About Us

Gamaliel was founded in 1986 to train community and faith leaders in building political power and creating organizations that unite people of diverse faiths and races.


Mission

Our mission is to empower ordinary people to effectively participate in the political, environmental, social and economic decisions affecting their lives. Gamaliel’s diverse members apply their faith and values to the pursuit of equal opportunity for all, shared abundance, and stronger, more prosperous communities.


Our work falls into three main areas:


1. We build strong local organizations

With 44 affiliates and 7 state offices in 17 states, Gamaliel works to build strong metropolitan and statewide organizations. National staff provides consulting, training and support to leaders and staff in local organizations. A survey of organizers and lead staff across the network found that Gamaliel’s national staff is majority women: People of color are about 40 percent of organizers, lead organizers, and directors across the network (56% of organizers across the network are women; 26% are women of color). Learn about our affiliates here.


2. We develop powerful leaders through training

Gamaliel organizes: three national weeklong trainings per year, an advanced leadership/strategic campaigns training every other year, Ntosake women's leadership development training once a year, a biennial Race and Power training, National Religious Leaders Caucus, and national leadership conferences across the country. These events reach more than 1,000 people in a typical year. Learn about our training here.

Download a flyer about our training here.


3. We run influential advocacy & nonpartisan civic engagement campaigns

15 years ago, Gamaliel helped pioneer advocacy and organizing on regional equity, working with partners like John Powell and others. This work continues to be foundational to our policy and issue organizing. Recognizing the job-creation potential of developing and maintaining good infrastructure, and building on local affiliates worker rights’ advocacy, Gamaliel has focused its campaign and jobs work on increasing access to jobs and job training. This is a major focus of current work along with our issue campaigns: criminal justice reform, integrated voter engagement, racial equity, and immigration reform. Learn about our current campaigns here.

15645605079_881f60fe45_o
slide1-2000x828-51

Network Updates

Giving Tuesday 2023 Eblast!
Giving Tuesday 2023 Eblast!
After each training that Gamaliel hosts, participants are asked to evaluate their experience. Here are just a few of the “additional comments” received following a recent training:– You all built a community in one week. I didn’t think that was possible.– I don’t leave this training as a different person, but I am fired up…
Support US Bishops in Commemoration of World Day of the Poor Through Giving to CCHD
Support US Bishops in Commemoration of World Day of the Poor Through Giving to CCHD
This weekend, November 18-19, Catholic parishes across the country will commemorate World Day of the Poor by collecting an offering for the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD). For Gamaliel and our affiliates, as well as hundreds of other faith-based organizations in this country, CCHD has made it possible for us to develop low-income and…
EMV Iowa Emmy Award
EMV Iowa Emmy Award
Escucha Mi Voz Iowa, one of Gamaliel’s newest affiliates in the Midwest, was named a finalist—in the “News Category for Outstanding Feature Story in Spanish”—for the 44th Annual News and Documentary Emmy Awards, which was held September 27-28, 2023 at the Palladium Times Square in New York City. The Emmy finalist documentary produced by Univision,…
Giving Tuesday: A Sankofa Moment!
Giving Tuesday: A Sankofa Moment!
A few years ago, DeMarco Davidson, Executive Director of Metropolitan Congregations United (Gamaliel’s affiliate in St. Louis), introduced the concept of Sankofa to our National Leadership Training. While the concept was new to many of us, we quickly realized its power. “Sankofa” is a word that comes from the Akan people of the West African…