Why We Are Leaving the Civil Society Fellowship

We, the undersigned Fellows, are leaving the Civil Society Fellowship (CSF), effective immediately. We cannot in good conscience remain involved as long as CSF continues to be associated with and influenced by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), an organization with ties to right-wing forces and a history of harmful practices against communities of color, immigrants, LGBTQIA+ people, Muslims, Arabs, and other racialized and marginalized communities.

The ADL has strengthened police power and undermined the Movement for Black Lives, Palestinian rights organizing, progressive Jewish groups, other social justice movements for years, bolstered by its reputation as a protector of civil rights. We cannot ignore the evidence provided by the open letter signed by over 100 organizations asking us to stand on the side of the oppressed. And we will not allow ourselves to be used to further legitimize the ADL’s image and the harm that it causes.

We were proud to be named to this Fellowship, and hoped to engage in thoughtful dialogue that would help us individually and collectively advance a better world. We now realize that “civil” conversations can prevent change and accountability, allowing participants to feel absolved of their complicity in allowing injustice to continue.

In leaving the Fellowship, we stand with our Black and Native co-Fellows Jasmine Banks and Percilla Frizzell, who took immense personal risk to display principled leadership on this issue. We take seriously our responsibility to protect one another. By ending our affiliation with the ADL, we act in accordance with our values of anti-colonialism, Black liberation, and Indigenous sovereignty.

Our decision to leave the Fellowship was not made lightly. We believe in CSF’s vision of creating a better society through challenging conversations and community. But we do not believe this vision can be achieved as long as CSF continues to be in collaboration with the ADL.

Given that all Fellows now know the truth about the ADL, remaining in the CSF is not neutral. Each Fellow must actively choose to either align themselves with the ADL by continuing with the Fellowship — or renounce it by leaving. To us, the right choice is clear.

Vu Le, Founder, NonprofitAF.com

Kelsey Skaggs, Co-Founder and Executive Director, Climate Defense Project

Martin Vitorino