Democracy Champions: Connecting Democracy, Power and Kitchen Table Issues
Session Type(s): Training
Training Tag(s): Grassroots Organizing/Campaigns
Starts: Friday, Aug. 14 11:00 AM (Eastern)
Ends: Friday, Aug. 14 11:50 AM (Eastern)
To win on the issues that impact our lives—workers’ rights, environmental justice, racial justice, LGBTQ rights, immigration reform, etc.—we must have a base of activists who are passionate about their kitchen table issues to make the link to democracy reforms that will transform our elections. Protecting and expanding our democracy during these unprecedented times activism and engagement by all who want to defend democracy and build collective power. This session taps into the lived experiences of participants to connect the dots between the wealthy interests who use power to impede democracy for personal gain and the real consequences that we suffer. You’ll come away with an understanding of how corporations and the wealthy use their money and power to dominate the political system-and real action items you can engage in to build our collective power to win.
Trainers
Joanne Antoine
Joanne Antoine is a Haitian-American political organizer, strategist, and trainer who is working to strengthen our democracy and build political power amongst Black women within the Diaspora. Ms. Antoine currently serves as Executive Director of Common Cause Maryland where she oversees all aspects of the state’s operations and its policy campaigns, most recently leading Maryland’s statewide campaign allowing for same-day registration and voting at the precinct polling place on Election Day.
Ms. Antoine holds a Master of Public Policy and Bachelor of Arts in Journalism. She is the Founder of At the Forefront, working to build winning campaigns for women candidates of Caribbean heritage both in the Caribbean region and in the United States with a key focus on Diaspora Engagement as well as providing free trainings and resources for women candidates in Haiti.
Brittny Baxter
Brittny Baxter is the Training and Movement Building Coordinator for Democracy Initiative. She is responsible for the Democracy Champions training program and Bayard Rustin Democracy Fellowship Program for POC and LGBTQ folks that will be the next generation of movement leaders. Brittny has organized in various capacities over the past decade. Most recently, she was a Regional/Trainer in Broward County for the coordinated efforts to elect Andrew Gillum and the Winning Ticket. Prior to the 2018 midterm elections, she managed a statewide program in partnership with Re: Power (formerly Wellstone Action) to provide training for progressive Democrats, their campaign managers and grassroots organizers to run and win effective campaigns. She is also a trainer for the National Democratic Training Committee.
Brittny hails from the rustbelt city of Buffalo NY, where she cut her teeth on local and state legislative races. She is the former Upstate Legislative Organizer for New York Working Families, where she fought to mobilize and unite labor, EJ, racial justice and community groups across the state on various bills. She has worked on several issue campaigns, from environmental justice and safe staffing to the Fight for $15 and reproductive rights.
A strong supporter of labor and a former AFT organizer for NYSUT, she is committed to the fight for equity for all. “I stand with the poor, people of color, LGBTQ folks, immigrants and organized labor, because our liberation is bound together.”
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