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About RootsCamp

Who We Are

RootsCamp is more than a conference — it's a movement-building space where progressive organizers, campaigners, and changemakers come together to share real lessons, celebrate wins, learn from mistakes, and build power for the future.

Founded on the belief that the best ideas come from the people doing the work, RootsCamp operates as an "unconference" where participants set the agenda, lead the discussions, and shape the movement together.

What We Do

RootsCamp focuses on what happened in elections, what's happening in our movement work, and how we can collectively improve. We create spaces for:

• Sharing candid post-election analysis and lessons learned from the frontlines

• Discussing what worked, what didn't, and why—without corporate filters or institutional constraints

• Exchanging better and best practices that organizers can immediately implement

• Building a living repository of progressive organizing knowledge

• Connecting practitioners across organizations to solve common challenges

• Developing strategies to resist harmful policies while advancing progressive victories

Our content and events are designed to be practical, actionable, and grounded in real-world organizing experience. We believe that by openly sharing our successes and failures, we strengthen the entire movement.

The RootsCamp Experience

What makes RootsCamp different?

• Everyone participates, no one spectates. This isn't a place for passive listeners.

• The agenda evolves in real-time. While some sessions are pre-planned, new discussions emerge as needed.

• "Session hopping" is encouraged. If a conversation isn't working for you, find another.

• Knowledge is meant to be shared. Movements fail when people hoard information.

• Joy and community are forms of resistance. We create space for connection that fuels the long fight ahead.

Our History

RootsCamp has been a vital institution in the progressive movement for over a decade. After a hiatus, GAIN Power revived RootsCamp in February 2025 with an in-person gathering in Baltimore that brought together 325+ people representing 43 states and 161 organizations.

Led by Amy Pritchard and a dedicated team of movement builders, RootsCamp continues to evolve while staying true to its core mission of creating spaces where organizers can connect, strategize, and build power without rigid agendas or traditional hierarchies.

Join the Movement

RootsCamp isn't just for established leaders or well-known organizations. It's for anyone committed to creating change — whether you're a communications expert, digital strategist, field organizer, policy wonk, artist, street medic, or someone who just gives a damn.

The only requirement is a willingness to participate, contribute your knowledge, and learn from others.

What's Next

• Virtual RootsCamp (March 17-22, 2025): Building on the success of our in-person gathering, Virtual RootsCamp expands access to include everyone who couldn't make it to Baltimore.

• Ongoing Community Building: Follow this Substack for updates, insights, and opportunities to stay connected year-round.

Support Our Community

Become a paid subscriber today!

RootsCamp thrives because of community members like you who value this vital space for progressive organizing and movement-building. While we don't place our content behind a paywall, your paid subscription represents a commitment to sustaining this work.

Your financial support directly enables us to sustain this work, with most funding going toward paying our team. Your subscription helps us:

• Provide scholarships that make RootsCamp accessible to organizers from all backgrounds and economic situations

• Build stronger digital infrastructure for year-round community connection

• Cover the costs of virtual and in-person gatherings that bring our movement together

• Pay our dedicated staff organizers who do the hard work of building and maintaining this community year-round

If you've found value in RootsCamp—if you've made connections, learned strategies, or found inspiration here—please consider becoming a paid subscriber.

Those who can afford to pay help ensure that those who can't still have a seat at the table. This is movement solidarity in action.

Subscribe now using the button below or donate through the links in our recent posts to help build the progressive infrastructure we all need to win.

"There is no cavalry coming. We are the frontlines."

RootsCamp is fiscally sponsored and hosted by GAIN Power (GAINPower.org), while being driven by the broader progressive community. GAIN Power provides the infrastructure and support that enables this community-led event to thrive, but the heart of RootsCamp has always been—and will always be—the collective energy, wisdom, and commitment of its participants.

Join the crew

Be part of a community of people who share your interests. Participate in the comments section, or support this work with a subscription.

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