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Barbara Lee Shares Vision for Education

By Homepage, January 20, 2024, Progressive Champions

It was a packed house for Our Revolution’s Education for All Town Hall with Barbara Lee at the Bayview Opera House in San Francisco on Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday.

Barbara laid out her vision for education in California and beyond — and her historic run for U.S. Senate. 

“There is no place for the profit motive in public education,” she said. “Education is about enriching our young people. We can’t let corporations and billionaires run our schools. It’s so important we elect progressives at all levels of government to push back.”

Barbara was joined on stage by Our Revolution Executive Director Joseph Geevarghese, CA Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, and many local officials, educators, students, and parents active in the fight for educational justice.

Special thanks to Our Revolution’s local chapter, San Francisco Education Alliance for organizing this inspiring and successful event!

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2024 California Voter Guide

By Homepage, January 20, 2024, Progressive Champions

Local power matters. We refuse to let the far right take over school boards and critical down ballot seats that directly impact people’s lives.

Bernie Sanders founded Our Revolution to build power from the bottom up, and we’ve helped elect more than 1,000 progressives at every level of government. 

We know strong city and state leadership is the last bulwark for the working class against the rise of rightwing and corporate extremism — and that’s why we’re rolling out exciting new slates to build progressive power in 2024.

First, as you know, Our Revolution is working overtime to make sure Barbara Lee becomes the next U.S. Senator from California. This week, she snagged a key endorsement from McClatchy papers, including the Sacramento Bee. 

“Barbara Lee stood out from the rest. Her independence, her perseverance in fighting for the underdog and her life experiences set her apart,” the endorsement reads.

As Rep. Lee heads up our California endorsements, and with ballots due to hit mailboxes around Feb. 5th, Our Revolution is proud to announce our Sacramento County Progressive Power Slate! 

Sean Frame for CA Assembly (District 6)

Dr. Flo Cofer for Sacramento Mayor

Katie Valenzuela for Sacramento City Council (District 4)

Mai Vang for Sacramento City Council (District 8)

Roger Dickinson for Sacramento City Council (District 2

Murad “Moe” Sarama for Sacramento County Office of Education (Area 4)

Our slate of champions are taking on anti-union and pro-school privatization opponents and running on strong platforms of progressive change.

In addition to growing progressive influence on the California Assembly and building a progressive majority on Sacramento City Council, we are endorsing 13 progressives running for important seats on the Democratic Party of Sacramento County Central Committee:

District 1 – Andrés Ramos, David Lee Mandel, Mohammad “Mo” Kashmiri, Shirley Toy, Fatima Malik, and Tamika L’Ecluse

District 2 – Justin “J.D.” Garcia

District 3 – John D. Kincaid

District 4 – Chris Yatooma

District 5 – Lee “Marsha” Miller, Monica Madrid, Randa Allathkani, and Yassar Dahbour

Help Our Revolution elect progressive champions in Sacramento County by donating here.

In San Francisco, a group funded by corporate billionaires has pledged to spend $850,000 in the Democratic County Central Committee Candidates race opposing our slate of diverse, progressive leaders:

Assembly District 19 – Sandra Lee Fewer, Greg Hardeman, Natalie Gee, Connie Chan, Frances Hsieh, Gordon Mar, Leah LaCroix, Queena Chen, Hene Kelly, and Mano Raju

Assembly District 17 – Sydney Simpson, John Avalos, Michael Nguyen, Jeremy Lee, Peter Gallotta, Anita Martinez, Jane Kim, Joshua Rudy Ochoa, Sal Rosselli, Gloria Berry, Vick Chung, Patrick Bell, Adolfo Velasquez, and Kristin Hardy

These candidates have a real shot at winning and holding these seats and continuing to build a strong progressive bloc that gives our movement power and leverage to advance our progressive priorities against the political establishment.

We need to continue our transformation of the California Democratic Party from the inside out. Click here for more info about this slate on our new web page!

We are pleased to announce endorsements for Judges Michael Begert and Patrick Thompson of the San Francisco Superior Court.

Rightwing forces are trying to push tough-on-crime judges, and we need to support fair, impartial judges and preserve the independence of the San Francisco judiciary.

Our Revolution has endorsed a total of 95 candidates in California, and counting!

You have already met our slates in Sacramento – where we can elect Sean Frame to the CA Assembly and win a progressive majority on the City Council – and San Francisco, where we’ve endorsed two judges facing right-wing “tough on crime” opponents in addition to many candidates running to transform the party.

Now, we’re excited to introduce you to the slates of progressive candidates endorsed by Our Revolution in Alameda and Contra Costa counties and Southern California!

We are running a massive GOTV operation on the ground, on the phones, by mail and through voter to voter conversations. Chip in to help us build progressive power in California and beyond this election year.

In addition to Barbara Lee and Lateefah Simon heading up our Alameda County Progressive Power Slate, Our Revolution is proud to endorse two candidates for CA State Senate, Marisol Rubio (D-9) and Jovanka Beckles (D-7), and Jennifer Esteen for County Board of Supervisors (D-4).

Our slate of champions are taking on anti-union and pro-school privatization opponents and running on strong platforms of progressive change.

And, we have 30 progressives (!) running for important seats on the Democratic Party of Alameda County Central Committee in Districts 14, 16, 18, 20 and 24.

This is how we push back against the establishment and make the party more democratic, transparent, and responsive to the grassroots. 

Click here to visit our website to learn more about our entire Alameda County Progressive Power Slate!

In Contra Costa County, folks can vote for Jovanka Beckles and Marisol Rubio for State Senate because of overlapping districts, but they can also cast a ballot for Monica Wilson for CA Assembly in District 15.

These candidates have a real shot at winning and holding key seats to build movement power and leverage that advances our progressive priorities against the political establishment.

We also have great candidates seeking to do just that if elected to the Democratic Party of Contra Costa County Central Committee:

District 1:  Cameron Sasai, Jamin Pursell, Devin T. Murphy

District 2:  Marisol Rubio, ​Alexandria Marisol Rubio-Talavera

District 4:  Leslie Baxter, Michelle Simone, Ena Silva, Laura Patch

We need to continue our transformation of the California Democratic Party from the inside out. Click here for more info about this slate on our new web page!

Alex Mohajer is running for CA State Senate in the 37th Senate District, representing his hometown in Orange County. An LGBTQ+ civic leader, Alex will make history as the first openly gay legislator elected from Orange County and the first openly gay Iranian man elected anywhere in the world.

Our Revolution is endorsing Sade Elhawary for CA State Assembly (District 57). An educator, organizer, and foster parent, Sade is the eldest daughter of immigrants who is deeply committed to transforming underserved communities.

Our Revolution supports Tina McKinnor for CA State Assembly (District 61). She has served as Chief of Staff to several Assembly members and led the passage of over 100 bills, including historic legislation that gave the California legislative staff the right to unionize and collectively bargain for the first time in the state’s history.

Nithya Raman is the most progressive choice for LA City Council (District 4). Nithya has worked to remedy extreme poverty in India and started a grassroots volunteer program in her community in Los Angeles which reduced the number of unsheltered homeless in her district for the first time in years.

For Pasadena City Council, we’re endorsing Jonathan Horton (District 3) and Brandon Lamar (District 4), the former 3rd VP of the Pasadena NAACP and Chair of the Human Relations Commission of Pasadena.

As the 2024 elections get into full swing, we’d love to hear from you about candidates our members are excited about! Email our political team at political@ourrevolution.com to nominate candidates for Our Revolution’s endorsement.

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The Peace Town Hall

By Homepage, Policy Fights

On Thursday, U.S. Reps. Barbara Lee and Rashida Tlaib joined Our Revolution activists from around the country for a powerful discussion on the urgent need for a Ceasefire at our Peace for All Town Hall.

WATCH THE TOWN HALL HERE

Not only did we lift up the call for Peace, but we dug into real diplomatic and legislative solutions — including Bernie’s call to halt more than $10 billion in military funding for the rightwing Netanyahu government.

We hope you’ll add your voice to stand with Bernie and show the strength of our demand:  The U.S. government must stop using our tax money to fund this brutal war against the Palestinian people. Not one more dollar.

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U.S. Rep. Barbara Lee has been on the forefront calling for a Ceasefire and is one the most courageous anti-war advocates in all of Congress — just one of many reasons Our Revolution is working so hard to elect her to the Senate.

Jewish Insider mentioned Barbara’s “unequivocal ceasefire in Gaza” and how it’s garnering progressive support in their reporting on Our Revolution’s Peace for All Town Hall.

Barbara has actually visited refugee camps in the Middle East and nearly stepped on a cluster bomb in Lebanon — later, finding a bomb casing that read “Made in the USA.”

“I came to understand the dynamics and the United State’s role in the Middle East,” she said. “And, since then, wherever I am or what platform I have, I’m going to fight for peace and security for people no matter where they live — Gaza, Ukraine, and our own communities.”

“I believe in security, but I don’t believe in taking our resources and tax dollars to enrich arms dealers that are scamming the system and creating war,” Barbara told us.

We all know about Barbara’s lone vote in Congress against the authorization to give President Bush nearly unlimited war powers to go into the disastrous conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan — a vote that resulted in death threats at the time but was vindicated by history.

But Barbara is also the only candidate running for Senate in California who voted against the PATRIOT Act and drone strikes in Libya — and always votes to slash the bloated Pentagon budget. She also serves as co-chair of the Global Peace and Security Task Force in the Progressive Caucus.

Our Revolution was proud to announce our endorsement of U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib we’ve had her back since the beginning, and we’re going to fight against the dark money targeting her in her race for re-election in 2024.

Rashida is the daughter of Palestinian immigrants and one of our most fearless progressive leaders in Congress — always standing on principle for peace, people, and planet no matter the cost.

Rashida was recently censured by her rightwing colleagues in the House of Representatives for her outspoken advocacy for the Ceasefire — but she’s not backing down!

“This is about speaking truth to power no matter if our voice is shaking,” she told our Peace Town Hall on Thursday. “We can’t stop fighting to save lives. The answer to war crimes is not more war crimes.”

The Resolution for a Ceasefire introduced by Rep. Tlaib and Rep. Cori Bush has grown in support from 13 to more than 60 members of Congress and we must keep going.

Rashida emphasized the importance of outside organizing to pressure elected leaders to do the right thing. “Every time I see all of you out there — whether it’s rallying or standing outside district office or making calls to your reps — it all makes a difference and it just makes me cry,” she said, welling up with tears.

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Stand with the Pro-Peace Progressives

By Homepage, Progressive Champions, Take Action

Looking to the battles ahead in 2024, we know we must defeat the far right in the Presidential election while also electing more progressives to Congress — folks like Barbara Lee, who will be a powerful partner for Bernie Sanders in the Senate.

Our movement will also need to unify to defend progressive allies who have become a target of powerful lobbying groups hoping to oust them from office.

AIPAC is getting ready to spend over $100M to try to replace pro-peace members of Congress like Rashida Tlaib, Ilhan Omar, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Cori Bush, Summer Lee, Jamaal Bowman, and Ayanna Pressley — at a time when 66% of Americans want our government to work toward a ceasefire. 

Last week, the Republican-led House of Representatives voted to censure Rashida Tlaib – the only Palestinian-American in Congress – for her support for civilians in Gaza and the West Bank, which has earned her relentless slander from her colleagues in Washington and the press.

SIGN NOW to protect our hard-won progressive caucus from cynical dark money and rightwing attacks. The working class can’t afford to lose the power of these seats.

In September of 2001, Barbara Lee cast the lone “No” vote in Congress against a blank check for war in Afghanistan. She endured death threats, hate mail, and media slander for years. But history vindicated her.

Today, Barbara Lee is the only candidate for U.S. Senate in California calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. Check out this LA Times article on why Barbara is the Peace Candidate in this race compared to her opponents Katie Porter and Adam Schiff.

VOLUNTEER FOR BARBARA LEE

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2023 General Election Recap

By Homepage, Progressive Champions

Our Revolution endorsed more than 100 candidates for elected office at all levels of government, and over 74% won, thanks to our grassroots supporters and activists!

Bernie Sanders started Our Revolution to engage folks in the political process and grow power from the bottom up — and that’s exactly what we’re doing.

Our candidates ran strong progressive campaigns, and your donations powered millions of direct voter contacts — email, texts, calls, and more — to mobilize voters to elect progressives coast to coast.

In his post-election analysis, John Nichols said on Democracy Now that Tuesday’s results show “a much more progressive country than a lot of the pundits would tell you. In election after election, people voted for abortion rights, labor rights, and progressive values.”

“This is a very powerful reminder that there’s a route forward. But it isn’t a route of concession,” Nichols said. “It’s a route of activism and engagement with communities that are rising up and saying they want a different direction, a more progressive direction, for this country.”

Read all about our 2023 victories below – but first! – if you can, please kick in a few bucks to help us staff up and gear up for the big elections ahead in 2024!

We’ve added Pittsburgh to our list of progressive cities with the election of Sara Innamorato into the powerful seat of Allegheny County Executive.

We backed Sara as she beat big money back in May to win the primary and now she forms a progressive trifecta in the city with Mayor Ed Gainey and U.S. Rep Summer Lee, whom she ran alongside successfully for PA House back in 2018 with Our Revolution’s support.

As County Exec, Sara will lead the second-largest county in Pennsylvania and have the power to help protect abortion care, push for county-wide housing, and address human rights violations in the county jail.

Great news out of Virginia, all of our candidates won — holding the State Senate, flipping the State House, and forming a bulwark against Gov. Glenn Youngkin to maintain Virginia as a bastion for reproductive rights in the South.

Winners include Nadarius Clark, Rozia Henson, Adele McClure, and Joshua Cole for Virginia State House; and Jennifer Carrol Foy, Stella Pekarsky, and Lashrecse Aird for State Senate.

We didn’t overlook any progressive candidates in Virginia, including Steve Descano who won Fairfax County Commonwealth Attorney, and Parisa Dehghani-Tafti who won Arlington County Commonwealth Attorney.

Abortion wins in Ohio! Organizers fought hard to get out the vote and shut down the rightwing playbook — passing Ohio Issue 1 to enshrine abortion rights in the state Constitution.

After the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, a small but loud group of deep-pocketed extremists took to the states, determined to gut abortion laws. But the resistance has been successful.

Marijuana legalization also passed in Ohio, showing that Democrats need young folks and progressives to hit the ground and drive voter turnout.

Looking ahead to 2024, we’re already kicking off organizing around Fair Maps to fend off Republican gerrymandering schemes in the Buckeye State.

Our Revolution candidates are taking over city councils in Ohio!

Congrats to OR members Trevor Elkins, who won Newburgh Heights Mayor, and Kim Mann, the newest member of Fairview Park City Council! Jan-Michele Lemon Kearney also won a seat on the Cincinnati City Council.

And, there was an exciting victory for our entire slate in Hilliard, Ohio, where progressives have now taken control of the City Council, including Cynthia Vermillion, Emily Cole, and Greg Betts!

“Progressives took control of the Minneapolis City Council” – Star Tribune

All 9 Our Revolution Twin Cities candidates won, taking over the City Council in Minneapolis:  Jeremiah Ellison, Elliot Payne, Jason Chavez, Aisha Chughtai, Katie Cashman, Soren Stevenson, and Robin Wonsley.

In St. Paul, progressives snagged City Council victories with Mitra Jalali, Nelsi Yang, Anika Bowie, Saura Jost, and Cheniqua Johnson.

We’re also growing progressive power in Duluth, MN, where Our Revolution candidate Wendy Durrwachter won a tight race for City Council. If we win one more seat, Democrats will have control of the council.

Wendy is a single mother, restaurant worker, and accomplished composer — and she will bring a necessary working class perspective to the council:  “When something needs to be done, I step up and do it. I’m not afraid to call out those who abuse their power.” 

Victories in the Seattle area!

As corporations broaden their dark money fundraising networks into city council and school board races, we need working-class champions ready to confront them head-on.

That’s why we were proud to endorse this winning slate of progressive candidates in Washington state! Our slate winners include Charles Adkins for Everett School Board, Tammy Morales for Seattle City Council, and Teresa Mosqueda and Jorge Baron King for King County Council.

 Our Revolution stood with Izola Shaw in her run for Rockville City Council At-Large and we are proud of her victory. Our organizers made more than 15,000 voter contacts in her district and turned out the progressive vote for this great candidate!

OR Member Izola Shaw was chair of the Montgomery County Racial Equity and Social Justice Advisory Committee, helped found the County’s Racial Equity Network (MORE), and helped pass the Racial Equity and Social Justice Act. 

She has worked with the County Executive on public works, policing, rent stabilization, and environmental protection through the Rockville City Academy.

Our entire slate of candidates won in New York City, making the council even more progressive to advance our priorities in the Big Apple!

These winners include Carlina Rivera, Althea Stevens, Amanda Farias, Tiffany Caban, Lincoln Restler, Jennifer Gutierrez, Crystal Hudson, Chi Osse, Sandy Nurse, Alexa Aviles, Shahana Hanif, and Rita Joseph.

And, the whole Our Revolution-endorsed Ithaca Solidarity Slate was victorious — Jorge DeFendini and Phoebe Brown won re-election to the Ithaca Common Council, and Kayla Matos won her race to join them on the council.

This is exciting news out of Ithaca, where these progressive council members can make a real difference in the everyday lives of working-class folks in the community.

In Onondaga County, Maurice Brown won a seat in the legislature with a pledge to confront vital community issues like the lead crisis, high housing costs, and unreliable public transportation.

These are the races that determine the direction of cities and help us build progressive power at the level of government closest to people’s lives.

Our Revolution member Jared Evans was re-elected to the Indianapolis City Council with 53% of the vote in a district that Trump Republicans won in 2022 and which city media predicted would go Republican again.

We’re getting many Republicans to vote Democrat for the first time because progressive policies offer real material improvements to people’s lives and because of the direct voter mobilization operation that our grassroots donors make possible.

Jared has been a strong progressive ally in Indianapolis, fighting for higher wages, good jobs, and more for the blue-collar neighborhoods he serves in District 17 — and we are proud to have his back!

Our Revolution endorsed Sheila Jackson Lee for Houston Mayor, and on November 8th she got enough votes to make it to the runoff against John Whitmire — a Democratic defector who sides with radical Republicans on voter suppression and racist policing policies. 

U.S. Rep. Jackson Lee is a long-time member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, and she’s a fighter for Medicare for All, the Raise the Wage Act, and the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act.

As the next Mayor, she’s committed to promoting policies to expand healthcare, create good jobs, increase affordable housing, promote safe and reliable public transportation, and protect the city from climate disasters.  

She’s also been endorsed by SEIU Texas, the Communications Workers of America, and other key Our Revolution allies. 

The above wins from last Tuesday come on top of major victories earlier this year as Our Revolution has been blazing a path for progressive cities.

In April, we helped elect progressive Mayor Brandon Johnson to take the helm in Chicago – where he already delivered on a promise to raising wages for tipped workers in the city.

Our Revolution teamed up with One Fair Wage this year to make sure everyone gets a living wage and tipped workers aren’t left behind.

And, our organizers were key to winning a progressive majority in St. Louis with new Board President Megan Green joining progressive mayor Tishaura Jones in Cori Bush’s congressional district.

They’re taking on developers in a fight for affordable housing, and they’ve already passed a universal basic income pilot program!

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