The Coalition

Our Common Purpose


The Leadership Conference’s founders came together in 1950 out of the belief that the fight for civil rights could not be won by one group alone, but needed to be waged in coalition. 

Our members — which have grown from 30 civil and human rights organizations at our founding to more than 200 today — differ in size, scope, and structure. But what transcends our differences and unites The Leadership Conference coalition is our enduring common purpose: full equality for all.

That common purpose gave our leaders the wisdom to see that civil rights are women’s rights and LGBTQ rights and immigrant rights and workers’ rights and disability rights and human rights. That common purpose is our coalition’s inheritance. It is a living legacy that binds us together — in cause and community.

Together, we are more than the sum of our parts. We not only convene and direct the power of our coalition members — we magnify it. Through the generations, we have worked to realize a nation that celebrates the voices and power of the people. We continue that work today.

“The struggle of civil rights cannot be won by any one group acting by or for itself alone, but only through a coalition of groups that share a common commitment to equal justice and equal opportunity for everyone.”

– Arnold Aronson, co-founder 

Join Our Coalition


For more information on how to become a member, please contact Lisa Haywood, director of membership services and events. Please note that to be eligible for membership, an organization must share The Leadership Conference’s values and vision for a just and fair democracy, be national in scope, and conduct an ongoing civil rights program.

Who We Are


0-9     A-E     F-J     K-O     P-T     U-Z

0-9


9to5, National Association of Working Women

A


A. Philip Randolph Institute

AARP

AAUW (formerly known as the American Association of University Women)

Access Now

Advancement Project

African American Policy Forum (AAPF)

The Advocates for Human Rights

Alaska Federation of Natives

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.

American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee

American Association for Access, Equity and Diversity

American Association for Justice

American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education

American Association of People with Disabilities

American Atheists

American Civil Liberties Union

American Federation of Government Employees, AFL-CIO 

American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations

American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees, AFL-CIO

American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO

American Humanist Association

American Islamic Congress

American Jewish Committee

American Postal Workers Union, AFL-CIO

Americans for Democratic Action

Americans for Financial Reform (AFR)

Americans United for Separation of Church and State

Amnesty International USA

The Andrew Goodman Foundation

Anti-Defamation League

APIA Scholars

Appleseed Network

Arab American Institute Foundation

Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services (ACCESS)

The Arc

Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC

Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum

Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote (APIAVote)

Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, AFL-CIO

The Association of Junior Leagues International Inc.

Association of People Supporting Employment First

The Association of University Centers on Disabilities

Autistic Self Advocacy Network 

B


Bend the Arc

Black Voters Matter

B’nai B’rith International

Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law

C


Center for Constitutional Rights

Center for Law and Social Policy

The Center for Learner Equity

Center for Popular Democracy

Center for Public Representation (CPR)

Center for Reproductive Rights

Center for Responsible Lending

Center for Victims of Torture (CVT)

Child Care Aware® of America

Children’s Defense Fund

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW)

Coalition of Black Trade Unionists

Coalition on Human Needs

Code for America

Common Cause

Community Action Partnership

Community Catalyst

Community Change

Committee for Children (CFC) 

Compassion & Choices

Consortium for Constituents with Disabilities (CCD)

Constitutional Accountability Center

Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates, Inc.

D


DC Vote

Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

Dēmos

Detention Watch Network (DWN) 

Disability Rights Advocates

Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund

Drug Policy Alliance

E


Education Law Center

End Citizens United Action Fund

Equal Justice Society

Equal Justice USA

ERA Coalition

Equally American Legal Defense and Education Fund

The Education Trust

F


Fair Elections Center (The Center)

FairVote

Families USA

Family Equality

Feminist Majority

Freedom From Religion Foundation

Friends Committee on National Legislation

G


Girls Inc.

GLSEN

H


Hadassah (The Women’s Zionist Organization of America)

Hindu American Foundation

Hip Hop Caucus

Hispanic Federation

Human Rights Campaign

Human Rights First

Human Rights Watch

I


Impact Fund

Institute for Intellectual Property and Social Justice

Interfaith Alliance

International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers

International Association of Official Human Rights Agencies

International Brotherhood of Teamsters

Intercultural Development Research Association (IDRA) 

International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America

In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda

Iota Phi Lambda Sorority, Inc.

J


Japanese American Citizens League

Jewish Council for Public Affairs

Jewish Labor Committee

Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies

Judge David L. Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law

Justice for Migrant Women

Justice in Aging

JustLeadershipUSA

Juvenile Law Center

K


Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.

L


Labor Council for Latin American Advancement

Laborers’ International Union of North America

Lambda Legal

LatinoJustice PRLDEF

Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law

Lawyers for Good Government (L4GG)

League of United Latin American Citizens

League of Women Voters of The United States

Learning Policy Institute

Legal Aid at Work

M


MacArthur Justice Center

Matthew Shepard Foundation

MediaJustice

Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund

Movement Advancement Project (MAP)

Muslim Advocates

Muslim Public Affairs Council

N


NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc.

NALEO Educational Fund

National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity

National Alliance to End Homelessness

National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education

National Association for the Advancement of Colored People

National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities

National Association of Human Rights Workers

National Association of Neighborhoods

National Association of Social Workers

National Bar Association

National Black Caucus of State Legislators

The National Black Child Development Institute

National Black Justice Collective

National Center for Law and Economic Justice

National Center for Learning Disabilities

National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR)

National Center for Parent Leadership, Advocacy, & Community Empowerment (National Place) 

National Center for Transgender Equality

National Center for Youth Law

National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development

National Coalition for the Homeless

National Coalition on Black Civic Participation

National College Attainment Network

National Congress of American Indians

National Consumer Law Center

National Council of Asian Pacific Americans

National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.

National Council of Jewish Women

National Council of Negro Women

National Council on Independent Living

National Disability Institute (NDI)

National Disability Rights Network

National Down Syndrome Congress

National Education Association

National Employment Law Project

National Employment Lawyers Association

National Fair Housing Alliance

National Farmers Union

National Health Law Program

National Hispanic Media Coalition

National Housing Law Project

National Indian Education Association

National Immigration Law Center

National Immigration Project

National Korean American Service and Education Consortium

National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health

National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty

National Legal Aid & Defender Association

National LGBTQ Task Force

National Low Income Housing Coalition

National Organization for Women

National Partnership for Women & Families

The National PTA

National Urban League

National Women’s Law Center

Native American Rights Fund

Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)

NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice

New Jersey Institute for Social Justice

New Leaders

O


OCA (formerly known as Organization of Chinese Americans)

Office of Communication of the United Church of Christ, Inc.

Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.

Open Society Policy Center

OXFAM America

P


Paralyzed Veterans of America

Parents as Teachers National Center

PFLAG (Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays)

People For the American Way

Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.

Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Inc.

PolicyLink

Poverty & Race Research Action Council

Pride At Work

Prison Policy Initiative

Project on Government Oversight

Prosperity Now

Public Advocates Inc.

Public Citizen

Public Justice

R


Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism

Reproductive Freedom for All

Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union

Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights

S


SAGE/Advocacy & Services for LGBT Elders

Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law

Secular Coalition for America

Service Employees International Union

The Sierra Club

Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc.

Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund

Sikh Coalition

Sojourners

Southeast Asia Resource Action Center

Southern Christian Leadership Conference

Southern Poverty Law Center

Stand Up America

T


T’ruah

Teach for America

Tobacco Free Kids Action Fund (TFKAF)

Transportation Learning Center

The Trevor Project

True Colors United

U


UnidosUS (formerly National Council of La Raza)

United Church of Christ, Washington DC Office (Formerly known as Justice & Witness Ministries of the United Church of Christ)

United Farm Workers of America, AFL-CIO

United Food and Commercial Workers International Union

United Methodist Church-General Board of Church & Society

United Mine Workers of America, AFL-CIO

United Steelworkers of America

V


Voices for Progress

The Voter Participation Center

Voto Latino

W


The Workers Circle

Y


YWCA USA

Splash Statement