ORGANIZING PROGRAM

MISSION

Local Democracy Action (LDA) Organizing Program recruits and equips working-class leaders with the skills, confidence, and networks to build local power and drive community-led change. Through teaching organizing fundamentals and providing hands-on experience, the program fosters a more inclusive and resilient democracy from the ground up.

THEORY OF CHANGE

Local Democracy Action is focused on building organizing infrastructure that elevates the voices of working-class people. To ensure that communities are represented in the halls of power, and that policies reflect the needs of everyday people, we must build local power where it has been historically overlooked.

Through this program, LDA engages working class community leaders, women, people of color, and young voters, equipping them with the tools, skills, and guidance to fight for the change they want to see. Developing skilled organizers in rural and exurban towns allowsleaders to build local influence and ensures their communities’ voices are heard.

As fellows participate in the program, their feedback informs LDA’s broader strategy, helping identify missing infrastructure, pressing local

issues, and areas where continued organizing is needed. Fellows also collaborate with LDA’s experienced organizing team to tackle ongoing local challenges, strengthening both individual leadership and community power.

DEFINING SUCCESS

The success of the program is measured by the impact of our graduates and the communities they serve. Fellows leave the program with the skills and confidence to lead change, whether by:

  • Launching and leading LDA Issue-Specific Committees on topics such as housing, climate justice, childcare, immigration, or economic equity, with mentorship and ongoing organizational support.

  • Participating in future LDA campaigns or civic programs as trained organizers.

  • Accessing job and volunteer opportunities through LDA’s growing network of allied organizations, including direct placement, newsletters, and networking events.

Through this approach, the program strengthens both the local talent pool of organizers and the broader volunteer and leadership infrastructure in communities that have historically lacked support.

PHASE 1: SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA’S INLAND EMPIRE

Home to 5 million people, the Inland Empire (San Bernardino and Riverside counties) offers one of the most promising opportunities for long-term civic investment in California — and in the United States — as it shifts politically from rural conservative to suburban liberal. The region is economically essential, handling 40% of the nation’s imports and serving as a logistics and manufacturing powerhouse positioned for new development in renewable technologies.

It also remains one of the last bastions of somewhat affordable housing in the state, attracting working-class families from Los Angeles and beyond. This influx of residents is rapidly reshaping the region’s civic landscape, creating new opportunities for organizing and mobilizing around local issues. An investment in the IE now will help cultivate a new generation of community leaders who support the long-term well-being of the region.