Power 2020

The long-term goals of this cohort include developing the individual leadership of each participant with a guiding practice towards transformative organizing, expanding and sustaining the national footprint of the participants’ leadership, and providing the space for participants to contribute to our national strategy and research agenda.

From the cohort it is evident that there is a widespread recognition that the traditional strategies and activities used for electoral work are usually only meant to build short term victories. It was also evident that our local partner political directors are hungry for new ways of approaching the work that sustains long-term power building. We were able to leave the space with a deep foundation of trust in each other; a recognition that the expertise that we need to build different strategies and
culture are within this community; and that our ambitions to continue the work extend beyond this singular space but into in our day to day implementation of the plans.

Majority of participants are people of color, women, and under 35 years old. All participants have more years of experience (paid or unpaid) in social justice movement work overall than they do in electoral/civic engagement strategies specifically. Part of the reflection on this data point from participants was that many of them were agitated after Trump’s victory to understand and engage in civic engagement strategies for movement building.

Members/Partners:

California

  • Diana Colin, Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA)
  • Lisa Hershey, Housing California

Colorado

  • Alex Galeana, CIRC Action Fund
  • Kevin Patterson, Colorado Peoples Action

Florida

  • Thomas Kennedy, Florida Immigrant Coalition / FLIC Votes
  • Dwight Bullard, New Florida Majority (NFM)
  • Amy Busefink, Organize Florida

Georgia

  • Marcus Ferrell, New Georgia Project

Michigan

  • Bartosz Kumor, Michigan People’s Campaign
  • Kenneth Whittaker, Michigan United
  • Ponsella Hardaway, MOSES / MOSES Action
  • Danielle Atkinson, Mothering Justice
  • Nkenge Burkhead, Mothering Justice

New York

  • Daniel Altschuler, Make the Road New York

Nevada

  • Ashley Garcia, Make the Road Nevada (MTR NV)
  • Lalo Montoya, Make The Road Nevada (MTR NV)
  • Amanda Khan, Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada (PLAN)

Ohio

  • Keizayla Fambro, Ohio Organizing Collaborative (OOC)

Pennsylvania

  • Ivan Garcia, Make the Road PA (MTR PA)

Texas

  • Brianna Brown, Organize Texas
  • Kimberly Olsen, Organize Texas
  • Gloria Villarreal, Texas Organizing Project (TOP)
  • Tarasha Hollis, Texas Organizing Project (TOP)

Virginia

  • Yaheiry Mora, CASA in Action

Washington

  • Olgy S. Diaz , OneAmerica Votes