As we close out 2024, let’s take a moment to center what truly matters: the power of our connections, our collective strength, and our unwavering commitment to each other and justice.

FUNKY BROWN CHICK will be closed December 25th through January 1st (read more about why rest is revolutionary here!). This pause is not just a break; it’s a testament to the belief that creating positive change starts with caring for ourselves and each other.

This month, as you reflect on December’s observances, milestones, and cultural celebrations, remember to take action — including spending time with those you love. Justice doesn’t take a holiday, but rest is a radical act and we need it to create a better world.

November 25 – December 10

16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence

The first 10 days of December continue this vital campaign challenging violence against women, girls, and gender-expansive people—particularly those facing intersecting forms of oppression. As Project 2025 threatens to roll back protections for survivors, we’re doubling down on supporting organizations fighting gender-based violence in all its forms: from intimate partner violence to state-sanctioned discrimination against trans women of color to economic violence against immigrant women.

Want to join the fight? Support groups like the Global Rights for Women, HIAS, CARE. Because ending gender-based violence means protecting us all, no exceptions.

December 1 – December 31

Learn A Foreign Language Month

Language is power. It’s also justice. Here’s a fact that may surprise many: the United States has no official language. Instead, our nation’s strength lies in its linguistic diversity, with over 350 languages spoken across communities – from Spanish and Mandarin to Indigenous languages like Navajo and Cherokee.

Learning another language can be an act of solidarity and understanding. Research shows bilingualism improves brain function and cultural understanding, and at FUNKY BROWN CHICK, we also know language learning is a tool for social change. When we speak someone’s language, we better understand their struggles, their resistance, their dreams. It’s also the right thing to do if we truly want to be inclusive.

Want to start your language journey? Technology makes it easier than ever. From language learning apps to streaming services with multi-language subtitles, to supportive online communities, there are countless ways to begin. Check out our founder’s guide on LinkedIn about using tech for language learning, where she shares five practical tips for getting started, including how to use TikTok and Netflix as learning tools.

Because in a nation where people communicate in hundreds of languages, monolingualism isn’t just a barrier – it’s a choice to remain disconnected from our beautifully diverse reality.

Worldwide Food Service Safety Month

Food safety isn’t just about proper handling and storage—it’s about who has access to safe, quality food in the first place. If Trump administration appointees seek to weaken regulatory oversight and prioritize corporate profits over public health, our food supply system will face further increased risks. Further, we know food justice and reproductive justice are interconnected: research shows that food insecurity directly impacts reproductive health outcomes. This month, continue to champion science-based policies and support Black-led organizations at the forefront of the food justice movement. Let’s commit to making safe, healthy food accessible to everyone – because food safety is a human right.

International AIDS Awareness Month

When HIV/AIDS emerged, the Reagan administration’s deadly silence cost countless lives – just as Trump’s COVID denialism would decades later. These parallel chapters in American history teach us a crucial lesson: who leads matters deeply in public health crises. This December’s theme, “Collective Action: Sustain and Accelerate HIV Progress,” reminds us that progress is both possible and precarious.

Trump will likely reinstate the Global Gag Rule, as every Republican person does, and as he did during his previous administration.While it may be true that it will have a devastating impact on HIV/AIDS care globally (read more in our “Three Acts of Justice” report), we’re better prepared this time. Over four decades of HIV/AIDS activism has taught us how to fight back against hostile administrations. The award-winning documentary “How to Survive a Plague” offers a masterclass in community resistance: when governments fail, collective action saves lives.

And we have made extraordinary progress, thanks to groundbreaking treatments and tireless advocacy. Yet as we celebrate these advances, we must remain vigilant. 

Sunday, December 1

World AIDS Day

The 37th World AIDS Day theme, “Collective Action: Sustain and Accelerate HIV Progress,” calls us to both celebrate progress and intensify our commitment to health equity. While HIV rates have declined 21% in areas receiving targeted funding, persistent disparities remind us that the fight isn’t over—and see the flags we raised above about the Global Gag Rule.

The stats are clear: advances in HIV prevention and treatment are working, with programs like PEPFAR saving over 25 million lives globally. But true progress means ensuring these advances reach everyone, regardless of race/ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, or economic status. As the recent U.S. election results show us the fight for equitable healthcare and access may become even more challenging for everyone, we have to hold each other up as we honor those we’ve lost and celebrate those living with HIV/AIDS today.

Rosa Parks Refuses to Give Up Her Bus Seat

On this day 66 years ago, Alabama anti-segregation activist Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a city bus to a white passenger. Her act of civil disobedience helped inspire the 381-day Montgomery Bus Boycott, proving that often resistance is about what we won’t do and what we won’t put up with.

South Africa Constitutional Court Uses Judicial Precedent in Support of Marriage Equity 

This year marks the 20th anniversary of South Africa’s Constitutional Court delivering a powerful message: marriage equity is a human right. Their ruling required Parliament to legally recognize all marriages within a year, joining a growing global movement for marriage equity. Today, 34 countries have affirmed this fundamental right, including Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Denmark, Ecuador, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, and Uruguay.

Yet as we detail in our “Three Acts of Justice” report, hard-won rights can be reversed. Just as Roe’s overturn threatens reproductive freedom, Project 2025’s agenda puts marriage equity at risk in the U.S. This isn’t just about taking the United States backwards—it’s about isolating our nation from the global human rights community.

But here’s what we know: You can’t stop people from fighting for their rights, including the right to marry whom they love. From South Africa to Mexico to Taiwan, global progress on marriage equity shows what’s possible when we stay engaged, vote, and keep pushing forward. Want to learn more about protecting marriage equity? Download our “Three Acts of Justice” report for concrete actions you can take.

Playboy Magazine Debuts (1953)

The launch of Playboy marked a complex moment in American cultural history. While Hugh Hefner’s magazine was undeniably problematic in many ways, it also played a role in challenging censorship and expanding First Amendment protections. Perhaps most notably, Hefner showed rare ethical judgment in refusing to publish unauthorized photos of Vanessa Williams, recognizing how they were being weaponized to smear America’s first Black Miss America.

Today, as Project 2025 threatens new forms of censorship and control over bodily autonomy, adult content creators are once again stepping into political advocacy. In October 2024, industry leaders launched a campaign in seven swing states to raise awareness about Project 2025’s proposed bans on adult content—showing how attacks on personal freedom often intersect with broader threats to civil liberties.

The lesson? The fight for bodily autonomy and free expression continues, requiring vigilance from unexpected allies across many sectors of society. As we detail in our “Three Acts of Justice” report, protecting personal freedoms means understanding how different forms of oppression – and resistance – connect.

Monday, December 2

International Day for the Abolition of Slavery

Statistics show that nearly 50 million people around the world are victims of modern slavery, noted by the United Nations to include a multitude of exploitative situations, including forced marriage and human trafficking. 

Modern slavery takes many forms—including right here in the United States, where the 13th Amendment’s prison labor exception continues to enable the exploitation of incarcerated people.

This exploitation becomes particularly stark during natural disasters, like the recent Hurricane Helene. While officials often fail to evacuate incarcerated people from danger zones during hurricanes and wildfires, they simultaneously force them to perform dangerous cleanup work for little to no pay. As we fight to end all forms of modern slavery, we must confront how it persists in our own backyard—often hidden in plain sight under the guise of “rehabilitation” or “emergency response.”

On this day, the goal is to raise awareness of modern slavery in all of its forms.

Tuesday, December 3

International Day of Persons with Disabilities

In a society that routinely denies disabled people their full humanity, sexual and reproductive rights are often erased from the conversation entirely. Yet reproductive justice means fighting for everyone’s bodily autonomy—and as threats to reproductive healthcare grow, we must ensure disabled voices are centered in our resistance.

The UN calls for promoting “rights and well-being of persons with disabilities in all spheres of society.” Let’s be clear: this must include sexual and reproductive health. That means fighting for comprehensive sex education that includes disabled experiences, ensuring reproductive healthcare facilities are truly accessible, and amplifying disabled voices in conversations about sexuality, pleasure, and choice. Ready to take action? Support disability justice organizations led by disabled people – because no movement for bodily autonomy is complete without disability justice at its core.

Wednesday, December 4

The Death of Dr. John Rock (1984)

Dr. John Rock, the Catholic researcher who helped develop the birth control pill, proved that faith and reproductive rights advocacy can go hand in hand. According to Associated Press-NORC polling, his inclusive vision reflects the majority of today’s Catholics: 63% say abortion should be legal in all or most cases, and 68% opposed overturning Roe v. Wade, despite the conservative positions of many Catholic bishops.

Catholics for Choice President Jamie Manson reminds us: “As Catholics, we are called by our faith to follow our conscience in all matters of moral decision‑making and respect the right of others to do the same.” Rock’s pioneering spirit shows us that religious faith and reproductive freedom aren’t opposites—they’re often powerful allies.

Thursday, December 5

International Volunteer Day

In 2023, nearly 61 million Americans volunteered their time, contributing an estimated 4.1 billion hours valued at $122.9 billion. Beyond the numbers, research shows volunteering transforms both communities and volunteers – reducing depression and anxiety, lowering blood pressure by up to 40%, and increasing life satisfaction. This massive outpouring of service proves that even in challenging times, people show up for each other.

Want to make a difference? Check out sites like Activate Good for volunteer opportunities in your area!

 And you can learn more about this UN-established day here. 

Monday, December 9

Surgeon General Dr. Joycelyn Elders is Forced to Resign

From sharecropper’s daughter to Surgeon General, Dr. Joycelyn Elders shattered barriers as the first African American and second woman to head the U.S. Public Health Service. Her commitment to frank, evidence-based discussions of sexual health never wavered – even when it cost her job. On this day in 1994, after advocating for including masturbation in sex education discussions at a UN HIV/AIDS conference, she was asked to resign by President Clinton amid pressure from conservative critics.

But here’s what matters: Dr. Elders stood by her principles, knowing that honest dialogue about sexual health saves lives. Her work at the Arkansas Department of Health—where she doubled childhood immunizations and mandated K-12 sex education—shows what’s possible when we put public health before politics. Thirty years later, as Project 2025 threatens to further restrict sex education, Dr. Elders’ courage reminds us that progress often requires speaking uncomfortable truths. They may have taken her job, but they couldn’t silence her message: comprehensive, age-appropriate sex education is a public health necessity.

Tuesday, December 10

Human Rights Day

2021 marks the 73rd anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the United Nations General Assembly. This document affirms the inherent dignity of all human beings and references certain inalienable rights that all people are entitled to. Human Rights Day reminds us all that, as the UN states, “we need to stand up for our rights and those of others.” (Fun fact: You likely know, in 1995, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton delivered a groundbreaking speech at the UN’s Fourth Women’s Conference declaring that “women’s rights are human rights.” Two of our team members — a staff writer and our founder — volunteered at the UN as they prepped that conference. Proving again that volunteerism can impact you in ways you don’t expect!) You can read more about how women’s rights are human rights in our paper, “The Three Acts of Justice.” Download it free here!

Friday, December 13

Ella Baker’s Birthday (1903)

December 13 marks the birthdate of Ella Baker, a lifelong community organizer, a supporter of human rights, and an influential (though often behind the scenes) activist in the Civil Rights Movement. Credited with inspiring the formation of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, she also was also heavily involved with the Young Negroes’ Cooperative League, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, and the NAACP (where she rose through the ranks to become Director of Branches). “Fundi,” as she was known by many, was a firm believer in grassroots organizing, and believed strongly that those affected directly by injustice were the ones best equipped to fight it, with or without a leader at the helm. “Strong people don’t need strong leaders,” she is known for saying. The Ella Baker Center for Human Rights in Oakland works to continue her legacy.

Saturday, December 14

Ryan White is Diagnosed with AIDS (1984)

Forty years ago today, 13-year-old Ryan White was diagnosed with AIDS after receiving contaminated blood products for his hemophilia. His story forced the United States to confront an epidemic that the Reagan administration had largely ignored – even as thousands, particularly in LGBTQ+ and Black communities, were dying. It shouldn’t have taken a young white hemophiliac’s diagnosis to make the nation care, just as it shouldn’t have taken Rock Hudson’s death to finally grab headlines.

Ryan’s battle against both AIDS and discrimination reminds us of a crucial truth: injustice anywhere threatens justice everywhere. When we ignore health crises because they “only” affect marginalized communities, we put everyone at risk. As a testament to his bravery and activism, the federal program for services for those with HIV/AIDS is named in his honor.

Today, as we face new attacks on healthcare access and LGBTQ+ rights, let’s honor Ryan’s legacy by fighting for everyone’s right to care and dignity – not just when it affects people who look like us, but because none of us are truly safe until all of us are protected.

Tuesday, December 17

The U.S. Announces the End of Japanese-American Internment (1944)

“The internment was totally irrational,” reflects George Takei, who was just a child when his family was forcibly removed from their Los Angeles home. Today, as Takei shares in his new book “My Lost Freedom,” the lessons of this dark chapter remain urgently relevant: how quickly fear can turn to state-sanctioned discrimination, how “disloyalty” becomes a weapon against targeted communities, and how families and children bear the deepest scars of government persecution.

On this day in 1944, the U.S. finally ended the internment of over 100,000 Japanese Americans – not out of moral awakening, but because the Supreme Court ruled against holding citizens without cause. Eighty years later, as we face new waves of anti-Asian hate and policies targeting immigrant communities, Takei’s warning rings clear: democracy requires constant vigilance. The question isn’t whether such injustice could happen again – it’s whether we’ll recognize and resist it when it does.

Wednesday, December 18

International Migrants Day

Migration isn’t just about crossing borders—it’s about human dignity, family unity, and justice. As global anti-immigrant rhetoric intensifies, we must remember that migration touches every community: from individuals with disabilities navigating inaccessible systems, to LGBTQ+ people fleeing persecution, to families seeking safety from climate disasters, to Americans building lives abroad. Migration is global, and so must be our solidarity.

The challenges migrants face reflect intersecting injustices: detention centers denying basic healthcare and hygiene products, attacks on birthright citizenship guaranteed by the 14th Amendment, and family separations that tear communities apart. But migrants also bring immeasurable strengths to their new homes, enriching cultures and economies worldwide. This International Migrants Day, let’s fight for truly inclusive justice: supporting Black-led immigrant organizations, LGBTQ+ refugee groups, and grassroots movements led by directly impacted communities. Because migration justice must be intersectional – or it isn’t justice at all.

Friday, December 20

International Human Solidarity Day

In an era when forces seek to divide us, International Human Solidarity Day reminds us of a fundamental truth: our struggles for justice are interconnected. When reproductive rights are threatened, it impacts everyone’s bodily autonomy. When migrant families are separated, it weakens all families’ security. When trans healthcare is attacked, it endangers everyone’s right to medical freedom.

The UN established this day to “celebrate our unity in diversity,” but at FUNKY BROWN CHICK, we know solidarity isn’t just about celebration—it’s about our collective survival. It’s about showing up for Black maternal health even if you’re not Black or pregnant. It’s about fighting anti-trans legislation even if you’re not trans. It’s about defending immigrant rights even if your family has been here for generations. Justice doesn’t work in silos, and neither can we. Today and every day, we choose solidarity over division, collective action over individual comfort. As the saying goes: none of us are free until all of us are free.

Tuesday, December 24

Title X is Approved

On this day in 1970, the approval of Title X created America’s first federal program dedicated to reducing inequities in reproductive healthcare access. Today, this vital program helps clinics provide essential services to millions of people with low incomes and those who are uninsured. But the fight to protect it continues.

We’ve seen how quickly progress can be reversed: The Trump administration’s domestic gag rule devastated the Title X network, causing the number of patients served to plummet from 3.1 million to 1.5 million. While the Biden-Harris administration restored the program in 2021, Title X remains chronically underfunded at $286 million annually—far below the estimated $737 million needed to serve all eligible patients. And with Project 2025 threatening new restrictions, the stakes couldn’t be higher. Elections matter: Title X’s future—and with it, millions of people’s access to essential reproductive healthcare—hangs in the balance. The lesson is clear: hard-won progress requires constant defense.

Wednesday, December 25

Christmas and Hanukkah

The universal spirit of joy, unity, and compassion transcends religious boundaries. In fact, it isn’t confined to religion at all! Although Christmas is usually celebrated as a Christian holiday, its origins stem from a week-long celebration of the god Saturn. While Hanukkah’s beginning overlaps with Christmas this year, its varying dates on the lunar Hebrew calendar remind us that not everyone follows the same path or timeline – and that’s exactly as it should be.

At FUNKY BROWN CHICK, we honor all spiritual journeys—Christians, Muslims, Jews, atheists, agnostics, pagans, Hindus, and everyone else. You’re free to choose your own faith path or none at all.

For those who observe Christmas religiously, you might know that Jesus was himself a migrant, healer, and voice against oppression. The Bible speaks of compassion for sex workers, understanding for the marginalized, and acceptance of those society rejects. These values of radical inclusion resonate deeply with today’s movements for justice and human rights.

Today, diverse faith communities are standing up for reproductive justice, immigrant rights, and human dignity—and we love to see it! From rabbis defending abortion access as a matter of religious freedom to interfaith coalitions fighting for migrant justice, religious communities continue to be powerful voices against oppression. Compassion should unite us all.

We’re closed on December 25th as part of our commitment to honor all federally recognized U.S. and Portuguese holidays. But more importantly, we believe rest is resistance. Whether you’re celebrating Christmas, enjoying a day off, or carrying on with your regular routine, remember: taking time to rest, reflect, and rejuvenate isn’t just self-care – it’s a radical act in a world that demands constant productivity.

December 26 – January 1 

Kwanzaa

Rounding out the year, we honor Kwanzaa. Created in 1966 by Dr. Maulana Karenga, this week-long observance centers seven core principles that resonate deeply with social justice work: unity (umoja), self-determination (kujichagulia), collective work and responsibility (ujima), cooperative economics (ujamaa), purpose (nia), creativity (kuumba), and faith (imani).

At FUNKY BROWN CHICK, we’re particularly moved by Kwanzaa’s principle of ujima – the idea that we are all responsible for our community’s challenges and must work together to solve them. 

Planning to celebrate? Learn more about Kwanzaa’s history and traditions.

Sunday, December 29

Wounded Knee Massacre (1890)

The Wounded Knee Massacre of 1890 is often taught as “Native American history,” just as slavery is too often framed as “Black history” rather than United States history. This framing misses the crucial point: Wounded Knee reveals fundamental truths about U.S. government militarization, colonial violence, and the deadly logic of white supremacy.

Near Čhaŋkpé Ópi Wakpála (Wounded Knee Creek), the U.S. 7th Cavalry Regiment murdered 150-300 Lakota people. As Black Elk witnessed: “I can still see the butchered women and children lying heaped and scattered all along the crooked gulch… A people’s dream died there. It was a beautiful dream.”

But something else died at Wounded Knee: the illusion that state violence can be contained or controlled. As our founder detailed in her recent “Tiny, Private Love Letter“, when we accept government violence against any community, we legitimize it against all communities. Martin Niemöller’s famous words about Nazi Germany ring true: “First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist…” The lesson isn’t just about who they target first – it’s about the danger of accepting targeted violence at all.

Through art and documentation, we keep these histories alive not just to honor the dead, but to recognize how systems of oppression continue operating today. From Wounded Knee to modern attacks on reproductive rights, the pattern remains: unchecked state power threatens everyone’s freedom.

Learn more about state violence and resistance through our “Three Acts of Justice” report.

Tuesday, December 31

Death of Henry Gerber 

German immigrant Henry Gerber is credited with founding the first U.S. gay rights organization. At 25, he was briefly committed to a psychiatric hospital for being gay. This did not stop his advocacy for the LGBTQIA community, however. After serving in the Army during WWI, he and some friends established The Society for Human Rights, dedicated to protecting gay rights. Henry appointed John T. Graves, a Black American clergyman as the organization’s president. The group eventually disbanded, but Gerber continued communicating with and advocating for the LGBTQIA community. The Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame notes that he died on this date in 1972, having lived to see the emergence of the modern-day gay rights movement.

As we wrap up 2024, this month invites us to remember: liberation work isn’t linear. From Wounded Knee to Stonewall, from Japanese internment camps to reproductive rights battles, history teaches us that progress often comes in waves – receding and advancing, but always moving forward when we stay in the fight together.

Whether you’re celebrating holidays this month or taking time for quiet reflection, remember that rest is resistance. Your dedication to dismantling oppressive systems requires regeneration. Take up space. Rest easy. Honor those who carved these paths before us, and nurture the seeds of change for those who will follow.

As we look toward 2025, hold these truths close: The only constant is change. Every generation faces its pivotal moments. And most importantly – we are the ones we’ve been waiting for.

From all of us at FBC, thank you for another year of fighting for justice. See you in 2025, refreshed and ready for whatever comes next.