November 6, 2024
Today is a day of mourning for our democracy, for freedoms secured through great sacrifice, and for human rights around the globe. At American Jewish World Service (AJWS), we grieve for our collective future and for the health and safety of more than 500 human rights organizations we support in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean.
Despite its imperfections, much of the world looks to the United States to model democratic values. The inevitable backsliding of American democracy under President-elect Trump will embolden dictators and erode gains in civil rights won by grassroots activists.
There is no time to sit in our pain, however. We must instead resolve to fight even harder. Equality, dignity and respect should not be privileges hoarded by the few but fundamental rights afforded to all. As an organization inspired by Jewish values, AJWS remains committed to a relentless pursuit of justice for everyone, everywhere, with conviction, and hope, that will outlast any politician.