Archive for January 2022

.   The Gamaliel Foundation is part of a long tradition of community organizing in Chicago. It was founded as an organizing institute in Chicago in 1986 by Greg Galluzzo, and from the beginning it has trained community and faith leaders to build political power and create organizations that unite people of across races, genders,…

The first Ntosake was a “women’s weekend.” In 1993, Gamaliel women were hungry for a space to explore their potential as leaders in a society that often underestimates their power and strength. At the close of the weekend, Rev. Dr. Brenda Hayes of the African Methodist Episcopal Church gave a sermon on the word “Ntosake,”…

Rolling Thunder was a series of coordinated actions inspired by “thunder” in South Africa — protests against apartheid. In 2001, women from South Africa joined Gamaliel’s International Leadership Assembly (ILA) to discuss the “strike a rock” women’s campaign in their country. In the following years, Gamaliel affiliates held coordinated actions across the nation, kicked off…

The Civil Rights of Immigrants Campaign was established in 2003 by local affiliates engaged in developing immigrant leadership. Leaders from affiliates around the country agreed they needed a center around which to organize their efforts on immigration issues. They wanted to use the energy generated by their shared self-interests to demand justice from the United…

  Transformational Justice a strategic priority for Gamaliel in June 2016. Soon after, Board Presidents from across the Network also adopted mass incarceration as a strategic priority, and meetings began in earnest with members around the country. The first Transformational Justice in Action retreat was held in 2018 at the University of Wisconsin – Parkside.