Touring the Early Primary States With A Group of Powerful Parents

It was early in the primary season for the presidential election of 2020 that Sarah Carpenter realized there was a real problem: Black parent voices were nowhere to be found in what she was seeing and hearing from the leading Democratic candidates. 

Sarah, the founder of the Memphis Lift and one of the lead organizers of the Powerful Parent Movement, set out to change that. She and her team wanted to bring parents from across the country to speak directly with leading presidential candidates like then-Vice President Biden, Pete Buttigieg, and Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren and ask them about their plans for educational equity.

The Powerful Parent Movement quickly needed a partner with experience in event planning and complex logistical support. PACE staff members had a track record of organizing large and small events that garnered significant attention – everything from 20,000 person rallies to smaller protests and press conferences in cities across the country. 

PACE worked with leaders of the PPM to bring dozens of parents to Pennsylvania and Atlanta, from places as far apart as Rhode Island and San Antonio. We designed bus wraps, t-shirts, and branded collateral for their tour bus, and spearheaded logistics to ensure a seamless experience for parents. Sarah and other parents were able to directly engage with each of the presidential candidates, while garnering media coverage from the Washington Post and The New York Times.