Building Hubs Across The Nation
Written by: Jessica, Fieldwork Associate
ED Charles Douglas and Jessica Establishing the Colorado Hub
When I first stepped into the role of leading our Hubs work at Common Power, I didn’t fully grasp just how much this journey would change and pivot and completely transform how I thought about organizing. I’ve spent the last few months traveling the country with my team (shout-out Charles Douglas, Binh Truong, and Mustafa Ali Khan!) and together, we’ve sat in living rooms, church basements, co-working spaces, and cafés to meet with volunteers who care deeply about their communities and want to be part of something bigger.
As the person tasked with developing and running our Hubs, I’ve had the privilege (and sometimes the chaos!) of building something from the ground up. I’ve seen firsthand how organizing isn’t just about campaigns or doorknocking. It’s about community. It’s about showing up. It’s about seeing people not just as volunteers, but as leaders, neighbors, and friends.
Jessica leading a meeting in LA
This post is a reflection of what I’ve learned, what we’ve built together, and where we’re headed next. The work of Common Powered Hubs is and will always be personal.
Every city we land in, every conversation we have, every moment of connection – it’s all part of a bigger story that I’m proud to be writing alongside so many of you.
When we launched our first Hub in March, I didn’t know exactly what would unfold. I just knew that we wanted to bring people together to build power and community where it matters most: in their own backyards.
That first Hub was in Southern California.
Charles, Binh, Mustafa, and I packed our bags and traveled up and down the region. From Hollywood to South Bay to Dana Point, we met people who were fired up and ready to do something. The energy was real. But so were the challenges. Southern California is sprawling. It’s hard to rally around one action when people live hours apart, have different neighborhood priorities, and are plugged into different issues.
We learned quickly that local organizing can't be one-size-fits-all.
So we split the SoCal Hub into smaller communities: Greater LA and South Bay. They share some volunteers and overlap in geography, but the needs are vastly different. Greater LA leans big: big reach, big events, and volunteers from every corner of the city. South Bay, by contrast, is tightly focused on hyperlocal engagement: activating neighbors who haven’t been reached before.
This was my first insight:
Organizing is not just about geography. It’s about identity, values, and the willingness to meet people where they are, even if they live just a few miles apart.
Then came Colorado.
We launched the Colorado Hub similarly – meeting in-person with folks we already had relationships with.
But Colorado surprised me. People there weren’t just interested in national issues; they were laser-focused on flipping their own congressional district.
They didn’t need convincing. They needed coordination.
From this momentum came Monica – our first official Hub Lead! Monica wasn’t just a passionate organizer. She was local, trusted, and willing to step up. That’s when I had my second big insight: Local leadership is everything. When people see someone they know leading, they’re far more likely to show up. It’s not just interest or passion, there has to be trust.
Inspired by Monica, we circled back to LA. This time, with a new focus: finding our Monica in every Hub.
That’s how we got Michael and Annie: natural leaders who showed up and kept showing up. We brought them (along with Monica) into the field with us in New Jersey, Virginia, and Arizona so they could experience what community building looks like the CP way. They didn’t just come back with ideas. They came back with purpose. They’re now carrying the CP spirit in SoCal, leading not just with logistics but with community and vision.
And then came New York.
By now, we had a rhythm: meet and greet, build trust, find leaders, organize action. But New York humbled us. The energy there was already off the charts. But so was the experience. People weren’t waiting for someone to start something – they were already knee-deep in the work. From Indivisible chapters to League of Women Voters, folks were already organized. The need wasn’t for new leadership. It was for amplification.
So we pivoted. We found our Hub Lead (Jeff!) and went straight into strategy. Instead of laying a new foundation, we’re building onto what already exists. By September, New York volunteers will be knocking doors in one of the most competitive mayoral elections in the country. And we’ll work to support, connect, and scale what's already working.
Which brings us to the last lesson I learned: listen. Listen to the people on the ground and you’ll better meet their needs.
That’s how you’ll build and develop local power.
That’s been the story of our Hubs so far. Each one is different. Each one taught me something new. And each one reminds me that the potential of local organizing is limitless if you listen, adapt, and stay grounded in people.
Our Hubs are now knee-deep in work and community building:
SoCal is now launching its first Deep Listening campaign in CA-45 – a district that flipped by less than 600 votes in 2024. Volunteers will be going door to door, talking to voters we lost last cycle, listening for what changed and planting the seeds for change again in 2026.
In Colorado, we’re registering renters, recruiting volunteers, and showing up in communities across CO-08 to unseat Gabe Evans. We’re building our presence in competitive districts and growing our capacity in blue neighborhoods because we know that real change takes deep and long-term work.
And in New York, our volunteers will be joining an already electric movement to shift the direction of local politics, one conversation at a time.
This whole journey began with one conversation. Then a few Zoom calls. Then actions. Now, we have growing communities doing the work.
And we’re just getting started. And with everything we’ve learned so far, we’re ready to transform our Seattle community into something more.
Further Together,
Jessica, Fieldwork Associate
Monica and the Colorado Hub Making Good Trouble!
