Last year the Institute for Common Power invited me on their Truth and Purpose Learning Tour. Usually reserved for educators or donors to Common Power, Dr. Terry Scott and Dr. David Domke graciously allowed me the opportunity to see one of their tours in person. 

It was remarkable. And as soon as I went, I knew that some of our Washington Women’s Foundation (WaWF) Members would want to go, too! Today, I’m very pleased to announce our first WaWF On the Road!  

What is it? 

This Tour of Truth and Purpose is currently offered only for Common Power donors and for free to educators across the United States. This special opportunity for WaWF members will follow the same steps as those tours. 

Many of the places we visit will allow us to examine the long history of people of African descent in this country, with specific emphasis on the modern American Civil Rights Movement. Few places are more important than the locations we will see together. Atlanta, Georgia, is the home of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, legendary organizer Ms. Ella Baker, former civil rights hero and U.S. Representative John Lewis, and now U.S. Senator Rev. Raphael Warnock and national voting rights leader Stacey Abrams. We will begin our learning tour there and then spend most of our time in Alabama. We will travel through Montgomery, Birmingham, and Selma – a geographical triangle in an east-to-west strip of the South known as the “Black Belt,” named originally for the rich soil coloring but that over time has taken on reference to the African American population there that has been a catalyst for social change in America. We will meet with the organization of the Equal Justice Initiative as well as key individuals including: 

• Dr. Bernard Lafayette Jr., a member of the inner circle for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., international nonviolence leader, and Chair today of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference Board 
• Joanne Bland, a Bloody Sunday marcher at age 11, founder today of Journeys for the Soul and leader of the campaign to create “Footsoldiers Park” in Selma 
• Bob Zellner, first Southern white field secretary for the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee and key member of national organization Faith and Politics 

When is it? 

The Truth and Purpose Tour will take place October 12 – 16, 2023 and will begin and end in Atlanta, Georgia. The tour begins October 12, 2023 at 10:00 am so it is strongly recommended that if you are coming from the West Coast you plan to arrive the evening before. Hotel costs for the night of October 11^th are the responsibility of the participant. 

What will it cost and what do those costs cover? 

Participants are responsible for purchasing their own airfares to and from Atlanta. Payment for the tour is made directly to Common Power for $5,000 per person for a shared hotel room or $5,500 for a single hotel room. This cost includes: 

$2,500/$3,000 not tax-deductible payment to the Common Power Fund pays for: 

• Speaker Fees 
• Museum and Site Visit Fees 
• Ground Transportation 
• Hotel Rooms October 12 – 16 
• Dinners every evening
• Most lunches

$2,500 tax-deductible donation to Common Power covers: 

• one educator from the Seattle region to travel, free of charge, on a Truth and Purpose Tour in the future 

Who can come? 

This is tour is open to everyone!

How can I learn more? 

Information sessions will be held via Zoom on the following dates and times: 

• January 26 – 4:30 PM – Click Here to Sign Up
• February 1 – 9 AM – Click Here to Sign Up

How can I sign up! 

Sign up for the tour online or by mailing checks to Common Power (PO BOX 51125 Seattle, WA 98115) by February 28, 2023. Common Power does prefer checks to avoid processing fees, but either method is great. Please follow the steps below to sign up for the tour.

1. Truth & Purpose Learning Tour w/ Shared Hotel Room ($5,000)
   • Step 1: $2,500 Tour Payment to the Common Power Fund (Not Tax-Deductible) 
     • Pay online: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/commonpowerfund 
     • Pay by check: Check payable to and mailed to Common Power  
   • Step 2: $2,500 Donation to Common Power Future (Tax-Deductible) 
     • Gift online: https://givebutter.com/Vmpb1h 
     • Gift by check: Check payable to Common Power Future and mailed to Common Power  

2. Truth & Purpose Learning Tour w/ Single Hotel Room ($5,500)
   • Step 1: $3,000 Tour Payment to the Common Power Fund (Not Tax-Deductible)
     • Pay online: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/commonpowerfund 
     • Pay by check: Check payable to and mailed to Common Power  
   • Step 2: $2,500 Donation to Common Power Future (Tax-Deductible) 
     • Gift online: https://givebutter.com/Vmpb1h 
     • Gift by check: Check payable to Common Power Future and mailed to Common Power 

For questions about signing up, contact programs@wawomensfdn.org.