Hi team,

Just wanted to check in with you. We hit the road bright and early today for our second day in Alabama. Yesterday took us to Huntsville, Birmingham and Brookwood. Today, we’re spending most of the day in Montgomery, checking in with advocates who are lobbying the state legislature on critical issues, meeting some key local electeds – and squeezing in some good Southern food wherever we can. It feels really good to finally meet face-to-face with so many of the organizers and leaders we’ve connected with virtually over the last year.

Being here on the ground just reinforces what we’ve seen over and over again since Groundwork launched: the progressive organizing capacity of this so-called red state is enormous. They need and deserve the investment to scale and sustain their work. If they get it, they’ll change the political map for every single one of us.

I’m almost at the State House for our next meeting, so I’d better log off. Thanks for coming along on this trip with me.

Joe

P.S. Our Sourthern Organizing Advisor Charles is the lucky guy stuck in the car with me all week. Here we are attempting to record a video for Groundwork’s social media platforms. Needless to say, it took a few takes…