In 1996, Reverend Jesse Jackson of Chicago, Illinois, formed the Rainbow PUSH Coalition. Jackson previously served as a shadow senator in Washington, D.C. His mission was to fight for civil rights, level the playing field, and work for peace. But he did not stop there. He also wants to do much more. For example, he vowed to support women's education. So what are his plans? In addition to supporting research on critical issues like criminal justice, the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition collects data about non-violent offenders. Recently, the coalition was involved in a federal lawsuit against Georgia's "stand your ground" law. Since the coalition has grown into an international human rights organization, they are helping countless communities around the country. Their lawsuit against the "stand your ground" law sparked several nationwide hearings. The Rainbow/PUSH Coalition is made up of several programs and organizations. The International Trade Bureau, founded over thirty years ago, seeks to strengthen minority and women's business contacts and provides technical assistance. Another program, called the Wall Street Project, was launched in 1998. It seeks to increase minority participation in business, increase minority investment in inner cities, and create a financial ministry, 1,000 Churches Connected. The coalition's most recent victory came after Jackson intervened in two major corporate deals. First, the coalition opposed the merger between SBC and Ameritech, which he called "fundamentally flawed." The two companies eventually gave $500,000 to the Citizenship Education Fund and sold part of their cellular business to an African-American businessman. Moreover, the Rainbow Push Coalition was instrumental in getting the government to rescind the Citibank-Travelers merger, which many activist groups opposed. PUSH was initially intended to serve as a civil economics organization. It was meant to support black-owned businesses, increase job security, and boost African-American self-esteem. By utilizing litigation, the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition influenced significant companies to change their business practices and hire more African-Americans. During its early days, it also launched a successful program for inner-city teenagers called PUSH-Excel. Jackson helped create the progressive wing of the Democratic Party. He also ran for president in 1988, winning seven primaries and four caucuses. He received nearly seven million votes but finished second to Michael Dukakis. In 1988, the Rainbow Push Coalition was instrumental in sending Aristide back to Haiti and implementing new Middle East policies. In addition, the coalition has forged an important alliance between labor and the working class. There are many ways to remember the legacy of this influential organization. The Rainbow PUSH Coalition's mission is to create more opportunities for Black and minority consumers in the tech sector. The Rainbow PUSH Coalition has filed a lawsuit against the Georgia stand-your-ground law and recently honored Metropolitan Calumet Executive Director Audrena Spence with the PUSH Excel Visionary Service Award. The Rainbow PUSH Coalition is an essential voice in the tech sector and will continue to fight for equity in the workplace.
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