_edited_edited.png)
Haymarket's Spring 2025 Newsletter
- Karla Nicholson
- Sep 7, 2025
- 2 min read
This spring, Haymarket People’s Fund continues to remind us that the fight for justice is not a passing phase, but a movement rooted in history, community, and vision. In the latest newsletter, Executive Director Karla Nicholson reflects on the importance of planning, strategy, and intergenerational collaboration to sustain progress. “We stand on the shoulders of greatness,” she writes, urging us to learn from past struggles while embracing the ideas of the next generation. Hope, persistence, and community remain at the heart of Haymarket’s journey.
A highlight of the season is the celebration of Haymarket’s 50th Anniversary. In honor of this milestone, the organization awarded sixty-four $10,000 grants to long-standing grantees across New England who are committed to anti-racism organizing. These one-time awards, made possible through collective decision-making by activists, not only uplift grassroots leaders but also recognize the joy and resilience found in their daily work. From creating healing spaces to building unexpected solidarity, grantee voices echo a shared commitment to justice and liberation.
The newsletter also looks ahead with exciting community events. The Laughter Heals Fundraiser returns on June 20, promising an evening of comedy and connection while raising vital funds for grassroots organizing. Later in the month, Haymarket will join over a dozen partner organizations for the Celebration of Grassroots Organizing, a collaborative fundraiser and community picnic in Boston. The momentum continues into the fall with the Jamaica Plain Open Studios, offering creative connections between artists and neighbors.
Fifty years on, Haymarket’s mission is as urgent as ever: to support grassroots organizations that address the root causes of injustice. This spring’s newsletter is both a celebration of progress and a call to action. It reminds us that building a just and equitable world requires persistence, solidarity, and joy—and that every voice, every gift, and every effort matters in moving forward together. Read more in the full Spring 2025 Newsletter below.
The “planning + community” emphasis feels especially relevant right now, because so many groups get stuck bouncing between crisis response and fundraising without time to reflect. I’m also into the idea of intergenerational collaboration being more than mentorship—like actually sharing decision-making and letting new ideas change the plan. On a lighter note, I’ve found that even small stuff like getting dressed intentionally can affect how I show up to community events; I’ve played around with StyleLookLab when I’m trying to feel put-together without overthinking it. Really interested to see how the June events bring different orgs into the same room.
The grantee quotes about healing spaces and “unexpected solidarity” are the parts I always come back to—those are the things you can’t spreadsheet, but they’re usually what makes work sustainable. I’m also glad the newsletter puts joy alongside persistence; it’s easy to forget that celebration can be a tactic, not a distraction. Totally random, but the “joy as fuel” framing made me think of little creative breaks—like messing around with a quick fun ghibli ai style thing—then getting back to the real work with a bit more softness.
The line about standing on the shoulders of greatness landed for me—there’s a real tension between honoring elders’ work and making room for new tactics without everyone feeling dismissed. Also glad the newsletter names anti-racism organizing plainly rather than hiding it behind softer language. Side note: I’ve noticed a similar “how do we surface what’s out there?” question in tool directories like hrefgo, but it feels way more meaningful when it’s about connecting communities and not just products. Curious what feedback loops they use with grantees to shape future strategy.
Sixty-four grants to long-standing grantees is such a specific choice, and I appreciate that it centers organizations that have already been doing the unglamorous, consistent work. I’m also wondering how they’re thinking about pacing for folks—organizing is a marathon, and even event planning can become its own grind; I sometimes use this site to figure out how much time I’m actually committing to when I stack “just one more thing” onto my week. Anyway, excited to see how the Celebration of Grassroots Organizing turns out.
I liked that the newsletter doesn’t frame hope as vibes—it’s tied to specific relationships and strategy, which is harder work. The bit about finding joy and resilience in daily organizing also felt honest; people burn out when everything is treated like an emergency forever. Weirdly, it reminded me of how small routines can keep you steady—like zoning out with BlockBlast for ten minutes—then coming back to the big stuff with a clearer head.