For progressives feeling Berned out by the 2016 campaign, there's a new site to help them get back on their feet.
Revolution Messaging, the digital firm of Sen. Bernie Sanders’ (I-Vt.) presidential campaign, has launched a website connecting out-of-work progressives with job opportunities.
"Progressive.Work gives us a way to more efficiently and effectively play matchmaker between progressive professionals and progressive campaigns and organizations that would benefit from their experience," said Gabe Hammersmith, who leads Revolution Messaging's tech team. "While inspired by our desire to help our friends coming off the Sanders campaign, Progressive.Work is built to be a permanent solution that we hope will help progressives well beyond 2016."
The New York Times reported Tuesday that Sanders planned to lay off at least half his campaign staff in the coming days. Hillary Clinton now has enough delegates to clinch the Democratic nomination, but Sanders has vowed to stay in the race and plans to be in Washington, D.C. for a rally and a meeting with President Barack Obama Thursday.
The site is an effort to ensure the momentum from the Sanders campaign lives on in the progressive movement beyond this one cycle. Hammersmith emphasized that the site was a labor of love and not commissioned by any client.
"For those whose work on progressive primary campaigns has come to an end, we wanted to let them know we have your back and the political revolution still needs you. We need to connect these talented campaigners with other progressive causes to keep the forward momentum," said Keegan Goudiss, partner at Revolution Messaging and digital advertising director for the Sanders campaign.
Job seekers can upload their resume for prospective progressive employers and have the option to enter their cell phone number to access the site's jobs board. They'll also receive text message alerts when new jobs go up.
Revolution Messaging was central to Sanders' digital-savvy campaign and drove the strategy behind his record-breaking online fundraising. It has been working to assist laid-off Sanders campaign staffers for several weeks.
Many Sanders supporters are already strategizing on what comes next, eager to ensure that the progressive energy from the 2016 campaign gets carried to other projects. Later this month, a group of prominent Sanders supporters will meet in Chicago to work on these issues, while other organizations are turning their focus to progressive candidates in down-ballot races.