Power to Win:
In 2023, The Action Lab convened the Power Working Group, a cadre of seasoned and brilliant organizers, along with our partners at The Forge organizing journal and NYU’s Initiative for Community Power, to begin a process of reflecting on how to close the gap between the degree of power Left progressive organizations hold and the scale of our ambitions. The Power Working Group designed and executed a research project to give organizers a platform to share their insights about how we, the big we, can correct course and evolve our work.
As a part of the project, we conducted 100 in-depth interviews and we collected 184 comprehensive surveys from progressive organizers across the country. Participants in the research included experienced leaders in social justice organizations, organizers with at least 3 years of experience, academics who have studied the movement, funders who support base-building work, and other practitioners in the field. Their insights and honesty shaped this report.
The findings highlight some tough realities. They also elevate widespread alignment on a range of high value and high impact adjustments that will strengthen our work and help us to build the power to win. Our research also showcases the incredible dedication and creativity of progressive leaders who continue to push forward despite challenges. We hope this report will help us all understand how to better organize and utilize our collective resources to achieve our common goals.
Sign up for The Action Lab’s newsletter to stay engaged with our Power to Win report!
Join the Action Lab mailing list
Sign up for our newsletter so you can keep up to date with upcoming events and get involved in the ongoing work of all our initiatives.
