Back in the Room
It's been a month of re-entry—and a reminder of just how intense this moment really is.
I officially came off medical leave on March 31 and jumped straight back in: New Orleans for the DNC meeting, DC for America Votes, and more conversations, career sessions, and “peopling” than my body was quite ready for. (I crashed hard last week. Still worth it.)
In New Orleans, I was surrounded by some of the most committed Democrats you'll ever meet—true believers from every walk of life, showing up for the party regardless of its current standing. Hopeful, grounded, and yes, a little rah-rah.
Then back in DC at America Votes—over 2,500 practitioners across the progressive ecosystem. Organizers, technologists, data folks, communicators, legal experts, strategists—people doing the work every day. Huge credit to Daria Dawson, Greg Speed, and the entire team for building something that reflects the scale, diversity, and seriousness of our movement.
And at both events, something happened that I don't take for granted: so many of you came up to say thank you. That you read these emails. That GAIN Power has helped you find your place in this work. I can't fully explain what that meant—especially after a period of real isolation.
Being back out in the world filled my cup in ways I didn’t know I needed. A few people in particular: Kenny Diggs, who gave me the most loving public shoutout at America Votes’ Talent Session—Kenny, I see you, and I am so grateful. And Brian Cordova, who I had the joy of meeting in New Orleans—exactly the kind of person this ecosystem needs more of. These moments. This community. This is why we do it.
Both spaces matter. But they also share something that gives me pause: they are deeply insider spaces. We need them. But my worry—one I've had for a long time—is that we don't have nearly enough of these conversations happening where we are actually meeting voters, engaging communities, and building real-world power. If we're only talking to each other, we're missing the point.
We held our first virtual career fair last week and had a great turnout with so much talent eager to put their skills to work to save this county of ours. Please keep posting all your jobs in our career center so they can be found.
And meanwhile, the backdrop is a lot:
A shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner that shook one of DC's most visible institutions
A Supreme Court continuing to gut what remains of the Voting Rights Act
An active war with Iran, $25 billion in and counting, driving energy prices up here and around the world
Open, unapologetic corruption that isn't trying to hide itself—and regular people paying the price
From the outside, you might think the wind is finally at our backs. I don't believe that's true. We are facing serious, coordinated headwinds—financial, legal, structural, cultural—designed to exhaust the very people trying to do this work. And we are still too often acting like it's five or ten years ago.
Meeting this moment will take something different:
Creativity in how we engage beyond the rooms we already occupy. I had a blast meeting Brian Taylor Cohen and the creators at Chorus at America Votes. Carri Twigg's piece A Campaign Can't Be a Production Studio Without Production People made me jump up and down. We're building training content to bring comms and tech skills to wider audiences. More soon.
Real innovation in our tools. Including AI—with clear eyes about opportunity and risk. HGL's AI Resource Guide is a great place to start.
A longer horizon. Past the midterms, past 2028, all the way to redistricting. The Supreme Court ruling this week makes this even more urgent.
The courage to challenge our own institutions. The Innovator's Dilemma diagnosis is no longer controversial. The question is whether we have the will to actually change. (See: Reading section below.)
A genuine anti-corruption frame—loud, clear, and unapologetic. Too many voters think both parties are corrupt. That's a failure of our messaging. We have to earn the contrast, not just assert it.
Because this moment is different. The rules are different. The opposition is different. The response has to be different too.
I have a lot more to say about all of this—including a new GAINiverse collaboration I'm excited to announce. Read the full piece on Substack →
What's Fueling Me Right Now
Reading:
Asking you:
We're building something new in the GAINiverse and we want your input. What do you need most right now—for your career, your work, your team? What conversations aren't happening that should be? Hit reply and tell me. I read every response.
We're also building a Democratic Practitioner Hiring Guide—and we need your brain.
If you've hired in this ecosystem—or been on the job market—we want to hear from you. What do hiring managers get wrong? What should every candidate know? Fill out this form to share your input or be listed as a resource →
And through all of it, my focus remains where it always is: you. The professionals. The practitioners. The people doing—or trying to do—the hard, often invisible work of electing Democrats, protecting voting rights, strengthening democracy, and showing up for people in ways that actually matter.
We don't just need better ideas. We need to better support the people who carry them forward.
That's what GAIN Power is for. And I'm glad to be back.
In Solidarity,
Amy Pritchard& The GAIN Power Team
