EVENT SERIES

State Bridges Program

Building Bridges for Progressive Power

The State Bridges program activates Sister District volunteers across the country to fundraise for organizations leading year-round power-building work. Collectively, we can lift each other up and work toward building progressive momentum in future state elections.

We know that progressive victories are possible when we support local power-building organizations and the activists that lead them. This type of work is so important because it helps foster civic engagement that translates into voter participation. Year-round organizing helps people connect the dots between the issues they care about and the importance of building political power.

That way, when a candidate or campaign comes by asking someone to vote, the voter already feels connected to civic life. They do not have to be persuaded to participate just weeks out from an election, because they already understand their role in building political power and how to wield it in ways that benefit their lives.

The State Bridges program creates a way for the Sister District community to fundraise for select partner organizations doing this work in critical swing states.

The strategy is clear

With greater resources, our partner organizations on the ground can do more, which will lay the groundwork for our candidates to win on Election Day and to build progressive power in the long term. By building progressive power in state legislatures, we can take decisive actions to combat voter suppression, protect reproductive rights, enact justice reforms, and abolish the death penalty.

This year, Sister District will hold two virtual fundraisers to support 8 State Bridges partners. Each event will be hosted by Sister District volunteer teams and feature special guests from our partner organizations. The interaction during State Bridges events gives us an opportunity to learn more about what’s happening on the ground in these critical states. Check out the recordings of our past State Bridges events below!

How do we choose the organizations we support?

We evaluate organizations for inclusion in our State Bridges program in consultation with leaders and activists on the ground. To be featured in this program, organizations must be organizing year round in a Sister District target state. We prioritize organizations that organize and advocate at the state legislative level, and that are led by Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC), women and/or young people.

While the State Bridges program partners with a select few organizations every year, our Affiliates program is always looking for progressive organizations interested in supporting Sister District’s progressive candidates. 

Have questions about State Bridges, Sister District Affiliates, or other programs? Please, feel free to contact us using this form.

2024 Events

February 7: Fundraiser for Michigan & Wisconsin

WATCH THE RECORDING

March 13: Fundraiser for Arizona & Pennsylvania

WATCH THE RECORDING

Catch up with our partners:

In 2023, the State Bridges Program supported 8 grassroots organizations who are building sustained progressive power across 5 critical states: Virginia, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Nevada, and Arizona. In this blog post, we highlight achievements, testimonials, and goals of the partners we supported this year.

Recordings of 2024 Events

State Bridges 2024: Michigan and Wisconsin

Sister District was proud to hold a fundraiser in February of 2024 to support the work of Mothering Justice, We The People Michigan, Citizen Action of Wisconsin, WISDOM to build progressive power in Michigan & Wisconsin. The event was hosted by Sister District Greater Chicago, Yolo, and CA Peninsula.

Transcript | Slides

State Bridges 2024: Arizona and Pennsylvania

Sister District was proud to hold a fundraiser in March of 2024 to support the work of LUCHA, RAZA, PA Stands Up, and PA United to build progressive power in Arizona & Pennsylvania. The event was hosted by Sister District MA-RI, Portland, Sacramento, San Francisco, and South Bay.

Transcript | Slides

2024 State Bridges Partners

New Virginia Majority logo with an orange circle with a sunrise outline inside

New Virginia Majority was founded in 2007 in response to the failure to pass federal comprehensive immigration reform. Today the organization works to create a powerful multi-issue, multiracial movement to transform Virginia through large-scale civic engagement, issue advocacy, and strategic communications and community organizing. New Virginia Majority organizers have knocked on over 1 million doors, engaging not only immigrant voters, but people of color, women, working class people, and youth. They have grown into a statewide organization with particular focus along Virginia’s urban crescent.

One APIA Nevada is a 501(c)4 grassroots, non-profit organization dedicated to uniting and supporting the Asian Pacific Islander Americans in Nevada. They advocate for progressive policies that benefit members of the AAPI community. One APIA’s work includes electoral organizing, voter education, and year-round base-building across Nevada. Their affiliated charity organization, the Asian Community Development Council, offers a wide array of services to help Nevada’s AAPI community thrive, including leadership development, voter registration and education, health clinics, and food clinics.

Mother Justice logo with "mothering" in purple with the outline of a pregnant woman in place of the "o"

Mothering Justice is a grassroots policy advocacy organization that provides mothers of color in America with the resources and tools to use their power to make equitable changes in policy. They know that the experiences of mothers of color must be at the center of policy, organizing, and communication in order to address the health and economic disparities they face. Mothering Justice is dedicated to improving the quality of life for families in Michigan by empowering mothers of color to take action on policy on behalf of themselves and their families.

We The People Michigan logo of a fist inside a four-sided diamond outline

We the People Michigan works to build long-term deep organizing infrastructure focused on local and regional issues that impact communities across Michigan. They work to keep elected officials and corporate and elite actors accountable for the roles they play in shaping policy landscapes. They work to foster stable, long-lasting alliances across urban, suburban, and rural communities that are explicitly multi-racial with a racial justice lens. They facilitate space for relationships, dialogue, and shared strategies across diverse communities.

Citizen Action of Wisconsin is dedicated to economic, racial, and environmental justice, and to achieving a Wisconsin and an America where every human being has an equal opportunity to live a meaningful and fulfilling life. Citizen Action believes that organizing is a critical pathway to unlocking the true potential of democracy to fundamentally transform our society in the human interest and overcome structural racism, sexism, xenophobia, corporate domination, and other forms of oppression. Citizen Action’s theory of building power in Wisconsin is to work on big issues that can be the basis for creating a community of interest across the state. The pathway to progressive power in Wisconsin is multiracial organizing that bridges the urban/rural/suburban divide.

WISDOM is a state-wide grassroots interfaith organization that includes participation from 160 congregations of 19 different religious traditions. Since its founding in 1988, WISDOM has grown to include 13 affiliate organizations across the state of Wisconsin. They work on campaigns fighting for immigrant rights and to correct the narrative around formerly incarcerated individuals, and much more. WISDOM leads the ROC Wisconsin campaign, an effort to end mass incarceration in Wisconsin. Members and local affiliates have also been active in promoting immigrant rights, economic justice, public transit, and health care access. 

Pennsylvania Stands Up logo in orange with two hands of different shades shaking hands

Pennsylvania Stands Up was founded in 2018 with the goal of building a multiracial movement of working people committed to creating a Pennsylvania that works for everyone. They have allowed for several grassroots organizations and campaigns across the state to combine forces, deepen their involvement, and scale up their work to build people power across Pennsylvania. Over the years, PA Stands Up has made tremendous gains across the state, developing nascent resistance groups into lasting grassroots infrastructure in areas where there had been little to no progressive investment. By investing deeply in membership development and new organizing tactics, PA Stands Up has created one of the strongest independent organizations in the country.

Pennsylvania United, formerly known as Pittsburgh United, is a grassroots organization with member-led chapters that build power for working-class families in Western PA. They believe the only way to combat division is to rebuild progressive organizing infrastructure in the communities that have experienced historic disinvestment from both economic opportunities and organizing resources. They work every day to develop long-term organizing relationships that reconnect working-class people to power, and to build a multiracial working-class movement for statewide change. They organize with people by connecting issues with politics and building a multiracial, working class movement for long-term change.

LUCHA logo of a Luchador's or Mexican wrestler's mask in blue and while

Living United for Change in Arizona (LUCHA) is a membership-led, grassroots organization that builds power with Arizona’s working families to advance social, racial and economic justice for all. Through grassroots campaigns, leadership development, advocacy and civic engagement, they work to create an Arizona in which every person enjoys equal rights, opportunities and protections. LUCHA engages in voter registration and education, and advocates for progressive policy at all levels of government. They also provide empowerment services to immigrant communities, including citizenship classes, English classes, and the tools needed to navigate the immigration system.

Rural Arizona Action (RAZA) seeks to create more equitable and just systems through advocacy, accountability and leadership training in rural Arizona communities. RAZA was founded as a response to the lack of resources and year-round civic engagement opportunities available in rural Arizona. RAZA and Rural Arizona Engage, their affiliated 501(c)3 organization, educate, advocate and coordinate in rural communities to build communities of educated, empowered and engaged voters. RAZA develops long-term organizing capacity and creates professional development opportunities for rural organizers.

Past Years

Our 2023 State Bridges Partners:

Living United for Change in Arizona (LUCHA), Rural Arizona Action (RAZA), One APIA Nevada, Pennsylvania Stands Up, Pennsylvania United, New Virginia Majority, Citizen Action of Wisconsin, WISDOM

Our 2022 State Bridges partners:

Living United for Change in Arizona (LUCHA), Rural Arizona Action (RAZA), We The People Michigan, Mothering Justice, One APIA Nevada, PLAN Action, The NC A. Philip Randolph Education Fund, Carolina Federation, Pennsylvania Stands Up, Pennsylvania United, Citizen Action of Wisconsin, WISDOM

Our 2021 State Bridges partners:

Living United for Change in Arizona (LUCHA), Florida Rising, New Georgia Project Action Fund, We The People Michigan, Mothering Justice, The NC A. Philip Randolph Education Fund, Pennsylvania Stands Up, Texas Organizing Project (TOP), New Virginia Majority, Citizen Action of Wisconsin

Below you’ll find past recordings of 2021, 2022, and 2023 events. Also check out our Instagram for updates on these organizations!

State Bridges Organization(s)Date of EventRecordingTranscript
Living United for Change in Arizona (LUCHA) & Rural Arizona Action (RAZA) March 29th, 2023VideoTranscript
One APIA NevadaMarch 8th, 2023VideoTranscript
Supporting PA Stands Up & Pennsylvania UnitedFebruary 22nd, 2023VideoTranscript
Supporting Citizen Action & WISDOMFebruary 8th, 2023VideoTranscript
New Virginia MajorityJanuary 25th, 2023VideoTranscript
One APIA Nevada and PLAN ActionApril 20th, 2022VideoTranscript
The NC A. Philip Randolph Education Fund & Carolina FederationApril 13th, 2022VideoTranscript
Citizen Action and WISDOMMarch 30th, 2022VideoTranscript
Pennsylvania Stands Up and Pennsylvania UnitedMarch 16th, 2022VideoTranscript
We The People and Mothering JusticeMarch 2nd, 2022VideoTranscript
LUCHA and RAZAFebruary 2nd, 2022VideoTranscript
Mothering Justice and We the PeopleAugust 12th, 2021VideoTranscript
Pennsylvania Stands UpAugust 3rd, 2021VideoTranscript
The New Georgia Project Action FundJuly 20th, 2021VideoTranscript
The North Carolina A. Philip Randolph Education FundJuly 1st, 2021VideoTranscript
Citizen Action of WisconsinJune 14th, 2021VideoTranscript
LUCHAJune 1st, 2021VideoTranscript
Florida RisingMay 19th, 2021VideoTranscript
Texas Organizing ProjectApril 29th, 2021VideoTranscript
New Virginia Majority April 7th, 2021 VideoTranscript