Alliance San Diego is building collective power to create an inclusive democracy.
We believe that by working together to engage effectively in the civic process, we can make systemic change and shape a future that belongs to all of us, where everyone can exercise their human dignity in an environment of harmony, safety, equality and justice. With your help we are creating an inclusive democracy by …
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DEVELOPING LEADERS like Kae, who is a rising transgender student in San Diego, to use human rights as a tool to improve our communities. ASD provided training to Kae through our signature Start With Dignity leadership course, in a version of the course designed specifically for youth to look at the issues affecting the community through the lens of human rights. Kae uses the tools and resources presented in the course to confidently uplift issues harming and dehumanizing LGBTQA+ youth and claim his dignity. ASD is providing leadership training to hundreds of students and adults to teach them the skills to challenge human rights violations and recognize the inherent dignity in all of us. |
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ENGAGING VOTERS like Moses, who is an unhoused neighbor and canvasser encouraging people to participate in our democracy. “I first met the ASD team at a City Council meeting on the homeless encampment ban, which directly affected me. They invited me to a leadership training to learn about human rights and then hired me as a part-time canvasser. I love talking to people about the issues that impact us, and encouraging them to vote and speak up so we can make changes that help people, not harm them. Working with ASD has greatly increased my passion to rise up, use my vote and my voice, and make a difference in my community.” ASD engages thousands of voters a year to shape an inclusive future where all of us belong. |
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ADVOCATING FOR POLICIES with flood survivors like Jessica and Chago to get the resources our families need to survive and thrive. “It’s important for ASD to advocate for residents impacted during the January 22nd floods because while we’re busy with everyday responsibilities in addition to rebuilding our lives, we need folks dedicated to the past, present, and future policies that affect our community. It takes time, energy, and expertise to ensure residents are informed and our voices are included to make sure that everyone fully recovers and a disaster like this never happens again.” ASD advocates for local, state, and federal policies that elevate our collective human dignity. |
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PROTECTING HUMAN & CIVIL RIGHTS for community members like Mr. Chung, who came to the United States for a better life. With his wife and two children, Mr. Chung immigrated to the United States from Korea. He learned English and worked two jobs to support his family. After years of dreaming of citizenship, Mr. Chung was able to submit a naturalization application with the help of ASD. “I want to become a U.S. citizen so I will be respected in my community. I want to vote and choose our president.” ASD provides free immigration legal services to help community members secure their status in the United States and assert their dignity. |
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COMMUNICATING STRATEGICALLY to elevate voices like Ted and Jovanny to claim our dignity and shape the future we wish to see. ASD is elevating diverse voices including Ted and Jovanny, who have been stopped countless times by local police and federal border agents inside the United States as a result of racial profiling. ASD created the platforms for them to tell their stories at home and abroad at the United Nations. Through storytelling campaigns, events and press conferences, we are shifting the narrative to change law enforcement policies and practices and end discriminatory, excessive, and abusive policing. |
Program Highlights
ASD BOOSTS VOTER PARTICIPATION IN ELECTIONS:
ASD conducts large-scale outreach to voters with a canvass team drawn from the communities we are mobilizing, including young voters, new citizen voters, voters of color, and low-income voters. In 2023, we boosted voter turnout for a special election, ensuring that diverse voices were heard, resulting in the election of the first Black female county supervisor. In 2024, we are mobilizing over 30,000 people in direct conversations and reaching over 300,000 through digital strategies to educate voters on the critical local, state, and federal issues at play on the ballot and that shape our future.
ASD FIGHTS FOR RECOVERY, RESILIENCY & RENEWAL:
ASD is accompanying survivors of the 2024 floods to fight for a just recovery in Southeast San Diego where infrastructure failed to protect a long-neglected community. Alongside community members, we are advocating for a transformational investment in stormwater infrastructure that will increase climate resiliency and modernize a critical system that impacts everything from clean water to flood protection, smooth streets and environmental health.
ASD PROTECTS THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF MIGRANTS:
ASD is working with partners to compel U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to end Open Air Detention Sites, where migrants are held without food, shelter, or medical attention. In 2023, we documented the human rights abuses and filed a complaint. In 2024, we won an important court battle that determined that children at these sites were “in CBP custody” and must be provided basic human necessities. This is part of our fight for border policies that are responsible, accountable, and humane.
START WITH DIGNITY
In 2023, Alliance San Diego launched Start With Dignity, a campaign to elevate, claim, and protect human rights in the U.S. with a focus on abuses by law enforcement. As part of the campaign, we organized a Dignity Delegation of affected community members to travel to the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, to testify to treaty violations by local, state and federal law enforcement who racially profile, conduct warrantless searches, and use excessive force. As a result, three UN bodies have recognized the violations and called on the U.S. to change its laws to align with human rights. Our work ahead is to leverage these findings and advocate for those changes.
2023 Financial Report
Alliance San Diego takes seriously our stewardship of the resources we are gifted to build a more inclusive democracy. Every year, we minimize our overhead while supporting our programs and the staff that drives them. We also reinvest in the communities we serve by creating jobs for civic engagement canvassers from those same communities. Additionally, we support partner organizations with dedicated subgrants to make a greater impact on shared goals. We are fortunate to have received a major gift from Mackenzie Scott in 2022, part of which we used to purchase our building, which serves as a community convening space and our forever home. With your help, we are growing an organization making an impact daily.
ASSETS Cash and cash equivalents (26%) Investments (22%) Grants and donations receivable (17%) Prepaid expenses (1%) Property and equipment (34%) $6,001,810 |
LIABILITIES Current liabilities (3%) Total Equity (97%) $6,001,810 |
REVENUE Grants (76%) Donations (17%) Events (2%) Investments (2%) Other (3%) $2,438,452 |
EXPENSES Staff compensation and benefits (67%) Canvasser jobs (4%) Program expenses (20%) Subgrants to partner orgs (4%) Management expenses (4%) Fundraising expenses (1%) $3,629,418 |
We invite you to support Alliance San Diego to build an inclusive democracy.
Alliance San Diego invites you to become our partners in change.
- Volunteer your time to support our programs, events, and office.
- Become a monthly sustainer to support our mission year-round.
- Make a one-time gift in your own name or as a tribute to a loved one.
- Increase your impact with an employer match or organizational contribution.
- Consider a legacy gift for a long-term commitment.
Read the full impact report