Affiliate Spotlight: A Steady Commitment to Change

As we reflect on the tireless efforts of Move to Amend’s network of activists, one group stands out for its remarkable accomplishments over the past year: the Minnesota Move to Amend State Network. While the national conversation has largely focused on election cycles and the immediate political landscape, this Minnesota-based team has quietly yet powerfully laid the groundwork for long-term systemic change—gathering 65 Pledges to Amend from candidates—the most of any affiliate group. With this impressive achievement, they have set a high bar for grassroots movements everywhere, proving that when communities unite with a shared purpose, they can drive monumental change.

A whopping 16 billion dollars were spent on the 2024 election cycle this past year. Our previous election laws served as little more than cruel jokes as wealthy megadonors such as Elon Musk were able to curry favor and openly buy influence by pumping hundreds of millions of dollars into Super PACs and other forms of dark money.

It is genuinely difficult for the average person to imagine just how much money 16 billion dollars is - and for what? Are we as a country better off for spending all that money? Did our donations "save democracy" as DNC fundraisers were to have you believe? Considering where we are now, the better question may be - isn't it time we put a stop to this nonsense?

This Giving Tuesday, we’re asking you to invest in a future where power belongs to the people—not corporations.

Move to Amend is fighting to reclaim democracy and restore power to communities that have been silenced by corporate influence. With the We the People Amendment (H.J.R. 54), we’re working to dismantle corporate rule, making it possible for everyone to have an equal voice in the decisions that shape our world.

But we can’t do it alone.

As the season of giving approaches, we're reminded of the importance of making choices that reflect our values—and the world we want to create. This Black Friday, instead of contributing to the frenzy of consumption, we invite you to make a meaningful impact with your purchases by supporting Move to Amend’s mission.

When you buy from our store, you're not just getting a T-shirt, hoodie, or book. You're investing in a movement—one that seeks to dismantle corporate rule and restore power to the people. From organizing materials to literature, every item you buy helps fund the grassroots work we do to advance the We the People Amendment (H.J.R. 54) and fight against the unchecked power of corporations in our lives.

We know that the election results have left many of us processing a whirlwind of emotions. 

A second Trump administration brings new challenges, but we at Move to Amend have a reminder for you: we were built for this moment.

Move to Amend began with a vision, well ahead of the January 21, 2010, Citizens United v. FEC decision. Knowing the consequences of such a ruling, we gathered as a community to prepare and to proactively chart a path toward a future free from corporate rule. We believed then—and still do—that together we could create change that would outlast any decision, any election, or any setback.

Now, with the 118th Congressional Session still in progress, there remains crucial work to do. We must continue pushing for the We the People Amendment, H.J.R. 54, and reclaim our government from corporate control. Together, we can still put pressure on Congress, laying the groundwork for a fair and just future—one that no single election can erase.

And, if you need a space to collectively process emotions, join Our Post-Election Conversation this Friday, November 15 at 5 PM ET / 2 PM PT.

In this month's Affiliate Spotlight, we celebrate the Tuscaloosa Move to Amend affiliate group, with special thanks to Kiki Karatheodoris for her contributions. Their recent outreach efforts have led to significant endorsements, and they are actively engaging the community through tabling events. With plans for an unmanned information table at the local library and outreach to the University Democrats, the Tuscaloosa team is setting an inspiring example of grassroots activism.

Read the full story on our website to learn more about our volunteers' incredible efforts and how they helped drive our mission forward.

If you already voted or will tomorrow, you know that elections involve boxes. It may be the box where you drop your ballot outside a Board of Elections headquarters. It might be the 3-sided box stand where you place your ballot to vote in private. Or it could be the secure receptacle where your completed ballot is transported from your voting location to the country Board of Elections for tabulation.

But there’s still another box that involves elections, actually more like the winners of elections. That’s the ever diminishing space elected officials face on all sides to govern, especially if their goal is to genuinely serve the public interest and to ensure a livable natural world. 

The U.S. Constitution boxes in the actions of public officials and, for that matter, all of us. It delineates the extent of our democratic space, rights and responsibilities. Its size has expanded when many Constitutional Amendments like abolishing slavery and the poll tax and granting women the right to vote were passed following broad peoples’ movements. The box has also been enlarged following Constitutional interpretations by the Supreme Court.

But other Supreme Court interpretations have vastly decreased our democratic space – the box that was never was very large to begin with since We the People have never included all the people.

Many of those interpretations involved Supreme Court rulings affirming the power and rights of corporations over the power and rights of citizens and workers. Following each Supreme Court decision, our democratic space contracted. The democratic box became smaller.

We are excited to invite you join the fight against the scariest monster of all - corporate personhood and influence over our democracy. 

Please mark your calendar for Monday, November 18 and join us at one of two scheduled virtual programs to hear more about the many upcoming opportunities to get involved and volunteer with Move to Amend. Both times will cover the same material and provide opportunities to answer questions.

The programs will be at 12pm PT / 3pm ET and 5:30 pm ET / 8:30pm ET

We need YOU to help clean out the skeletons in Congress's closet!