Tom Morello Honors His Mom's Legacy: How You Can Join the Mary Morello Memorial Project

When Tom Morello announced the Mary Morello Memorial Project earlier this month, he was doing more than grieving his mother in private. He was inviting all of us into her story and calling everyone to continue the work she spent seven decades pursuing. Mary Morello passed away at 102, leaving behind an incredible legacy of activism. As a teacher and lifelong advocate for social justice, she fought against Jim Crow laws, supported workers and unions, opposed apartheid, and stood with movements for change across continents and generations. That spirit of service shaped everything Tom became, both as a musician and as an activist.

The memorial project isn’t just a charity drive. Sure, donations are going to eight organizations Mary cared deeply about—the UFW Foundation, Doctors Without Borders, The Midnight Mission, Jail Guitar Doors, and the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund among them. But the Morello family is asking for something bigger. They want people to do what Mary did: volunteer, protest, speak up, create art and music that matters, and help people in their own communities. From now through October 1st, which would’ve been Mary’s 103rd birthday, folks can share their efforts on social media using the hashtag @MaryMorelloMemorialProject.

This is what it looks like when activism becomes a family legacy passed down to the next generation. Tom’s entire career has been fueled by the values his mother taught him, and now he’s opening a door for all of us to step through. Whether you donate, volunteer, march, or create—whether you’ve got deep ties to one of the organizations or you’re just looking for your own way to make a difference—Mary’s life shows us that change comes from people who refuse to give up. What cause would you fight for if you had seven decades to spend on it?