arons, Senior Policy Counsel, ACLU blog here. Protests and actions are taking place across the country, and you can locate events in your state here.
The majority of Americans overwhelmingly support the right to control one’s own body and future. The ACLU is in the courts, legislatures, and the streets, and we need all of you to join us.
Posted on June 29, 2022
Top 5 Phone Tips of 2022 So Far: Blocking spam calls, transferring your data and more
Are you still receiving annoying and frustrating spam and robocalls? Did you recently get a new phone and need to transfer your data and settings? Or, do you need a refresher on how to disinfect your phone?
You’re in luck! This week, we’re sharing our top 5 phone and tech tips of 2022 so far in case you missed them the first time around. Enjoy!
#1: How to protect yourself from annoying spam and robocalls calls
We hate spam and robocalls, and we know you do too — so let’s put a stop to them.
#2: New phone? Here’s how to transfer all your data from your old smartphone to your new one
Did you get a brand new phone, but you’re not sure how to transfer your data?
#3: 6 apps to help you keep your New Year’s resolutions
We’ll be honest: we didn’t keep our New Year’s resolutions. In fact, research shows that roughly 80% of people give up on their New Year’s resolutions by mid-February.
But that doesn’t mean it’s too late to make new resolutions just in time for summer. Check out these 6 great apps to help you keep you on your path for the rest of the year.
#4: How to use your smartphone as a tool for good
Your smartphone is great for staying connected, playing games, and watching videos, but it can also be an important tool to help you make a positive change in your community and on our planet.
Here are some quick tips to help you get the most out of your phone to make a positive difference.
#5: How to disinfect your phone the right way and keep it germ-free
Our phones are germ magnets. In fact, our phones can carry 17,000 bacteria per square inch — 10 times more than a toilet seat!
That’s why we recommend you disinfect your phone on a regular basis to stay healthy and keep your devices clean. In this tip, we’ll show you the right way to clean your phone to keep it germ free.
Posted on June 22, 2022
How to protect yourself from annoying spam and robocalls calls
This year, Americans will receive roughly 52 billion spam and robocalls. Yes, that’s “billion” with a B.
These calls are not only annoying — they’re dangerous, too. Last year alone, scammers swindled a whopping $39.5 billion from unsuspecting Americans with increasingly sophisticated techniques.
We’re sick and tired of these aggravating calls, and we know you are too. Here are some ways you can protect yourself and reduce the number of spam calls you get.
Register your phone number with the National Do Not Call list
The Do Not Call Registry is an FTC initiative to stop unwanted telemarketing calls to landlines and mobile phones along with a mechanism to report bad actors.
While this should reduce the number of calls you might receive from legitimate marketing campaigns, it won’t stop disreputable marketers or illegal scammers from calling your number. You can also legally receive calls from pollsters, political organizations, charities and debt collectors, however we do think it’s a good first step for everyone to take.
Sign up for the Do Not Call Registry here.
Stop answering calls you don’t recognize
If the caller doesn’t appear in your contacts list when you receive a call, it’s a good idea not to answer. This includes blocked numbers and numbers that show up as “Potential Spam.” Even if the number appears local, spammers can “spoof” phone numbers to make them look like they’re originating from your area, or even your bank.
When you answer or interact with a spam call, you’re letting the scammers know your number is real.
It’s true that the caller may be legitimate — say, a doctor confirming an appointment from a number you don’t recognize — but the caller will likely leave you a voicemail or send a text message if it’s important.
Silence Unknown Callers on iPhone
You can silence all incoming calls to your phone that aren’t in your contact list and send them straight to voicemail. This won’t completely stop the calls coming in, but it will prevent your phone from ringing or vibrating from unwanted calls. Make sure important phone numbers are in your contacts before enabling this feature.
To turn on Silence Unknown Callers, go to Settings > Phone, then scroll down, tap Silence Unknown Callers, and turn on the feature. You will still see these calls in your call history and be able to access any voicemails the caller has left.
Turn caller ID & spam protection on for Android
Android includes a built-in feature that relies on Google data to help protect you from spam calls through its caller ID system (which is only available through third-party apps on iPhone, see below).
This feature is turned on by default on your Android device, so you’re likely already using it. But, if it’s not enabled, here’s how to turn the feature on or off:
- Open the Phone app
- Tap More options (the three dots) > Settings > Spam and Call Screen
- Toggle “See caller & spam ID” on or off.
- You can also turn on “Filter spam calls” to stop getting notifications for spam calls, but you will still see these calls in your call history and be able to access any voicemails the caller has left.
Block specific phone numbers
You may receive a spam call from the same phone number multiple times, so it’s probably a good idea to block that specific number. It’s a game of whack-a-mole, since scammers use nearly endless numbers, but this may help slow down some spam calls. Here’s how:
On iPhone:
- Open the Phone app
- Tap Recents > then tap the Info button next to the number you want to block.
- Scroll down, then tap Block this Caller.
On Android (this may vary by model and manufacturer):
- Open the Phone app > then tap Recents.
- Long-press on the number you want to block > then tap Block/report spam.
- Check or uncheck the box that reads Report call as spam > then tap Block.
Use a Third-Party Spam Call & Text Blocker
The above steps are essential to protect yourself from these annoying calls, but they’re not foolproof by any means. Scammers are always one step ahead of the game, so if all else fails — and it might — a third-party app to identify and block annoying robocalls, spam calls and texts is a great option.
These apps enhance the caller ID functions of your phone, employ large blacklists of spam numbers to automatically block calls and texts in real time, along with other call blocking features. Some apps are free with limited bells and whistles, while the paid apps have more robust features and customer service, which also comes with a monthly or yearly user fee.
There are dozens of spam call blocker apps, so it may take a little research to find the right one for you (browse the App Store, Google Play and your favorite search engine). Some companies that provide popular spam call and text blocking include Truecaller, Hiya Protect, Nomorobo and Robokiller.
Posted on June 15, 2022
Celebrating Juneteenth and the fight for civil rights
This weekend, we’ll be celebrating our nation’s youngest national holiday — Juneteenth — the day in 1865, more than two years after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, that enslaved Black people in Galveston, Texas were finally told they were free.
Yet, more than 150 years later, Black Americans are still fighting for liberty and justice in a “land of the free and home of the brave.” Voter suppression is on the rise. Racism and discrimination persist. Economic inequality and climate change disproportionately harm Black and brown communities.
That’s why CREDO has been supporting and funding our allies in the civil rights community for over 35 years.
Thanks to our members who use our products and services every day, we’ve donated more than $15 million to civil rights organizations like Fair Fight Action, Black Voters Matter, Color of Change, NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund and so many others who are fighting systems of oppression, empowering communities of color, advocating for policies that promote equality and anti-racism, and educating and turning out voters.
If you’d like to learn more about how our donations program works, see all the groups we’ve funded throughout the years — totaling more than $93 million donated and counting — and how to cast your vote for this month’s grantees, just visit CREDODonations.com.
Posted on June 13, 2022
Amnesty International USA continues its fight for human rights, thanks to the support of CREDO members
For over six decades, our grantee partners at Amnesty International have been the premier grassroots organization demanding human rights for every person.
In November 2021, CREDO members voted to distribute $50,235 to help Amnesty International USA expand its membership as much as possible so as to have the greatest possible impact on human rights advocacy.
Here are a few of the organization’s accomplishments thanks to CREDO’s financial support:
Amnesty International accomplishments
- January 10: Ramy Shaath, an Egyptian-Palestinian human rights defender, was released from an Egyptian prison. Ramy had spent two and a half years unjustly detained without trial in Egypt. Many different Amnesty’s sections took part in the campaign, including Spain, Belgium, and Italy, with AI France and Amnesty International USA (AIUSA) leading the efforts. In the U.S., the organization pressured the State Department on Ramy’s case and led a bi-cameral Dear Colleague letter that highlighted his case which was signed by 11 Senators and 45 House members. Amnesty also led an international petition on Ramy that was used by coalition partners across the globe, obtaining over 100,000 signatures.
- March 13: Raif Badawi, a Saudi human rights activist who was imprisoned for creating online forums to promote civic dialogue, was released after ten years of imprisonment. The Saudi authorities falsely claimed that Raif insulted Islam, and subjected him to cruel punishments such as receiving 50 lashes in a public square. In response, hundreds of thousands of Amnesty members around the world campaigned for his freedom for over a decade.
- March 15: AIUSA was pleased to report that due to years of campaigning and advocacy efforts, the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) was reauthorized by Congress this year and has been signed into law by President Biden. VAWA was established to provide assistance to survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, abuse, and stalking.
- April 4: Sufyian Barhoumi was released after being imprisoned for 20 years at Guantanamo Bay without charge or trial. AIUSA hosted a virtual rally, where Sufyian’s family was present, calling for the Biden-Harris administration to return him home. We continue to call for the closure of Guantanamo, an end to the practice of indefinite detention, and the release of the other 37 detainees who are left.
- April 15: The U.S. government designated Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Cameroon. AIUSA led a coalition effort along with 281 civil society organizations to successfully campaign for this outcome. We collaborated with a grassroots organization, the Cameroon Advocacy Network, to write petitions to the U.S. Congress and the Biden-Harris administration, especially Secretary Mayorkas of the DHS. In the process, Amnesty gathered over 10,000 signatures from activist supporters and delivered those petitions, co-authored a letter with over 280 civil society organizations. AIUSA documented over 40,000 Cameroonians in the U.S. who could be either deported, or face indefinite detention if arrested due to the lack of humane treatment within the U.S. immigration system.
New Initiatives by Amnesty International
- February 23: AIUSA joined efforts with its sections around the world to launch a crisis response campaign to address the unfolding situation between Ukraine and Russia. Amnesty immediately dispatched its crisis response team to the affected areas where they have documented rights abuses by interviewing witnesses and fact-checking digital evidence to verify when violations of international humanitarian law have occurred. Due to its donors’ generous support of projects such as the Crisis Evidence Lab, Amnesty’s monitors have been able to raise awareness of Russia’s indiscriminate attacks on schools, hospitals, and other civilian areas. Its teams were able to confirm when and where the Russian military used globally banned weapons such as cluster bombs, which could be prosecuted as a war crime. In another instance, its researchers acquired 65 photos and videos which showed that Russian forces targeted a preschool where civilians, including women and children, sought shelter in northeastern Ukraine. This body of work and campaign is ongoing as of May 11.
- March 16: Amnesty began holding lobby strategy workshops for AIUSA activists in preparation for a virtual lobby day on May 18 to push for the approval of the Afghan Adjustment Act. AIUSA has been working in close collaboration with its coalition partners on this since the humanitarian and human rights crisis erupted in Afghanistan in August of last year. Its goal is to pressure Congress to pass the Adjustment Act, which would create a permanent path to citizenship for Afghans and assist those wishing to leave the country for fear of their safety.
- May 3: AIUSA launched a crisis campaign when news of the leaked draft, that the Supreme court has voted to overturn both Roe and Casey in their entirety and end the federal right to abortion in the United States, was made public. With a focus on both federal and state level-protections, this campaign will continue to evolve as the situation worsens and the access to safe reproductive healthcare is threatened in the coming months.
If you’d like to learn more and get involved with Amnesty International’s important work, please visit their website, or follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Posted on June 13, 2022
Why funding for transgender rights organizations like the Transgender Law Center is so important right now
Note from the CREDO team: This June, the Transgender Law Center is among three amazing groups that will receive a share of our monthly grant. Funding from the CREDO community will will help TLC promote its visionary national Trans Agenda for Liberation; develop movement leaders and build power for change; and create and advance the legal and policy frameworks that respect and support transgender equality.
Read this important blog post from TLC’s Executive Director Kris Hayashi, then click here to visit CREDODonations.com to cast your vote to help determine how we distribute our monthly grant to this organization and our other amazing grantees this June.
Recent data shows that only four cents of every $100 dollars of foundation funding goes to trans organizations and causes. Only four cents. What does this historic disinvestment in our communities mean for how we envision our future? And what can we do about it?
During Trans Rights Week, I am reflecting on the importance of joining together to shape our future. In the face of escalating attacks against so many of our communities, this week is about all of it: it is about showing up for trans youth, defending Black lives, fighting for reproductive justice, and demanding an end to the detention of trans immigrants.
A well-worn playbook – from bathroom bills to sports bans
At the end of February 2022, the Texas Attorney General and Governor declared that families who support their transgender children and access transition related health care are committing child abuse. Soon after investigations by the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services of the families of transgender children and youth began (there is currently a statewide injunction under appeal). This situation is part of a marked escalation of anti-trans policies specifically seeking to utilize the child welfare system to target transgender youth and their families. And of course, this system has long been used to enact violence against BIPOC, disabled, trans, queer, poor, and migrant families.
Trans organizations in Texas and nationally, along with allied organizations, sprang into action and did all they could to support terrified trans children and their families and fight back against this attack. Transgender Law Center organizers and our Board Chair Imara Jones went down to support our partners on the ground, Transgender Education Network of Texas, rallying, speaking out, and just spending time with trans youth, their families, and local trans leaders.
Unfortunately, what happened in Texas was not an isolated incident. While we are under a friendlier federal administration, the attacks on trans people have just moved down to the state level. In 2015 there were fifteen anti-trans bills enacted into law. This year, at last count, there were 140 anti-trans bills introduced in thirty-four states. 140. What we are seeing now in the US is an unprecedented level of attack.
These bills seek to keep transgender children and youth from living their full, authentic lives – whether it is playing sports, accessing life-saving health care, or simply naming they exist in schools. Organizations like the ACLU and others are fighting it out in courts across the country. Local organizations like The Knights and Orchid Society and TAKE Resource Center in Alabama are doing all they can to fight these bills and keep communities safe. But we know that even if these bills do not pass, they have a chilling effect on our communities. Trans communities, particularly trans youth and their families are terrified.
Why is this happening? These anti-trans laws and policies have long been a strategy of the conservative right to motivate their base constituents during election cycles, especially in states with governors and other state legislators who are aspiring candidates for national office–and they are deeply investing in this strategy. Trans organizations have been fighting these attacks for over a decade–from the “bathroom bills” of 2015 to a myriad of attacks during the four years of the Trump administration. These efforts are part of a well-worn playbook used by political conservatives that include attacks on voting rights, racial justice, and reproductive rights.
An urgent call to invest in trans futures
The long-standing lack of investment in trans leaders and organizations severely limits what we can do to defeat these attacks. Meanwhile, the eleven nonprofit organizations behind the majority of this most recent round of anti-LGBTQ bills received over $110 million from right-wing funders in 2020 alone.
So what can we do?
On the national level, I am part of The Trans Futures Funding Campaign, an urgent and immediate call for $10 million in new funding to invest boldly and deeply in local trans organizations.
This new funding will send a clear and unequivocal statement of support for trans communities at a time of escalated attacks on the rights and lives of trans people, their loved ones, and their allies. We are particularly interested in partnering with grantmakers who have never funded trans communities before.
Trans-led grantmakers have joined together to make this call for support. Experts in funding transgender communities are involved in this effort, including from the Fund for Trans Generations at Borealis Philanthropy, Grantmakers United for Trans Communities and the Out in the South Initiative at Funders for LGBT Issues, the Third Wave Fund, the Transgender Strategy Center, the Black Trans Fund, and the Trans Justice Funding Project, among others.
This funding will strengthen local, grassroots trans organizations in states facing these attacks–both to respond now, and to build for the long haul. Priority beneficiaries will include groups who do not have access to traditional funding streams, and are led by, or working with, some of the most vulnerable communities within the trans communities and their families–BIPOC communities, trans women and femmes, migrants, youth and elders, people with disabilities, people living with HIV, and poor and rural communities. We are grateful to The California Endowment and The Ford Foundation which have already made commitments.
And as individuals and allies I urge you to take the time to research and learn more about trans issues and trans-led groups in your local community and support their efforts. You can also sign on to demand that the Biden administration implement the Trans Agenda for Liberation, a community-led guide towards the world we deserve.
Why? Because our future depends on it.
Kris Hayashi is Executive Director at the Transgender Law Center, the largest trans-led organization in the country working to keep transgender and gender nonconforming people alive, thriving, and fighting for liberation. For more information or to join the Trans Futures Funding Campaign please contact Alexander Lee, at Funders for LGBT Issues, alex@lgbtfunders.org.
Posted on June 9, 2022
Thanks to CREDO members, Inside Climate News is the leader of independent climate journalism
As the leading voice of independent climate journalism in the country, the groundbreaking work of Inside Climate News is helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, hold polluters accountable, empower voters, and protect communities suffering from environmental injustice.
In September 2021, CREDO members voted to distribute $46,950 to ICN to significantly expand its environmental justice coverage, undertake new in-depth climate investigations, expose climate misinformation, and support its work in local markets to strengthen environmental journalism nationwide.
Here are a few of the organization’s accomplishments thanks to CREDO’s financial support:
Inside Climate News accomplishments
Thanks in part to support from CREDO members, the team at ICN has had the resources to produce the hard-hitting, in-depth environmental journalism that they’re known for. Some of the stories they’ve published since receiving the grant in September include:
- A look at Canada’s massive tar sands that have replaced Indigenous people’s traditional lands and threaten their future, and whether the destruction they’ve caused constitutes Ecocide
- How the northernmost city in the world, Norilsk, in the Russian Arctic, became one of the most polluted places on earth (hint: one smelting company)
- A Superfund site poisoning air, soil, and groundwater with a carcinogen known as TCE in the predominantly Latino community of Grand Prairie, Texas, and the EPA’s failure to inform residents of the danger
- Deforestation in the Amazon that has risen so severely under President Jair Bolsonaro that advocacy groups, Indigenous tribes and some of the world’s most prominent human rights lawyers are calling for him to be prosecuted
- The oil wastewater that has been used to irrigate crops in Kern County, CA for more than 30 years, and the numerous possible conflicts of interest between the oil industry and the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board, who insists that eating crops grown with oil field wastewater “creates no identifiable increased health risks,” despite scant evidence to support those claims
ICN’s Environmental Justice Reporting Initiative entered its 18th month last December and has grown from an initial team of three reporters to a team of five, including a new leader in managing editor Sonya Ross. Its Local Reporting Network continued to punch above its weight in 2021 and has made a number of important hires to help support the anticipated growth of the network in the coming year.
ICN saw an unprecedented growth of interest in its work over the last year, with thousands of new subscribers every week, growing partnerships with large national outlets and local media outlets, and expansion onto the Apple News platform. Readers are proving that people everywhere are hungry for fact-based, in-depth coverage of the biggest crisis facing our planet.
If you’d like to learn more and read some incredible climate journalism, please visit ICN’s website, or follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Posted on June 9, 2022
8 easy ways to boost a weak cell phone signal
You know that you can count on incredible nationwide coverage on America’s best network with CREDO Mobile.
However, there may be times that your cell signal isn’t perfect, data speeds feel slow, or you simply drop a call.
We have you covered! In this week’s tip, we’ll show you 8 tried and true ways to troubleshoot that occasional weak signal to ensure you have the best coverage as often as possible.
Toggle Airplane Mode
Airplane Mode isn’t just for takeoffs and landings; it’s a great way to quickly refresh your network connection, too. It’s the first thing we always recommend, and it works almost every time. Here’s how:
- On an iPhone, the easiest way to toggle Airplane Mode on and off is from the Control Center. On newer devices, swipe down from the top right corner, then tap the Airplane Mode button. Wait one minute, then tap the button again to turn off Airplane Mode. Alternatively, you can access an Airplane Mode toggle switch through Settings > Airplane Mode.
- On Android, access the Quick Settings panel by swiping down from the top of your screen and tap the Airplane Mode button. Wait a minute, then tap the button again to restart your network connections.
Restart your device
Rebooting is the time-tested way to fix many problems with your computer. The same goes for that little computer in your pocket.
- On an iPhone X or newer, press and hold a volume button along with the right-side button to bring up the power slider. Drag the slider and wait for the phone to turn off. To turn your device back on, press and hold the side button until you see the Apple logo.
- On an older iPhone, press and hold the side button to bring up the power slider. Drag the slider and wait for the phone to turn off. To turn your device back on, press and hold the side button until you see the Apple logo.
- If your phone is unresponsive, you may need to force restart.
- On Android, hold the power button or the power button and the volume button (depending on your device) until you see a menu with either an option to Restart or Power Off. You can turn your device back on with the power button.
Charge your phone
If your phone is running low on battery power, it may automatically enter a low power mode, which could reduce power priority for your cellular radio. Plug in your phone and fully charge it up.
Reset your network settings
If you find you’re having connection trouble repeatedly, you may want to reset your network. Resetting your networking settings won’t cause you to lose any files or information on your phone. However, you will need to re-enter Wi-Fi passwords that you may have previously saved.
- On an iPhone, Go to Settings > General > Reset > Press Reset network settings
- On an Android, Go to Settings > Backup & Reset > Tap Reset settings
Update your phone’s system software
An old operating system on your phone can cause a whole host of issues, so it’s always a great idea to manually update to the latest version, especially if you don’t have automatic updates turned on.
- On an iPhone, Go to Settings > General > Software Update. If an update is available, you will see information about the new iOS version and a link to Install Now.
- On an Android, open your phone’s Settings app. Near the bottom, tap System > System update. You’ll see your update status. Follow any steps on the screen.
Switch to Wi-Fi Calling
If you’re trying to make a call in an area with weaker-than-normal service, but have access to a Wi-Fi network, you may be able to utilize Wi-Fi calling on your device, which will complete your voice call over your Wi-Fi connection.
If you haven’t yet set up Wi-Fi calling on your phone, check out our recent tip to learn how to enable this feature.
You may need to fix your phone or purchase a new one
If your phone is very old, it’s possible that the device is no longer compatible with current cellular networks. We recently alerted customers that 3G networks are shutting down this year, so devices that can not connect to 4G networks or higher will no longer have cellular capability.
It’s also possible that your device is malfunctioning. If you purchased your device from CREDO, please call us at 1-866-306-2900 so we can try to help. If not, please contact the manufacturer of your device.
If you’d like to upgrade your device, we have amazing deals on the latest Apple and Android models.
If all else fails, give us a call
Maybe your SIM card is damaged or a cell tower is down — and we can help troubleshoot some of these issues. So if you need additional help with your cellular connection, don’t hesitate to call one of our extraordinary customer service agents who can help with your problem at 1-866-306-2900.
Posted on June 8, 2022
The Economic Policy Institute: A Voice for Working People
The economy does not work for the majority of people in this country. The traditional American dream of having a stable job with decent pay, a comfortable home, quality health care, a secure retirement, and being able to pay for your children’s college is out of reach for millions of workers. The U.S. has gotten wealthier and wealthier but the standard of living for the vast majority has not kept pace. This is no accident; it is the result of 40 years of policies that favor the wealthy and corporate interests.
The Economic Policy Institute (EPI) was founded in 1986 to be an effective voice for workers and their families. EPI’s founders saw a real need for a research institute to advocate for economic justice for working people and ensure that the bread-and-butter issues affecting workers and their families were not left out of the public policy debate. EPI focuses its attention on fighting for economic justice for working people and for racial and gender justice at the federal, state, and local levels.
EPI plays a vital role in the progressive movement by providing economic research, analysis, and policy prescriptions that progressive policymakers and advocates for social and economic justice rely on to shape policy debates. We collaborate with our allies in government, the media, unions, and grassroots advocacy groups to make a strong research-backed case for the interests of working people and their families.
On the federal level EPI’s crucial research and analyses have been instrumental in promoting:
- A strong minimum wage. EPI has fought to raise the federal minimum wage so that every worker earns a decent wage and no one who works full time has to live in poverty;
- Collective bargaining rights. EPI supports the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act and other measures to safeguard the rights of workers to form a union and collectively bargain for decent pay and benefits;
- Dignified and safe working conditions. During the COVID-19 pandemic EPI consistently shined a light on the plight of workers in health, service, or production who were often forced to work in unsafe conditions, without proper protective gear, and denied hazard pay. EPI has also strongly supported paid sick family leave for workers; and
- The right response to inflation. There is an enormous amount of misinformation about inflation right now, and EPI has been tireless in providing rigorous, data driven pushback to the most damaging myths, such as the myth that inflation is primarily being driven by federal relief and recovery measures.
EPI also works to build worker power on the state and local levels. EPI founded our Economic Research and Analysis Network (EARN) more than twenty years ago as a national network of state think tanks and policy advocacy organizations that are focused on economic policy issues affecting workers in their states and localities. Fifty-five state groups in forty-three states and the District of Columbia comprise the network. EARN gives EPI a grassroots focus by addressing the different ways that economic issues impact people in different regions and localities across the country. EPI’s EARN team has provided data and policy guidance to our EARN partners in over one hundred state minimum wage campaigns with more than thirty victories in the last five years alone.
EPI’s Program on Race, Ethnicity, and the Economy (PREE) addresses the intersection of race and the economy. PREE’s frequently cited research, policy analysis, and thought leadership shine a light on the large racial and ethnic disparities in unemployment, wages, income, poverty, hours of work, and wealth, which have persisted over generations and are rooted in structural racism and policy choices. This work also looks at the intersection of race and gender, examining how women overall and women of color in particular fare in the economy, with a specific focus on wage disparities.
EPI’s research is widely respected and is recognized as highly credible. Journalists turn to EPI to give them the true facts on the economy. We are consistently cited in national media outlets such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Wall Street Journal. EPI experts and research are also featured on MSNBC, C-SPAN and NPR. In a typical year, EPI is cited in the media more than 20,000 times and our staff are seen or heard by millions on television and radio.
Corporate elites have well-funded think tanks which advocate for policies that benefit the one percent. We have seen the devastating results of those policies for decades. EPI makes a compelling case for policies that help working people, reduce inequality, and eliminate the effects of racial and gender discrimination.
Your vote for EPI is a vote to realize the vision of an economy that works for everyone and leaves no one behind. Click here to cast your vote today.
Posted on June 3, 2022
Vote for Economic Policy Institute, Transgender Law Center and Win Without War this June
Every month, CREDO members vote to distribute our monthly grant to three incredible progressive causes – and every vote makes a difference. This June, you can support economic justice, LGBTQ rights and peace by voting to fund Economic Policy Institute, Transgender Law Center and Win Without War.
Economic Policy Institute
The Economic Policy Institute believes every worker deserves a quality job with fair pay, good benefits, and a voice at work. EPI’s research and advancement of pro-worker policies fuels the movement for economic justice and for racial and gender justice at the federal and state level.
EPI will use the grant from CREDO to support its research, data analysis, and policy work to fight for and advance economic justice for working people and racial and gender justice at the federal, state, and local level.
Transgender Law Center
TLC is the largest national trans-led organization advocating for a world in which all people are free to define themselves and their futures. Grounded in legal expertise and committed to racial justice, TLC employs community-driven strategies to keep transgender and gender nonconforming people alive, thriving, and fighting for our rights.
Your donations will help TLC promote its visionary national Trans Agenda for Liberation; develop movement leaders and build power for change; and create and advance the legal and policy frameworks that respect and support transgender equality.
Win Without War
We can create lasting change that will allow the world to thrive. Win Without War is at the forefront of a national movement to build a more progressive and just U.S. foreign policy that values people and the planet over war and profit.
It’s a critical year for U.S. foreign policy. Funding from CREDO members will help Win Without War push back on the war hawks and weapons contractors and grow our power to ensure true safety and security — for everyone, everywhere.
Your vote this month will determine how we divide our monthly donations among these three progressive groups. Be sure to cast your vote to support one, two or all three by June 30.
CREDO members who use our products and services everyday are the reason we are able to make these donations each month. Learn more about CREDO Mobile and join our movement.
