Sunrise Movement
| Sunrise Movement | |
| Basic facts | |
| Location: | Washington, D.C. |
| Type: | 501(c)(4) |
| Founder(s): | Sara Blazevic, Stephen O’Hanlon, Evan Weber, and Varshini Prakash |
| Year founded: | 2017 |
The Sunrise Movement is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization headquartered in Washington, D.C.
The group focuses on climate advocacy, including supporting the Green New Deal, which the group's website described as of March 2022 as an effort to "mobilize every aspect of American society to 100% clean and renewable energy, guarantee living-wage jobs for anyone who needs one, and a just transition for both workers and frontline communities—all in the next 10 years."[1]
Mission
The Sunrise Movement's website described their mission as follows as of March 2022 :[2]
| “ | The Sunrise Movement is a youth movement to stop climate change and create millions of good jobs in the process. We’re building an army of young people to make climate change an urgent priority across America, end the corrupting influence of fossil fuel executives on our politics, and elect leaders who stand up for the health and wellbeing of all people.[2][3] | ” |
Background
The Sunrise Movement was founded by university students at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, Swarthmore College, and Wesleyan University, officially launching in April 2017.[4] The group gained national attention after a sit-in at the office of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) to protest climate inaction in November 2018 that included a visit from representative-elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) [4]
| Sunrise Movement related groups | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sunrise Movement | Sunrise Movement Education Fund | Sunrise PAC |
| 501(c)(4) | 501(c)(3) | PAC |
| Sunrise Movement is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization. The organization is exempt from federal income tax, but donations made to it are not tax-deductible for the donor. It can engage in direct political lobbying and political campaign activities, including donations to PACs. | Sunrise Movement Education Fund (legally registered as U.S. Climate Plan Inc.), is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The organization is exempt from federal income tax, and donations made to it are tax deductible for the donor. It is also required to be politically nonpartisan. | Sunrise PAC is a federal political action committee. The PAC can spend money in electoral politics by donating to parties or candidates they support, subject to contribution limits defined by state and federal election agencies. |
Organizational structure
The organization is divided into a number of local decentralized "Sunrise hubs" where events are planned and carried out.[5] These are listed on the Sunrise Movement website by state.[5]
Political activity
2022
Campaigns
As of March 2022, the Sunrise Movement website categorized their campaigns as follows:[6]
- Green New Deal for Public Housing: focuses on housing policy.
- Generation on Fire: a collection of two marches advocating for the creation of a Civilian Climate Corps.
- Good Jobs for All: focusing on employment policy, including advocacy for a federal job guarantee.
- Reimagining Sunrise: focusing on developing a new plan for the group, "Sunrise 2.0."
- We Are Wide Awake: events meant to interrupt local politicians' sleep in protest of climate policies.
Endorsements
As of March 2022, Sunrise Movement endorsed the following candidates in races taking place in 2022:[7]
| Sunrise Movement endorsements, 2022 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Race | Incumbent? | |
| Greg Casar (D) | U.S. House, Texas | No | |
| Jessica Cisneros (D) | U.S. House, Texas | No | |
| Charles Booker (D) | U.S. Senate, Ky. | No | |
2021
Methods and goals
In January 2021, Sunrise Movement Political & Legislative Coordinator Lauren Maunus described the "Green New Deal Year One" as the priority going into the beginning of President Joe Biden's (D) first term.[8]
Campaigns
- Sunrise Movement's Climate Mandate from the 2020 Election: focused on advocacy for pro-Green New Deal Cabinet members for President Biden's administration.[9]
Endorsements
The Sunrise Movement endorsed the following candidates in races taking place in 2021:[7]
| Sunrise Movement endorsements, 2021 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Race | Incumbent? | |
| Nina Turner (D) | U.S. House, Ohio | No | |
| Sam Rasoul (D) | Va. Lt. Gov. | No | |
| Jennifer Carroll Foy (D) | Va. Gov. | No | |
2020
Campaigns
The Sunrise Movement website listed the following 2020 actions:[10]
- Summer 2020 - Wide Awake Actions: events meant to interrupt local politicians' sleep in protest of climate policies.
- Juneteenth 2020 - Wake up, Mitch! Justice for Breonna Taylor: protest meant to disrupt Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's (R-Ky.) sleep following the death of Breonna Taylor in March 2020.
Endorsements
The Sunrise Movement endorsed the following candidates in races taking place in 2020:[7]
2019
Campaigns
The Sunrise Movement website listed the following 2019 actions:[10]
- December 6, 2019 - Global Climate Strike: protests meant to advocate for progressive climate policies.
- September 20, 2019 - Global Climate Strike: protests in 150 countries meant to express "the demand for serious climate action across the globe."[11]
- April 2019 - Road to a Green New Deal Tour: speaking tour including Sens. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt) as well as Reps. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.)
- February 25, 2019 - Kentuckians occupy McConnell's office in D.C.: school walkouts and sit-ins at Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's (R-Ky.) office in protest of donations from the oil & gas industry.
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms 'Sunrise Movement' Organization. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
- 2020 presidential candidates on the Green New Deal
- Build Back Better Act
- Political action committee
- National influencers
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ The Sunrise Movement, "What is the Green New Deal?" accessed March 16, 2022
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 The Sunrise Movement, "About the Sunrise Movement," accessed March 16, 2022
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Vox "The new face of climate activism is young, angry — and effective," Sept. 17, 2019
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 The Sunrise Movement, "Join a Sunrise Hub," accessed March 16, 2022
- ↑ The Sunrise Movement, "Sunrise Movement's Current Campaigns," accessed March 16, 2022
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 The Sunrise Movement, "Sunrise Political Endorsements," accessed March 16, 2022
- ↑ The Sunrise Movement, "Green New Deal Year One: What We’re Fighting For," Jan. 20, 2021
- ↑ The Sunrise Movement, "Sunrise Movement's Climate Mandate from the 2020 Election," accessed March 16, 2022
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 The Sunrise Movement, "The Sunrise Movement's Past Actions," accessed March 16, 2022
- ↑ Sunrise Movement, "September 20, 2019 — Global Climate Strike," accessed March 16, 2022
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