Building Transformative Campaign Culture with Nancy Leeds (CampaignSick) and Becca Rast (Jess King for Congress)

Published October 17, 2018

Women campaign managers are transforming the old boys club of transactional campaign culture. We’re joined first by Nancy Leeds of the infamous CampaignSick Tumblr, home of the memes that make us laugh til we cry… and then just keep on crying. Then Becca Rast shares about her transformative work as a campaign manager on the Jess King Congressional race in Pennsylvania, and how a long-term perspective can build healthy campaign culture and leave powerful organizing infrastructure behind after election day.

With the 2018 US midterm elections upon us, Healing Justice Podcast brings you the SURVIVING ELECTIONS miniseries to help us all survive this political cycle together.

This miniseries is sponsored by Groundswell Action Fund, resourcing visionary political organizing led by women of color, low-income women, and transgender people across the country. This week, we're joined one of their grantees: All* Above All Action Fund co-director Destiny Lopez. Pitch in to support Groundswell's critical work.

Note: This episode was published under Irresistible’s previous name, Healing Justice Podcast.

About our guests

Nancy Leeds has worked on Democratic campaigns since 2006 when she was an organizer for the Minnesota Coordinated Campaign, electing Tim Walz and Amy Klobuchar. Since then she has worked on races of every size from statewide to city council in every region of the country from LA to Cambridge to Little Rock. Nancy has also worked at and consulted for politically oriented non-profits. She holds a Master’s in Public Administration and a Master’s Certificate in Gender and Public Policy from Columbia University. 

Becca Rast is from Lancaster PA, where she grew up and currently lives. She started organizing as a 16-year-old against the war in Iraq and has never stopped organizing. She has organizing roots in labor, immigrant, and climate justice movements. In the wake of the 2016 election, she helped found Lancaster Stands Up, a mass membership-based community organization that has mobilized thousands of people in Lancaster County. Currently, she is the Campaign Manager for Jess King for Congress, where they are developing one of the strongest grassroots campaigns in the country, rooted in community values and progressive populism. She deeply believes that we need to organize everywhere leading with our values, and that small cities are a critical bridge between rural and urban communities. Twitter: @beccarast

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Surviving Elections, ConversationKate WerningLeadership, Gender & Sexuality, Organizing