State of the Union September 2020
Political Updates
Lobbying and Advocacy Efforts
- Total # of Lobbying Meetings in August: 175
- Total # of Lobbying Meetings in 2020: 962
- Lobbying Meetings Goal for 2020: 710
Advocacy Emails
- Total # of Advocacy Emails in August: 39,248
- Total # of Advocacy Emails in 2020: 174,663
- Advocacy Emails Goal for 2020: 120,000
- % of Congress Emailed Year to Date: 100%
Congressional Office Meetings and Live Events

Borgen Project ambassadors met with Marisa Bremer from Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand’s (D-NY) office.

Kilin Tang of the Political Affairs Team bird-dogged Rep. Lee Griffin (D-PA-12th) about the IAB and Rep. Tom Malinowski (D-NJ-7th) about the Girls LEAD Act.

Political Affairs Team member Julia Orozco bird-dogged Rep. Karen Bass (D-CA-37th)

Political Affairs Team member Samantha bird-dogged Kamala Harris during her Instagram live with Sarah Cooper.

Nonprofit Leadership Team member Elleigh Spragg met with Clayton Campbell, District Director to Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO).
During a Tele-Town Hall meeting, Political Affairs Team member Momina Chaudhry bird-dogged Rep. Jimmy Panetta (D-CA-20th) on the importance of addressing global poverty during COVID-19.
Listen here:
Warren’s Address
Listen to the latest from Warren about the goings-on in D.C.
Recognition
Congratulations to the following team members who have achieved Borgen Project Honors & Recognition
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- Honors Award (raised $3,000 or more):
- Advocate: Terra Johns
- Capital Achievement Award (raised $2,000 or more):
- Content Team: Maxwell Karibian, Ava Roberts
- Political Affairs Team: Elizabeth Dassow
- Advocate: Terra Johns
- Chief Closer Award (raised $1,000 or more):
- Advocate: Isabel Britton, Emma Gebel
- Content Team: Petra Dujmic, Taylor Pangman, Mizla Shrestha, Claire Brenner, Ava Roberts, Joy Arkeh, Madeline Zuzevich, Radley Tan, Alana Castle, Andrea Kruger, Bailey Sparks, Evan Kuo, John Brinkman, Rida Memon, Rosalind Coats, Sarah Betuel, Sarah Uddin, Suzanne Quigg, Kyler Juarez
- In-Office Team: Hailey Clark, Alice Chang
- Political Affairs Team: Daniel Mills, Jack Feenick, Abby Ochs, Gregg Cornett, Nehal Tibrewal
- PR/Marketing Team: Faiza Islam, Adam Cronin, Cade Pustelnik, Charlsie Parham, Reghan Callahan, Alexa Bates
- Bird Dog Award:
- Advocate: Terra Johns
- Political Affairs Team: Madyson Sauter, Rachel Greenspan, Lydia Lee, Keira Logan, Momina Chaudhry, Kilin Tang
- Content Team: Alyssa Hogan
- President’s Circle:
- Nonprofit Leadership Team: Devorah Gurevich
- Political Affairs Team: Rachel Greenspan, Keira Logan, Devyn Crane, Jack Feenick, Grace Lee, Adam Gizzi, Lara Smith, Sam Crispin, Topaz Fragoso, Kassi Bourne, Bailey Fleming, Olivia Chen, Yasmeen Abdul-Razeq, Samuel Nall, Rendon Reinarz, Elissa DeTellis, Liam McNett
- Public Outreach Award (50 or more people mobilized):
- Content Team: Mary Langan, Maya Gonzales, Sarah Smith
- HR Team: Kevin Guan
- Political Affairs Team: Daniel Mills, Grace Lee, Abby Ochs, Danielle Piccoli, Julia Orozco, Madyson Sauter, Nehal Tibrewal
- PR/Marketing Team: Jacob West, Monica Littles, Cade Pustelnik
- Articles of the Month:
- Human Hair: A Potential Solution to the Mauritius Oil Spill by Sydney Leiter
- Parboiled Rice: A New Hope for Women in Africa by Olivia du Bois
- Honors Award (raised $3,000 or more):
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Visit the Our Team Members page and read about success stories with our organization.
Getting the Word Out
Informational Events

PR/Marketing Team member Kei-Lin Gatling: Borgen Project 101

PR/Marketing Team member Gabby Kinzler: The Borgen Project
One-Mile Campaigns & Mobilizing

HR Team member Sofia Rimola

Content Team member Michael Messina

Content Team member Grace Ganz (left) and PR/Marketing Team member Adam Cronin

Political Affairs Team member Elizabeth Lewis (left), PR/Marketing Team member Ann Yu and Nonprofit Leadership Team member Connor Kaufman (right)

PR/Marketing Team member Desiree Sierra

Content Team members Allison Lloyd (left) and Savannah Gardner (right)

Content Team member Samantha Puzzi completing her One-Mile Campaign

PR/Marketing Team member Alexis Woodruff

Advocate Eva Sturdivant encouraged over 20 people to take a picture of the link to email their congressional leaders

Content Team member Araceli Mercer (left) and Political Affairs Team member Jackie Bartha (right)

Political Affairs Team member Joseph Hoeg in Northampton, MA

Political Affairs Team members Jasmun Askew (top left), Bailey Fleming (top right), Emily Pyle (bottom left), and Ethan Walton (bottom right)

Content Team members Bryan Boggiano (left) and Claire Brenner (right)

Political Affairs Team member Ceara Stewart

HR Team member Caroline Ayers

Julia Orozco (left), Political Affairs Team, and Stella Grimaldi (right), Content Team, completed the One-Mile Campaign on and around the USC Village

PR/Marketing Team member Emma Goins

PR/Marketing Team member Kimberly Kukla

PR/Marketing Team member Monica Littles

PR/Marketing Team member Bailie Posten

Nonprofit Leadership Team member Abigail Schultz’s dog JJ wants you to support the cause!

Chalk art by Political Affairs Team member Rachel Greenspan

PR/Marketing Team member Cade Pustelnik

HR Team member Ishah Tariq

PR/Marketing Team member Ava Morrant

PR/Marketing Team member Laura Barriga Fernandez

Regional Director Daysha Robinson

Political Affairs Team member Bardia Memar: “Take 1 minute to fight global poverty”

PR/Marketing Team member Sujud Khalil

Political Affairs Team members Danielle Piccoli (top) and Danielle Crowley (bottom) posting flyers
Swarms

Advocate Leah Schroeder calling Congress with family.
Letters to the Editor
Content Team
- Michael Straus in The Independent: America’s Responsibility To Stop Tuberculosis
Political Affairs Team
- Meriel Hahn in the Coloradoan and a tweet by USGLC: More funding is needed to fight COVID-19 internationally
- Brandon Ferguson in the Richmond-Times Dispatch: Empowering youth can lead to social change
- Alissa Bidwell in the MinnPost: U.S. should not cut foreign aid spending
- Siddhant Urunkar in the Tucson: How to Solve Global Poverty
- Avery Benton in the Suffolk News Herald: Why global poverty matters
- Danielle Piccoli in the River Journal: Congress Should Pass Emergency Funding to Fight COVID-19 Globally
- Gregory Suber in The Columbus Dispatch: Nation should get behind eliminating tuberculosis now
- Meriel Hahn in the Coloradoan: More funding is needed to fight COVID-19 internationally
- Grayson Timoner in the Fairfax County Times: Preparing for the next pandemic and Global poverty threatens the United States
- Jailah Keller in the Daily Emerald: Making Foreign Aid Important in American Policy
- Bailey Grijalva in the New Hampshire Union Leader: Plight of the world’s poor doesn’t pause for pandemic and the Seacoast Online: We are not doing enough
- Michael Roberts in Newsday: Boost international budget to fight virus
- Megan Marie Owens in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Addressing pandemic detriments
- Momina Chaudhry in the Bakersfield: COVID-19: A global dilemma
- Ellen Mahoney in The Roanoke Times: Call your representatives
- Katherine Tannous in the Chapelboro: Global Health Is Necessary for Safety and Security Here at Home
- Zoe Owens in The Union-Recorder: Let’s do our part to fight global poverty
- Isabela Watson in The Riverdale Press: It’s not aid, it’s an investment
- John Baker in the Cape Gazette: Democratic ideals are better for all
- Nelson Kappas in the VC Star: Don’t cut international budget
- Colleen Scerpella in the Wisconsin State Journal: COVID-19 creates global problems
PR/Marketing Team
- Jawad Bhuiyan in The Press of Atlantic City: Education Fights Poverty
- Reilly O’Neill in the Cleveland: Use part of next coronavirus aid package to help worst-hit globally
- Kyle McKee in The Southampton Press: Money Well Spent
- Emily Coghill in the Iowa State Daily: Military does not need to be the be all, end all
- Lina Moscol in the Centre Daily Times: Urge support for Keeping Girls in School Act
- Monica Littles in The Glendale Star: We are on the Brink of Global Starvation
- Tiffany Lou in the NJ.com: Make global health security a priority
- Mackenzie Smith in the Philadelphia Weekly: Reduce worldwide poverty
- Quantarius Whitted in the Fayetteville Observer: Urge Congress to fund efforts to beat COVID-19, poverty
- Melanie Perazzo in The Palm Beach Post: Support campaign to fight global poverty
- Mackenzie Smith in The Press of Atlantic City: Increase aid to nations
- Nicole Iradukunda in The Courier: Fight global poverty and in The Northern Iowan: Advocate for global poverty
Nonprofit Leadership Team
- Kira Meager in The Citizens’ Voice: Awareness for Girls LEAD Act
Outreach & Mobilizing Materials
The Borgen Project

Created by Political Affairs Team member Julia Orozco

Created by PR/Marketing Team member Gabriel Souza

Created by Advocate Isabel Britton

Created by HR Team member Caroline Ayers

Created by PR/Marketing Team member Emma Goins

Created by PR/Marketing Team member Sara Holm

Created by PR/Marketing Team member Camille Burt

Created by Apirat Rungpat, PR/Marketing Team (left) and Grace Ganz, Content Team (right)

Created by Advocate Jessica Nguyen

Created by Penelope Moreno, PR/Marketing Team
Global Poverty Facts

Created by PR/Marketing Team member Alyssa Barrera

Created by PR/Marketing Team member Pia Rodriguez

Created by PR/Marketing Team members Karina Mayo Trujillo

Created by PR/Marketing Team member Mackenzie Sager

Created by PR/Marketing Team member Gabriel Souza

Created by PR/Marketing Team member Audrey Reus

Created by Advocate Savannah Villanueva

Created by Content Team member Sydney Bazilian
Advocacy

Created by PR/Marketing Team member Pia Rodriguez

Created by PR/Marketing Team member Max Kyle

Created by Political Affairs Team member Jax Viteznik
Legislation

Created by PR/Marketing Team member Alyssa Barrera

Created by PR/Marketing Team member Felicia Chigaru

Created by Content Team member Claire Brenner

Created by PR/Marketing Team member Pia Rodriguez

Created by Regional Director Sarah Gruesser

Created by Political Affairs Team member Nehal Tibrewal

Created by Nonprofit Leadership Team member Lillian Bradley
COVID-19

Created by PR/Marketing Team member Kristian Zivkovic

Created by PR/Marketing Team member Kilin Tang

Created by PR/Marketing Team member Monica Littles

Created by PR/Marketing Team member Emily Vankoll

Created by Jailene Paniagua – 5 Beauty Brands Making a Difference with COVID-19

Created by PR/Marketing Team member Reily Radosevich
Fundraising

Political Affairs Team member Sabrina Delisfort hosted a food drive to mobilize and fundraise for the cause

Have clothes you no longer need? Editor Nikki Carstensen sold clothes at Plato’s Closet and donated the money to her campaign.

PR/Marketing Team member Jawad Bhuiyan hosted a fundraising table on August 1st with another local Borgen Project Intern. “We raised a total of $100 for both of our fundraising campaigns. We worked very hard and are looking forward to hosting similar fundraising tables soon before leaving for college.”

Cartwheels for a Cause! Rachel Greenspan of the Political Affairs team did some amazing work for her fundraising campaign and raised $104.

PR/Marketing Team member Camille Burt created a graphic to aid her fundraising campaign. She shared it across her social media platforms.

Fitness fundraiser hosted by Kathryn Nash of the PR/Marketing team

Political Affairs Team member Rachael Osman held a virtual 5K run/walk with over 50 participants!

As a fundraising strategy, Advocate Venus Wang has been making gummies and treats to sell.

PR/Marketing Team member David Tran did a photoshoot to fundraise for the cause

Advocate Angeline Aloysius

Content Team member Rochelle Gluzman
Media Outreach
Interviews and Media Features
SPAA Internship Spotlight: Ashly Sanchez Sanz, Political Affairs Team
Promoting Activism Through Legislation: Olivia Ripps, Political Affairs Team
TikTok
PR/Marketing Team member Emma Goins:
@emmagoins if I popped up on your fyp, the universe is calling you to do something impactful today ✨ if you do it lmk! #advocacy #borgenproject #foryoupage
The Borgen Project is now on TikTok! Give us a follow @theborgenproject.
Have an idea for a TikTok? Please email them [email protected].
Social Media Outreach

PR/Marketing Team member Haley Paluszak, found success reaching out to accounts about the Keeping Girls in School Act and conducted an Instagram takeover.

Amonn Mitchell, PR/Marketing Team, persuaded one Instagram influencer and podcast owner to share 5 Ways to be Active in Activism!

PR/Marketing Team member Tressie Evans reached an audience of 90,000 followers following her social media outreach with two stories posted about emailing in support of a COVID-19 response.
Team members took to Instagram to voice support for the cause. Don’t forget to tag @theborgenproject in your content on Instagram:
Stories:

PR/Marketing Team member Angela Porter

Rep. Antonio Delgado (D-NY-19th) gave The Borgen Project a shoutout on Twitter
Videos
Created by PR/Marketing Team member Tiffany Lou
Gabi Kenney Interviews HR Team member Alexandra Kenney about The Borgen Project
Keeping Girls in School Act by PR/Marketing Team member Laura Barriga
One-Mile Campaign by Political Affairs Team members Zachary Szymanski and Alyssa Pascoe