User:RepUsMichelle/sandbox

Represent.Us is an American nonpartisan political advocacy organization working to remove the influence of money from America's political system. Represent.Us’ main strategy includes the passage of a unique anti-corruption legislative model, known as the American Anti-Corruption Act, which can be implemented on local, state, and federal levels. Unlike other groups in the movement, Represent.Us’ approach to the issue goes around Congress in order to push change forward from a grassroots level. The campaign was formed in 2012 by Josh Silver, the founder and former CEO of Free Press.

History
Tired of running up against legislative walls with Free Press, Silver made the decision to leave the organization under new management in 2012 in order to found Represent.Us with close friend and collaborator, Joshua Graham Lynn. With Lynn’s background in advertising and media, the two decided that a new approach to the issue of money in politics was in order. Represent.Us’ take on political corruption includes a greater social media presence, combined with traditional organizing strategies, and a campaign with a solid plan to affect change through grassroots ballot initiatives. The organization strives to set itself apart from others in its field, through a more tech-savvy and Millenial approach to the problem.

Strategy and Campaigns
Represent.Us launched its first major campaign in 2013, kicking off the project with an event in Washington, DC. At the same time, the organization began to form its first local chapters across the country, beginning with Genoa, Illinois. Volunteers who join local chapters contribute to the campaign through public petitioning and protest, speaking with community leaders about endorsing reform, and aiding the organization in setting up local ballot initiatives in places where it is possible. The first legislative win for the organization came in November 2014 in Tallahassee, Florida, where citizens voted to pass a binding ballot resolution using the American Anti-Corruption Act as a template. In addition to this on-the-ground work, Represent.Us also keeps a healthy social media presence through Facebook, Twitter, and viral videos. The most successful campaign to date has been their ‘Gil Fulbright: Honest Politician’ campaign, which was launched by the group in late July 2014. The campaign, which was featured on CNN, Al Jazeera , USA Today , and other news sources, successfully crowdfunded over $100,000 to send the fake candidate to Kentucky, where he spent time disrupting the most expensive Senate race in American history.

As an organization, Represent.Us’ strategy has revolved around drawing attention to issues of corruption through blog posts, viral videos, and stunts (sometimes involving unwitting members of Congress). Examples of this can be found on the group’s Youtube page, which features humorous videos and vlog posts outlining issues in a more palatable form.