Dear,

After 4 years of organizing and protests, we went to the polls this month for a historic election.

But you have to wonder: How was it so close? Why did this election come down to just a few thousand votes in several states? Worse, why were there millions of eligible voters who didn’t register and didn’t come out to participate in the democratic process?

It’s frightening to think about just how many people still believe that voter fraud swung this election, when there's absolutely no proof. Democracy only works with full, willing, and educated participation, and we're working toward that goal.

Courage California Institute has already kicked off the Your Power Is Your Vote initiative, and now we’re expanding to a voter-engagement program to build a record-breaking new generation of empowered voters. Please make a tax-deductible donation today.

This Giving Tuesday, you can help give the gift of democracy to future generations. Will you make a tax-deductible donation?

One of the true success stories from the 2020 election was about Georgia’s one million new voters, who changed the face of representation in the state.(1)

Georgia was able to achieve this record-breaking registration of voters by starting on the very first day after the 2018 midterm election, educating potential voters not just about the mechanics of how to register but -- more important -- how crucial their voices are to the democratic process.(2)

Nonvoters, especially Generation Z, say they don’t vote because they think that no matter who wins, nothing will change for them; candidates don’t listen to their issues; or the system is too broken to be fixed by voting.(3)

Outreach programs that start in the fall of an election year will never do enough to convince these nonvoters to vote -- which is why we are launching our ongoing civic-education program right this moment.

Courage California Institute’s initiative aims to help reach young people across California, ages 16 to 28, to engage them in the voting process. We’re going to build the next generation of voters by:

• connecting them to their representatives to help them to get their issues heard,
• exposing campaign-finance pathways and teaching them how to interrupt corporate power, and
• taking the veil off the legislative process so that these young people can understand their power in the system.

This is an ambitious project, but Courage California Institute is uniquely positioned in our state as a platform and pivot point for progressive organizations and leadership to get it done. We need your help to make this vision a reality.

This Giving Tuesday, will you make a tax-deductible donation to Courage California Institute to help empower a new generation of informed voters?

Yours in the fight for our democracy,

Jay, along with Angela, Annie, Caitlin, Deepthi, Gabby, Irene, Lindsay, Molly, Raquel, and Scottie (the Courage team)

Footnotes:
1. https://thehill.com/changing-america/respect/diversity-inclusion/525387-how-stacey-abrams-helped-get-out-the-black-vote
2. https://thehill.com/changing-america/respect/diversity-inclusion/525387-how-stacey-abrams-helped-get-out-the-black-vote
3. https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/non-voters-poll-2020-election/

Courage California (formerly Courage Campaign) makes sure our democracy works for ALL of us by fighting corruption in California politics. We believe the solution lies in exposing and solving systemic problems through strategic organizing, enhancing coordination between progressive organizations, and mobilizing civic engagement from our communities, particularly voters of color, young voters, and self-identified progressives. The Courage California Institute is the educational arm of the Courage California family of organizations. Our mission is to defend and extend human rights through innovative leadership development, training, strategic research, and public education.

Courage California Institute is a 501c(3) non-profit organization. Contributions or gifts to Courage California Institute are tax deductible within IRS guidelines.