| Founder(s) | Norman Lear |
|---|---|
| Type | Advocacy group |
| Founded | 1981 |
| Location | Washington D.C. |
| Key people | Norman Lear |
| Area served | United States |
| Focus | Progressive advocacy |
| Method | Media attention, direct-appeal campaigns |
| Website | pfaw.org |
People For the American Way (People For) is a progressive advocacy group in the United States.[1][2] Under U.S. tax code, People For the American Way is organized as a tax-exempt 501(c)(4) non-profit organization.
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The "Our Mission and Vision" page on their website[3] states:
PFAW has been active in recent years in battles over judicial nominations and on issues including school class size, and actively support such proposals as the separation of church and state, civil rights, voting rights for Washington, DC in the U.S. Congress and equal rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered (LGBT) people and promotion of civic participation.[4]
PFAW was founded by television producer Norman Lear (All in the Family, Maude, The Jeffersons, etc.) in 1981 specifically in response to what it felt was the divisive rhetoric of such increasingly influential televangelists as Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell. Co-founders included Barbara Jordan, Andrew Heiskell, and other leaders from the political, religious, business, and entertainment communities.
Figures such as actress Kathleen Turner and the Rabbi David Saperstein sit on the board of People For the American Way's affiliate foundation, People For the American Way Foundation.
The former presidents of PFAW are Anthony Podesta (1981–1987), Arthur Kropp (1987–1995), Carole Shields (1996–2000), Ralph Neas (2000–2007), and Kathryn Kolbert (2008–2009). Michael B. Keegan is the organization's current president.
Soon after its founding, People For the American Way launched an affiliated 501(c)(3) organization, PFAW Foundation, for the purpose of conducting more extensive educational, research activities for left-wing causes.[5] Later, the People For the American Way Voter Alliance was launched as a political action committee, which, as opposed to its sister organizations, has the legal capacity to endorse candidates for office and generally endorses liberals.
Located in Washington, D.C., People For the American Way monitors what it characterizes as "right-wing" activities, conducting rapid response, political lobbying, and volunteer mobilization. In addition, the organization's affiliated foundation (People For the American Way Foundation) runs programs designed for voter education and politically progressive infrastructure building. PFAW Foundation programs include Young People For, which identifies, trains, and supports future progressive leaders; the Young Elected Officials Network, which identifies and supports progressive elected officials from around the country who are under the age of 35; and African American Religious Affairs, which mobilizes and supports progressive activism in African American congregations and communities.
PFAW is a member of a number of progressive coalitions surrounding various issues, and it sometimes conducts joint campaigns with other organizations. Some of these partners and projects include:
Young People For (YP4) is a leadership development program for college students and provides organizational and financial support for social justice work.[6]