Pro Politics with Zac McCrary

Jenifer Fernandez Ancona, co-founder of Way to Win, on Effective Progressive Messaging

October 17, 2023
Pro Politics with Zac McCrary
Jenifer Fernandez Ancona, co-founder of Way to Win, on Effective Progressive Messaging
Show Notes

Jenifer Fernandez Ancona is a co-founder of Way to Win, a progressive donor hub that has helped direct nearly $300M since 2018. Jenifer talks her early experiences in journalism, what pulled her into political activism in the early 2000s, why Way to Win was needed, and the work and research and guidance Way to Win is providing to help Democrats message, organize, and advocate more effectively.


IN THIS EPISODE

Jenifer's path from journalism to political advocacy after 9/11...


Both the national and local political figures who inspired her activism...


Jenifer talks her work on major donor fundraising...


Why Jenifer co-founded Way to Win after the 2016 elections...


Jenifer's take on Democrats' historic "message problem"...


What Jenifer has learned from Way to Win's research ad-testing 50+ spots...


Jenifer on the power of qualitative, focus group research...


Jenifer offers guidance on how Democrats should talk about economic progress when many voters are feeling pessimistic...


Why Jenifer thinks messages promoting bipartisanship are counter-productive...


The balance in communicating to a multi-racial coalition...


Jenifer's thoughts on a potential "zoomed out" macro message for progressives...


Recent research and guidance Way to Win has rolled out among Latino voters...


AND Mandela Barnes, Cheri Beasley, George W Bush, Hillary Clinton, corporate media, crazy babykillers, Howard Dean, deep canvassing, El Salvador, Tory Gavito, Leah Hunt-Hendrix, the LA Times, Daraka Larimore-Hall, movement spaces, Richard Nixon, peace protests, Nancy Pelosi, pregnancy crisis centers, status threats, Swayable, the Tribune Company, Donald Trump, victory laps, Das Williams...& more!