At the local, state and national level, regardless of which candidate emerges as the likely Democratic nominee, and in fact regardless of which party occupies the White House and controls Congress in 2016, we need a vehicle to wage issue campaigns, make bold demands for fundamental change, and hold the victors accountable through a participatory democratic movement.

We start from the idea that no single issue campaign, no perfect candidate, no grand coalition and no one organization is enough to transform our country toward justice. We know that the future of the planet is a stake; we must all come together to take climate action.

We envision this Summit as further deepening the relationship between participating organizations rooted in principled anti-corporate politics, development of community leaders, direct action not based on partisan identification, and strategic organizing to build power. 

The Summit itself will include plenary and workshop sessions devoted to key issues such as the Fight for 15, mass incarceration and criminal justice reform, voting rights and expanding democratic participation, a tax on Wall Street speculation to fund human needs and jobs, climate justice toward a sustainable economy, improved Medicare for All, the fight for free and debt-free higher education, secure retirement through expanding social security, ending HIV/AIDS, achieving Constitutional pay equity for women, and ending deportations and support for DREAMers, among others.

We will take action in Chicago against the big money system of politics that expands the power of the wealthy and corporations at the expense of the people. We will also celebrate with music and a “festival of joyous rebellion.” And we will adopt a People’s Platform to help build the broad movement for people and the planet.