[Organizer spotlight] new programs & new faces!

Meet Briana, Alisa and Laura Hey {NAME} – I don’t reach out often but some of you might know me! I’m Matt and I help lead Groundwork’s efforts here in Massachusetts. I’m so excited we are taking a moment to spotlight our new fellows! Joe and Emily asked me to take a moment to share with you what their eight-week fellowship entails. Take a look: - Intensive training curriculum to prepare young organizers so they can pursue careers in this field, and do community and voter engagement work year-round. - Deep dive sessions with experts on the craft of organizing. - 10-20 volunteer hours a week with a local political campaign or other organizing effort in their community. - 1:1 mentorship with both the Groundwork team and senior organizing leaders in Massachusetts. It is our ultimate goal to build a strong cohort community and offer a supportive, intentional, broad spectrum and dynamic environment where our fellows feel comfortable to learn and lead. We are also proud to do what we can to ensure economic constraints are not a barrier for participation. We’re paying our fellows for their hard work and time – because it matters! It costs approximately $36,000 to get our first cohort through our eight-week program. [If you want to help financially support programs like this and others, chip in now.]( [$150 = 1 day sponsorship]( [$750 = 1 WEEK SPONSORship]( [$1,500 = 2-WEEK SPONSORSHIP]( [$6,000 = Full Term Sponsorship]( A few days ago we introduced you to Lizet and Channel. Now meet the rest of our incredible Groundwork Massachusetts Youth Organizing Fellows below! Thanks, Matt – Matt Kearney (he/him) Massachusetts Organizing Director Groundwork Project --------------------------------------------------------------- Why did you want to be a GWP organizing fellow this summer? What are you most excited about? "I want[ed] to be a GWP organizing fellow this summer because I thought it is interesting to be part of politics and it is always great to learn something new. Especially coming from a town that doesn’t really focus on politics more than they should is a great way for me to be able to break that cycle and to have people my age to understand what politics is really all about. It's very important to help the community gain knowledge and understanding. Especially when that means our voices will be heard more if we focus on the primary as if it’s the presidential election." What do you wish more elected officials and political candidates understood about your generation? "I wish they could understand that we are learning more than back in the day. Due to technology, everything is advancing. We should start teaching the young generations about what really goes on in politics and stop having a fear that politics is nothing but a scam." [Read Briana’s full interview here.]( [READ IT HERE]( ⚡Briana’s Lightning Round ⚡ ⁂ Your ultimate hero ⁂ My mother ⁂The self care practice you can’t live without ⁂ 'What did I learn about myself YESTERDAY? What can I do TODAY to help me lead to TOMORROW? TOMORROW is where I will succeed.' ⁂ Favorite podcast or book at the moment ⁂ Bailey Sarian True Crime Stories ⁂ Song you’re playing on repeat right now ⁂ Belle! Belle! by Naika ⁂ Exciting summer plans ⁂ Visiting my parent’s house and spending time with my younger siblings. --------------------------------------------------------------- Why did you want to be a GWP organizing fellow this summer? What are you most excited about? "I wanted to be a GWP fellow to get exposure to the inner workings of campaigns and figure out whether or not I wanted to work in politics. It was always my dream to run for a local office, and being a Groundwork fellow is the perfect opportunity to learn about politics within a supportive community of diverse and passionate people. This summer, I am most excited to explore the intersection between politics and activism, strengthen my base skills to be an asset to campaigns, strengthen my relationship with the rest of my cohort, and ultimately, grow the passion I have for organizing." What do you wish more elected officials and political candidates understood about your generation? "I wish more elected officials understood my generation's adaptability, endurance, and strength. There seems to be a consensus that people from my generation are unserious, lazy, and disconnected from the real world. I would argue that the people who believe this just haven't found ways to communicate, understand, and empathize with my generation. People from my generation rather participate in tactics to have an immediate change in their lives or sign a petition than get involved with politics because they feel that the current elected officials don't care about their opinions, wellbeing, or vote. It's more than just posting a Tik-Tok to reach my generation, it's being plugged into local non-profits and showing that your word has weight and that you value our vote as much as any others. Above all else, my generation is constantly adapting and dealing with change, so I believe if political candidates prove that they are willing to be more flexible in terms of meeting younger generations, halfway then maybe my generation and political candidates wouldn't be at odds." [Read Alisa’s full interview here.]( [read it here]( ⚡Alisa’s Lightning Round⚡ ⁂ Your ultimate hero ⁂ Audre Lorde ⁂The self care practice you can’t live without ⁂ Reflecting on my week and giving myself credit when credit is due ⁂ Favorite podcast or book at the moment ⁂ Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur ⁂ Song you’re playing on repeat right now ⁂ “Confidently lost” by Sabrina Claudio ⁂ Exciting summer plans ⁂ Camping for the first time. --------------------------------------------------------------- Why did you want to be a GWP organizing fellow this summer? What are you most excited about? "It piqued my interest for youth organizing. I am most excited about learning something new and that I do not know." What do you wish more elected officials and political candidates understood about your generation? "I wish that they were doing more grassroots appearances and making the populace feel like they have a vested interest in them." [Read Laura’s full interview here.]( [READ IT HERE]( ⚡Laura’s Lightning Round⚡ ⁂The self care practice you can’t live without ⁂ Music and Meditation Daily ⁂ Favorite podcast or book at the moment ⁂ Psychology in Seattle ⁂ Song you’re playing on repeat right now ⁂ "Call me Everyday" ⁂ Exciting summer plans ⁂ Spending time with my three year old son Amar’e --------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------- >Founded by Joe Kennedy III, Groundwork Project invests in year-round, local community organizing in places Democrats have gotten used to writing off. With a focus on Appalachia, the Deep South, and the Plains, we support local advocates and activists working to build durable political infrastructure and secure power for those historically excluded. 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