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Non-profit

Critical Resistance (CR)

Website:

criticalresistance.org/
Location:

Oakland, CA
Tax ID:

20-4412916
Tax-Exempt Status:

501(c)(3)

Budget (2019):

Revenue: $1,328,867
Expenses: $570,994
Assets: $1,486,457
Formation:

1997
Executive Director:

Jess Heaney
Type:

Criminal Justice Advocacy Group

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Critical Resistance (CR) is a radical-left agitation group which calls for an end to criminal justice policies it calls the “prison industrial complex.” 1 The group supports the defunding and abolition of police, 2 the abolition of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) government agency, 3 the mass release of prisoners, 4 and the closure of ten prisons in California prior to 2025. 5

CR has argued that “jails must be abolished,” 6 has called policing a “health hazard,” 7 and has claimed that policing has its roots in capturing runaway slaves. 8 CR works to reduce contact with law enforcement and has promoted a flyer which urges individuals to “Wait! Don’t call 911” when encountering a crisis moment. 9

Radical-left activist Angela Davis is one of the founding members of Critical Resistance. 10

History and Leadership

Critical Resistance was co-founded by radical-left activist Angela Davis in 1997 to organize a conference held in September 1998 challenging the United States prison system. 11 12 CR has supported the abolition of the “prison industrial complex” since its first meeting in 1998. 13

In 1999, Critical Resistance East was founded in Philadelphia. 14 Organizers from California, Ohio, New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts, North Carolina, and Georgia helped form CR’s national organization in 2001. 15 In 2003, Critical Resistance South launched. 16

Jess Heaney is Critical Resistance’s director of development. 17 She has led the Stop the Injunctions Coalition campaign, which found policing “alternatives” in Oakland, California, which includes an anti-policing health workers cohort. She also organizes Stop Urban Shield, which opposes SWAT team training. She has been development director of CR since 2014. 18 19

Activities and Funding

Critical Resistance is a radical agitation group which seeks to build an international movement to end criminal justice policies it calls the “prison industrial complex.” 20 CR has claimed policing has its roots in the capture of runaway slaves, 21 supports the defunding and abolition of police, 22 and has called for mass releases of prisoners. 23

Critical Resistance is a part of the DefundPolice.org web resource, which is coordinated, housed, and staffed by the left-of-center Community Resource Hub. 24 CR has  called policing a “health hazard,” 25 opposes the deportation of illegal immigrants, and supports the elimination of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency. 26 27 28

CR is involved with the anti-policing health workers cohort, which aims to reduce contact with law enforcement and to increase resistance to “every-day violence of police.” The group has promoted a flyer which urges individuals to “Wait! Don’t call 911” when encountering a crisis moment. 29

CR operates a Community Advisory Board with representatives from universities and nonprofit organizations who share its vision for addressing the prison system. 30 The group also organizes Stop Urban Shield, which opposes SWAT team training; pushes initiatives that oppose the expansion of prisons; organizes a prisoner mail program to write letters to incarcerated prisoners; 31 32 33 and produces toolkits, reports, and guides to support its policy ends. 34

CR also publishes The Abolitionist newspaper  35 and hosts film screenings regarding the U.S. prison system. 36 CR has chapters in Los Angeles, California; 37 Oakland, California; 38 Portland, Oregon; 39 and New York, New York. 40 41 42

The organization has also called former President Donald Trump a “racist, sexist, and Islamophobe.” 43

Funding

Critical Resistance receives funding from grants, individual contributions, and event program fees. In 2019, Critical Resistance reported revenue of $1,328,867 and expenses of $570,994. This is an increase from 2018, when CR reported $620,086 of revenue and $417,460 of expenses. 44

Individual donations to CR are routed through the left-of-center Network for Good 45 46 and encouraged as a ‘great way to help build the movement to abolish the prison industrial complex.” 47 CR also sells a specialized Critical Resistance Edition of the left-of-center Education for Liberation Network’s Lessons in Liberation Textbook. 48

CR has received financial support from events on feminism that featured CR co-founder and radical-left ideologist Angela Davis in 2022 49 and 2016. 50

In 2020, CR received $11,250 from the McKenzie River Gathering Foundation. 51 In 2019, CR received $50,000 from the California Community Foundation, 52 $20,000 from the left-of-center New Venture Fund, 53 and 45,000 from the San Francisco Foundation. 54 CR also received grants of $3,500 from Borealis Philanthropy  55 and $5,000 from the Community Foundation of the Chattahoochee Valley in 2018. 56 In 2017, CR received $25,000 from Proteus Fund, 57 and $3,000 from the Ben & Jerry’s Foundation. 58 The group also received a $25,000 grant from Craigslist Charitable Fund in 2015. 59

References

  1. “History.” Critical Resistance. Accessed February 20, 2022. http://criticalresistance.org/about/history/
  2. “Tweet.” Twitter. Posted February 17, 2022. https://twitter.com/C_Resistance/status/1494436329660170244?cxt=HHwWiICqjZH7pr0pAAAA.
  3. “Tweet.” Twitter. October 8, 2021. Accessed February 19, 2022. https://twitter.com/C_Resistance/status/1446543178266415104?cxt=HHwWgMCszejWk5MoAAAA.
  4. “Criticalresistance.” Instagram. Posted November 19, 2021. Accessed February 19, 2022. https://www.instagram.com/p/CWeLlsSBO8s/?utm_medium=copy_link.
  5. “Criticalresistance.” Instagram. Posted December 29, 2021. Accessed February 19, 2022. https://www.instagram.com/p/CYC-k9TvIB5/?utm_medium=copy_link.
  6. “Abolish Jailing.” Critical Resistance. Accessed February 19, 2022. http://criticalresistance.org/abolish-jailing/
  7. “Policing is a Health Hazard.” Critical Resistance. October 7, 2016. Accessed February 19, 2022. http://criticalresistance.org/policing-is-a-health-hazard/
  8. “Abolish Policing.” Critical Resistance. Accessed February 19, 2022. http://criticalresistance.org/abolish-policing/.
  9. “Oakland Power Projects – Health Resources.” Critical Resistance. Accessed February 19, 2022. http://criticalresistance.org/opphealthresources/.
  10. “Angela Davis.” Harvard University DACA Seminar. Accessed February 20, 2022. https://dacaseminar.fas.harvard.edu/people/angela-davis.
  11. “Beyond the Prison Industrial Complex.” Critical Resistance. Accessed February 19, 2022. http://criticalresistance.org/about/history/.
  12. “Angela Davis.” Harvard University DACA Seminar. Accessed February 20, 2022. https://dacaseminar.fas.harvard.edu/people/angela-davis.
  13. “Critical Resistance Conference. Prison Legal News. September 15, 1998. Accessed February 20, 2022. https://www.prisonlegalnews.org/news/1998/sep/15/critical-resistance-conference/.
  14. “History.” Critical Resistance. Accessed February 20, 2022. http://criticalresistance.org/about/history/.
  15. “History.” Critical Resistance. Accessed February 19, 2022. http://criticalresistance.org/about/history/.
  16. “History.” Critical Resistance. Accessed February 19, 2022. http://criticalresistance.org/about/history/.
  17. “Critical Resistance.” Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990). 2019. Schedule I. https://apps.irs.gov/pub/epostcard/cor/204412916_201912_990_2021021717714059.pdf.
  18. “The Prison in Twelve Landscapes Film Screening with Critical Resistance.” Jane Addams Hull-House Museum. June 12, 2017. Accessed February 20, 2022. https://www.hullhousemuseum.org/programs-and-events-at-hullhouse/2017/6/12/the-prison-in-twelve-landscapes-film-screening-with-critical-resistance.
  19. “Latest Workshop for Liberation.” Transforming Justice. 2016. Accessed February 20, 2022. https://uwm.edu/transformingjustice/150/.
  20. “Critical Resistance.” Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990). 2019. Schedule I. https://apps.irs.gov/pub/epostcard/cor/204412916_201912_990_2021021717714059.pdf.
  21. [1] “Abolish Policing.” Critical Resistance. Accessed February 19, 2022. http://criticalresistance.org/abolish-policing/.
  22. “Tweet.” Twitter. Posted February 17, 2022. https://twitter.com/C_Resistance/status/1494436329660170244?cxt=HHwWiICqjZH7pr0pAAAA.
  23. “Criticalresistance.” Instagram. Posted November 19, 2021. Accessed February 19, 2022. https://www.instagram.com/p/CWeLlsSBO8s/?utm_medium=copy_link.
  24. “DefundPolice.org.” DefundPolice.org.  Accessed February 19, 2022. https://defundpolice.org/about/.
  25. “Policing is a Health Hazard.” Critical Resistance. October 7, 2016. Accessed February 19, 2022. http://criticalresistance.org/policing-is-a-health-hazard/
  26.  To Abolish the PIC, Stop Home Raids and Deportations.” Critical Resistance. January 8, 2016. Accessed February 19, 2022. http://criticalresistance.org/to-abolish-the-pic-stop-home-raids-and-deportations/.
  27. “Fight to Decriminalize Immigration!” Critical Resistance. April 1, 2016. Accessed February 19, 2022. http://criticalresistance.org/fight-to-decriminalize-immigration/.
  28. “Tweet.” Twitter. October 8, 2021. Accessed February 19, 2022. https://twitter.com/C_Resistance/status/1446543178266415104?cxt=HHwWgMCszejWk5MoAAAA.
  29. “Oakland Power Projects – Health Resources.” Critical Resistance. Accessed February 19, 2022. http://criticalresistance.org/opphealthresources/.
  30. “Community Advisory Board.” Critical Resistance. Accessed February 19, 2022. http://criticalresistance.org/community-advisory-board/.
  31. “The Prison in Twelve Landscapes Film Screening with Critical Resistance.” Jane Addams Hull-House Museum. June 12, 2017. Accessed February 20, 2022. https://www.hullhousemuseum.org/programs-and-events-at-hullhouse/2017/6/12/the-prison-in-twelve-landscapes-film-screening-with-critical-resistance.
  32. “Latest Workshop for Liberation.” Transforming Justice. 2016. Accessed February 20, 2022. https://uwm.edu/transformingjustice/150/.
  33. “Support CR Oakland’s Prisoner Mail Program.” Critical Resistance. January 26, 2022. Accessed February 20, 2022. http://criticalresistance.org/support-cr-oaklands-prisoner-mail-program/.
  34. “Addressing Harm, Accountability, and Healing.” Critical Resistance. Accessed February 19, 2022. http://criticalresistance.org/resources/addressing-harm-accountability-and-healing/
  35. “CR Structure and Background.” Critical Resistance. Accessed February 20, 2022. http://criticalresistance.org/about/cr-structure-background/.
  36. “IL: The Prison in Twelve Landscapes Film Screening with Critical Resistance.” States of Incarceration. June 12, 2017. Accessed February 20, 2022. https://statesofincarceration.org/event/il-prison-twelve-landscapes-film-screening-critical-resistance.
  37. “CR Los Angeles.” Critical Resistance. Accessed February 19, 2022. http://criticalresistance.org/chapters/cr-los-angeles/.
  38.  “CR Oakland.” Critical Resistance. Accessed February 19, 2022. http://criticalresistance.org/chapters/cr-oakland/.
  39. “CR Portland.” Critical Resistance. Accessed February 19, 2022. http://criticalresistance.org/chapters/cr-portland/.
  40. “CR New York City.” Critical Resistance. Accessed February 19, 2022. http://criticalresistance.org/chapters/cr-new-york-city/.
  41. “Chapters.” Critical Resistance. Accessed February 19, 2022. http://criticalresistance.org/chapters/.
  42. “History.” Critical Resistance. Accessed February 19, 2022. http://criticalresistance.org/about/history/.
  43. “Trump and State Violence: The Struggle Continues.” Critical Resistance. Accessed February 19, 2022. http://criticalresistance.org/trump-and-state-violence-the-struggle-continues/.
  44. “Critical Resistance.” Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990). 2019. Schedule I. https://apps.irs.gov/pub/epostcard/cor/204412916_201912_990_2021021717714059.pdf.
  45. “Support Critical Resistance!” Critical Resistance. Accessed February 19, 2022. https://donatenow.networkforgood.org/criticalresistance?code=CR%20Year%20Round%20Page.
  46. “Support CR This Summer!” Network For Good. Accessed February 19, 2022. https://criticalresistance.networkforgood.com/projects/77646-jess-heaney-s-fundraiser.
  47. “Support Critical Resistance!” Critical Resistance. Accessed February 19, 2022. https://donatenow.networkforgood.org/criticalresistance?code=CR%20Year%20Round%20Page.
  48. “Literature.” Critical Resistance. Accessed February 19, 2022. http://criticalresistance.org/gear/literature/.
  49. “Abolition. Feminism. Now.” Eventbrite. February 4, 2022. Accessed February 19, 2022. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/abolition-feminism-now-tickets-254804957487#.
  50. “Talks & Events.” Critical Resistance. Accessed February 19, 2022. http://criticalresistance.org/resources/watchlisten/talksandevents/.
  51. “McKenzie River Gathering Foundation.” Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990). 2019. Schedule I. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/930691187/202141319349303649/full.
  52. California Community Foundation.” Return of Organization Exempt Form Income Tax. (Form 990). 2019. Schedule I. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/953510055/202101339349302410/full.
  53. “New Venture Fund.” Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990). 2019. Schedule I. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/205806345/202033169349300208/IRS990ScheduleI.
  54. “San Francisco Foundation.” Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990). 2018. Schedule I. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/10679337/202011549349301116/full
  55. “Borealis Philanthropy.” Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990). 2018. Schedule I. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/464598642/201921519349300627/full.
  56. “Community Foundation of the Chattahoochee Valley Inc.” Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990). 2018. Schedule I. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/582381589/202030499349301338/full
  57. “Proteus Fund Inc.” Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990). 2017. Schedule I. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/43243004/201803189349304195/full.
  58. “Ben & Jerrys Foundation.” Return of Private Foundation. (Form 990-PF). 2017. Part XV. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/30300865/201842489349100909/full.
  59. “Craigslist Charitable Fund.” Return of Private Foundation. (Form 990-PF). 2015. Part XV. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/263823367/201633199349101813/IRS990PF
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Nonprofit Information

  • Accounting Period: June - May
  • Tax Exemption Received: May 1, 2007

    • Available Filings

    Period Form Type Total revenue Total functional expenses Total assets (EOY) Total liabilities (EOY) Unrelated business income? Total contributions Program service revenue Investment income Comp. of current officers, directors, etc. Form 990
    2019 Dec Form 990 $1,328,867 $570,994 $1,486,457 $26,008 N $1,292,110 $23,384 $1,375 $57,016 PDF
    2018 Dec Form 990 $620,086 $417,460 $724,361 $21,785 N $587,465 $19,044 $849 $55,743 PDF
    2017 Dec Form 990 $383,986 $345,899 $517,511 $17,561 N $373,755 $0 $115 $51,824 PDF
    2016 Dec Form 990 $368,988 $347,304 $476,181 $14,318 N $345,502 $13,284 $84 $50,314
    2015 Dec Form 990 $531,578 $271,395 $458,212 $18,033 N $521,713 $0 $84 $47,798 PDF
    2014 Dec Form 990 $294,780 $267,548 $183,457 $3,461 N $290,057 $0 $83 $39,554 PDF
    2013 Dec Form 990 $260,105 $259,375 $154,595 $1,831 N $256,102 $0 $83 $0 PDF
    2012 Dec Form 990EZ $154,721 $234,138 $155,210 $3,176 $0 $0 $0 $0 PDF
    2011 Dec Form 990 $241,166 $283,538 $233,295 $1,844 N $225,993 $0 $95 $0 PDF
    2010 Dec Form 990 $425,638 $426,023 $275,856 $2,033 N $421,196 $0 $364 $656 PDF

    Additional Filings (PDFs)

    Critical Resistance (CR)

    PO Box 22780
    Oakland, CA 94609-2301