The Midwest Academy is a prominent national training center for left-of-center activists. It has hosted training sessions around the United States since its founding in 1972. As of 2025, the Midwest Academy claims to have trained more than 50,000 activists across the United States involved in coalitions and organizations at the local, state, and national levels. Its training teaches activists how and why to organize, methods of protesting, and other advocacy practices. It not only provides training to novice activists and local organizations but also annually trains left-of-center coalitions. ¹

Before President Joe Biden dropped out of the 2024 election, The Nation reported that Midwest Academy founder Heather Booth was recruited to organize President Biden’s 2024 campaign outreach to the Democratic Party’s left-wing activist base due to her track record with Midwest Academy. Chicago labor organizer Alex Han also reported to The Nation that many of the pro-Palestinian and other left-of-center organizations that opposed Biden’s 2024 campaign were founded by Booth or were trained by Midwest Academy. ²

Background

The Midwest Academy was founded in 1972 by Booth using the proceeds from a victorious labor organizing dispute. ¹ In 1972, over 368 activist groups hosted the First National Housing conference to discuss housing regulations and were organized in part by the Democratic Society and the Chicago Citizens Action Program, which were also founded by Booth. People’s Action reports that these conferences served as the initial gatherings for the organizations that later merged and formed People’s Action. It also reports that the conferences resulted in member groups sending representatives to meet with legislators, resulting in the passing of the Community Reinvestment Act, the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act, and the Superfund, which required polluters to pay for toxic waste cleanup. People’s Action notes that the Midwest Academy was formed one year later as a key member of the National Housing Conference. ³

In its first years in operation, the Midwest Academy was reported to be “a training center for radical and liberal organizers” and hosted an annual summer retreat that attracted many prominent left-of-center activists. This led to Heather Booth meeting the Democratic Socialist Organizing Committee (DSOC) (known today as the Democratic Socialists of America) founder Michael Harrington. Booth and her husband Paul, who was then working for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), collaborated with Harrington to create an economic manifesto for DSOC. ⁴

Booth claims to have pioneered engaging activists with elections and electoral policy, pressuring political candidates, and mobilizing voters rather than just demonstrating directly for political demands. In addition, the Midwest Academy was a pioneer in promoting both state-level and multi-issue organizations at a time when most activist organizations were either national-level or community-based, and either single-issue or single-constituency groups. ¹

The first training leader was activist Steve Max. ¹

Activities

As of 2025, the Midwest Academy reports having trained over 50,000 activists. Its trainees have gone on to advocate for environmental regulations, Medicare expansion, and for gender identity, anti-discrimination, and education policies. ¹

The Midwest Academy offers virtual trainings in English and Spanish and in-person trainings that take place in different cities across the country. It reports that its training fees are based on a sliding scale that it does not advertise. ⁵

In 2023, the Midwest Academy reported $852,233 in total program service revenue from its training and consulting programs. It reported receiving $306,200 from its training programs and $546,033 from its consulting programs. ⁶ The Midwest Academy also reported $344,880 in expenses specific to its training and consulting programs. ⁷

Opposition to the Second Trump Administration

Following the 2024 election, the Midwest Academy published a report outlining education policy efforts by the second Trump administration and right-of-center activists, describing the efforts as “MAGA authoritarianism,” to encourage left-of-center activists to partner with labor unions. The report condemned school choice, deporting immigrants who are in violation of immigration law, restricting bathroom access based on natal sex in public schools, and opposition to the teaching of critical race theory. ⁸

The Midwest Academy partnered with the National Education Association and the LIFT Fund to compile advocacy strategies for activist groups to oppose the Trump administration’s education policy efforts. It also requested that labor unions fund left-of-center education advocacy efforts. The report claims that because campaigns from 2012 to 2016 resulted in $150 billion in raises for union employees, they should use the increased funding to create a Movement Building Center to host Midwest Academy activist training. ⁸

The report adds that the training to be done at the Movement Building Center will recruit activist organizations to participate in the United Automobile Workers (UAW)’s planned general strike for May 2028 and implement the UAW’s initiatives for the strike in their own campaigns. ⁸ Also known as May Day 2028, the UAW’s strike is planned for International Worker’s Day with the goal of creating a “crisis for the billionaire class.” ⁹

Sponsors

On its webpage for its “2021 Awards,” Midwest Academy listed Norbert Goldfield as its “Direct Action Sponsor”; American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), California Teachers Association, and Service Employees International Union (SEIU) as its “Strategy Sponsors”; Chicago Teachers Union and Sierra Club as its “Progressive Sponsors”; American Income Life, Community Change, GetThru Charitable Fund, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), and a series of individuals among its “Champion[s] of Justice”; and Center for Popular Democracy along with a series of individuals as its “Friends of the Academy.” ¹⁰

Leadership

Founder

Heather Booth is the founder of the Midwest Academy. Booth previously worked as a member of Democracy Partners, a Democratic political consulting firm. ¹¹

Booth is described as having been “the training director for the Democratic Party” on Midwest Academy’s website. Booth was the founding director of the NAACP National Voter Fund, the 501(c)(4) lobbying arm of the NAACP founded in 2000. She was the director of the AFL-CIO health care campaign for the Affordable Care Act (also known as Obamacare) and led an advocacy campaign for former President Barack Obama. Booth directed the Americans for Financial Reform supporting the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. She was also instrumental in an advocacy campaign for legal recognition of same-sex marriages. ¹¹

Booth was reported to have worked on Joe Biden’s 2020 and 2024 presidential campaigns, focusing on “progressive outreach.” She reported to The Nation that when she voted for Dick Gregory during the 1968 presidential election, it contributed to a split vote amongst left-wing candidates that resulted in President Richard Nixon winning the election by less than one percent of the vote. She then argued that Nixon’s presidency resulted in a chain of events that led to Republicans embracing “white ethnic grievance politics” that have culminated in the political force behind President Donald Trump. Because of this, Booth reports she has made it a primary focus for her career to campaign in support of Democrats and against President Trump. ²

Other Leadership

Yomara Velez is a co-executive director for the Midwest Academy. In 2002, Velez founded Sistas on the Rise in the South Bronx. Then, she worked for the 9to5: National Association of Working Women, the Georgia Latino Alliance for Human Rights, and she served on the board of directors for SisterSong. Immediately before joining Midwest Academy Velez worked for the National Domestic Workers Alliance where she managed the network of state chapters. ¹²

Eric Zachary is a co-executive director for the Midwest Academy. Zachary is the founding director of the NYC Coalition for Educational Justice, and prior to working for the Midwest Academy, he worked for the American Federation of Teachers. Additionally, he has worked for the Alliance to Reclaim Our Schools. ¹²

Robert Creamer, one of Midwest Academy’s directors, formerly worked as an organizer for Chicago’s Citizen Action Program, which was created by Saul Alinsky’s Industrial Areas Foundation. In 1974, Creamer founded Illinois Public Action Council (later named “Illinois Citizen Action” or Citizen Action Illinois), which he directed for 23 years. Since 1997 he has worked as a political consultant for Strategic Consulting Group, a firm he co-founded. ¹¹

Judy Hertz, a director emeritus, worked for decades as a community organizer in Chicago. She previously served as the director of the Chicago-based Rogers Park Tenants Committee, a tenants’ rights advocacy group. She assisted in the leadership in the campaign to pass the Chicago Tenants’ Bill of Rights. Under her supervision the organization was renamed the Rogers Park Community Action Network (RPCAN). ¹¹

Other directors of Midwest Academy include Saqib Bhatti, executive director of Action Center on Race and the Economy (ACRE); Jackie Kendall of Democracy Partners; David Medina, the COO of Results for America; Eddy Morales, former director of Democracy Alliance’s Latino Engagement Fund; Jessica Pierce of Piece by Piece Strategies; and Marvin Randolph of Southern Elections Fund. ¹¹

Financials

In 2024, the Ford Foundation announced that it would be issuing $865,000 in grants to the Midwest Academy to be paid out between 2024 and 2026. ^{13 14 15}

In 2024, the Midwest Academy reported $2.9 million in total revenue, $852,233 of which came from training and consulting fees. ¹⁶ It also reported $1.9 million in total expenses, including $1.1 million in salaries and other compensation for its employees. ¹⁷

1. “Our History.” Midwest Academy. Accessed September 24, 2025. https://midwestacademy.com/about-us/.
2. Walsh, Joan. “Can the “OG Organizer” Keep Biden in the White House?” June 10, 2024. https://www.thenation.com/article/archive/heather-booth-biden-progressives/.
3. “Our History.” People’s Action. Accessed September 24, 2025. https://peoplesaction.org/about-us/our-history/.
4. Rosenfeld, Sam Hoffmann. “A Choice, Not an Echo: Polarization and the Transformation of the American Party System.” Doctoral dissertation, Harvard University.  2014. https://dash.harvard.edu/server/api/core/bitstreams/98c9cd44-2ab2-4c7e-bb6a-2ea8eee37092/content
5. “Trainings.” Midwest Academy. Accessed September 24, 2025. https://midwestacademy.com/trainings/.
6. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Midwest Academy Inc. 2023. Part VIII.
7. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Midwest Academy Inc. 2023. Part IX, Line 24a.
8.  “Taking Stock: Lessons From Labor-Community Coalitions in the Fight for Educational Justice.” Midwest Academy. February 2025. https://midwestacademy.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/TAKING-STOCK-REPORT.pdf.
9. “May Day 2028.” United Automobile Workers. Accessed October 1, 2025. https://may1.uaw.org/
10. “2021 Midwest Academy Awards.” Midwest Academy. Accessed August 29, 2022. http://www.midwestacademy.com/awards-2021/.
11. “Board of Directors.” Midwest Academy. Accessed August 29, 2022. http://www.midwestacademy.com/about/board/.
12. “Staff.” Midwest Academy. October 1, 2025. https://midwestacademy.com/about-us/.
13. “Core support to establish “Laboratoria para Organizar,” an innovative organizing and campaign training pilot initiative, in partnership with the María Fund.” Ford Foundation. Accessed October 1, 2025. https://www.fordfoundation.org/work/our-grants/awarded-grants/grants-database/midwest-academy-inc-151652/
14. “General support to build progressive infrastructure and serve as a national organizer training institute for racial, economic, and social justice and project support for institutional strengthening.” Ford Foundation. Accessed October 1, 2025. https://www.fordfoundation.org/work/our-grants/awarded-grants/grants-database/midwest-academy-inc-150862/.
15. “One-time core support to provide leadership development training to Spanish-speaking organizers on the skills and strategies in building powerful organizations.” Ford Foundation. Accessed October 1, 2025. https://www.fordfoundation.org/work/our-grants/awarded-grants/grants-database/midwest-academy-inc-148672/
16. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Midwest Academy Inc. 2024. Part I, Lines 9-12.
17. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Midwest Academy Inc. 2024. Part I, Lines 15-18.