Meeting the Moment, Despite the Mess
Perfection can’t get in the way of progress when it’s all on the line.
What happened in November was not okay. You know it, I know it, and we can all agree: we simply cannot keep doing the same things over and over again if we want different results.
Immediately after the election, many folks involved in RootsCamp participated in closed-door meetings where folks tried to digest the results and piece together what happened. These so-called autopsies have their place, but ultimately, many voices weren’t in those conversations—namely, many of the folks who were in the States and implementing the strategies and tactics at play. Many of us kept wondering what THEY had to say, what they learned and what lessons they would bring to the table.
That's why we decided to resurrect RootsCamp. And if you’d allow me a moment of vulnerability, it’s why we decided to do it quickly and not wait months to make sure everything was perfect. Putting on something like this is a big deal– and we know YOU know that; you’ve worked on programming, conferences and even past RootsCamps. But when we looked at the autopsies and the state of play in our movement, we knew we had to bring people together, even if it wasn’t perfect.
The challenges of this environment mean some of the decisions were suboptimal but necessary to bring people together for meaningful, open, warts-and-all conversations while the lessons are still on the minds of those who did the work. Despite those challenges, over 300 people are expected to attend RootsCamp, and most of the folks who will be with us will have their attendance subsidized either wholly or partly through our scholarship program.
It’s costly to do something like this and do it as quickly as we spun it up. While we know that the price has been something on the minds of many, we were prepared to seek the sponsorships and donations that would allow us to underwrite as many attendees as possible. We want you to know that we’re on track to do so for roughly half of the attendees.
RootsCamp is going to be such an impactful conference for so many. We wanted to share some scholarship recipients' stories and reactions so you can see what WE are witnessing.
“I am trying to motivate those around me, but every objection I encounter makes me less confident. I would love to be around other movement leaders to grieve 2024 and be inspired for 2025.”
“Ultimately, I see this as an invaluable opportunity to both contribute to and learn from the vibrant network of individuals committed to making a difference. I’m ready to bring back what I learn to further empower my work and continue advancing justice for all.”
“I would like to know and understand what precisely happened in the 2024 election and what we can do to prepare for the fight to save the soul of our nation for the next four years.”
“I want to hear from progressive leaders, meet organizations that are doing work to support reproductive rights, economic mobility, and democracy, and connect with field campaigns that may need support.”
These are the words of the people we need in this fight. These are the words of those who will be on the front lines of our many battles to come. These are the words of emerging leaders who will help us find new solutions, strategies and tactics to connect with the communities we need to mobilize.
We need you in this with us. We need you at RootsCamp to bring together folks at EVERY level to talk with one another, innovate with one another, and leave RootsCamp with the next steps and actions that will propel our movement forward.
Our work is often messy, under-resourced, and, therefore, suboptimal, which can be very frustrating. These truths are never more evident than when EVERYTHING is on the line, like in this moment.
Much like the movement itself, RootsCamp has always been messy and beautiful, but through that messiness and beauty, we’ve always come together to co-create and innovate.
We hope you will join us and participate in the conversation from February 6th through the 8th.