Program areas at Harness Community
Poderistas is a platform, a Community and a movement, transforming latina culture and identity toward one of empowerment and civic engagement; voting becomes an essential part of the empowered 'poderista' lifestyle. Poderistas fuels latinas with the information and inspiration that builds their confidence, while giving them tools and resources to make sense of the world and their power in it. By bringing culture and lifestyle content together, we've built a unique space that builds trust with our Community through content and programming - from wellness and entertainment, to careers and financial literacy - a wide variety of themes and topics that is important to latinas. We then leverage that built trust to change behavior with direct and ongoing calls for civic engagement.we develop regular 356 content and programming that seeks to build trust and confidence and develop specific campaigns during election seasons (presidential and midterm years).in 2022 poderistas executed the following programs and initiatives:content/programming: 365 posting of lifestyle and civic engagement content that served to inform, celebrate and motivate our Community to Harness their power and become more civically activesalud y poder: an initiative focused on mental health and wellness that included content and virtual convenings.voice + action= poder: a comprehensive mid-term election campaign targeting a thriving and growing latina electorate - our audience of young, educated women who are the primary drivers of their household decisions, and influencers in their networks and families. The campaign utilized digital content, an online voter portal, and media; virtual and in-market events, partnerships with like-minded organizations, strategic press opportunities and a 360 activation of our networks.#poderistastakedc: took 40+ latinas in our network to dc for a sit-down with key officials to discuss the most pressing issues for latinas and to hear about the policies being developed to support the Community; we alsopoder circle book club: a book club focused on 'words with impact and featuring latina authors; to date we have over 2,000 members
Ride to the polls, our joyful national gotv campaign, built upon the ride that protect the sacred (pts) led in 2020. The 2022 ride to the polls was national in scope, mobilizing bipoc communities around the country to ride to polling locations in their own style (e.g. Skateboards, lowrider cars, bicycles, motorcycles) and activated voters through art, media, storytelling, and on-the-ground activations to combat disenfranchisement efforts and protect the right to vote. The focus for this campaign was bipoc youth ages 16-35, though our content reached many demographics outside of this target group.in our civic engagement work, Harness uplifted health and justice issues in all of our on-the-ground organizing, digital storytelling and media initiatives. Please visit httpsvimeocomshowcaseharness2022 for uplifting and inspiring examples of our work and see sample press coverage below. Our activations included:- ride to the polls launch salon in los angeles featuring a conversation between amplifier co-creative director cleo barnett and Harness programs manager and protect the sacred founder allie young about art as activism and a critical driver of civic engagement- skatepark activations in kayenta, az and northern new mexico for native youth voter education, registration and gotv- quince to the polls in partnership with jolt Texas to mobilize latinas nationwide to gotv, engaging over 100 members of the alameda county/san antonio Community and gaining over 2 million media impressions nationwide- solidarity ride in monument valley with Community leaders, organizers, influencers (including dayhenoa yazzie and cast members from yellowstone) and horseback riders from the compton cowboys and connecting compton to leverage shared cowboy culture for gotv efforts- election day ride on the navajo nation- bus and mural tour with Harness artists to gotv in critical counties
This year's protect the sacred native youth summit convened 27 native youth leaders from across the country on november 1, with a focus on civic engagement, the 2022 midterm elections and participation in ride to the polls. Panels highlighted native and non-native national leaders and experts on voting rights, social justice issues at stake in the upcoming elections and the impact on native communities. Presenters included oglala sioux tribe president kevin killer, ethel branch of navajo hopi covid relief, prairie rose seminole (indigenous fellow for the national parks conservation association), actor gary farmer of reservation dogs, margaret faliano of illuminative and youth leader angie diaz.