Latest news with #volunteers
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
They're calling her an influencer. She's calling it campaign strategy.
TUCSON, ARIZ. — On a Saturday afternoon, Deja Foxx is staging a TikTok Live in her living room. A phone tripod is set up in front of her kitchen table. The frame is centered on a slouchy sofa against an adobe wall, where a chile ristra hangs on one side. 'All right, everybody, take your seats,' she tells the mix of young volunteers, family members and campaign staff who are gathered to help her. 'You have some really great mail to open, and I'm so excited because usually it's just me and my mom that do this.' She goes live and takes a seat next to her mom on the couch. One volunteer reads a letter from a 19-year-old named Henry from California: 'Even though I can't vote for you, I adore your campaign,' he wrote. 'We need more young leaders and new, fresh ideas from us, Gen Z. As someone who grew up on MediCal, and free public school lunch, who currently is uninsured, I enjoy your background and fighting for us.' Another volunteer read a note from 20-year-old Julie, who wrote that while she's been frustrated and overwhelmed by the state of politics, following Foxx's campaign gave her hope. 'I've been writing to my officials, but wanted to write something positive for a change. Keep doing what you're doing.' Other letter writers included a 22-year-old activist who started organizing after the Parkland shooting, a college student in Phoenix who offered to work for Foxx's political office in the future, a 23-year-old from Chicago who started following her social media years ago, a North Carolina dad of a daughter moving to Arizona, and a Kentucky woman worried about Medicaid coverage. Volunteers spent 30 minutes reading that day's mail. During the weekly segment, the audience is usually in the thousands. Most of the notes included a donation, with the amounts ranging from $20 to $2,000. By the end of the read out Foxx had raised $4,000, mostly from people located outside Arizona. Just two days before, she announced she hit $500,000 in campaign donations, raised through 18,000 individual donors. Just two months ago, Foxx wrote on Substack about the difficulties of running her campaign for Congress as a Gen Z candidate. She made a plea directly to her online followers: 'Our biggest challenge and the only one that really matters: You haven't invested in us yet.' At the time, a slow trickle of donations was keeping afloat her campaign to fill the seat left by U.S. Rep Raúl Grijalva, who represented the southern Arizona district for over 20 years. Shortly after the lawmaker's death in March, his daughter Adelita Grijalva — who has served for decades in local politics on Tucson's school board and more recently on the Pima County Board of Supervisors — tossed her hat in the ring for the Democratic primary. Then came the endorsements: Arizona U.S. Sens. Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego, and progressive politicians like Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. The winner of that primary, which takes place July 15 and includes former state Rep. Daniel Hernandez, will almost certainly go on to win the September special election in this solidly Democratic district. Foxx announced that she would take on Grijalva in early April. Most of her short political life — at 25, she would be the youngest woman elected to Congress — has focused on reproductive rights. She served on the board of Planned Parenthood in Arizona at age 17, worked in Tucson health clinics as a sex educator in high school, and more recently worked on the Prop 139 Ballot Initiative campaign in 2024, which enshrined the right to abortion in the state's constitution. But while Foxx doesn't have the backing of 'the establishment,' as she refers to it, or the name recognition of Grijalva, she's created her own buzz by using her social media platforms to speak directly to her generation. Over the past month, her stories have been viewed almost 30 million times on TikTok, Facebook and Instagram. She also has thousands of followers on Substack. That support and the donations that followed afforded her television advertisements, something that was out of reach when she started. Her social media savvy has allowed her to bypass the need for big donors, build her own following, and capitalize on national support that's percolated from the ground up. Along the way she's making the argument that her social media skills aren't just part of a campaign strategy, but necessary to communicate the politics of the party as the electorate grows younger and more disillusioned. 'We saw people in the party, in the traditional media, wringing their hands, 'How did we lose young people in this last election? Why did they move toward apathy and the other side? … And it's because we're failing to compete in social media and new media spaces,' Foxx said. 'If we want to win in 2028, I promise you that it is going to require electing leaders in this party who can be effective messengers.' Foxx learned the power of a viral moment when she was a 16-year-old activist for Planned Parenthood. At a town hall in 2017, she asked former Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake (R) why he would deny her the American dream by voting against funding that made birth control accessible to people who grew up in poverty. Foxx, who was insured through Medicaid at the time, got her birth control from Planned Parenthood. A clip of the exchange went viral. 'I woke up the next day and millions had seen the video,' she said. It's a moment that changed how she thought about activism. The fact that millions of people watched her on their phones and computers put her on equal footing in public discourse with the United States senator, she said. 'As a 16-year-old girl working at a gas station … that is remarkable.' In the nine years since, the political world has grown to recognize the necessity of social media in campaigns, and politicians have turned to Foxx for her expertise. At the same time she was becoming a prominent reproductive rights activist, she used Instagram to build community among her peers through her organization Gen Z Girl Gang. She worked as an influencer and digital strategist for the Kamala Harris campaign in 2019 and later as a social media director at a political action committee. In 2024, she was invited to speak at the Democratic National Convention in support of Harris as an activist and content creator. But it's in her own run for Congress where she has been able to test these communication strategies herself. On her TikTok and Instagram accounts, soundbites from her debates have racked up millions of views. More personal reels, like when she surprised her mom with her first batch of campaign literature, have gone viral. She's embraced being interviewed by independent journalists with followings on places like Substack and YouTube. 'She's using communication styles and platforms that are meeting people where they're at. That style may turn off some older voters, but it's going to excite younger voters who are particularly disaffected or disenfranchised or disheartened by American politics and even the Democratic party,' said Jessica Maddox, an associate professor of digital media at the University of Alabama. 'I've been particularly impressed with her TikTok presence, because it feels very authentic.' That authenticity is the main ingredient in connecting with young voters online, experts say. Maddox and others pointed to the success of Zohran Mamdani's mayoral campaign in New York as an example of how young politicians are tapping into social media to drum up real support at the polls. Both candidates utilized platforms to engage with people, like Gen Z, who are likely to sit out primaries where voters tend to be older. The strategy puts lesser known candidates on a more equal playing field, allowing them to subvert the traditional hierarchies that fuel campaigns. 'There's always been a tight relationship between legacy media and politics, and social media kind of upends that,' Maddox said. '[Foxx] can kind of bypass more traditional outlets and get the message out herself.' Social media has also turned a local race into a national fundraiser, which has helped her stay competitive. Candidates like Grijalva and Hernandez have benefited from deeper donor pockets, and outside support from political action committees. By early May, both candidates had already raised hundreds of thousands of dollars, according to the Arizona Republic. Their latest campaign finance numbers are expected to be released soon. Foxx announced she had hit $600,000 in donations at the end of June. 'It's an interesting social media element that someone these days could have supporters kind of all over the country, even though they're running for a very specific seat,' said Kathryn Coduto, a professor of media science at Boston University. While there is a scarcity of polls in the race, a recent one commissioned by Foxx's campaign shows her name recognition has risen significantly since May, when half of likely voters hadn't heard of her. And, on Wednesday, David Hogg's political action committee announced it would be endorsing her in the race. Hogg, who became famous for his activism after the Parkland mass shooting, now runs a political organization called Leaders We Deserve, aimed at building generational change for Democrats. 'If we replace one of the oldest members of Congress with the youngest — Deja is just 25 years old — we could send an incredibly strong message about which direction the Democratic Party is heading in, and show people how we are dramatically changing to meet this moment,' Hogg said in an Instagram Reel. While Foxx has worked as an influencer in the past, now that she's running for office that label has been used to undercut her years of political work and activism. At her first debate, Foxx also pointed out that some of her opponents have belittled her influencer experience. In recent news articles, people associated with Grijalva's campaign have questioned whether Foxx's national reach is the same as in-district community support. The label 'influencer' carries a lot of baggage, experts say. It's still seen as superficial or trivial despite its power in activism and politics. It's also another way of writing off young people, particularly women, as unserious. 'It's seen as like little girls playing instead of actually utilizing this tool to accomplish something and talk to constituents,' Coduto said. Jade Larson, who wrote her doctoral dissertation on political fandom and social media, said it's also not surprising that there is such a stigma around being a politician-influencer. 'Every time media is used in a new way in politics, it's this scandalous thing,' she said. 'You can track it all the way back to Bill Clinton going on the 'Late Night Show' and playing saxophone, to Obama starting POTUS on Twitter, to Trump making his own social media [network]. It's always something that's scandalous, and people push back against it until it kind of becomes the mainstream and the norm.' Arguably it is the mainstream now. The power of social media that Foxx tapped into nearly a decade ago has only grown more influential in politics and the media — two industries that are closely intertwined. A report from Pew Research Center found that over half of U.S. adults get some of their news from social media, with women and Democrats making up greater regular news consumers on apps like TikTok and Instagram. These users also skew younger, with those between the ages of 18 to 40 making up the bulk of social media news consumers. In a separate poll by Pew Research, 48 percent of TikTok users ages 18 to 29 say keeping up with politics is one of the reasons they are on the platform. 'A whole lot of congresspeople can give a very solid MSNBC interview,' Foxx said. But as someone who interviewed them as a content creator at the State of the Union, 'I'm telling you that when they are put in front of an iPhone, there are so many members that fail to communicate. They don't think the way that our generation thinks. They fail to understand sound bites and algorithms, and youth or even meme culture.' At the same time that these social media strategies are taking off, voting power is also starting to shift to the very people that use them. Soon, Gen Z and Millennials will have just as much political sway as Gen X and the Baby Boomers — if they go out and vote, Coduto said. 'If you can cultivate enough excitement and you can find a way to really break through and get people to the polls by using social media, then I think it's going to be an unstoppable strategy.' Feeling overwhelmed by the news? The 19th is considering new ways to keep you informed. But we need your input. Fill out this quick survey to share your thoughts. The post They're calling her an influencer. She's calling it campaign strategy. appeared first on The 19th. News that represents you, in your inbox every weekday. Subscribe to our free, daily newsletter.
BBC News
5 hours ago
- General
- BBC News
Flag Fen Archaeology Park boss 'heartened' after roundhouse attack
The boss of an ancient site where a thatched roundhouse replica was razed to the ground by suspected arsonists said she had been "heartened" by the support of the crews were called to Peterborough's Flag Fen Archaeology Park, which dates back to the Bronze Age, on Sunday night after local people saw flames. In 2022, 30 volunteers had spent nine months building the Iron Age roundhouse and a fundraising appeal has now been launched to replace it."We're all absolutely devastated at the loss of the roundhouse - so many of our team took part in building it and using it every single day - it was a much-loved thing," said site manager Jacqueline Mooney. 'Bigger and better' "However, we are very much seeing this as a 'phoenix from the ashes' situation," she said. Ms Mooney told the BBC there had been "fantastic" offers of help and donations already from contractors and local people. "We've already got people on site helping us repair one of our old roundhouses so it can take the temporary place of our Iron Age one," she said. "We are so heartened by the support we've felt from the people of Peterborough and surrounding areas, who are going to help us build a new roundhouse that will be bigger and better."Cambridgeshire Fire Service has said the cause of the blaze was thought to be deliberate. Flag Fen is an important historical landscape which dates back to the Bronze Age and is the site of many archaeological finds. The park had two replica roundhouses – one representing the Bronze Age (2,500 BC - 800 BC) and the other reflecting the Iron Age (800 BC - AD50).Flag Fen was also planning to construct a third. The burnt out replica was based on an Iron Age roundhouse discovered at Cats Water, next to Flag Fen, and featured log seating and a fire pit to replicate how our ancestors Mooney estimated the total rebuild cost would be about £50,000, with the last one also funded by charitable donations. About 10,000 school children visit annually and she said she wanted them to be able to resume enjoying their "magical" trips to the site's Iron Age roundhouse as soon as possible. She said the staff had previously dealt with a similar situation when arsonists destroyed its education room in 2020. Ms Mooney said while it had to go without the facility for two years, it was eventually rebuilt "bigger and better" and she hoped it would be the same case for the replacement were now being asked for and Flag Fen also needed to source water reed and other materials for the rebuilding project, but it also required people to volunteer their time and skills."If people have ever wanted to build a roundhouse, now is the time to help," said Ms Mooney. Follow Peterborough news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
CBS News
8 hours ago
- General
- CBS News
Long road to recovery begins as Hill Country volunteers continue flood search and healing efforts
After 12 days, the initial adrenaline to jump into action is starting to wear off for some volunteers. Crews are starting to settle into what will become a long and complex process of bringing everyone home. Jodi Carpenter and her daughter Abigail love the Guadalupe River. The park where Abigail Carpenter grew up playing is now covered in crosses to remember those swept away by the floodwaters. "I'm talking to God and my, you know, my head going, 'what does this look like for the long haul?' God, you know, how do we plug into healing for the long haul? Because it's going to be different moving forward," said Jodi Carpenter. Twelve miles downstream, search efforts continue. "The last several days have been, they've been difficult," said Daniel Murray. "This whole situation is emotionally heavy. But the reason we're out here is because we know the community needs support." Murray is part of a volunteer crew that's been clearing piles of debris. His crew marks each pile with an orange "X" to let other teams know it's clear. "What happened here is, it's hard to wrap your head around until you're on the ground looking at it," said Murray. Murray's group is one of many working out of the Center Point Volunteer Fire Department's command post. "Concerned citizens are posting just right outside of our fire department. And they are coordinating and going on search groups as well," said Razor Dobbs with Center Point FD. For crews like Daniels' and the emergency responders, this is the start of the long, hard work to account for every person lost. "The goal is to bring everybody home. And there is no plan B," said Dobbs. For Jodi Carpenter, her daughter, and everyone else in the Hill Country, they're starting the long, hard work of healing. "We're going to have to figure out how to get in the water again. Not right now, but. Like we're going to have to get back there," said Jodi Carpenter.
CBS News
20 hours ago
- Climate
- CBS News
PAWS Chicago taking in dogs, cats from Texas in aftermath of deadly floods
PAWS Chicago is taking in cats and dogs from shelters in Texas that were affected by the deadly flooding there. The Chicago organization started picking up pets who were already in shelters when the flooding began. By taking in these animals, PAWS said it allows the shelters in the flood-affected areas in Texas to make room for animals displaced by the disaster and focus on reuniting families with beloved pets. PAWS picked up its first flight of 22 dogs and puppies from the Nebraksa City Municipal Airport Monday afternoon from Concho Valley PAWS, a rescue organization in San Angelo, Texas. The Chicago volunteers then drove the dogs back to the city, where they are receiving medical care, vaccinations and any other additional attention before they are made available for fostering and adoption. Another flight of dogs, puppies, cats and kittens will arrive from Austin, Texas, Wednesday night, the organization said.
The Independent
a day ago
- The Independent
Inside the bizarre and growing world of plant theft
More than 180 plants were stolen from a well-loved public park in Nottingham called Arboretum in May 2025. This incident took place just days after volunteers had replanted flowers and shrubs to repair damage from a previous theft in March. In April 2025, the nearby Forest Recreation Ground community garden was also targeted – roses and crops grown by volunteers were stolen, and even a pond went missing. Plant theft may seem trivial, but environmental and wildlife crime tend to be overlooked. This is precisely one of the reasons why it is on the rise. Research suggests an annual growth rate in environmental crime of 5 to 7 per cent, making it the third largest criminal sector in the world. Globally, environmental crime has been valued at US$70-213 billion (£52-158 billion) annually. As with most crime, its true scale is difficult to estimate as it remains hidden. This is even more true for environmental crime that goes undetected. Plant thefts in Nottingham, where I am based, are small in comparison, but they tell the same story of lucrative illicit opportunities for criminals where law enforcement and potential sanctions are low. It's most likely that people steal local plants to sell on for profit. People may be more likely to care about mammals such as elephants targeted in the illegal ivory trade (AFP via Getty Images) Another reason for overlooking this growing trend in wildlife crime is that perpetrators, as well as much of society, may feel that this is a 'victimless crime'. Where plants, animals, watercourses or soil are 'the victim', people don't feel as strongly because our ethics and value systems generally prioritise fellow humans and do not recognise non-humans as victims. People may be more likely to care about mammals such as elephants targeted in illegal ivory trade, but environmental crime permeates every community in the UK, as the recent Nottingham cases indicate. Stolen benefits As a researcher in environmental sociology, I believe wildlife crime and environmental damage should gain higher priority in terms of public attention, law enforcement and potential sanctions. Not only because of the intrinsic value that non-human nature has in its own right, but because of the value nature brings to us humans. Parks and green spaces known as 'green infrastructure' are central to our well-being in cities. They bring environmental and social benefits in terms of air quality, urban heat island effect, surface flooding, carbon storage, biodiversity and health. After the COVID pandemic, the importance of accessing quality green spaces for our mental and physical wellbeing became even more apparent. Visits to parks can reduce loneliness and anxiety, as well as foster a sense of belonging and community. This has the potential to benefit the public purse too. Nottingham is currently involved in a national green social prescribing test and learn programme to demonstrate the benefits of nature-based activity. Public parks are often also significant in terms of cultural heritage. This is not a new discovery. Historically, public parks were introduced in cities to improve living conditions, quality of life and as educational resources. The Arboretum – the city centre park recently targeted by thieves - was the first such public park to open in Nottingham in 1845. Visits to parks can reduce loneliness and anxiety (PA) When valued green spaces are the victim of crime, this is not a mere aesthetic problem. Wider social and environmental harms are inflicted upon communities and nature that depend on open green spaces to thrive. This matters in cities like Nottingham that suffer from high levels of deprivation and poor health outcomes. My own research has shown that while Nottingham is often celebrated for leadership in green initiatives, it suffers from deep-seated social inequality and deprivation that are long-term challenges. Social inequality is associated with crime and disorder in urban areas, which creates a vicious cycle when the crimes target community assets such as public parks. It is beyond doubt that public parks being ransacked will negatively impact the quality of life in Nottingham. It is likely that these crimes get dismissed as a minor nuisance because 'only plants' were stolen, but this attitude serves to mask the broader trend of growing environmental crime and the damage this brings to communities. Unfortunately, this will further contribute to the likelihood of such crimes spreading in future. Jenni Cauvain is a Senior Lecturer in Sociology at Nottingham Trent University. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article .
