Tola Organizing Academy

Community Organizing training to individuals: in 2023 we began a recruitment effort to identify individuals in riverside county who were interested in grass roots Organizing. By reaching out to community groups, colleges, and local organizations, we recruited 10 individuals to be involved in the intensive training program. A few of the individuals started in december 2023 and the full cohort of participants began first week of january 2024.

Climateto appropriately address the rapidly worsening climate crisis and break the stranglehold of oil and gas interests on bold, equitable and accelerated climate policy in California, the Organizing and leadership Academy (Tola) and the climate center launched a pilot grassroots educational powerbuilding campaign. Our goal was to identify, educate, organize, and empower neighborhood climate leaders to mobilize youth and other occasional voters in their district.over the duration of the program ending in early 2023, Tola recruited a full-time staff of 3 individuals who in turn recruited 48 part-time staff and an additional 12 volunteers. Phoning was augmented by a "paid phoning service" to reach a broader target of voters. These individuals, mostly young people of color, made 103,849 calls, sent 4,510 text messages and knocked on 1,188 doors. They identified 7,378 individuals who indicated they would support a climate champion and another 307 who indicated a possibility of supporting a climate champion. Of the people who were supportive, 887 agreed to place a lawn sign in their home (all were delivered), and 313 people indicated a willingness to volunteer at some point. In addition to direct voter education work, two mailers were sent to voters:fires brochure to 20,890 women living in northern sacramento county between 30-45 years old.water brochure to 20,890 women living in northern sacramento county between 30-45 years old.

Polling of latino residentsconducted nonpartisan research in California's central valley and inland empire to determine what issues are important to latino residents. The polling, conducted in english and spanish, provided important information regarding how latinos receive information (tv, radio, newspapers, friends and family, internet etc. ).our research, in conjunction with communities for a new California provided the first of its kind research to find why some latino registered voters don't vote. This nonpartisan polling information has been shared with community organizations in the central valley and riverside county to help facilitate voter outreach and community engagement.