When I entered the world of politics in the early 2000s, I’m sure I had heard the phrase “grassroots,” but I damn sure didn’t know what it meant. Sadly, it didn’t take me long to realize “grassroots” actually was more like “astroturf” and was merely a buzzword that politicians threw around to make people think their idea had a ton of support behind it.
Most of the laws I saw change while working on staff at the Oklahoma State Legislature happened not because of true grassroots support, but by lawmakers and staff working with lobbyists and their clients to tweak a regulation to improve the bottom line of private companies. I say most because from time to time big ideas that were for the greater good made their way through the process. And when they did, it felt really good to be part of that work.
But more often than not, political courage to pass big bold ideas was simply lacking among the political class. Being an idealist and believing first and foremost in the power of people to change the world, working in that world day in and day out was soul-crushing at times.
So imagine how exciting it’s been since leaving that insider world to experience and witness first hand what true grassroots support looks like to move an issue from idea to law.
From the teacher walk-outs in 2018 that spurred a national conversation about teacher pay and the under-funding of our public schools, to expanding Medicaid to 200,000 people right here in my home state, I’ve had a front row seat to watching grassroots support turn moments into movements that create deep impact in the lives of ordinary people.
Here are some of my favorite movement building moments from the last few years.