This is your WFP May Newsletter, and we’re so excited to share what we’ve been up to lately in our fight to build a country where everyone can thrive.
Read on to learn how WFP members like you are making a difference and for ways to get involved this month.
May Elections Update
Coming off of April’s major wins in Chicago and Wisconsin, WFP supporters and activists are working hard to elect champions for working people in Pennsylvania, Texas, and Colorado.
This month, we are throwing down for dozens of candidates in municipal primaries and judicial races in Pennsylvania, including Helen Gym for Mayor of Philadelphia and Sara Innamorato for Allegheny County Executive!
The Philadelphia Inquirer wrote about the state of the mayoral race and our movement’s work to elect truly progressive representatives: “Gym remains strongly positioned. She was endorsed by the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers, and is backed by a coalition of well-organized progressive groups. Among them is the Working Families Party, which has teamed up with four other organizations to knock on about 300,000 doors to boost Gym.” — that’s more than the number of people who voted in 2019’s mayoral election.
.png "Photo of Helen Gym and WFP supporters.")
In Allegheny County, we’re supporting Sara Innamorato’s campaign for good jobs, safe communities, and housing for all with a $261,000 ad buy — helping spread her message to voters in a competitive six-way race.
In Texas, we’re getting out the vote for eight amazing candidates and two ballot measures — one of which is on the ballot alongside a bad-faith measure designed with the same name and nearly identical language to deceive voters and reduce police oversight.
And in Denver, we’re preparing for June runoffs after a strong showing last month that convinced local news site 5280 to name the WFP in their list of “Winners” of the primary elections.
California Working Families Party to Host Forum with Senate Candidates Barbara Lee and Katie Porter
With a U.S. Senate seat opening up in California next year, working families have a chance to have a major impact on this race — and on what progressives nationwide are able to accomplish for the next decade.
The California Working Families Party is excited to host a virtual U.S. Senate Forum featuring Representatives Barbara Lee and Katie Porter on Thursday, May 11th at 6pm PT! The CAWFP Senate Forum will be held virtually via Zoom and broadcast to numerous watch parties across the state.
This election is a monumental and historic one. You won’t want to miss it!
.png "CAWFP Empowering the Electorate Forum and Watch Parties. U.S. Senate Candidates Barbara Lee and Katie Porter. Photos of Rep. Lee and Rep. Porter.")
Join us for the CAWFP Senate Form
WFP Activism Wins in New York
When Governor Kathy Hochul nominated anti-worker, anti-abortion, and anti-racial justice Judge Hector LaSalle for New York’s Chief Judgeship earlier this year, the NYWFP and allies sprung into action to gather thousands of signatures and letters opposing the pick. After a historic battle, the State Senate voted down the nomination.
And last month, Governor Hochul made a new nomination — progressive Judge Rowan Wilson! NYWFP’s State Director Sochie Nnaemeka celebrated the choice, saying: “Judge Wilson has a proven record of standing up for and defending the rights of workers, those who have been wrongfully convicted, and people impacted by gun violence.”
While the state budget finalized early this week fails to tackle the affordability crisis and rolls back civil rights protections, we were able to secure some important wins for our democracy and our communities including start-up funding for New York's public financing program, the inclusion of key elements of the Build Public Renewables Act, a gas ban on new construction, and a nominal increase to the state's minimum wage.
Lastly, we're saying goodbye to New York Working Families Party State Director Sochie Nnaemeka as she leaves her role to welcome her second child! Sochie has masterfully led the NYWFP since 2019, ensuring that the organization not only survived attacks from bad actors like Andrew Cuomo, but grew and thrived. Read the full profile and interview in The Nation to learn more about what the NYWFP has accomplished under Sochie’s leadership.
Celebrating International Workers Day
May 1 marks International Workers Day, or May Day, a celebration of radical working class solidarity and protests for workers’ rights. The story of May Day in the U.S. started 137 years ago with nationwide strikes, a bomb thrown, conspiracy trials, and more.
Read the full story here.
Spotlight on WFP Member Nathanael Honoré
.png "Photo of Nathanael Honoré")
I grew up in New York, which is a fusion voting state, so WFP was always on the ballot, but I didn’t learn about the party’s goals and electoral strategy until high school. WFP is the first organization that I’ve volunteered with. I frequently appear on The Political Mike, a current events news podcast, but I’d been wanting to get more involved with grassroots advocacy, and WFP offered me the space and ability to do that.
As a volunteer, I am a reply specialist and builder with the text team. I also work with the Spanish text team to translate messages for Latino voters. I’ve learned just how much goes into creating the texts we send and how necessary it is to be able to work together quickly to make sure voters are well informed and aren’t scared away from voting for progressive candidates. I’ve appreciated how many opportunities I’ve been given to work with leaders of the text team.
I haven’t been able to build relationships yet, but there’s plenty of time and opportunity to do so. One opportunity is with the study group, where I’ve been able to hear different perspectives from members around the country.
I am a dues-paying member. I think it’s important to back up what I believe. Since I support the WFP’s central goal of empowering working people, I should do what I can to make those goals a reality, and that means paying dues to financially support the WFP’s operations.
Upcoming Events
Welcome Gathering
On Saturday, May 20, join WFP members old and new for our monthly Welcome Gathering! On the call, you’ll have the chance to meet people who share your vision of a world where we can thrive, and not just survive — and learn how you can get involved in making that vision a reality.
RSVP
Study Group: Reading for the Revolution
In May’s edition of the WFP Study Group: Reading for the Revolution, we’ll be discussing Disability Visibility: First-Person Stories from the Twenty-First Century, edited by Alice Wong. As a group, we’ll talk about what the book means for our work and how we can grow a more inclusive movement for everyone.
RSVP
WFP Text Party
Help get out the vote for Helen Gym for Mayor of Philadelphia at our Tuesday Text Party on May 9 at 6 PM ET! Whether you’re a first-time texter or an experienced pro, you can make a real difference by sharing our message with voters and let them know about the WFP champions on their ballot.
RSVP
Thanks for catching up with us! As we work hard to get out the vote in our May and June elections, we need your support to keep up the fight.
Can you pitch in $10 or whatever you can to help fuel our organizing and help elect transformative leaders in May?
Pitch in
Thank you,
All of us at the Working Families Party
