All the resources that Draft AOC is tapping into are helping turn a dream into reality

Most activism happens on weekends, and our goal is to run a decentralized campaign that removes money from politics ...

To organize effectively across the United States, we must break the country down by county and build grassroots support around the idea that AOC should be the next President in 2028.

Unfortunately, AOC’s team seems poised to rely once again on paid staffers—just as in 2016 and 2020—falling into the same traps laid by political consultants.

So far, none of the organizations tied to Bernie Sanders have recognized the transformative power of the open-source movement—a social movement rooted in open, transparent, and collaborative development.

It’s time we apply that same philosophy to politics.

Tools that empower any activist to take action

National Voter File

The National Voter File is a project of the Progressive Coders Network aimed at organizing and standardizing information from every county Board of Elections across the United States. Its goal is to obtain and make accessible the raw voter registration data from each state in a consistent format.

This is a nonpartisan initiative housed within the Progressive Coders Network.

We are currently seeking collaboration with organizations such as the libertarian Restoration Action who run Voter Refererence (https://voteref.com) and the League of Women Voters (https://www.lwv.org.)

Learn more at https://voterfiles.org.

Progressive Coders Network

The Progressive Coders Network is an open-source tech incubator that empowers grassroots movements. It was founded in the wake of the 2016 Democratic National Convention by a group of activists who connected through the Coders for Sanders initiative.

Much of the technology powering the Draft AOC 2028 coalition originates from the Progressive Coders Network, which can be found at https://progcode.org.

PBS Documentary: County

Film director, actor, and longtime Bernie activist Hamid Fahim created a powerful documentary—County—to reveal how the Democratic Party really operates behind the scenes.

You can stream the full documentary on PBS at: https://www.pbs.org/video/county-kigzrj.

Ben Franklin Circles

In 1727, Benjamin Franklin founded the Junto—a weekly mutual improvement club composed of individuals with diverse interests and skills. Known as a Founding Father and a master inventor, Franklin was also a pioneer in the practice of self-improvement and civic engagement.

Nearly 300 years later, the Ben Franklin Circles are reviving and reimagining Franklin’s approach, using his civic virtues as tools to enrich both personal lives and local communities.

In the original Junto, members would regularly pose the question, “Do you think of any thing at present, in which the Junto may be serviceable to mankind?”—one of 24 guiding questions asked during each meeting.

Inspired by this tradition, the modern Ben Franklin Circles have developed a new toolkit designed to help members identify ways to support one another and serve their broader communities. While still rooted in the spirit of Franklin’s virtues, this updated guide shifts the focus from a single virtue per meeting to an ongoing set of questions aimed at fostering mutual aid and cooperation.

As one Circle member shared, “[It] has reinforced the idea that we are all interconnected and interdependent.”

Learn more at https://benfranklincircles.org.

Rep My Block

Rep My Block is an open-source alternative to VAN, designed to train candidates to run for public office and internal party positions in an organic, grassroots-driven way.

It offers a turnkey solution that guides candidates through each step of the ballot access process, providing clear, step-by-step milestones to help them qualify and run effectively.

Learn more at https://repmyblock.org.

The grassroots organization using the above ressources

Progressive Victory

Progressive Victory is a political action committee (PAC) that describes itself as “a new kind of political community — built by the internet, for the internet.”

The organization has been steadily expanding its reach across the United States by welcoming progressives of all backgrounds into its active Discord community. While Progressive Victory supports a wide range of political initiatives in diverse communities, its overarching mission is clear: to help elect progressive candidates and advance progressive policy at every level of government.

The Miami chapter of the Social Democrats of America (SDA) recently published a post highlighting the importance of building a relationship with Progressive Victory.

You can read it here: miamidadesocialdemocrats.substack.com/p/progressive-victory-establishes-a.

Learn more at https://www.progressivevictory.win.

Progressive Democrats of America

Founded in 2004, Progressive Democrats of America is a grassroots organization committed to transforming the Democratic Party and advancing a people-powered political agenda. Working both inside the party and alongside movements for peace, justice, and equality, PDA promotes policies that prioritize the public interest over corporate influence.

PDA advocates for progressive causes including single-payer healthcare, racial and economic justice, voting rights, the Equal Rights Amendment, and climate action. It was also the first national group to urge Bernie Sanders to run for president as a Democrat, launching the Run Bernie Run campaign in 2014.

Through its inside/outside strategy, PDA works from the local level up to Washington, D.C., where it partners with the Congressional Progressive Caucus. Though impactful, the group has faced challenges—its YouTube channel was banned following a controversial virtual town hall with former Representative Jamaal Bowman.

Learn more at https://pdamerica.org.

Social Democrats of America

The Social Democrats of America is a 501(c)(4) organization dedicated to educating the public on the true principles of democratic socialism: free education, universal healthcare, reproductive rights, opposition to the death penalty, universal basic income, the right to unionize, the separation of church and state, and the belief that government should uphold individual liberties and ensure a dignified life for all.

Rooted in a long history of resistance to injustice and inequality, the organization champions human progress through individual emancipation, wealth redistribution, ecological stewardship, democratic sovereignty, and the advancement of civil rights.

In a rapidly changing world shaped by climate change, technological disruption, and shifting geopolitics, the Social Democrats of America seek to reinterpret socialist values with both loyalty to tradition and bold innovation.

Learn more at https://socialists.us.

Progressive Organizations

A number of independent progressive organizations operate outside the traditional party system, often driven by major fundraising efforts or focused on issue-specific advocacy.

While their approach differs from those working within the Democratic Party, they largely follow a liberal framework—despite often using socialist language—and have played a role in amplifying progressive ideals through media and mobilization.

These organizations command significant national and international media attention and are capable of rapid mobilization.

However, their focus often shifts from campaign to campaign, prioritizing short-term wins over long-term, sustainable change. This frequently results in unacknowledged losses that leave their activist base emotionally drained.

With missions tied to specific projects or funding cycles, staff turnover is high, and strategic continuity is rarely maintained. For many activists, this cycle can be mentally and emotionally draining.

Instead of being empowered to organize locally and build lasting structures, they are too often pulled into reactive campaigns where they’re told what needs to be done—without being given the tools or support to lead from the ground up.

While these organizations will be important allies in the push for an AOC 2028 campaign, their role must be to assist and amplify—not define—the platform led by the people.

Real transformation begins with local, grassroots organizing and a commitment to building power from the bottom up.

Our Revolution

Our Revolution views elections and party involvement as tactics in service of a larger strategy: building a lasting movement centered on progressive issues.

The organization has assembled a nationwide coalition of progressive state party officials—from grassroots delegates forming caucuses to state party chairs—committed to transforming the Democratic Party from within.

At the national level, Our Revolution is actively engaged in reform efforts within the Democratic National Committee (DNC), where progressive members are challenging the entrenched top-down structure to make the party more democratic, transparent, and accountable to grassroots activists—not corporations or consultants.

Believing that “personnel is policy,” the organization emphasizes the importance of placing progressives in leadership roles at every level. This approach has yielded tangible results, including the election of progressive State Party Chairs such as Yolanda Bejarano in Arizona and Shasti Conrad in Washington.

Additionally, Michelle Deatrick, a leader from Our Revolution Michigan, was re-elected to the DNC Council on Climate and Environmental Crisis—a body Our Revolution played a key role in creating.

Learn more at https://ourrevolution.com.

Working Family Party

The Working Families Party (WFP) is building a multiracial political movement of working people committed to transforming the country. Community by community and state by state, WFP offers a political home to those who reject bigotry, corporate bailouts, and business-as-usual politics.

Founded in 1998, the Working Families Party (WFP) represents a modern continuation of the socialist tradition rooted in labor organizing—a legacy dating back to union-led movements after the Paris Commune of the 1870s. Today, the party remains heavily influenced by labor unions, which continue to shape much of its political direction.

At times, WFP has supported candidates who project progressive values in rhetoric but fall short in practice, raising concerns about the party’s alignment with its grassroots base. Despite these shortcomings, WFP remains a significant force in the national progressive movement and continues to influence the broader landscape of left-wing politics.

Learn more at https://workingfamilies.org.

Indivisible

Indivisible is a national grassroots movement made up of thousands of local groups across the country, united by a mission to elect progressive leaders, rebuild American democracy, and counter the agenda of Donald Trump and the far right.

The organization’s national team provides strategic leadership, coordination, and resources to support local Indivisible activists. In addition to grassroots organizing, Indivisible engages in direct congressional lobbying, builds national partnerships, runs media campaigns, and develops advocacy strategies aimed at resisting right-wing extremism and advancing a more inclusive, representative democracy.

Learn more at https://indivisible.org.

Rise and Resist (RAR) and 50501

Rise and Resist is a New York City–based direct action group aligned in method and spirit with 50501-style activism. Both groups focus on bold, nonviolent public demonstrations as a means to demand accountability and political change.

RAR is grounded in the exercise of First Amendment rights—freedom of speech, assembly, and the right to petition the government. The group is known for organizing clear, focused demonstrations, often held in public spaces and occasionally on private or semi-public property. A team of trained marshals helps coordinate actions and adapt plans in real time to ensure safety and effectiveness.

Committed to nonviolence, Rise and Resist often receives vocal support from bystanders, while also encountering hecklers and counter-protesters who aim to provoke conflict. Despite occasional harassment, RAR remains disciplined and mission-focused.

Learn more at https://riseandresist.org and https://www.fiftyfifty.one.

Green Party

The Green Party of the United States (GPUS) is a political organization rooted in the principles of green politics and guided by its Four Pillars: ecological wisdom, social justice, grassroots democracy, and nonviolence.

These pillars are embodied in the party’s Ten Key Values, which emphasize grassroots democracy, social and economic justice, ecological sustainability, nonviolence, decentralization, feminism, respect for diversity, personal and global responsibility, and long-term environmental stewardship.

GPUS offers a consistent, values-driven alternative to the two major political parties. However, its position outside the traditional party system presents significant challenges. Rather than working within existing structures, the Green Party positions itself as an external challenger to both the Democratic and Republican establishments—often appealing to voters disillusioned by corporate influence and political inertia.

While this outsider strategy has inspired a passionate base of supporters, it has also led some activists to invest their energy in an uphill battle—attempting to break the deeply entrenched two-party system with limited tools and little institutional leverage.

Learn more at https://www.gp.org.

Democratic Socialists of America

The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) is the largest socialist organization in the United States, advocating for democratic socialism through grassroots organizing and political education. Founded in 1982 through the merger of the Democratic Socialist Organizing Committee and the New American Movement, the DSA has long been a key force in the American left.

In 2017, the DSA voted to withdraw from the Socialist International, marking a shift away from its earlier, more moderate international alignment. In the years that followed, the organization gravitated toward more radical international affiliations—joining the São Paulo Forum in 2020 and the Progressive International in 2023.The São Paulo Forum (Foro de São Paulo) is a coalition of left-wing political parties and organizations from across Latin America and the Caribbean. It was established in 1990 by Brazil’s Workers' Party (Partido dos Trabalhadores – PT) to promote regional cooperation and socialist development.

The Progressive International was launched in May 2020 by U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders and Yanis Varoufakis, founder of the European Realistic Disobedience Front (DiEM25). Its mission is to unite, organize, and mobilize progressive forces around the world. Since its founding, the Progressive International has grown to include over 100 organizations representing millions of people across all inhabited continents.

The São Paulo Forum (Foro de São Paulo) is a coalition of left-wing political parties and organizations from across Latin America and the Caribbean. It was established in 1990 to promote regional cooperation and socialist development.

The Progressive International was launched in May 2020 by U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders and Yanis Varoufakis, founder of the European Realistic Disobedience Front (DiEM25). Its mission is to unite, organize, and mobilize progressive forces around the world.

Together, these affiliations represent a significant turn toward the global far left, marking a departure from the more moderate democratic socialism envisioned by DSA founder Michael Harrington.

Learn more at https://www.dsausa.org.

Bernie Sanders

Bernie Sanders is a self-declared socialist, and his impact on the resurgence of socialism in the United States is undeniable.

While not a philosopher of socialism, Bernie embodies the role of a socialist soldier—much like many elected socialists around the world who translate ideals into political action.

As the United States continues to slide toward authoritarianism, the straightforward language of socialism has begun to resonate with Americans—just as it did across Europe throughout the 20th century.

Learn more at https://berniesanders.com.

Team AOC

Team AOC is With working families struggling and our planet under threat, we can’t just wait around for progressive change. It’s time for us to act.

Our campaign is fighting for a powerful set of policies that will reshape our economy, minimize inequality and reverse the effects of climate change. Through a Green New Deal, we will eliminate our greenhouse gas emissions and guarantee a high-wage job to everyone who wants one. And we’re not stopping there⁠—our platform calls for federal limits on rent increases, transformative criminal justice reform, Medicare for All and tuition-free public college.

Team AOC is not currently talking with us.

Learn more at https://www.ocasiocortez.com.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

We have until November 2027 for the candidate to decide whether she will run. Because this is a truly grassroots effort, built without financial backing or official endorsement, we simply don’t know what her decision will be.

The project began in 2022 with the hope that she would run in 2024, but on July 9, 2024, she publicly announced she would not—dashing our hopes at the time. Out of respect for her decision, we pivoted to focus on 2028.

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/09/us/politics/aoc-biden-2024-election.html

If she ultimately decides not to run in November 2027, each participating organization—according to its own bylaws—will have to begin the process of nominating an alternative candidate. Importantly, all of the tools, strategies, and lessons developed through this open-source grassroots movement will remain publicly available, ready to support whichever name rises to carry the torch.