Tracy Sturdivant is president of The League, an organizing collective that grew out of the Make it Work Campaign, which she also co-founded. Sturdivant is a veteran organizer for left-of-center causes and a self-professed “one woman coalition.” ¹ Sturdivant has trained women to run for elected office and work in philanthropy. ² Both The League and the Make It Work Campaign are projects of the New Venture Fund, a liberal fiscal sponsorship and grantmaking clearinghouse managed by the Arabella Advisors consulting firm.

She has spoken at events sponsored by Netroots Nation. She was also a co-speaker along with former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at the Glassdoor Equal Pay Roundtable. ³

She previously focused on getting women, minorities youth focused on politics while working in executive positions and as a member of the board of directors for liberal nonprofits such as People for the American Way, the White House Project, and Public Campaign. ⁴

The League

In January 2018, she became the first president of The League, based in New York. The League describes itself as a “social impact collective.” The organization focuses on using culture to motivate people on liberal political issues. ⁵

Make It Work

Sturdivant co-founded Make It Work in June 2014, which was intended to be a three-year campaign to promote issues such as government-funded child care and government-mandated paid family leave for the 2016 election. ⁶ She founded the Make It Work organization along with Vivien Labaton. ⁷

In this role, Sturdivant claimed in 2014 that voter ID laws are harmful to ethnic minority women. ⁸ Sturdivant likewise advocated for adopting the labor union-demanded federal minimum wage of $15 per hour. ⁹

After the 2016 election ended, Make It Work continued and gave Sturdivant a platform to be critical of President Donald Trump’s administration, asserting his policies were hostile to women in the workplace, particularly black and Hispanic women. ¹⁰

The Make It Work campaign continued through December 2017. ¹¹

State Voices

From July 2010 to June 2014, she was the executive director of State Voices, a coalition group for left-liberal and environmentalist organizations. ¹²

While leading State Voices, a liberal advocacy group for state policies, she raised millions for state and local liberal organizations. ¹³

Other Roles

Sturdivant has been a board member for Greenpeace, the National Domestic Workers Alliance, Proteus, Higher Heights Leadership Fund, and the Congressional Progressive Caucus Center. ¹⁴

From November 2009 to October 2010, she was the vice president for external affairs at the Center for Progressive Leadership. ¹⁵

She was the Michigan program director for Publicus LLC from August 2007 to December 2008. ¹⁶

For one year, she was the deputy director of programs for People for the American Way Foundation from September 2006 to September 2007. ¹⁷

Sturdivant worked as the program manager for the National Coalition of Black Civic Participation from January 2003 to January 2004. And, she was the national field organizer from January 2001 to January 2003 for Public Campaign. ¹⁸

1. “Meet the Make It Work Team.” Make It Work. Accessed February 15, 2020. http://www.makeitworkcampaign.org/about/team/
2. Team. The League. Accessed February 15, 2020. https://www.wearetheleague.org/team
3. Team. The League. Accessed February 15, 2020. https://www.wearetheleague.org/team
4. Tracy Sturdivant. Netroots Nation. Accessed February 15, 2020. https://www.netrootsnation.org/profile/tracy-sturdivant/
5. Tracy Sturdivant. LinkedIn. Accessed February 15, 2020. https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracy-sturdivant-02b95719/
6. Team. The League. Accessed February 15, 2020. https://www.wearetheleague.org/team
7. Chittal, Nish. “Meet the Women Who Want to Help Families ‘Make It Work.’” MSNBC. March 14, 2015. Accessed February 15, 2020. http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/meet-the-women-who-want-help-families-make-it-work
8. Sturdivant, Tracy. “How Voter ID Laws Affect Women of Color.” Talk Poverty. November 3, 2014. https://talkpoverty.org/2014/11/03/voter-id-laws/
9. Glatz, Jennifer. “Women of Color on What’s at Stake Under President Trump.” Fox 61. January 21, 2017. Accessed February 15, 2020. https://www.fox61.com/article/news/local/outreach/awareness-months/women-of-color-on-whats-at-stake-under-president-trump/520-f695b110-3245-4842-87ba-d357424867eb
10. Valenti, Jessica. “Where is Ivanka Trump’s ‘Concern for Women’s Rights’ When You Need It?” The Guardian. August 31, 2017. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/aug/31/ivanka-trump-womens-rights-wage-gap
11. Tracy Sturdivant. LinkedIn. Accessed February 15, 2020. https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracy-sturdivant-02b95719/
12. Tracy Sturdivant. LinkedIn. Accessed February 15, 2020. https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracy-sturdivant-02b95719/
13. Team. The League. Accessed February 15, 2020. https://www.wearetheleague.org/team
14. Tracy Sturdivant. LinkedIn. Accessed February 15, 2020. https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracy-sturdivant-02b95719/
15. Tracy Sturdivant. LinkedIn. Accessed February 15, 2020. https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracy-sturdivant-02b95719/
16. Tracy Sturdivant. LinkedIn. Accessed February 15, 2020. https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracy-sturdivant-02b95719/
17. Tracy Sturdivant. LinkedIn. Accessed February 15, 2020. https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracy-sturdivant-02b95719/
18. Tracy Sturdivant. LinkedIn. Accessed February 15, 2020. https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracy-sturdivant-02b95719/