Who We Are

PM is committed to continuous, statewide, progressive organizing because passing and implementing progressive policy requires attention and activism throughout policy-making cycles. Progressive activists remain effectively engaged between election cycles offering pressure, support, and organizing on issues.  

As a multi-issue organization, we work to advance progressive policy across a range of issues (See Our Progressive Platform). Issues intersect with other issues to add up to a progressive vision of life in Massachusetts. Housing impacts education, which impacts the legal system, which impacts jobs, which impacts healthcare access, and so on. Each progressive policy win is important; no single policy win is sufficient.

Moreover, unlike many other groups in the progressive space, our main focus of activity is on the state level. Massachusetts has a history of leading other states on policy, but less so recently, and instead we’re leading where we shouldn’t be—inequity, lack of transparency, commute times, cost of living. The gap between where we could be (and need to be) as a state and where we are is huge, and only persistent progressive activism—and a demystifying of state politics—can change that.

PM is a member-based 501(c)(4) organization, because we believe this is the best way to build long term, sustainable organizing power to influence public policy in Massachusetts. Click here to become a member.

Progressive Mass is organized into geographically based chapters, and members from those chapters (as well as members not involved in any chapter at all) can participate in committees organized around specific goals. We currently have seven committees: Issues, Elections and Endorsements, Chapters, Membership, Fundraising, Digital Engagement, and Tech.

First and foremost, we remain committed to our Progressive Platform. As a member-driven organization, we routinely survey our membership to find out what issues are animating our members and chapters. Our Issues Committee uses survey information — as well as our coalition memberships — to develop a legislative agenda for each legislative session.

Although the main focus of our work is state politics, our chapters can choose to work on local issues as well. If you are interested in serving on the Issues Committee, please email issues@progressivemass.com.

There is a lot of robust organizing happening at the national level, but state-level politics tends to attract less attention, both from the media and from activists. However, state policy has a major impact on our day-to-day life (from the quality of our schools, the affordability of our housing, how safe and welcoming our communities are—the list goes on), and, as our state’s history shows, bold and progressive policy on the state level can spread to other states and inspire action on the national level. States that can lead should lead. 

Activists tend to face two major barriers to taking effective action on the state level. 

• First, they may not be aware of how many of the issues they care about nationally connect to policies on the state level. 
• Second, if they are aware, they may not know how best to intervene. We seek to provide people with the knowledge, tools, and activist communities to make change.

PM is an independent organization, unaffiliated with any political party, and welcome progressives regardless of party affiliation or lack thereof. 

In Massachusetts, Democrats hold large supermajorities in both chambers but leave progressive priorities on the table session after session. Having a “D” next to your name is not synonymous with being a progressive, and we cannot rely on parties with other vested interests to build progressive power.

Our accountability is to our progressive values and to the democratic will of our membership. This allows us to work on issues that might not be a focus of the Democratic party, or specific elected officials, or issues on which Democratic officials might not hold a position consistent with progressive values, and enables us to better do the important, long-term work of holding all elected officials accountable.

First, please check on the progressive performance of your Legislators here. You may be surprised by their score! And yes the best way to help your legislators pass progressive legislation is to call and email them. Research shows that both Democratic and Republican state legislators believe that their districts are more conservative than they really are. When conservatives are the more constituent constituents calling and emailing legislators (to fight progress on immigrants’ rights, police accountability, fair taxation, etc.), that will have a skewing effect on how legislators see the district. We need to provide positive reinforcement to progressive allies so that they can make the strongest case possible for their policy priorities and so that they have the willpower to keep fighting (a “thank you” to an ally can go a long way!). 

Yes! If you have a core group that is interested in forming a new chapter, contact chapters@progressivemass.com. If not, there are still opportunities for engagement through action alerts, committees, and state-wide forums. Sign up here to get on our mailing list and learn more.

As a 501(c)4, our focus is on advancing progressive policy through issue-based organizing. However, we do make endorsements in select state, county, and federal races when those races could advance progressive policy. For more information on our endorsement process, see our Elections & Endorsements page. Note that Progressive Mass, as a statewide organization, does not endorse candidates for local office. If you are interested in seeking an endorsement, please contact elections@progressivemass.com.

PM believes that we can all be more effective as activists when working in coalition to advance shared goals. Through coalition work, we all learn more, grow in our advocacy, become more effective allies, and achieve goals that no organization could on its own. We participate in various statewide issue-based coalitions and serve in a formal leadership role in some (e.g., the steering committee of the Raise Up Massachusetts coalition on economic justice and that of the Safe Communities Coalition on immigrants’ rights). On the local level, our chapters cultivate partnerships and coalitions with other groups working toward our vision of an equitable, just, democratic, and sustainable Commonwealth.