Posted on January 24, 2020
How CREDO funding helped Working Families Party win big victories
In October 2018, more than 55,000 CREDO members voted to donate $37,365 to Working Families Party, a people-powered progressive party fighting for an America that works for the many, not the fortunate few.
This grant, powered by CREDO members who use our products and services every day, supported WFP’s efforts to win a string of big electoral and policy victories in multiple states and train progressive leaders of the future.
In four states that Working Families focused on, the group scored major minimum wage wins, including three at its top demand of $15 per hour in Connecticut, Maryland and New Jersey and $12 per hour in New Mexico. In Connecticut, Colorado, and Pennsylvania, Working Families Party won seats on city councils, school boards, and Mayor’s offices.
In New York City Working Families Party passed two historic ballot initiatives — ranked choice voting, and an initiative that would give a civilian-appointed board the power to investigate crooked cops who lie in police misconduct cases. Working Families Party made history in Philadelphia by booting out one of two Republicans on the city council and electing Kendra Brooks on the Working Families Party line in their place — the first third-party candidate elected to city council in 100 years!
Check out their year in review video and to sign up and learn more about the Working Families Party, please visit http://wfpus.org/signup.
These important victories were fueled in part by CREDO members who use our products, and our members are the reason why we are able to make these donations each month. Learn more about CREDO Mobile and CREDO Energy and join our movement.
And don’t forget to check out the three groups we are funding this month, and cast your vote to help distribute our donations.
Posted on January 22, 2020
CREDO Tip: 5 Must-Watch Climate Change Documentaries
“Our house is still on fire,” climate activist Greta Thunberg reminded us at the World Economic Forum earlier this week, taking the stage just after the Climate Denier-in-Chief accused activists in attendance of being “prophets of doom.”
With Australia ablaze, sea levels rising and the United States poised to leave the Paris Agreement later this year, CREDO, progressives across the country, our allies in the climate justice movement — and some amazing documentary filmmakers — are not deterred by lawmakers and leaders who refuse to act.
Despite the political rhetoric, climate change continues to worsen. We’ve compiled a list of a few great climate change documentary films that capture the urgency of the moment.
The Hottest August (2019)
Billed as “a film about climate change, disguised as a portrait of collective anxiety,” director Brett Story spent the month of August 2017 in and around New York City interviewing average people about the sources of their anxiety in the shadow of the climate crisis. While the temperatures that month weren’t the hottest, they continue to break records ever since. The New York Times called the film “a cinematic gift both simple and multilayered, an intellectual challenge and an emotional adventure.”
Find a screening near you, or stream on PBS starting in April 2020.
Paris to Pittsburgh (2018)
When Donald Trump famously tweeted “I was elected to represent Pittsburgh, not Paris” as he announced his intent to withdraw the United States from the Paris Agreement, Pittsburgh mayor Bill Peduto doubled down on his city’s commitment to combat the climate crisis. Directed by Sidney Beaumont and Michael Bonfiglio and narrated by award-winning actress and activist Rachel Brosnahan, this National Geographic documentary highlights the imminent threats communities across the country are facing and the resiliency local leaders and activists are building to fight climate catastrophe.
Available to stream on Amazon or Disney+.
Ice on Fire (2019)
A follow up to Leila Conners’ “The 11th Hour” more than a decade later, this beautifully shot documentary features scientists and experts warning about the dire consequences of climate change as Leonardo DiCaprio narrates during sweeping drones shots of pristine landscapes and on-screen graphics. The filmmakers emphasize a dual approach to tackling the climate crisis, through an increased use of renewables and carbon sequestration.
Available to stream on HBO.
An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power (2017)
Al Gore, former Vice President and 2000 Presidential popular vote winner, follows up his successful 2006 powerpoint-heavy, Oscar-winning Inconvenient Truth with this sequel that ramps up the pressure and urgency of the climate crisis. In the age of Trump, where news cycles are measured in the time lapses between tweets, some of the political references feel somewhat dated only a few years later, yet Gore and directors Jon Shenk and Bonni Cohen expand on the first film’s slideshows to highlight Gore’s outrage demanding world leaders must do more to slow this existential threat to our planet.
Available to stream on YouTube, Amazon and Google Play.
Coming Soon: Hulu Documentary featuring Greta Thunberg (expected 2020)
Hulu recently announced an upcoming documentary featuring climate activist Greta Thunberg to premiere on the streaming service sometime later this year. Produced by Cecilia Nessen and Frederik Heinig and directed by Nathan Grossman, Greta (working title) follows the young activist from her early climate strikes in Sweden through her meteoric rise of taking on world leaders as a Nobel Peace Prize nominee and Time Person of the Year while helping to lead a global climate movement.
Read more on Deadline.
Posted on January 16, 2020
CREDO Tip: How you can help with the Australian fires
Devastating wildfires are ravaging Australia, and there’s hardly any sign of relief. The fires have killed nearly 30 people, destroyed more than 2,600 homes and scorched more than 25 million acres of land. 800,000 animals have been put at risk by the fires in New South Wales alone, with a half-billion killed across the country.
The climate crisis is making the situation even worse, and some experts believe this may become the new normal on a warming planet. For most of us, Australia is half a world away, but there are ways we can help. Here are 4 ways you can take action now.
1. Donate to help firefighters, community workers, animals and those affected
There are many organizations collecting donations for frontline groups working directly with firefighters, community workers, animals and those affected by the fires. While there are many personal fundraising pages across the internet and social media – and many scams posing as charities – here are three groups you can directly make donations to:
- The Australian Red Cross is accepting donations to its Disaster Relief and Recovery Fund.
- The New South Wales Rural Fire Service is accepting donations.
- The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Australia is seeking donations for the rescue and treatment of animals affected by the bushfires.
2. Learn more about the link between the fires and climate change
Experts agree: Human-caused climate change has worsened the Australian fires and signals that frequent, devastating wildfires could become much more common in the future. The record-setting high temperatures coupled with extreme dry weather due to climate-induced droughts have fueled these intense, deadly fires – which in turn are fueling climate change in a damaging feedback loop.
But don’t just take our word for it. Here are a sample of recent articles explaining the link between the climate crisis and the Australian fires from Vox, NPR, the BBC, Grist, and our allies at InsideClimate News.
3. Spread the word on social media (but be careful)
You may have seen it in your social media feed: 200 arsonists, not climate change, are to blame for the Australian fires.
But the viral articles claiming this nonsense were false. A disinformation campaign attempting to link the fires to arson was amplified by bots and trolls and other bad actors, including Rupert Murdoch’s climate-denying portfolio of media organizations, far-right fake news sites and shameful public figures, including Donald Trump Jr.
We all know that social media is a hotbed of misinformation disguised as real news, but it can also be a force for good. Share your activism and donations, news articles about the climate crisis, and urge your friends to take action. But be aware of your sources, especially content with sensational headlines that don’t pass the smell test.
4. Get involved in climate activism
Stopping today’s deadly wildfires is only part of the solution. As the planet warms and the climate changes, these fires will only become more common, more intense and more devastating all across the globe.
Lawmakers must be pressured with collective, direct activism to take bold action to confront the climate crisis head-on. Join our allies at Sunrise Movement and 350.org who are fighting every day to enact a Green New Deal, a plan with the scope and ambition necessary to transition our society and economy away from fossil fuels and fend off the oncoming climate crisis.
Posted on January 14, 2020
8 Reasons to Drop AT&T Right Now
Last year, CNBC’s Jim Cramer crowed that “AT&T is the most Republican of any publicly traded company.”
Here at CREDO, we don’t typically promote Wall Street talking heads, but this time, we agree 100%.
Over the years, AT&T has proven to be a staunch supporter of corporate greed, Republican politicians and right-wing interests. They’ve donated millions to Donald Trump, contributed to anti-LGBTQ and anti-abortion politicians, laid off workers after receiving massive tax cuts and even helped re-elect a white supremacist to office.
There are many reasons to drop AT&T and choose a mobile company that shares your values. Here are our top 8 reasons to cancel them now.
1. AT&T donated $2 million to Donald Trump’s inaugural committee
Donald Trump’s 2017 inaugural committee raised a lot of money. A record-setting $107 million, in fact. The more than $2 million that AT&T funnelled to Trump stood above the pack: AT&T was the largest corporate donor to the inauguration, and second only to notorious right-wing funder Sheldon Adelson.
In late 2018, it was reported that federal prosecutors were investigating the sources of Trump’s inauguration slush fund to determine if any donors illegally “[gave] money in exchange for political favors.” At the time, AT&T had been seeking approval for a $85.4 billion acquisition of Time Warner.
2. AT&T donated $2.7 million to 193 anti-LGBTQ politicians
AT&T can rainbow-stripe its logo for Pride Month, wave the rainbow flag and claim it supports the LGBTQ community, but none of those things can make up for the fact that AT&T is directly funding politicians who are fighting equality and LGBTQ rights.
While AT&T has long touted its inclusive employee policies and support of LGBTQ causes, in 2017 and 2018, AT&T donated a total of $2.755 million to 193 anti-LGBTQ politicians.
3. AT&T is making millions from Trump’s racist deportation agenda
As Donald Trump ramps up his attacks on immigrant communities, corporate America is cashing in. Well-known consumer brands are profiting from lucrative contracts with Customs and Border Protection, the agency dehumanizing immigrants, jailing children in cages without basic needs and tearing families apart.
AT&T made more than $1.8 million from CBP’s deportation agenda, including $1.3 million since Donald Trump took office.
4. AT&T fired workers after raking in billions from Trump’s tax scam
In 2017, AT&T promised it would invest $1 billion in telecom infrastructure and create “7,000 good jobs for the middle class” if Congress passed Trump’s tax scam and slashed tax rates for corporate America.
Instead, AT&T laid off 23,000 workers, cut capital spending and pocketed $3 billion in a massive tax windfall. Their CEO even took home $29 million in total compensation as his employees received pink slips.
5. AT&T helped re-elect white supremacist Congressman Steve King
Congressman Steve King is a racist and white supremacist. He publicly courts favor with right-wing extremists, believes immigrants are “undermining our culture” and keeps a confederate flag on his desk.
Yet, AT&T has been one of Steve King’s largest corporate donors. Over his long, racist career, King received more than $60,000 from AT&T, including $10,000 – the legal maximum limit – for his 2018 re-election campaign.
6. AT&T donated nearly $200,000 to anti-abortion politicians
According to the company’s career website, AT&T claims that it wants to “make sure women at AT&T feel supported in everything they do.”
Yet, as right-wing lawmakers across the country continue to enact some of the most restrictive laws on reproductive rights, AT&T has donated almost $200,000 to politicians in states leading the fight to ban abortions and restrict women’s rights.
7. AT&T paid Michael Cohen, Donald Trump’s fixer, $600,000
In 2017 and 2018, AT&T paid $600,000 to Trump’s convicted lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen to “advise” on various matters in the telecommunications industry – even though Cohen is not an expert in the field.
The timing of the payments to Cohen through a shady shell corporation raises serious questions about AT&T’s intentions to influence the Trump administration. Not only was AT&T’s proposed mega-merger with Time Warner pending before the Department of Justice, but AT&T also made payments to Cohen just as Trump’s hand-picked FCC chairman Ajit Pai pushed through the repeal of net neutrality regulations despite massive public outcry.
8. AT&T is one of the NSA’s “most trusted partners”
We’ve known for a while that AT&T was working hand-in-hand with the NSA to spy on Americans’ internet traffic. But an investigative report by the Intercept revealed eight cities where AT&T hosts “wiretap rooms” for the NSA to skim data as it passes through their networking equipment.
The Intercept report confirms what we already knew: the NSA “considers AT&T to be one of its most trusted partners and has lauded the company’s ‘extreme willingness to help.’”
Our values at CREDO couldn’t be further from those at AT&T. We will never align ourselves with right-wing hate. We will never fund white supremacy. We’re not spending millions to influence Republican lawmakers or making massive donations to Donald Trump.
We fight for net neutrality and to protect our customers’ privacy. We fund groups working to protect immigrants, the LGBTQ community and women’s reproductive rights.
At CREDO, we will never compromise our progressive values for profit. In fact, we’re helping to fund the progressive movement through our philanthropy powered by our members who use our products and services every day.
If you’re not already a CREDO member and would like to switch to the mobile company that shares your values and donates to progressive groups every month, please check out CREDO Mobile here.
Posted on January 8, 2020
CREDO Tip: How to participate in the 2020 Women’s March
Three years ago, the day after Donald Trump’s inauguration, millions of people across the country and across the globe donned pink hats, carried signs and marched in protest for women’s rights, LGBTQ equality, civil rights, the environment and reproductive rights at the inaugural Women’s March, considered by many as the largest protest in U.S. history.
This January 18, hundreds of thousands will again take to the streets for the 2020 Women’s March in Washington, D.C. and at sister marches across the country to speak out for women’s rights, to hold Trump accountable and protect the planet. CREDO has been proud to support Women’s March, and our members have voted to distribute nearly $50,000 so far to support their goal to move women to build political power and ensure that freedom is for everyone.
If you’d like to know how to get involved and join fellow protesters –- including many of us here at CREDO – at a march near you, here are a few tips to begin your planning.
What to Bring (and Not Bring)
Organizers for the march in Washington, D.C. recommend that participants bring a small backpack with drinks and snacks for the day, comfortable shoes and warm clothes, but please don’t bring anything illegal, like weapons, weapon-like items, or drugs, since those are not allowed on federal grounds. Check with local organizers for what to bring and what not to bring for sister marches.
Download and Print a Poster
Protest signs and posters are a great way to express your views and share your progressive message as loudly – and visually – as possible. We’ve designed some great posters that you can download and print out for the march, or you can gain some inspiration from some of our favorite posters from previous years to make your own. Check them out here:
Volunteer for Women’s March
If you’d like to get a little more involved in helping out Women’s March 2020, organizers in Washington are looking for volunteers to help with directions and greeting buses, take part in its accessibility or support team, and more. Click here to learn more and volunteer your skills for this year’s march.
Host a Sister Action
Not in Washington, DC? Not a problem! There are dozens of marches across the country – last year, organizers hosted 300 marches in all 50 states – and Women’s March is eager to provide resources to new or experienced organizers who want to host their own marches in their own local communities. Learn more here.
Week of Action
This year, Women’s March organizers have planned a week of action that precedes the January 18 march with events every day, including programs to build community art, discussions on women leading on climate justice and a Green New Deal and fighting back the attacks on reproductive rights, a session to organize around immigration justice and a talk with youth activists. On Sunday, January 19, organizers are hosting a “Fourth Wave Drag Brunch” to honor incredible women and feminist allies. Check out more here.
Vote to fund Women’s March
Every month CREDO donates to three progressive groups thanks to our members who use our products and services every day – and the votes by our members and the public determine how much each group gets. This month, Women’s March is on the CREDO Donations ballot and eligible to receive a portion of our monthly grant. Vote today for Women’s March and all the great groups on our January donations ballot here: https://www.credodonations.com/
Posted on January 8, 2020
Free Posters to Download for the 2020 Women’s March
Need posters for the Women’s March? CREDO has you covered! You can download a high-resolution PDF of any of our posters for free!
Women’s March Posters
Gender = Racial = Economic Equality poster download (30MB)
Download The Only Body poster (44.7MB)
Download Trust Women poster (21298_trustwomen.61MB)
Download Grace Lee Boggs poster (56.4MB)
Classic CREDO Women’s Equality Posters
Download Feminism is Another Word for Equality (2MB)
Download Women’s Rights = Human Rights poster (1MB)
Posted on January 3, 2020
Our December grantees thank you for your support
Each month, CREDO members vote on how we distribute funding to three incredible nonprofits. Those small actions add up – with one click, you can help fund groups fighting for civil rights, independent progressive journalism and voting rights. In December, CREDO members voted to distribute our monthly donation to American Civil Liberties Union, The American Prospect and Fair Fight Action.
These donations are made possible by CREDO customers and the revenue they generate by using our services. The distribution depends entirely on the votes of CREDO members like you. And for that, our December grant recipients thank you.
American Civil Liberties Union
$71,397
“We are incredibly grateful to CREDO members for sustaining the ACLU as we push back against the unconstitutional agenda of the Trump administration and the ongoing assaults on our civil liberties at the state level. Thank you for standing with us.” – Anthony D. Romero, Executive Director
To learn more, visit www.aclu.org.
The American Prospect
$30,969
“On behalf of our editorial team, we are deeply grateful for the support of CREDO members. Your commitment to the value of bold, independent journalism gives us inspiration daily. We hope to continue to inform you!” – David Dayen, Executive Editor at The American Prospect
To learn more, visit prospect.org
Fair Fight Action
$47,634
“Thank you for helping Fair Fight Action secure voting rights for all and expand access to democracy nationwide.” – Lauren Groh-Wargo, CEO
To learn more, visit fairfight.com
Now check out the three groups we are funding in January, and cast your vote to help distribute our donations.
CREDO members who use our products are the reason why we are able to make these donations each month. Learn more about CREDO Mobile, the carrier with a conscience.
Posted on January 2, 2020
Top CREDO Tip of 2019
We hope you’ve enjoyed reading our CREDO Tips this past year. We’ve certainly enjoyed writing them —and providing you with useful information on a wide range of topics, from eco-friendly ways to dispose of your electronics to ways you can help stop the ocean plastic problem.
What was our most popular CREDO Tip of 2019? Keep reading to find out!
#5. 5 Ways You Can Help Stop the Ocean Plastic Problem
#4. How to Stop Auto Updates on an Android Cell Phone
#3. 4 Ways to Tell if a News Story is Real
#2. 7 New Year’s Resolutions to Help Fight Climate Change
#1. 3 Eco-Friendly Ways to Dispose of Electronics
Posted on January 2, 2020
Vote for Black Alliance for Just Immigration, Brennan Center for Justice and Women’s March this January
Every month, CREDO members vote to distribute our monthly donation to three incredible progressive causes – and every vote makes a difference. This January, you can support groups fighting for racial and social justice, voting rights, and women’s rights by voting to fund Black Alliance for Just Immigration, Brennan Center for Justice and Women’s March.
Black Alliance for Just Immigration
BAJI engages in grassroots organizing, advocacy and cross-cultural alliance-building in order to raise awareness about the unique issues facing the nearly 10 million Black immigrants, refugees and their loved ones in the United States.
A grant from CREDO will help BAJI advocate for Black immigrant and refugee families and communities and help them truly thrive in the United States.
Brennan Center for Justice
The Brennan Center fights to reform and revitalize American systems of democracy and justice. 2020 will be a critical year for American democracy. The Brennan Center for Justice is ready for the fight – making sure our elections are free, fair and secure. And that every voice – and every vote – counts at the polls.
A CREDO grant will support the Brennan Center in its fight against voter suppression tactics, in its advocacy to ensure our elections are secure and its development of bold solutions to advance democratic reform.
Women’s March
Women’s March moves women to build political power to ensure that freedom is for everyone. The organization is a women-led movement that organizes and mobilizes on a diverse range of issues. It’s a first stop, feminist futures, base-building network.
A grant from CREDO would allow Women’s March to play a lead role in defeating Trump in 2020 and bring about a fourth wave of feminism. The group plans to run action campaigns in key states including Arizona, Georgia and Wisconsin.
Your vote this month will determine how we divide our monthly donation among these three progressive groups. Be sure to cast your vote to support one, two or all three by Jan. 31.
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 CREDO Energy and join our movement.
Posted on December 26, 2019
4 apps to help keep your New Year’s resolutions
It’s that time of year again when all of us here at CREDO consider what the new year will bring – like Trump’s impeachment trial, the 2020 elections, and, of course, New Year’s resolutions.
It’s never easy to keep a New Year’s resolution – made especially more difficult with the unnecessary social pressure – but if you’re looking to keep yours beyond the first weeks of January, mobile phone apps offer some help.
While there are tons of apps to help you with your New Year’s journeys, we’ve picked out four apps that could help you stay on track.
the be.come project
Getting and staying active top many people’s New Year’s resolutions lists, but many fitness websites, programs, apps and schemes out there aren’t for everyone. the be.come project is hoping to offer something different by helping users get active in a non-judgmental, positive way.
Focusing on “body-neutrality” – the belief that some days we love our bodies, other days we don’t, but always by respecting ourselves – the be.come project is an app that focuses on how you feel, not how you look, and gives users a once-weekly curated workout routine that can be performed at home as many times as a user feels comfortable.
The app offers a free 10-day trial, and $35 per month after. Available in the App Store and Google Play.
One Today
Funding the causes we care about is at the heart of CREDO. We donate $1 million each year to progressive groups fighting for women’s rights, climate justice, voting rights and more – with donations generated by our members who use our products and services every day.
If you’re looking to donate a little more to nonprofits doing important work in the new year, the One Today app might be a good fit for your device. A project of Google, One Today allows users to donate $1 or more to pre-screened non-profit organizations and charities for which microtransactions may help make a big difference at scale. All donations are distributed as unrestricted funds (meaning groups can spend as they see fit) and Google covers the transaction fees, so the organizations receive 100% of the contributions.
Learn more about the organizations receiving donations through One Today on its website or download the app for Android or iOS.
Habitshare
One of many habit tracking apps out there, Habitshare combines setting goals and tracking your habits with a social network to help keep you motivated and share your progress with friends.
By default, your progress and habits remain private, but you can choose what and with whom to share your goals and updates to add personal accountability with friends and family (only if you want to!). You can also send encouraging messages to people in your network to keep friends motivated and on track, too.
Habitshare is free to use and available for Android and iOS.
Headspace
If mindfulness and meditation are on your resolution list for 2020, then Headspace could be the right app for you. To help you cope with the stresses of work, family and life in general, Headspace teaches you the basics of meditation and offers a library of courses and single session meditations that you can take anywhere. The company boasts a 40 million person user base and offers scientific claims (and an in-house science department) that its app can reduce stress, increase focus and improve sleep.
Headspace offers a two-week free trial, before a $69.99 yearly subscription, available on both Android and iOS.
