In this episode of Direct Democracy Diaries, Chris and Caroline speak with Krithika Harish, Senior Program Officer for Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies, about philanthropy’s role in building lasting movements. Krithika shares her path from civic engagement and international development to advocacy and institutional funding, then explains how transparency, and long-term relationships shape strong funder-grantee partnerships. They examine the role of ballot measures in advancing reproductive freedom, why early and sustained investment matters across the full life cycle of a campaign, how the funding landscape has shifted since the 2024 election, and why funders must reflect on the power they hold in shaping movements.
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In this episode of Direct Democracy Diaries, Chris Melody Fields Figueredo and Caroline Sanchez Avakian speak with Jo Giles, Executive Director of the Women’s Fund of Omaha, about what happens after voters approve a ballot measure. Jo reflects on Nebraska’s successful 2024 paid sick leave initiative, the legislative changes that later reduced its reach, and the campaign to protect voter-approved policies through Respect Nebraska Voters. She discusses the legal challenge that kept the measure off the 2026 ballot, the role of coalitions and impacted communities, and why implementation is a critical part of direct democracy. Jo also shares lessons for organizers working to defend voter power and build long-term movements rooted in community.
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In this episode of Direct Democracy Diaries, Chris Melody Fields Figueredo and Caroline Sanchez-Avakian speak with Sarah Flowers, partner at 76 Words, about how ballot measure campaigns build media strategies that reach and persuade voters. Sarah explains how paid and earned media should work together, why campaigns need to understand their vote goals and persuadable audiences, and how research can guide messaging without replacing human judgment. They also discuss authentic storytelling, supporting campaign messengers, responding to misinformation, using AI and digital tools, assessing ads in real time, and current anti-trans ballot measure campaigns.
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