Arena Community,

This is not the email I wanted to write. 

The results of yesterday’s election are devastating, and I know that our community is feeling a range of emotions – grief, sadness, anger, fear, uncertainty. Concerns about what a second Trump term holds are manifold, and they are real. 

To those of you who fought on the frontlines, thank you. Your work matters, and we are proud of the ways you stood up for our shared values, our democracy, and our future. 

For many of us, the pain of losing the White House is all consuming. But that loss does not – and should not – diminish the work we did this cycle and the victories we notched last night. Arena-trained staff powered more than 600 races this election cycle and many of them we won – from Josh Stein’s gubernatorial victory in North Carolina, to Angela Alsobrooks’ Senate win in Maryland, to Pat Ryan’s House victory in New York, to dozens of critical state and local races around the country. This community powered victories at the federal, state, and local level, and these wins will be more important than ever in a new Trump era.

You will be important, too, as we fight from the ground up to preserve our rights, our freedoms, and our democracy. 
   
We don’t know what the future holds for our country, and that is unsettling. But we do know that Arena will be here to help build it. This organization was born in the crucible of the 2016 election and served as an incubator for the ideas, leaders, and organizations that met that moment. We offered a space where thinkers and doers and donors could come together to breathe new life and vitality into our democracy. And we will do that again. If you are able to support those efforts, we invite you to contribute here.

We will have more to say in the coming weeks about larger convenings, but today I want to direct you to these Arena resources that can help you now: 

1. This Thursday, at 6 p.m ET, Arena will be hosting a Community Listening Session. This is an opportunity to collectively process and discuss the events of this election cycle. Together we’ll talk about how we’re feeling in this moment, acknowledge our hard work, and lift up and support each other in what comes next.
   
2. The Arena Community Slack is a place for ongoing conversation and ideation. Please join us there to find camaraderie, comfort, and collaborators. Join here >> 
3. The Arena Job Search Accelerator is a resource for campaign staff in transition. We know that, for many of you, your top concern is finding your next job. This series will help you find the strength to stay in the work and direction for your career search. Register here for free >>
   
4. We’ve drafted a four question survey to help us better understand how we can support you. Let us know how Arena can help you meet this moment >>
   

At times like these, we all have a choice: to despair or to do – to sit on the sidelines or to get back in the Arena. We invite you to join us in the Arena.

In Solidarity,

Lauren Baer
Arena Managing Partner