Blog-stories

Blog-stories

How to build a nation, Scotland edition

In February 2011, a few months before Jesse and I were set to release NationBuilder, I received an email from a guy named Kirk Torrance. He had gotten wind of what we were up to and wanted to chat about his plan for the ...

Integrating new tech spurs action in Latin American politics

I was fortunate enough to work with three presidential campaigns fighting for El Palacio de Nariño (the Colombian equivalent of the White House) during the last round of elections in my beautiful home country of Columbia. ...

Top Three Finishers in CA District 26 Primary use NationBuilder

Eight states held primaries last Tuesday, including California. Primaries are especially competitive in California because of term limits and a unique open primary system where all parties are on one ballot and two winne...

Local candidates using NationBuilder win big

Last night, several municipal candidates earned victories in their local races. In Malibu, Laura Rosenthal was re-elected after sweeping the vote for Malibu City Council, while Robert Garcia, the city's first openly gay ca...

Using NationBuilder to engage the people who care about what you’re doing

In his first run for office, Dan Futrell earned a spot on the School Board of Somerville, Massachusetts, representing Ward 2—a district where 68% of the students are from low-income households. Prior to the election, Futre...

How community organizing tools help entertainers take control of their creativity

The art of community organizing is a hit in the entertainment industry. Artists looking for resources beyond a manager or agent have discovered new ways to directly connect with their audiences. Comedians Jamie Kennedy an...

The most surprising thing I've learned at NationBuilder

Stories are the key to organizing. I’m talking about authentic, personal stories in particular—in civic life, it’s public narrative; in spiritual life, it’s a testimonial. They give meaning to our experiences and help us c...

Blazing trails in the cannabis reform movement

Image courtesy of Wikipedia Numerous polls have shown increasing public support for decriminalization of marijuana. But public support alone isn't enough to change the law - you have to organize communities to win poli...

NYCLASS puts animal rights at the forefront of NY politics

Organizers with NYCLASS & Anybody But Quinn Last November, NYCLASS had a monumental victory. During the fall municipal election, organizers of NYCLASS persuaded over 40 candidates for city council and all but one c...