WE ARE
POPULAR
DEMOCRACY
50 grassroots organizations across 34 states and DC, who unapologetically demand transformational change for Black, brown and low-income communities. We upend politics as usual to forge a representative, multiracial government and society where we all thrive - no exceptions.
Our six guiding principles are designed to light the path to achieving governing power.
Cultivate Future Leaders through Recruitment, Training, and Development:
Through our network-wide training program, we engage thousands of activists in learning experiences focused on scaled base-building. We are committed to equipping emerging leaders with the skills, knowledge and tools to engage their communities and drive impactful national campaigns and civic engagement efforts.
Build a Strong Network:
We are a network of grassroots organizations who are at the forefront of transformative change. We drive significant wins across local communities and national campaigns, advancing our shared vision and making bold strides in key legislative battles. Together, we’re building a powerful coalition that acts decisively for a better future.
Harnessing Culture for Collective Power:
We integrate culture as a strategic force to connect deeply with our Black, brown, and working class communities. Through a compelling visual identity and creative collaborations with artists, we amplify our collective strength and impact. Our powerful cultural experiences and events build meaningful connections and sow the seeds of our theory of change.
Advancing Knowledge for Strategic Impact:
By distilling our extensive research and insights into compelling visual and digital formats, our network utilizes valuable tools that help us make sense of the political landscape by identifying who, where, and how we need to grow our base to achieve governing power.
Building Narrative Power for Impactful Change:
We harness the power of narrative to expand social and political imagination, move people into action and build public will for transformative change. Through popular education and thought leadership, we amplify the voices and stories of people in our communities and create a powerful echo chamber for lasting impact.
Build a Strong and Resilient Popular Democracy Network:
We build strong and resilient organizations through continuous assessment and thoughtful process improvements that center our commitment to sustainable and strategic stewardship. By aligning our fundraising, fiscal management, budgeting, compliance, and administrations with our core priorities, we ensure that every aspect of our operations support our mission to upend politics as usual to forge a representative, multiracial government and society where we all thrive, no exceptions.
What Popular
Democracy looks like:
OUR DNA
Climate Emergency Advocacy
We successfully pushed the Biden Administration to prioritize the climate emergency, resulting in historic investments in climate. After years of organizing and community advocacy, the Inflation Reduction Act became a commitment to green and sustainable alternatives to foster low-carbon energy projects. The IRA and the fight to protect workers from the hazards of rising temperatures and worsening storms, has centered environmental justice in the national conversation, highlighting the urgent need for sustainable policies that protect our communities and planet.
Wage and Labor Rights
In Florida, we raised the minimum wage to $15 per hour, lifting over a million households out of poverty. Additionally, we secured 12 weeks of paid family and medical leave for 2.6 million individuals in Colorado and provided paid sick days for 50,000 gig workers in Seattle, Washington—the first such policy in the nation.
Economic Justice Achievements
In New York, we won $2.1 billion for excluded workers, $2.4 billion in emergency rental assistance, and a tax increase on the ultra-wealthy to fund public education and critical services. These victories have provided significant financial support and stability to those most in need.
Housing Rights Campaign
Our House Every One campaign launched the first national initiative for affordable housing, partnering with representatives like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Delia Ramirez, and Senator Bernie Sanders to introduce the Green New Deal for Public Housing Act and a bill that would create the Social Housing Development Authority. We also moved Biden to propose a 5% cap on rent increases by corporate landlords
Healthcare Funding
Together with our affiliates and allies, we secured $7 billion for health worker jobs and $30 million for harm reduction in the American Rescue Plan. These funds have strengthened the healthcare infrastructure and provided critical support to those combating the opioid crisis and other public health challenges.
Immigrant Rights Protections
We made occupational licenses available in New Jersey regardless of immigration status, protected DACA recipients nationally, and prevented harmful anti-immigrant policies in five states. These actions positively impacted nearly one million immigrants, affirming their right to live and work with dignity.
Educational Reform
We terminated Milwaukee’s contracts between city police and public schools, disrupting the school-to-prison pipeline for over 77,000 students. Similar victories were won in Nevada and the Salem-Keizer and Pittsburgh school districts, ensuring safer and more supportive learning environments.
Digital Organizing Innovation
We launched The Louise Jefferson Initiative, a game-changing digital tool designed to enhance hyper-local outreach for nonpartisan voter turnout, voter registration, and voter protection programs. This initiative has significantly increased our affiliates' capacity to engage voters and protect their rights.
Historic Voter Turnout
During the 2020 elections, we contributed to a historic turnout of Black, Indigenous, Latinx, and young voters. Our efforts included making 31 million calls, sending 12 million texts, and knocking on over 600,000 doors, ensuring that marginalized voices were heard at the ballot box.
Eviction Moratoriums
We secured eviction moratoriums in states like California, Florida, and New York, protecting over 17 million at-risk tenants from losing their homes during the COVID-19 pandemic. These moratoriums provided critical relief and stability to vulnerable families during unprecedented times.