America's Future Now!

Progressives are on the move.
Our new mission:
mobilizing a progressive majority
to shape Americas Future Now!

June 7 - 9, 2010

Omni Shoreham Hotel ♦ Washington D.C.

Click here for the latest blogs and video from the conference.

Hear America's Future Co-Director Robert Borosage explain what this year's America's Future NOW! conference is about.

#AFN on Twitter

Here are some of our favorite "tweets" from the conference!

jengon74 @#afn was a great success. Thanks to all the attendees, volunteers and staff that made it happen!!

ahynes1 RT CarmenSpinDiego: There's no reason except greed that the unted states doesn't have universal healthcare-leo gerard #afn

addiestan #afn Gabriela Sanchez, winner of the Maria Leavey Award, gave a moving presentation that combined speech and song.

JFierce RT @zdry Erica Williams quoting Hemingway: the world breaks everyone, and afterwards some are stronger in the broken places. #afn

Adriennemaree RT @JFierce: There's no such thing as a transformative president- you can't have that without transformative movements. - Naomi Klein #AFN

more »

The largest gathering of progressive activists and leaders from across the country kicked off with a plan to critically assess the early accomplishments of the progressive movement under the new presidential administration and Congress that progressives have helped bring to power. They also came together with plans for the long haul – for carrying out the great new mission of our lifetimes: mobilizing a democratic majority to make progressive change that can shape America’s Future Now!

Attendees represent the breadth of the grassroots organizing networks, issue coalitions and national and local leadership organizations that make up the growing progressive movement—from students to women, to civil rights and environmental activists, to labor, elected officials and young visionaries.

They all came to Washington with this declaration: It’s our time for bold progressive reform.

On June 2nd, we celebrated progressive champions at our annual gala dinner.

The Honorable Barbara Lee
John J. Sweeney
Deepak Bhargava
and the Center for Community Change

See the photos and video from the awards gala!
Click here to learn more

Maria Leavey Award Winner

Congratulations to Graciela Sanchez, winner of the 2009 Maria Leavey Award!

Graciela Sanchez has been active in the progressive movement for more than 20 years as the director of the Esperanza Peace & Justice Center in San Antonio. She’s described as a person with a unique knack for bringing people together across racial, ethnic, gender and sexual orientation lines. Under Graciela’s leadership, the Esperanza Center has become the gathering place for social justice advocates in the labor, immigration, gay and lesbian rights, health care and environmental movements.

Click here to learn more!

The Spirit of America’s Future Now

Progressives have gathered each year for six years under the banner of Take Back America to forge an economic agenda for change – and the organizing strategies for taking that agenda to the country. In 2006 and 2007, then-Sen. Barack Obama spoke powerfully at Take Back America as he was building an unprecedented citizen campaign for change. And in 2008, he was elected president of the United States, running on our program.

Today, under a new name, with a new vision for a new era, we will build on our success to solidify a progressive majority for reform.

Save the Date for
America's Future Now! 2010!

Featuring America’s
leading progressive visionaries, leaders,
organizers and experts.

Listen to AFN Sessions on
♦ ♦ ♦ Audio and video of conference sessions
are available for purchase.

Click here for the full conference agenda with links to videos and photos
of key sessions.

"We're Not Likely
To See This Opportunity Again"

America's Future co-director Robert Borosage opens the America's Future Now! conference with a challenge to the progressive movement to seize a chance for progressive change that the nation has not seen since at least the 1960s. » more

Progressive Leaders Mobilize For Health Care

Gov. Howard Dean, who recently became chairman of the board of the Progressive Book Club, joined organizers to announce details of the largest grassroots mobilization of progressives ever on behalf of health care reform on Monday at a news conference sponsored by the Campaign for America’s Future. » more

Awards Gala

Three people on the front lines of the fight for social and economic justice — John J. Sweeney, president of the AFL-CIO; Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Calif., chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus; and Deepak Bhargava, executive director of the Center for Community Change — were honored at at the America's Future Gala Awards Evening. Rep. Donna Edwards, D-Md., a rising progressive leader in Congress, was master of ceremonies. » more