Case Study
Empowering Organizers of Color and Mobilizing Communities for Consequential Elections
State Voices
The Challenge
After historic wins for progressive values and communities of color in the 2020 election, conservative backlash to BIPOC power came swiftly. Over the last four years, extremist politicians and the greedy corporations who support them have been attacking voters of color who turned out in droves with the most egregious anti-voting, anti-trans, and anti-abortion laws our nation has seen in decades.
Against this backdrop, State Voices — the largest nonpartisan network in the country fighting for a multiracial democracy — came to Fenton in 2022 to mount a surround-sound communications operation that would support its network of 25 state coalitions and 1,200 partners year after year.
Our Approach
Each year, Fenton has deployed an integrated communications strategy that builds capacity for the whole State Voices Network while providing direct support to individual state coalitions in battleground states and the South.
Across the Network, we have designed and deployed research-based and organizer-backed messaging; digital strategy, content, and custom designs disseminated through our online campaign hub; as well as earned and paid media trainings and resources. In each of the four states receiving direct support each year, we have conducted landscape analyses to identify a core issue area and key moments of focus captured in individual state communications plans.
After two years of strengthening individual state groups and the Network’s communications capabilities, our approach has culminated this year with our conceptualization and launch of State Voices’ first-ever nationwide, coordinated communications campaign.
Impact
Through our partnership over the last several years, Fenton has secured many firsts for the State Voices network. On the 2024 anniversary of the Voting Rights Act and three months out from Election Day, Fenton launched the Vote for Something campaign to register 800,000 voters. The campaign features messaging reminding voters of what they can vote for rather than against, including bold climate action, quality public schools, higher wages, reproductive freedom, and more. So far, outreach materials and messaging in our online resource hub have been used by almost 400 frontline organizers, and we’ve helped State Voices send messages to over 300,000 supporters.
Over the years in the states, we’ve prepared Alabama Forward for the consequential Allen v. Milligan voting rights case they brought to the Supreme Court — and won; spearheaded State Voices’ first-ever LTE campaign spotlighting the voices of queer and trans individuals across Florida against harmful legislation; and used extreme weather season to spotlight three generations of Black climate activists in Louisiana.
So far, Fenton has secured over 50 media placements on behalf of State Voices in top-tier outlets including The New York Times, Associated Press, and radio and broadcast stories on NPR and MSNBC, and key local and Black affinity outlets.
