Our History

 

A. Phillip Randolph

A. Philip Randolph and Bayard Rustin, co-founders of APRI, believed that the struggle for workers' rights and civil rights were intertwined. Randolph (1889-1979) is recognized as the most significant black labor leader in American history and is often referred to as the father of the modern civil rights movement. Rustin (1912-1987), a prominent civil rights and labor activist and strategist, was the principal organizer of the landmark 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom and was Randolph's most esteemed protege. Together, Randolph and Rustin established a partnership between the civil rights movement and the labor movement. They understood that African Americans and workers of all races shared common objectives: political and social freedom, along with economic justice. This Black-Labor Alliance played a crucial role in the civil rights movement's success, particularly in the passage of the Voting Rights Act, which eliminated the final legal obstacles to widespread black political engagement. Motivated by this achievement, Randolph and Rustin launched the A. Philip Randolph Institute in 1965 to persist in the fight for social, political, and economic justice for all working Americans. APRI is an organization of Black Trade Unionists dedicated to advocating for racial equality and economic justice. Currently, APRI is under the leadership of President Clayola Brown, whose vision and enthusiasm have ignited a new chapter for our organization and the broader movement. In 2003, the non-profit chapter of the A. Philip Randolph Institute, APRI-Tacoma, was established in Tacoma. Its mission is to Educate, Empower, and Enlighten.

Our core values and principles encompass:

  • Supporting the labor movement's continuous fight for economic justice

  • Advocating for civil rights, robust anti-discrimination policies, affirmative action, and workplace diversity

  • Championing the cause for adequate minimum living standards for everyone

  • Organizing voter education initiatives, voter registration drives, and get-out-the-vote campaigns

  • Coordinating food drives and community

    feeding programs for housed/unhoused populations.

  • Working in the community to make sure the community has a voice.

 

 

We need your help

Fund Raising

APRI-Tacoma raises funds to support the activities of the chapter. Several different events throughout the year.  Please check our site to stay current on the different opportunities to support the work of our chapter. Also, visit our donation section for options to support the work

 

 

Working together

Serving our community

APRI Tacoma has served our community by Helping people get VOTE READY. We also provide information on the voting process and upcoming pending legislation.   Provide hot meals and other resources to the homeless on the streets of downtown Tacoma.   Together with several community partners, we co-host African American Legislative Day Workshop every year.

 
 

investing in our future

Making an  Impact in the lives of  children

Every year APRI Tacoma sends youth to our National Convention to learn leadership skills and gain another tool to empower them to work in our community. In Tacoma, we educate and pre-register our youth in high school stressing how important it is to vote and have your vote be heard. We also connect them to Apprenticeships programs and provide a pathway to continue their education beyond high school.