The Road Ahead conference is BISC’s signature, invitation-only, annual event. It features state-based advocates, ballot measure experts, inspiring movement leaders, funding partners, and so much more — all focused on how ballot measures can build power and make change in our communities.
We’ve compiled some of our top highlights, takeaways, photos, plus our brand new Road Ahead 2024 video for you to check out. So if you weren’t able to attend Road Ahead this year, we’ve got you covered!
WATCH OUR ROAD AHEAD ’24 HIGHLIGHT VIDEO BELOW!
ROAD AHEAD ’24 AGENDA
road ahead 2024-agenda-v6ROAD AHEAD 2024 HIGHLIGHTS AND TAKEAWAYS!
Takeaways and Themes
The theme of Road Ahead ‘24 was “Dawning of a New Democracy,” a reflection of the critical moment we are in while dreaming into the future and building a new democracy for all of us.
Every year we strive to make Road Ahead an inclusive, brave space where our community can share their challenges and wins, a place where people feel seen and heard, where their experiences and viewpoints are prioritized, and where we can dream big together. Road Ahead ‘24 encompassed that for us, and we hope it did for you, too.
We asked BISC staff about their top takeaways from Road Ahead ‘24 — here are some highlights from what they had to say!
🔥 “I LOVED the state-by-state shoutouts – an incredible opportunity to hear directly from state leaders who are too often overlooked in the hard work they’re doing everyday.” — Chloe Seymour, BISC’s Development Manager
🔥 “People had really thoughtful conversations and session questions on how we identify, develop, and protect the storytellers in our campaigns. There was also so much interest in developing intersectional and broader narrative strategies for our campaigns” — Caroline Sanchez Avakian, BISC’s Director of Strategic Communication
🔥 “Great conversations on stage and in the hallways. Lots of creative solutions to our collective challenges that I’m excited to explore in partnership with folks.” — Marsha Donat, BISC’s Capacity Building Director
Road Ahead 2024 Highlights
📢 State roll calls done convention-style! This year, Road Ahead attendees from states across the country got the chance to share the priority campaigns they are working on and give other attendees a deeper understanding of their state’s overall ballot measure and political landscape.
💡 BISC’s first ever marketplace! Our inaugural marketplace was a community-driven space offering office hours with organizational leaders and BISC staff. It was also filled with industry vendors in the progressive movement showcasing the latest tools and services (and fun stickers and swag!) for ballot measure campaigns. It offered a relaxed and comfortable space to gather, to network, and to take a break.
🥁 Desert Pines High School drumline kickoff: Road Ahead ‘24 started off with a boom — literally! In a Road Ahead first, local students from the Desert Pines High School Drumline kicked off Day 1 with an incredible performance that attendees shared was a huge highlight of the conference.
🗣️ Plenaries + breakout sessions: The BISC team put together a very focused to allow attendees to learn about what is happening across the country to put key issues on the ballot like paid leave, defending direct democracy, and more as well gain access to tools and tactics on important topics like storytelling, countering misinformation, signature gathering. We also continued to lean into spaciousness to allow attendees to have even more time to network and connect.
🌊 Our poolside evening reception and party! For years the BISC team has been wanting to host our reception outside by the pool and the stars aligned this year. Attendees were able to relax, connect, and party!
Day 1 Highlight
“In Conversation: Abortion on the Ballot in 2024”
Pictured from left to right: Speakers: Lindsey Harmon – Planned Parenthood Votes Nevada, Executive Director | Jessica Grennan – Coloradans for Protecting Reproductive Freedoms, Campaign Manager | Sasha Ahuja – New Yorkers for Equal Rights, Campaign Manager | Lauren Brenzel – Floridians Protecting Freedoms, Campaign Manager
In our ‘In Conversation: Abortion on the Ballot in 2024’ session, panelists closed out day one of Road Ahead by delving into the challenges and triumphs they have faced in their respective reproductive freedom campaigns.
Each state has a different path to victory when abortion is on the ballot, but one theme we hear from community organizations across the country is that storytelling is a major key. Everyone has a story about how abortion access and reproductive healthcare affects their families.
This panel concluded with a Q&A that gave us the space to dive deeper and call to question how we balance ballot measure language based on what is currently possible in some states while also pushing ourselves further and not leaving behind large chunks of our community — especially Black women, long-time reproductive justice leaders, and communities of color.
Day 2 Highlight
“Dawning of a New Democracy: Seeding the Future”
Pictured Speaker: Jahnavi Rao, President and Founder of New Voters
We ended day two with a visionary panel on seeding the future for our democracy.
Panelists spent time discussing ways to engage communities that have been historically and intentionally excluded from having power. Often there can be tension between using money to invest in things like youth leadership in campaigns and winning for the sake of winning. But Jahnavi Rao, the President and Founder of New Voters, reminds us that if you want young people to engage and show up for direct democracy campaigns, they want to be considered as part of the decision-making process. Investing in young leadership is one of the most powerful ways to bring more young people into our movement.
Day 3 Highlight
Issue-Based and Regional Strategy Breakout Sessions
Pictured: Justice Gatson, Executive Director of Reale Justice Network
On day three of Road Ahead this year, conference attendees went into smaller issue-based and regional breakout sessions designed for diving deeper together and gave people time to dream, scheme, and strategize together ahead of this year’s election cycle.
Desert Pines High School Drumline Kickoff: Road Ahead ‘24 started off with a boom — literally! In a Road Ahead first, local students from the Desert Pines High School Drumline kicked off Day 1 with an incredible performance that attendees shared was a huge highlight of the conference.
Plenaries, breakouts, and networking opportunities: The BISC team put together a very focused to allow attendees to learn about what is happening across the country to put key issues on the ballot like paid leave, defending direct democracy, and more as well gain access to tools and tactics on important topics like storytelling, countering misinformation, signature gathering. We also continued to lean into spaciousness to allow attendees to have even more time to network and connect.
The Marketplace: Our inaugural marketplace was a community-driven space offering office hours with organizational leaders and BISC staff. It was also filled with industry vendors in the progressive movement showcasing the latest tools and services (and fun stickers and swag!) for ballot measure campaigns. It offered a relaxed and comfortable space to gather, to network, and to take a break.
Our poolside evening reception and party: For years the BISC team has been wanting to host our reception outside by the pool and the stars aligned this year. Attendees were able to relax, connect, and party!
Hear from our Road Ahead ’24 Attendees!
The collaboration that was fostered during our Issue & Regional Strategy breakout sessions was a significant highlight for me.
It was great being around so many accomplished activists. The meetings were informative. The group meals gave much time to touch base with others.
As an organization not familiar with the initiative process, this conference provided valuable networking, guides, and road maps as we navigate entering ballot campaign work.
The trans breakout was important, I would love an opportunity to talk through more intersectional approaches that unifies trans, reproductive, and Black initiative matters under a single tactic to resist facism in a more unified way.
I enjoy attending BISC because it’s like a national family reunion! The networking is fantastic – it’s so nice to see faces from across the country and catch up on work, projects, and life.