Stop the MAGA Shutdown – Lobby Day
Leading up to the expected government shutdown at the end of September 2023, Courage for America tapped 9 creators to ask their audiences to sign a petition to call on Congress to stop the MAGA shutdown. Over 115,000 people signed that petition.
Six days before the government was slated to shut down, we flew the creators to DC, trained them on how to lobby, and then brought the petitions to then-Speaker McCarthy’s office. The creators also met with Representatives Veronica Escobar (TX-16), Lauren Underwood (IL-14), Mark Takano (CA-39), and Maxwell Frost (FL-10), to discuss why Gen-Z Americans are opposed to MAGA extremists shutting down the government and holding our democracy hostage.
The next day, the creators visited the White House to meet with staff and talk about how they can leverage their influence to drive positive change. Creators filmed additional content at the White House speaking out against the MAGA Shutdown.
Later on Wednesday, NBC took note of our work, inviting Courage for America to participate in an interview. José Morales, Jr. and Chante Reddest spoke with NBC on the campaign’s behalf. The segment was broadcast to over 50 affiliates across the country.
The Democratic Policy and Communications Committee (DPCC) and Leader Hakeem Jeffries took note of our creators’ work and invited three creators to return to the Hill later in the week for a media row, an event where numerous broadcast outlets line up and interview members of Congress in a rapid fire fashion. This was only the second time Congress has invited creators to play the role of reporters on the Hill during a major event, representing a shift in how Congress has historically viewed and treated the media.
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We were really excited about the content creators filmed to help raise awareness about MAGA Republicans’ shutdown threats. Check out some of our favorite posts below:
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