Holy Sh*t: Where Did All These People Come From?
Session Type(s): Panel
Starts: Thursday, Aug. 10 1:00 PM (Eastern)
Ends: Thursday, Aug. 10 2:15 PM (Eastern)
What happens when you wake up after Election Day, and your monthly donors have DOUBLED? Since Election Day, many progressive organizations have seen an unprecedented swell in interest and engagement from a whole new group of grassroots activists. From record-breaking fundraising and millions of people who are ready to take to the streets, here’s how four organizations from across the progressive movement are finding ways to capture the energy of the resistance and turn it into action.
Moderator
Bridget Todd
Bridget Todd (she/her) got her start teaching courses on writing and social change at Howard University.
Since then, she’s trained human rights activists in Australia, done strategy for organizations like Planned Parenthood, the Women’s March, and MSNBC, and ran a training program for political operatives the Washington Post called “the Hogwarts of the Democratic Party.”
Formerly, Bridget explored feminist activism on the podcast Stuff Mom Never Told You and produced a global salon with AFROPUNK, a music and culture festival, to where she hosted folks like Angela Davis, Ava Duvernay, and #MeToo creator Tarana Burke.
She founded Unbossed Creative, a media company that makes podcasts and other digital content to push the needle on social change. Her critically acclaimed podcast, There are No Girls on the Internet, debuted on iHeartRadio on July 7th.
Other sessions: Trolling for Justice: How Cheeky, Provocative Campaigns Can Lead to Progressive Victories
Panelists
Melanie Garunay
Melanie Garunay is the Digital Organizing Director at the ACLU, where she leads its grassroots organizing program, People Power. Previously, she worked as Deputy Director of Digital Outbound at the White House, Deputy Digital Director for Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid, and Outbound Producer for the 2012 Obama for America campaign. She is a native of Janesville, Wisconsin and received her bachelor’s degree from Brown University, where she was Editor-in-Chief of the Brown Journal of World Affairs.
Heather Holdridge
Heather has been with Planned Parenthood since 2011, currently serving as National Director of Digital Content and Campaigns team. Previously, she was VP of Digital at Fenton Communications, where she led the DC office’s digital practice. Earlier in her career, Heather served for four years as the director of political advocacy for Care2 and she was also a partner and online organizing director for the Carol/Trevelyan Strategy Group (CTSG), instrumental in developing and growing CTSG’s Creative Multimedia department, including serving as executive producer and co-writer for several Pollie-award winning campaigns.
Prior to Fenton, Heather served for four years as the director of political advocacy for Care2. She worked to connect Care2’s millions of members to non-profits doing political work and advocacy campaigns. She led the effort to develop Care2’s Election2008 Channel.
Heather was also a partner and online organizing director for the Carol/Trevelyan Strategy Group (CTSG), instrumental in developing and growing CTSG’s Creative Multimedia department, including serving as executive producer and co-writer for several Pollie-award winning campaigns.
Adrian Reyna
Adrian Reyna leads United We Dream’s groundbreaking technology, digital engagement and communications strategies. Under his leadership, the network has created new technology to help low income community organizers provide service and empowerment opportunities to immigrant youth and families, and has catapulted the digital presence of United We Dream – tripling the size of UWD’s online community. Born in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico, Adrian came to the U.S. with his parents at the age of 12 and grew up undocumented in Humble, TX, outside of Houston. In college, Adrian “came out” as undocumented and queer and has dedicated his life to helping others live as their full and authentic selves. Adrian now directs one of United We Dream’s largest staff teams where he brings his vision of a connected and vibrant network of formerly isolated and disempowered people into reality every day.
Other sessions: Immigrant Resistance in Red States