Dancing Hearts Consulting (DHC) is a left-of-center political consulting firm that offers managerial advice to political campaigns and activist groups, especially those that are pursuing ballot initiatives. It teaches its clients about power structures, how to become powerful, and how to harness this power toward the political outcomes they desire.

Dancing Hearts Consulting was founded by Esperanza Tervalon-Garrett in 2017.

Background

Dancing Hearts Consulting is a left-of-center political consulting firm that offers managerial advice to political campaigns and activist groups, especially those that are pursuing ballot initiatives. ¹

DHC was founded in June 2017 and is located in Salem, Oregon. ² It describes its initial efforts as “strategies [to] amplify the impact of the political response of front-line activists in the Trump era – and the funders who support them.” It specifically names “Black people, women of color, immigrants, formerly incarcerated people, and LGBTQIA folks” as “those most impacted by systemic oppression,” and the constituents its political strategies aim to help. ³

Activities

Dancing Hearts Consulting provides advisory services to activist groups and policy campaigns that aim to deepen democracy and ensure “transformative outcomes” along left-of-center lines. It teaches its clients about power structures, how to become powerful, and how to harness this power toward the political outcomes they desire. ⁴

Some of its main training programs include Organizing 101, Creating Social Change, Moving People to Action, and Elections for the Win! ⁵

In November 2021, launched the Ballots Building Power platform, accompanied with case studies on voter mobilization titled “Understanding Power-Building Ecosystems.” The research aimed to reveal “the conditions and strategies that can help or inhibit power-building specifically in Black Indigenous, and all people of color (BIPOC).” It conducted its study based on the results from three ballot initiatives concerning affordable housing, Medicaid expansion, and criminal justice reform across six states (California, Oregon, Montana, Nebraska, Louisiana, and Florida. ⁶

In its conclusions drawn from the study, Dancing Hearts wrote that “prioritizing transformative change over short-term wins built more power” and “trusting local leaders on strategy led to more significant mobilization.” ⁷

Partners

Some of Dancing Hearts’ partners include Citizen SHE United: Black Women Organization in Louisiana, AAPI Civic Engagement Fund, Unite for Reproductive and Gender Equity (URGE), Northwest Health Foundation (NWHF), Akonadi Foundation, and Black Futures Lab. ⁸

DHC hosts sessions with its partners to draw from collective wisdom in the activist industry in making goals. It mainly helps its partners impress their boards, create campaigns for new ideas, and plan in-person events and demonstrations. ⁹

Leadership

Dancing Hearts Consulting was founded by Esperanza Tervalon-Garrett, a self-described political operative and “philanthropic trouble-maker.” ¹⁰ Tervalon-Garrett attended Mills College for a bachelor’s degree in English literature. From October 2007 to February 2008, she worked as the regional field director of North California for the Obama for America campaign. After that, she worked as a political director for the congressional campaign of U.S. Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA). ¹¹

From September 2008 to June 2015, she worked as the executive director of Oakland Rising, a left-of-center group in Oakland, California. From September 2015 to June 2017, she worked as the chief strategy officer of the Groundswell Fund. As of March 2024, her title at Dancing Hearts Consulting was principal consultant. ¹²

1. “Who We Are.” Dancing Hearts Consulting. Accessed March 10, 2024. https://www.dancingheartsconsulting.org/copy-of-meet-esperanza-1.
2.  “Dancing Hearts Consulting LLC.” LinkedIn. Accessed March 10, 2024. https://www.linkedin.com/company/dancing-hearts-consulting-llc/about/.
3.  “Who We Are.” Dancing Hearts Consulting. Accessed March 10, 2024. https://www.dancingheartsconsulting.org/copy-of-meet-esperanza-1.
4. “Who We Are.” Dancing Hearts Consulting. Accessed March 10, 2024. https://www.dancingheartsconsulting.org/copy-of-meet-esperanza-1.
5.  “Who We Are.” Dancing Hearts Consulting. Accessed March 10, 2024. https://www.dancingheartsconsulting.org/copy-of-meet-esperanza-1.
6. “Dancing Hearts Consulting Launches Cutting Edge Research Unearthing Critical Insights in Ballot Initiatives and Power-Building.” PRNewswire, November 15, 2021. Accessed March 10, 2024. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/dancing-hearts-consulting-launches-cutting-edge-research-unearthing-critical-insights-in-ballot-initiatives-and-power-building-301423155.html.
7. “Dancing Hearts Consulting Launches Cutting Edge Research Unearthing Critical Insights in Ballot Initiatives and Power-Building.” PRNewswire, November 15, 2021. Accessed March 10, 2024. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/dancing-hearts-consulting-launches-cutting-edge-research-unearthing-critical-insights-in-ballot-initiatives-and-power-building-301423155.html.
8. “Who We Are.” Dancing Hearts Consulting. Accessed March 10, 2024. https://www.dancingheartsconsulting.org/copy-of-meet-esperanza-1.
9. “Who We Are.” Dancing Hearts Consulting. Accessed March 10, 2024. https://www.dancingheartsconsulting.org/copy-of-meet-esperanza-1/
10. “Who We Are.” Dancing Hearts Consulting. Accessed March 10, 2024. https://www.dancingheartsconsulting.org/copy-of-meet-esperanza-1.
11. “Esperanza Tervalon-Garrett.” LinkedIn. Accessed March 10, 2024. https://www.linkedin.com/in/esperanzatervalondaumont/.
12. “Esperanza Tervalon-Garrett.” LinkedIn. Accessed March 10, 2024. https://www.linkedin.com/in/esperanzatervalondaumont/.