Pakistan's Call for Help

Floods have devastated Pakistan in recent weeks leaving millions homeless and in need of emergency assistance. About one third of Pakistan has now been affected by the floods – which have marooned hundreds of villages and destroyed power stations, roads and bridges – complicating relief efforts. The toll of dead and injured is mounting daily, water-borne diseases are spreading, and international relief officials have said the pace of aid donations is still not sufficient to deal with what might be the nation's worst disaster.

The Business of Justice at Craigslist Nonprofit Boot Camp

"Running the business of this thing called 'Justice' is extremely difficult," proclaimed Lateefah Simon, Executive Director of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights during her panel discussion at the Craigslist Nonprofit Boot Camp this past Saturday. I had the opportunity – as did many local nonprofit supporters, professionals, and entrepreneurs – to see her and a mixture of other social justice and community leaders at this convening. The day was themed around "Empowering Communities." I went to get a pulse on what these leaders and our communities are working on, talking about and thinking about. From the people I engaged with and the workshops I attended, I concluded that the buzz words of the day were: community building, social media, and collaboration.

Support Civil Discourse with Tides

On July 18, 2010, following a shootout with the California Highway Patrol, law enforcement officials arrested an assailant who had targeted the Tides Foundation and the ACLU for violence. Since then, we have been clear in our message that it should be the obligation of every American, especially those whose voices are amplified by the media, to foster civil discourse and dialogue among those who may disagree about public matters. This call for civil discourse has been joined by Independent Sector, discussed in the Washington Post, Chronicle of Philanthropy, and the Huffington Post, and highlighted in the work of organizations like Media Matters.

This recent incident is just the latest reminder of the intolerant climate that has been created by the demagogues and fear mongering pundits of the right-wing. To ensure that Tides can respond to other moments, we are launching the Tides Civil Discourse Fund.

Oil and Anguish: Alaska, Nigeria, and the Gulf Coast

Today, Prince William Sound appears "normal" to the naked eye. However, if you look below the surface, oil continues to contaminate beaches, national parks, and designated wilderness areas.

The Danger of Intolerance

When do people know they are contributing to intolerance that may lead to violence? When is silence complicity?  When is it time to stand up to those voices and say, "Enough"?

The afternoon of July 19th, the Oakland Police Department called the Tides office to inform us that the man who survived a shoot-out with the California Highway Patrol last Saturday night had intended to target our organization. It was shocking: an American seeking to reign terror on fellow Americans.

Tides CEO Statement on 580 Incident

We are greatly dismayed to learn from law enforcement officials that the man arrested over the weekend following a shootout with the CHP had targeted the Tides Foundation for violence. To the best of our knowledge, this person has never had contact with any Tides organization or program. As there is an ongoing investigation into this incident, we will not speculate as to what his motivations may have been.

The Story of Cosmetics: "N-Nitrosoethanolmaine?"

In The Story of Stuff, Annie explained that as long as we keep putting toxic chemicals into our production system, we'll keep bringing toxic stuff into our homes, workplaces, and schools. Which means we'll keep getting toxics in us.

We're revisiting 'Toxics In, Toxics Out' on July 21st with the release of The Story of Cosmetics, which exposes the $50 billion cosmetics industry's use of toxic chemicals in everything from lipstick to baby shampoo-even chemicals linked to cancer and birth defects. Yuck!

The List Project Invites You

The List Project invites you to attend a U.S. Helsinki Commission hearing focusing on the current status of Iraqi refugees and the dangers faced by our Iraqi allies. Panelists include: Assistant Secretary Eric Schwartz (Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration); Michael Newton, Professor of Law (Vanderbilt University) and former Brigade Judge Advocate (U.S. Army Special Forces); Craig Johnstone of Refugees International; and our founder, Kirk Johnson. Johnson will discuss the need for contingency planning as the U.S. withdraws from Iraq and will put forth recommendations from our recent advocacy report, Tragedy on the Horizon.

Please join us in Washington, D.C. on Thursday, July 22nd for this important step in calling for immediate action on behalf of our Iraqi allies.

Celebrating Life and Championing Courage for a Decade

Colin Higgins Foundation looks to communities across the country to nominate and lift up the LGBTQ youth leaders who inspire them and play critical roles in their schools, organizations, and community spaces. Championing the leadership of LGBTQ youth independent of scholastic achievement is especially important when there are so many barriers standing in the way of their success, from schools that compromise their safety and well-being on a daily basis, to the alarming number of youth who get kicked out of their homes and become homeless due to their sexual orientation and/or gender identity.

Ellen Friedman Says Farewell

After 24 amazing years of innovative partnerships, working with the world's most cutting edge organizations and watching the organization grow from a handful of people in a downtown office to a 125 person thriving enterprise, today, June 30, 2010 is my last day at Tides.