Dear John,

We’re sitting with a strong mix of emotions today as votes continue to be counted.

First, we want to thank and appreciate all of the state legislators who have run for office and are committed to building a brighter future for this country and your communities. You’ve chosen to lead during a moment of deep political division in this country, and your leadership is needed now more than ever.

We also are sitting with the grief, pain, and frustration that many voters feel as the country has given what looks like an unapologetic victory to a growing extremist force in American politics.

We always have and always will fight for a thriving multi-racial feminist democracy, from the states outward.

More than ever, we understand that states hold the mantle of a fragile democracy on their shoulders. State legislators - in red and blue states alike - will bear the brunt of responsibility to protect their communities from harm. In many states, legislators have already been working to beat back Project 2025 priorities that are actively being field-tested by extremists. We’ve done this before and unfortunately, we will need to continue this difficult defensive work. We have lived, and some of us have governed, in times of active, intentional chaos and violence instigated at the federal level.

But defensive work alone won’t win us the future. We know that true transformation demands more than resistance – it requires our active partnership with legislators to turn bold visions into reality. When communities and legislators work as true partners, we build solutions that address problems and transform lives.

We have worked with state legislators for 10 years and know that if you want to see a hopeful vision for the future, you must look first to the states.

SiX has designed the events, spaces, and resources below to hold you, state leaders, in your full humanity while acknowledging that all of us will continue to hold the full weight of American democracy on our shoulders. We are prepared to help you combat authoritarianism, build relationships, and focus on long-term building to win the future we all deserve.

Are you ready to fight for the future?

Join the largest post-election convening of state legislators at SiX’s National Conference, December 11-13 in Atlanta, Georgia. We’re convening over 600 state legislators and movement leaders in the cradle of the Civil Rights movement to chart a new course for our country. Our workshops and mainstage speakers are focused on how to build community power, even in the face of rising authoritarianism. And we’re committed to providing space for our healing and decompression, to grapple with varied impacts on the federal election along lines of race, gender/gender identity, and sexual orientation.

Are you a newly elected state legislator?

Join SiX and Sister District for our New State Legislator Jamboree! This event will help electeds from different states build meaningful relationships and share resources, and will connect experienced elected officials with newcomers for practical discussions on how to prepare for their first legislative session.

Are you a returning state legislator?

We invite you to SiX’s “Post-Election Legislator Mobilization Space.” During this time we will offer an election analysis; examine the threats and opportunities given the new state legislative makeup; provide space for legislator breakout conversations with colleagues in similar political climates; and share the resources you need for governing in the 2025 legislative session.

Are you concerned for your safety and security as an elected official? We’ve curated these resources to help you navigate decisions to protect your physical and mental health while serving in office.

Are you ready to fight back against Project 2025? You can watch this webinar we recorded earlier this year to learn more about this defensive effort.

Our state legislatures will continue to hold tremendous power: both leading innovative and lasting collaborative change and fighting against extremist attacks. As we move toward the necessary repair work after this election, we will remember that change starts in all 50 states. Together, we will continue shaping a country that works with the people, creating a more inclusive, just, and equitable future.

In Power,

Neha Patel and Jessie Ullibarri
SiX Co-Executive Directors