PRESS RELEASE: ICYMI: Building on 100 Days Momentum, BBT Announces Growing Team, Latino and Voting Rights Initiatives, and Launches First Ad Campaign

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 30, 2021

Contact: [email protected]

ICYMI: Building on 100 Days Momentum, BBT Announces Growing Team, Latino and Voting Rights Initiatives, and Launches First Ad Campaign

Progressive organizations and leaders praise Building Back Together’s early progress to champion the Build Back Better agenda

Washington, D.C. — As the Biden-Harris Administration reached the First 100 Days milestone this week, Building Back Together made a series of major announcements to amplify the early successes of the Build Back Better agenda and kick off advocacy and public awareness campaigns to further a progressive policy agenda that will positively impact the lives of American families across the country.

BUILDING BACK TOGETHER’S NEW ROLL-OUTS:

  • On Monday, the organization announced an “always-on” communications initiative focused on engaging with Latinos around a progressive policy agenda that will uplift Latino communities, with an initial focus on Arizona, Florida, Nevada, and Pennsylvania. This initiative will work to build support for the Build Back Better agenda and illustrate the direct impact it will have on the Latino community.
  • On Wednesday, Building Back Together announced a Voting Rights Initiative that will be led by Bob Bauer — senior advisor to President Biden’s campaign and architect of its historic voter protection program. The initiative will focus on advancing voting access and strengthening American democracy through landmark federal legislation, S1, HR1 and HR4, as well as advance pro-voter policies, and protect against efforts to suppress participation, in states and localities by improving access and defending against efforts to curtail voting rights throughout the country.
  • On Friday, Building Back Together launched its first TV and digital advertising campaign, first reported in the New York Times, to tell the story of the Biden-Harris Administration’s First 100 Days, the American Rescue Plan and the American Jobs Plan. The TV ad will begin airing Monday, May 3 on broadcast television in select markets in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Georgia, and Nevada. Digital ads will also begin running on Monday to target audiences on platforms including Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and more statewide in Georgia, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, and North Carolina.
  • On Friday, Building Back Together announced a slate of new staff as part of the organization’s growing team, who will lead targeted campaigns focused on jobs and the economy, climate, voting rights, infrastructure, healthcare, and immigration. Senior staff will mobilize advocacy groups at the national and state levels behind these areas of the Build Back Better agenda.

Here’s What They’re Saying:

Latino “always-on” campaign 

  •  Matt Baretto
  • Voto Latino, María Teresa Kumar:
    • “Latinos win elections, yet our community’s concerns have been so assumed, for so long, that we only learn about life-changing policies when they’re announced,” said María Teresa Kumar, co-founding president and CEO of Voto Latino. “The Building Back Together coalition will help us emphasize our community’s priorities and help shape positive, transformative policy.”
  • Somos Votantes, Melissa Morales:
    • The team at Somos Votantes is excited to partner in this amazing effort with @BuildingBack_US. Thankful for policies that uplift Latino families and communities.
  • Latino Victory Project, Nathalie Rayes:
    • “We’re thrilled to partner with Building Back Together and leading Latino groups to build support for President Biden’s progressive policy agenda and engage the Latino community in a culturally competent manner,” said Nathalie Rayes, President and CEO of Latino Victory Project. “Part of increasing Latinos’ voter turnout and engagement means meeting people where they are and in their language—consistently. We must continue to engage Latinos and raise awareness about the Biden administration’s policies that will have a real impact on their lives.”
  • AL DÍA News:
  • Chuck Rocha:
  • Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García:
    • Congrats to Chicago’s very own @lachicamayra proudly representing us as the Chief Strategy Officer for the newly launched @BuildingBack_US! The Latino vote in 2020 made a difference – sustained & early engagement is key! With @lachicamayra at the helm, we’re in good hands!
  • Liz Rebecca Alarcón:
  • Ben Wessel:
    • Adding @lachicamayra to the @buildingback_US team is like a cherry on top of a brownie on top of an ice cream sundae: It was already awesome, but it just got MUCH awesomer! Go team!
  • Newsweek:
    • “The Build Back Together plan to engage Latino voters, which precedes even the organization’s announcement of its general marketing plan, is central to the group’s mission and is reflected in its new hires.”
  • New York Times:
    • “A group of Latino consultants and organizations are starting a new initiative to increase support among Latinos for President Biden’s agenda by explaining the economic impact of the administration’s American Rescue Plan. The effort will initially focus on digital advertising in states like Arizona, Nevada and Florida.”
  • AL DÍA:
    • “A newly-formed Biden outside group, Build Back Together is trying to fill-in this void. In the months since its formation, the group has emerged with efforts to help sell, build and maintain support for Biden’s policy agenda for Latinos, especially now, with his newly-announced COVID-19 rescue package.”

Voting Rights Initiative

  • Politico, Zach Montellaro:
  • MSNBC, Kyle Griffin:
    • An outside political group formed by allies of President Biden is launching a voting rights initiative focused on strengthening pro-voter policies and protecting against suppression efforts.
  • Politico:
    • “A nonprofit group founded by allies of President Joe Biden is launching a voting rights initiative, the latest sign that the White House views the issue as a key part of Biden’s early agenda.”
  • NBC News:
    • “An outside political group formed by allies of President Joe Biden is launching a voting rights initiative focused on strengthening pro-voter policies and protecting against suppression efforts.”
  • The Hill:
    • “A nonprofit group with ties to President Biden‘s 2020 campaign is rolling out a new voting rights initiative as Democrats ramp up efforts to combat tighter voting restrictions passed in several states.”
  • CBS News:
    • “In an announcement, the group said it will focus on countering proposed changes to any laws that, quote, ‘impede access, particularly for voters of color and historically disadvantaged and densely populated communities.’ Initial efforts are expected to focus on some battleground states, including Georgia, Florida, and Michigan. Those also happen to be some places where Republican-controlled legislatures are advancing bills that would put more restrictions on voting.”

First Advertising campaign

  • David Axelrod:
    • This pro-@JoeBiden ad, which heralds the accomplishments of the first 100 days, drives the stylistic contrast between 45 and 46 with a pile driver.
  • Heather Booth:
    • Grateful to have a President whose actions speak louder.
  • RWDSU:
    • #BuildingBackTogether means creating millions of good, union jobs and investing in our communities! #1u
  • Nathalie Rayes:
    • President Biden and Vice President Harris met the unprecedented challenges they faced when they assumed office with bold actions and transformative policies. Here’s a great ad from @latinovictoryus partners, @BuildingBack_US, showcasing a few of those key accomplishments!
  • Danny Friedman:
    • This is just the beginning. Still more work to do! Cheers to my colleagues in the administration who’ve helped us get this far already. To my friends fighting make things better – keep at it!
  • Stephanie Cutter:
    • .@buildingback_US is out with first set of ads.  Enormous progress in first 100 days. Why?  Because @POTUS focused on action, not his own image.  On helping ALL Americans by building back our economy better so that we all thrive, not just those at the top.  #BuildingBackTogether
  • Jamal Raad:
  • Pete Maysmith:
    • Makes a strong case – checks, shots and (clean energy) jobs. Exciting first 100 days, can’t wait to see the next 100.
  • John Anzalone:
  • Zac Petkanas:
    • This is a great ad.
  • Cole Leiter:
    • Early spending from groups like this is critical investment. The Biden Admin has built enormous momentum in these last 101 days. Their success doesn’t just matter for this admin (and millions of Americans), it also has massive down ballot implications.
  • Molly Day:
  • Rose Kapolczynski:
    • Strong ad reminding Americans that Biden is delivering on their top priorities – ending the pandemic and boosting the kitchen table economy. Great to see this early robust effort to define the Biden agenda.
  • Jesse Ferguson:
    • Great start to the ad campaign from BUILD BACK TOGETHER — 100 days in, As @stefcutter says, “Chaos is out, competence is in, and help is here for Americans.”
  • Adrienne Elrod:
  • The New York Times:
    • “Building Back Together, a progressive organization run by Biden allies, will air minute-long television commercials next week in Pennsylvania, Nevada, Georgia and Wisconsin that highlight the president’s response to the coronavirus and his wide-ranging economic plans. The group is planning to spend over $3 million on a monthlong effort, including a shorter advertisement that will appear on digital platforms in the same four states and in North Carolina.”
  • Los Angeles Times:
    • “….an outside group of Biden allies known as Building Back Better is set to hit the airwaves next week in Pennsylvania, Nevada, Wisconsin and Georgia with $3 million in TV ads highlighting the president’s work to combat the pandemic and his plans for a robust economic recovery.”

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