Student Action

Student Action is a student-led organization with individual chapters at universities and colleges across the country, 1 and appears to be affiliated with People’s Action, 2 the lobbying arm of the left-wing People’s Action Institute. The organization engages in election initiatives such as voter canvassing and voter outreach. 3 Student Action also joins other left-of-center organizations in demanding left-of-center policy initiatives from elected officials. 4

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At-A-Glance

Type: Non-profit, 501(c)(4), Fiscally Sponsored Project, Organization
Issue Areas: Economic Policy
Parent Organization:

People’s Action

Contents

    Background

    Student Action is a student-led group with local chapters at universities across 15 states, 1  including California. 5 The organization aims to develop student leaders and develop a “national student power infrastructure.” 1 Student Action primarily advocates for tuition-free college and student debt cancellation. 6

    2020 Elections

    In 2020, Student Action backed Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) by coordinating efforts through an independent expenditure called “People Power for Bernie” along with other left-of-center groups such as the Center for Popular Democracy Action, Democratic Socialists of America, Dream Defenders, Our Revolution, Progressive Democrats of America, and Sunrise Movement, with the goal of mobilizing over one million voters for Sanders. 7

    Student Action claimed its voter canvassing and student outreach played a role in then-Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden’s win in Georgia and “helped increase youth voter turnout across the country by a projected 11-12 percent from 2016.” 3

    In 2020, Student Action joined over 200 other left-of-center organizations in signing a letter to then-President-elect Joe Biden asking his administration to cancel federal student loan debt at the beginning of his term. Other organizations that signed the letter included Bend the Arc: Jewish Action, Consumer Reports, Greenpeace, Indivisible, NAACP, People’s Action, People’s Parity Project, the Debt Collective, the Education Trust, and UnKoch My Campus. 4

    After President Biden was elected in 2020, Student Action joined other left-of-center organizations in sending a letter to President Biden about how he can earn the support of each organization. The other organizations included Alliance for Youth Action, If Not Now Movement, Justice Democrats, March for Our Lives Action Fund, NextGen America, and United We Dream Action. The letter referenced several policy demands related to climate change, education, foreign policy, gun violence, healthcare, immigration, and wealth taxes. 8

    Student Action also engaged in a canvassing campaign for Georgia’s runoff election in January 2021 in partnership with People’s Action and other left-of-center groups. During the initiative, over 1.2 million voters were called, and more than 1.6 million voters were texted. 2

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    References

    1. Network, Action. “Student Action: Student Action.” The Action Network. Accessed April 18, 2025. https://actionnetwork.org/groups/student-action.
    2. Kichton, Johanna. “Results of Massive Deep Canvassing Campaign in Georgia to Flip Senate.” People’s Action, January 6, 2021. https://peoplesaction.org/peoples-action-announces-results-of-massive-deep-canvassing-campaign-in-georgia-to-flip-senate/.
    3. Johnson, Jake, Jessica Corbett, and Brett Wilkins. “Student Action Spurs Student Vote to Help Turn Georgia Blue and Defeat Trump.” Common Dreams, November 13, 2020. https://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2020/11/13/student-action-spurs-student-vote-help-turn-georgia-blue-and-defeat-trump.
    4. “Sign-on Letter: Over 235 Orgs Call on President-Elect Biden to Cancel Federal Student Debt on Day One Using Executive Action.” Americans for Financial Reform, November 18, 2020. https://ourfinancialsecurity.org/2020/11/sign-on-letter-over-230-orgs-call-on-president-elect-biden-to-cancel-federal-student-debt-on-day-one-using-executive-action/.
    5. Twilkins. “Student Turnout Big for Cathy Glasson and College for All.” People’s Action, February 12, 2018. https://peoplesaction.org/student-turnout-big-for-cathy-glasson-and-college-for-all/.
    6. “Sanders Campaign Press Release – Iowa Student Action Endorses Bernie Sanders for President.” The American Presidency Project, December 3, 2019. https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/sanders-campaign-press-release-iowa-student-action-endorses-bernie-sanders-for-president.
    7. Seitz-Wald, Alex. “Outside Groups Unite to Back Bernie Sanders as Democratic Attacks on Him Mount.” Euro News, January 30, 2020. https://www.euronews.com/2020/01/30/outside-groups-unite-back-bernie-sanders-democratic-attacks-him-mount-n1126926.
    8. “Dear Joe Biden, Here Is How You Can Earn Our Support.” The Guardian, April 9, 2020. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/apr/09/joe-biden-earn-our-support-green-new-deal-bernie-sanders.