About Us
Our Name
We believe that progress is an enduring path, not a single destination. The policy and messaging goals that we set now are not going to be adequate in even the near future, as our social and political landscapes evolve. As society continues to change, what progress looks like changes as well — and we’re continuing to walk on a jagged path toward the horizon of justice which no matter how hard we work moves further and further away. This dynamic of progress can be frustrating, but it is unavoidable given that our current vision must change as time goes on and that we must be adaptive in order to keep striving for meaningful, positive change.
Nonpartisan but not neutral.
Path to Progress is a nonpartisan organization which means we are not unilaterally aligned with any one political party. We reject the false dichotomy of partisan politics; instead, we fight for policies that prioritize people and the planet, regardless of party affiliation.
Path to Progress recognizes that the two major parties are not the same. The modern Republican Party has openly embraced fascism, racism, and xenophobia. We also stand firm in our belief that some members of the Democratic Party do not act in Americans’ best interest. We put policy before party and we are willing to work with anyone who shares our core values. To address the growing national crisis of partisanship, we support inclusive conversations about restructuring the democratic process. These ideas include the introduction of ranked-choice voting, approval voting, and the possibility of nonpartisan elections nationwide modeled after Nebraska’s state legislature. We endorse candidates for public office whose campaigns are viable and who share our values, while putting extra emphasis on young candidates, especially members of Gen Z.
Pragmatic and progressive.
Although we call for sweeping change, we understand that progress doesn’t happen overnight. Path to Progress pushes for immediate action while continuing to strive for comprehensive, long-term change.
We support policies that move the country and its most vulnerable citizens in a positive direction, whether those policies are fast-acting or gradual. Of course, we prefer immediate action — especially on the most pressing issues, like climate change, housing, and healthcare — but we also take what we can get when we get it. Some progress is better than no progress at all. In line with these values, we work with organizations, elected officials, candidates for public office, and members of the public with whom we otherwise might have serious disagreements in furtherance of common goals.
Realistic and optimistic.
Realism and optimism aren’t mutually exclusive.We take a level-headed approach to the present, highlighting the good and the bad, while always striving for a better future.
At Path to Progress, we know that in order to advocate for a better future, we must acknowledge the past. Recognizing the oppressive history of the United States is key to creating a better society. Problems cannot be addressed without first being identified. We support broad, intersectional coalitions working to address the history of harm toward women, people of color, non-Christians, immigrants, and the LGBTQ+ community in the United States. While we cannot undo past harms, we can strive for a brighter future — and take tangible steps to ensure a more equitable society prevails.
Domestic and global.
We are young Americans who focus primarily on domestic policy, but from the climate crisis to the threat of right-wing fascism, we know that many of the challenges our generation faces are global.
The United States’ significant role in global affairs obligates us to speak up against unjust American actions abroad. Our humanity obligates us to speak up against human rights violations wherever they occur. We stand against genocide, ethnic cleansing, nuclear proliferation, authoritarianism, and unjust war regardless of location. We reject the notion that the United States must always be the world’s police but also know that atrocities abroad often necessitate action.
Sardonic yet serious.
It’s no secret that young Americans have a sarcastic, even nihilistic, sense of humor. We mix Gen Z cynicism and sardonicism with serious policy proposals in the hopes of overcoming our generation’s existential dread.
Most Gen Z Americans are expected to endure significantly worse living conditions than our parents (and many already do). We are on the frontlines of many struggles, fighting climate change, income inequality, racial injustice, and so much more. As the rich get richer and the poor get poorer, as megacorporations like Amazon expand and deny their workers fair wages, and as sea levels rise and natural disasters become more destructive, our generation must turn our learned apathy into meaningful action. That’s where we come in: as fed-up young people ourselves, we know how to message to people our age in order to emphasize the importance of civic engagement and political participation.