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Our minds have been swirling with policy issues recently. Policies are being implemented, reversed, or simply changed by people that we may never meet, yet shape all of our lives on a daily basis. Mostly, we hear about federal-level policy changes, gutting of agencies, shredding of social safety nets for our most vulnerable people, and the devastating effects of ICE, to the detriment of millions of us.
What we may hear less about, unless we’re actively listening or seeking out information, is what is happening in our state (a shout out to the NJ media organizations, local journalists, and statewide advocacy organizations keeping us informed!) and other states on the local level.
Here in New Jersey, we’ve just elected a Democrat governor in what was a very critical race. Our neighbors in New York City saw a historic mayoral win, and over in California, Prop 50, which will allow the use of new congressional maps beginning next year, passed. All across the country, we saw a lot of trends in the right direction, or what some of us may call a “blue wave”. Even still, it was difficult to feel celebratory about these wins this time around. A lot of hard work was done across the country to ensure these wins, but we still have much to do.
While we’re not writing policy here at Gathering Ground, we actively work to do our part to encourage civic engagement and civic education:
- Recently, Gathering Ground held a social media Week of Action in partnership with the League of Women Voters, where we shared information, tips, and resources on the 2025 Election, leading up to the beginning of early voting.
- Our November Communities in Conversation, explored what comes with electing a new governor and the possible effects of working with the new administration.
- This past August, Gathering Ground was honored to lead the afternoon portion of the 2025 Joint Policy Forum, organized by our colleagues at the NJ Center for Nonprofits and Council of New Jersey Grantmakers. In our Open Space session (a democratic meeting format used globally to tackle emergent, complex issues) focused on what our sector’s priorities will be for the first 90 days of the new governor’s administration. We heard specific calls to action such as:
- Passing the Immigrant Trust Act
- Restoring the Affordable Housing Trust Fund, Childcare subsidy and ensuring Arts funding continues through the hotel/motel tax
- On Juneteenth this year, Gathering Ground was grateful to be present for the NJ Institute for Social Justice’s Reparations Council Report The Nowness of Reparations for Black People in New Jersey – the culmination of two years of extensive research, policy analysis and recommendations for what NJ can do now to address historic and ongoing harms that repair the injustices of Black Americans, as well as transformative policy changes that will provide justice and equity for all people.
It’s okay to have feelings of hope as we prepare to usher in a new administration and acknowledge our recent wins across the country. It’s also okay to still feel fearful of all that’s changing and how quickly that change is happening. But we have to remember that collectively, we do have the power to implement real change. We just have to be willing to put in the work and not enter a state of complacency.
So we ask you – What policies are most on your mind? What policies don’t exist yet that should? What solidarity strategies are needed for our sector to show up for each other and for the people we serve?
In Solidarity,
Kacy O’Brien and Aniya Brown