What is Critical Mass Progress?

Critical Mass Progress is a news site and community action-oriented resource which seeks to catalyze a sustainable progressive movement through a combination of both boots-on-the-street mobilization and online organizing. In light of the collapse of journalistic integrity among mainstream media outlets and the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision, effective messaging, information sharing, and mobilizing have never been more vital.

Applying an intersectional framework that centers collectively on race, class, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, ability and other markers of difference, Critical Mass Progress aims to build a multi-racial and multi-issue coalition in order to create systemic, transformational change.

The idea behind Critical Mass Progress is simple: without building a critical mass around core principles, there can be no paradigm shift. Building community is key to liberation. Part of community building is having a set of shared values, priorities, and responsibilities. Thus, CMP has identified core principles that guide our activism. Further additions and suggestions to help our principles of unity to evolve are welcome.

Critical Mass Progress catalogues a spectrum of inter-linked socio-economic and political issues and action-oriented news. In the interest of maintaining sanity, a sense of humor will also be featured.

Who Writes for CMP?

At this time, CMP is not being updated with new content due to other commitments.  However, the site exists as a resource and repository for anyone interested in criminal justice reform and social justice.

Nancy A. Heitzeg is the Managing Editor and Writer of the Criminal Injustice series. Kay Whitlock is also an Editor of the Criminal Injustice series.

Our beloved community member “Robinswing” is no longer with us but she was the Managing Editor and Writer for SistahSpeak. Her contributions to CMP remain as a tribute and celebration of her poetic writings.

If you are interested in writing for CMP or would like to submit a news or action item, email me.

What is the Criminal Injustice series?

CMP is honored and humbled to host the Criminal Injustice series. The Criminal Injustice series aims to raise consciousness regarding the inequities in the criminal justice system and is published every Wednesday at 6pm CST. Nancy A. Heitzeg and Kay Whitlock are the Editors of CI. Please be sure to visit us Wednesday evenings to participate during the [asynchronous] online discussion in the comment thread facilitated by Nancy Heitzeg and Kay Whitlock. Various writers addressing issues prevalent in the prison industrial complex are featured each week.

What is SistahSpeak?

Sistahspeak is a series written by the venerable Robinswing. CMP is humbled, honored and proud to have Robinswing’s voice and clarion calls for action here. While Robinswing is no longer with us in the corporeal world, we miss her greatly and her writings remain available to the public as a celebration of her work and powerful voice.

Principles, Priorities and Responsibilities

Critical Mass Progress is guided by core foundational principles:

1. We promote community and respect over ego. Building a cross-cultural community to share resources and knowledge is key to liberation.
2. We believe and support the central tenets laid out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, including the right to housing, education, the right to a decent living wage, and health care.
3. We oppose institutionalized racism, sexism, classism, heterosexism, nativism, cisgenderism, and ableism.
4. We oppose state violence including political and economic violence in the form of discriminatory practices by banks, the reduction of social benefit programs, de-regulation of the banking industry, and the prioritization of banks over people.
5. We oppose an economic system based on scarcity, the myth of individualism and meritocracy, corporate socialism, oligarchy, and exploited labor.
6. We promote an economic system based on building community and abundance.
7. We oppose the prison industrial complex and promote restorative justice alternatives to it.
8. We support the Second Amendment right to bear arms.
9. We promote civic participation through the electoral process, political blogging, and community organizing. We promote a welcoming environment for communities of color, both young and old.
10. We oppose hierarchical bureaucratic governmental structures and seek alternatives to it.
11. We believe anti-racist activism must be practiced in everyday contexts.
12. We promote the sharing of information and resources through the open source and copyleft movement.
13. We promote putting these core principles into practice in our daily living experiences.

CMP’s “Principles, Priorities and Responsibilities” is always evolving. If you have any suggestions for our growing list, please share them in the comment section.

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