Finding Actionable Hope in Today's Political Context, and WDN Action's Role
By Katrina Gamble, WDN Action Political Strategist & Founder of Sojourn Strategies
It may seem like everywhere you look, the political analysis is grim and getting grimmer. 2024 is not only a major election year in the United States, but consequential elections are happening across the globe, from Mexico to the European Union. There is extreme polarization within U.S. politics, where hard-won rights (like abortion access and voting rights) are steadily being dismantled. We’ve seen an accompanying rise in extremism within the United States, with an increase in white supremacist organizers and propaganda, the spread of anti-trans laws, and attempts to whitewash American history and culture within schools. The Biden administration’s handling of Israel’s war on Gaza, including the continued supply of weapons, has had devastating consequences, with over 34,000 people killed and millions more displaced. We’ve witnessed a growing movement to push for a shift in direction – from the ‘uncommitted’ vote efforts leveraging political strategy to the growing anti-war student protests across dozens of college campuses. The result is that we see a pulling on U.S. democracy from both ends – a government unresponsive to the people with life-threatening ramifications on one side and a rising and credible threat of authoritarianism on the other.
It’s tempting to view the dire social and political situation we are in and think things are intractable or allow our rightful worry about the future to lead to paralysis. However, it is actually a moment where WDN Action can serve as a guide toward actionable hope. Our clear and grounded strategy and years of deep partnership with organizations engaged in critical work provide a way for us to act in this moment. By moving resources (both people and dollars) in ways that protect democracy against threats of authoritarianism and build toward progressive governing power, WDN Action can help us move through this urgent moment toward the equitable future we envision.
In our conversations out in the field, we identified several opportunities that WDN Action is uniquely positioned to leverage and drive impact in 2024.
1. There is an anticipated rise of youth engagement in U.S. politics.
Many have conflated disillusionment with politics and candidates as disengagement among young people. However, recent studies indicate that young people are highly engaged in the upcoming elections, but sustaining that engagement and translating it into votes requires organizing led by trusted organizations. This rise in youth interest and engagement is a significant opportunity for the progressive movement in the fight against fascism and Trump. In 2020, we saw a notable increase in the turnout rate for young people, up by 8 points compared to 2016, and Brookings’ analysis found that the surge in the youth vote in 2020 was primarily driven by Gen Z voters. In 2024, the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE) at Tufts University's pre-2024 election survey found that 57% of young people (ages 18–34) say they are extremely likely to vote in 2024. The CIRCLE results also show that the youth vote will likely be a significant factor in the electoral outcomes for the presidential race and ballot initiatives in several battleground states, including Arizona, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Georgia, and Ohio. However, certain sections of the youth vote are less likely to say they’ll vote in 2024. Compared to 57% overall:
Black youth are 44% extremely likely
Non-white youth in rural communities are 48% extremely likely
And young people without college experience are 41% extremely likely to vote in 2024.
It is important to note these differences when thinking about organizational programs and infrastructure targeted at addressing these disparities in potential turnout. During the 2023 grant cycle, we heard from many youth organizations that they experienced a contraction in funding, so it will be especially crucial to ensure the progressive youth infrastructure is resourced to fully leverage the power of the youth vote this year.
2. Direct democracy opportunities are on the ballot.
Organizations and leaders are using the tool of direct democracy to push back against attacks on fundamental rights, especially on the issue of abortion access. Our long history of leadership on abortion rights and gender and racial justice organizing lens is set to meet this growing political movement on the ballot. The Ballot Initiative Strategy Center (BISC), a long-time WDN Action grantee, is providing critical infrastructure and strategic support across the country on these issues. States where there may be major ballot initiatives include Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Maryland, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, and New York.
In Arizona, efforts are underway to secure a constitutional guarantee for abortion access in the wake of a near-total abortion ban. Colorado, led by organizations such as COLOR Action Fund and New Era Colorado (both WDN Action grantees), and the Policy Council, is similarly pursuing a constitutional guarantee for abortion access. Florida’s initiative for a constitutional guarantee for abortion access just received a crucial decision from the Florida State Supreme Court, with pro-democracy organizations across the state showing strong alignment around the measure. The Nevada Supreme Court similarly allowed an abortion access referendum on the ballot to move forward, and organizations have already collected the required number of signatures across each district. Maryland is looking at a state legislative referral for its constitution, reflecting a broader strategy to embed reproductive rights within the state legal frameworks. Finally, Missouri, Montana, and New York are all moving toward constitutional guarantees for abortion, with New York proposing an Equal Rights Amendment-style ballot measure that includes abortion access.
In a moment where there is increased cynicism about politics and elections, these initiatives provide voters an opportunity to directly impact issues that are important to them. We’ve also seen from Ohio to Kentucky that abortion is an issue that drives voter turnout, especially among young voters. WDN Action is in close conversation with grantees leading these ballot initiative campaigns across the country, and we will continue to mobilize resources to support these leaders and movements. On June 17th, WDN Action is hosting a conversation about the ballot initiative landscape and exciting efforts to protect abortion.
3. We must address the enthusiasm gap among the Democratic base.
Since late 2023 and early 2024, there have been various reports and media stories about fractures or waning enthusiasm among the Democratic base, particularly among young people and Black and Latine voters.
Axios’ most recent Generation Lab Survey (February 2024) found that Biden got 52% support compared to 48% for Trump among voters 18- to 34-year-olds, compared to millennial and Gen Z voters supporting Biden by more than 20 points in 2020. Similarly, a New York Times/Siena College poll last October found 22% of Black voters in six battleground states said they would vote for Trump in the 2024 election. Of course, with several months between now and the November elections, many of these numbers could shift, but it is important to note that we are facing heightened concerns about the major challenges of engaging core parts of the Democratic base.
While the Biden administration’s handling of Israel’s war on Gaza has had a significant impact on his approval among young people, there are also several other long-standing issues feeding into the growing frustration with the democratic process, including climate concerns, unjust immigration policies, and particularly the economy (all of which pre-date October 7th). Given these trends of disillusionment among core parts of the Democratic base, it is important to resource organizations with deep experience organizing and working in these communities and adept at creating mobilizing strategies that can overcome these sentiments of cynicism. We’ve seen the strength in organizing rooted in community over and over again – from the transformation of the political landscape in Arizona built on a decade of movement organizing after SB1070 to the passage of Issue 1 in Ohio led by women leaders and young organizers of color. These organizations know their people best and are equipped to determine the most effective strategies to keep their communities engaged amidst growing disillusionment. WDN Action has developed deep and trusted partnerships with these organizations and leaders and is well-positioned to move resources (both people and dollars) to ensure partners have what is needed to move their communities past cynicism to action.
Catalytic Impact: How WDN Action Funds and Why
How WDN Action funds is another reason we are ready to meet the moment in front of us. Our focus on: (1) investing in emerging infrastructure to fill critical ecosystem gaps, (2) moving early and unrestricted dollars, and (3) having an expansive view of power has allowed us to help seed the infrastructure needed at this moment.
Investing in Emerging
Infrastructure to Expand the Field
A key strategy for WDN Action is to invest in emerging infrastructure and capacity. We were early supporters of several emerging 501(c)(4) organizations filling critical gaps in the progressive ecosystem over the last few years, including the Asian American Power Network, a national network of 501(c)(4) state-based organizations across the country focused on building progressive political power in Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities, Rural AZ Action (RAZA) in Arizona, which built infrastructure specifically to organize outside the major urban centers in the state, and Advance Native Political Leadership, the only national 501(c)(4) organization focused on building Native representation in political office. These are the type of investments over years that have primed our partners and the progressive ecosystem to meet this critical moment.
Moving Early and Unrestricted Resources
WDN Action has also driven catalytic impact by moving early and unrestricted resources. In 2022, WDN Action was one of the first 501(c)(4) funders to move grants to many organizations in a critical election year, allowing them to design strategy, train staff, and ramp up programs early. Even for organizations with larger budgets, early dollars allowed them to build out strategies and scale programs in a more sustainable way. These resources also allowed grantee partners to try innovative approaches that are aligned with the communities in which they operate. It is not only about the amount of funding but also how and when those resources move to organizations. Multiyear and unrestricted funding has been found to provide organizations with the ability to be more innovative and design programs that are most effective for their communities.
Building an Expansive View of Power
In major election years, there is often an outsized focus on federal elections. Another way WDN Action has influenced change is by investing in grantees that are also focused on shifting state and local power structures. There are multiple opportunities in 2024 where an expansive view of power provides an opportunity for impact from the ballot initiatives mentioned above to opportunities to shift the control of power in state legislatures, such as Arizona. These are opportunities to not only win elections but also provide the ability to influence policy outcomes and cultural narratives in ways that have transformative impact.
Join Us in Curating Actionable Hope
Our funding strategy – both this year and beyond – is bringing in those at the margins of our democracy; leveraging strategies that strengthen movements; and supporting ecosystems that build power for a multiracial democracy with gender, racial, and climate justice at the center. We are leaning into actionable hope and seeking opportunities to support our grantee partners in the fight ahead.
Early resources are critical to support our movement partners in accomplishing their goals. If you haven’t yet contributed to WDN Action, the time is now. Join us in meeting this moment.