ABOUT: 

Rhizome Action Network is a pending 501(c)(4) based out of Santa Rosa, CA, birthed in the wake of the 2020 civil uprising around social justice, as inspired by the #BLM movement. This designation allows us to legally engage with overt “political” actions, such as lobbying for specific policy, or endorsing legislation/candidates, while also doing many of the other traditional non-profit style community services and programs.

We define ourselves as an organization for holistic justice and creative incubation. It is important to us we stay focused with purpose to be effective, but also flexible enough by design to adapt to meet the needs of the people. 

Our social media bio reads-- Community Building x Civic Action x Cultural Exchange x Humanitarian Policy Development.

Our business model is simple. We seek out and identify talented people, with specific expertise, passion, and vision-- then empower those people to lead projects and initiatives to impact systemic reform, backed by a mobilized base of engaged supporters.

One of our credos is, “The systems, models, and traditions of old, will not best serve the needs of the people, now, nor in the future. We must create new and better paths, for humanity to sustainably thrive with wellness.”

Our first ever “official project” as a formal “business” came in the form of a contract with the ‘Yes on Measure P, Committee to Support an Effective IOLERO,’ in Sonoma County.

WHAT WE HAVE DONE (SO FAR):

Organize and inspire people —> Mobilize civic action —> Translate grassroots activism, into voter turnout.

For the 2020 general election, Sonoma County had the highest turnout in the entire state of California, with an impressive 90.49% of registered voters casting ballots.

We cannot take sole credit for the sustained local action and movement that was fueled by so many wonderful people in 2020. But we are also rooted in truth to affirm our network of people served as vital life blood, creative think tank leaders, organizers, planners, and active doers, of many of the most well supported protests and actions of 2020, in Sonoma County. We also helped co-create and drive much of the online messaging and narrative direction, in combination with some of the more notable “good trouble” disruptive actions. Some people have been kind enough to credit our unofficial squad of diverse folx as being “What got Measure P on the ballot,” and the pressure source behind Santa Rosa Police Department now being willing to endorse the implementation of a “CAHOOTS” style program for the City of Santa Rosa.

MEASURE P:

We conceptualized, developed, and executed much of the primary media content, engagement strategies, and some key messaging, that was used for both online platforms, and in grassroots organizing for the ‘Yes on P’ effort. Most specifically, we were contracted to mobilize the ‘New American Majority’ (Millennials, Gen Z, BIPOC, LGBTQI+), and generally broaden an enthused base.

We are grateful to have seen record turnouts within that demographic, and we helped pass Measure P with a public mandate of overwhelming 66% support. We now feel an urgent necessity to keep “campaigning,” perpetually, galvanizing our base beyond election day cycles.

WHAT NOW?:

Today, we are in the early stages of running a parallel course, to both further develop new local initiatives, and hire staff to execute our vision. Simply put-- we promptly need to fundraise enough resources to provide a humble, yet comfortable enough runway, to help transfer the social and political power of the community, to the people. 

Power most often comes in the form of the influence of people, and/or the influence of money. We have the people… we need more economic resources to sustain and grow.

Our initial goal is to raise $50,000+, for approximately 6 months of operating capital. We believe doing so, now, will increase our likelihood of broader success of the longer term goals.