Project Ready

WE STRIVE TO CREATE A WORLD IN WHICH NO COMMUNITY IS LEFT VOICELESS. WE BELIEVE ALL COMMUNITY MEMBERS, FROM CHILDREN TO ADULTS, SHOULD BE CIVICALLY EDUCATED AND HAVE PROPER ACCESS TO VOTING PRACTICES; THEREBY BEING POWERED TO DISRUPT SYSTEMS.

IGNITE FELLOWSHIP:PROJECT READY X IGNITE FELLOWSHIP LAUNCHED A LEADERSHIP PROGRAM FOR BLACK WOMEN INTERESTED IN RUNNING FOR PUBLIC OFFICE OR SERVING ON A CAMPAIGN TEAM. THE FOUR-SESSION TRAINING PROGRAM PREPARES CANDIDATES AND THEIR STAFF TO RUN A SUCCESSFUL CAMPAIGN AND GIVES THEM THE TOOLS TO WIN. THE SESSIONS FOCUSED ON BUILDING THE CORE SKILLS NEEDED TO RUN A CAMPAIGN, INCLUDING FUNDRAISING, PUBLIC SPEAKING, FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT, POLICY ANALYSIS, CAMPAIGN MANAGEMENT, ORGANIZING, TEAM BUILDING, BRANDING, AND MARKETING. ASSOCIATED METRICS:EIGHT WOMEN JOINED US FOR OUR CANDIDATE TRAINING SESSION BETWEEN MARCH AND APRIL. ONE OF OUR PREVIOUS COHORT MEMBERS, ALLISON JAMES-FRISON, RECENTLY WON ONE OF THE NBOE SCHOOL BOARD SEATS.STUDENT ADVOCACY:PROJECT READY SPONSORED STUDENT ORGANIZING CLUBS THROUGH OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH RHIZOME. THE ADVOCACY CLUB MEMBERS ASSISTED IN REGISTERING SENIORS DURING OUR OCTOBER WHEN WE ALL VOTE CAMPAIGN. THE CLUB ALSO SURVEYED OVER STUDENTS TO IDENTIFY SCHOOL CLIMATE NEEDS. STUDENT MEMBERS BUILD SKILLS IN DATA ANALYSIS, PUBLIC SPEAKING, NETWORKING, AND STUDENT ORGANIZING.PARENT ADVOCACY:PROJECT READY LED AN ADVOCACY CAMPAIGN TO ENSURE THERE WAS A TRANSPARENT CONTRACT RENEWAL PROCESS FOR SUPERINTENDENT ROGER LEON. THE CAMPAIGN ORGANIZED PARENTS AND RESIDENTS TO SPEAK OUT ON THE SECRET CONTRACT RENEWAL PROCESS FOR THE SUPERINTENDENT. THERE WAS A LETTER-WRITING CAMPAIGN TO COMMISSIONER ALLEN MCMILLIAN. THE LETTER GARNERED NEARLY 70 SIGNATURES FROM COMMUNITY RESIDENTS. THERE WERE ALSO SEVERAL MEDIA HITS AND AN OP-ED THAT EXPRESSED OUR CONCERNS. THROUGH OUR SPONSORSHIP OF UNAPOLOGETIC PARENTS, 20 PARENTS ATTENDED 2 MEETINGS IN TRENTON TO SUPPORT THE FACILITIES FUNDING BILL.GET OUT THE VOTE (GOTV):ENCOURAGING MORE PARENTS TO VOTE THROUGH COORDINATED NONPARTISAN GET OUT THE VOTE (GOTV) EFFORTS: WE DEFINE GOTV AS ANY NON-PARTISAN ACTIVITY THAT GETS MORE PEOPLE TO VOTE IN AN ELECTION 1) WE EDUCATE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY ABOUT AN ELECTION AND INCREASE EXCITEMENT AROUND IT, 2) MAKE IT EASIER FOR PEOPLE TO VOTE BY FINDING THEIR POLLING PLACE, AND 3) PROVIDE INFORMATION ABOUT VOTING RIGHTS THAT EMPOWERS OUR COMMUNITY AS THEY HEAD TO THE POLLS. AS A PART OF THESE EFFORTS, WE PARTNERED WITH SCHOOLS TO EXECUTE A NUMBER OF TACTICS, INCLUDING RECRUITMENT AND MANAGEMENT OF GOTV PHONE BANKING TEAMS.INITIATIVES:VOTING POWER EXPERIENCE POP-UP MUSEUM - WE ACTIVATED VOTERS FOR THE NEWARK SCHOOL BOARD ELECTION AND THE NJ PRIMARY ELECTION. ESSEX COUNTY CLERK CHRIS DURKIN, ASSEMBLYWOMAN SHANIQUE SPEIGHT, PLAINFIELD MAYOR ADRIAN MAPP, NEWARK COUNCIL PRESIDENT LAMONICA MCIVER, AND NEWARK COUNCILMAN LARRY CRUMP VISITED OUR SPACE AND CONNECTED WITH LOCAL VOTERS ON THE IMPORTANCE OF VOTING. WE HOSTED SEVERAL FIELD TRIPS FOR STUDENTS K-12 AND BOLSTERED OUR BRAND THROUGH THE GREAT PRESS WE RECEIVED ALONG THE WAY.NEWARK SCHOOL BOARD FORUM - WE CONTINUED OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH NEWARK TRUST TO HOST A NEWARK SCHOOL BOARD CANDIDATES' FORUM AND, FOR THE FIRST TIME, PARTNERED WITH LOCAL PRESS - CHALKBEAT NEWARK AND TAPINTO.VOTINGTINES WEEK - BROUGHT ATTENTION TO THE IMPORTANCE OF VOTING WITH OUR VERSION OF VALENTINE'S DAY. PRESS COVERAGE OF THE EVENT ALSO HIGHLIGHTED THE CONTROVERSY OVER ROGER LEON'S CONTRACT, THE LOW TURNOUT IN THE PREVIOUS NPS BOE ELECTION, AND THE NPS BUDGET.NATIONAL DIGITAL PARTNERSHIPS - (1) WHEN WE ALL VOTE - AS A PARTNER, WE USED CO-BRANDED SOCIAL MEDIA CONTENT AND A CO-BRANDED VOTER REGISTRATION PORTAL TO REGISTER VOTERS. (2) BALLOT READY- ALLOWS PROJECT READY MEMBERS TO SEE EVERYTHING ON THEIR BALLOT IN ONE PLACE. FROM THE RACES IN THE NEWS DOWN TO EVERY COUNTY COMMISSIONER AND BALLOT MEASURE.ASSOCIATED METRICS:VOTING POWER EXPERIENCE POP UP MUSEUM ATTRACTED 800+ VISITORS IN JUST THREE MONTHS, 13 PRESS HITS, AND 4000 VIEWS ON EVENTBRITEVOTINGTINES WEEK REACHED NEARLY 1000 NEWARK RESIDENTS NUMBER OF OPTED-IN CHARTER PARENTS FROM PARTNER SCHOOLS: 13,202 CHARTER PARENT VOTER REGISTRATION NUMBERS: 6,002 CHARTER PARENT VOTING NUMBERS: 396 PROJECT READY MEMBERS MADE UP 51% OF VOTERS IN THE 2023 NEWARK SCHOOL BOARD ELECTION.