Rise is a down-to-earth, come as you are organization.

Does Rise work with other organizations in Tennessee?

Yes! Rise works with 40+ non profit organizations in Tennessee to raise awareness, educate and connect Tennesseans.

So why create Rise and Shine TN when there are so many other organizations?

Rise was created to meet the hunger of Tennesseans to understand and engage with their democracy and civic duty.

What are Rise’s Results so far?

  • Rise works tirelessly to deepen and clarify the conversation with legislators and in Tennessee by providing statistics and facts that can be hard to find or analyze. Rise explains statistics, laws, and proposals in helpful and meaningful ways for Tennesseans. This content has resulted in Rise gaining over 1300 followers from organic growth in just two months of going live on social media.

  • Rise is creative. Rise works with artists, musicians, and youth to find new ways to encourage civic engagement including a community based art exhibit, called the Unsurvivable Bullet, concerts, and more. 

  • Thousands of volunteer hours were logged.

  • Trainings for volunteers including “Positionality in the Movement”, “Tennessee Civics 101”, “Community Safety” and “Know Your Rights”

  • Trainings for high school youth to develop their voice, public speaking and storytelling skills to advocate for themselves.

  • Training and coordinating parents to share their voice on the need for public education.

What are the skills and backgrounds of Rise leadership?

Rise has 7 executive committee members and 7 board members.

Rise is led by an executive committee and board members who have worked in public policy advocacy, public program design and execution, public health, education and non-profits their whole careers. Many of us have been active civic members of Tennessee for years and some are newcomers. Most importantly, Rise is a community and here for the long run. We are an organization dedicated to growing the awareness and civic engagement of all Tennesseans and are passionate and committed for the long term. 

We are DO-ers.

Some organizations are limited by their national offices, large donors, and others by their members. Rise intends to be as bold, agile, strategic and welcoming as possible.

Rise is a down-to-earth, come as you are organization. Rise is open to anyone from any walk of life committed to the opportunity, safety and freedom of EVERY Tennessean. Rise accepts and uplifts LGBTQIA+ Tennesseans and youth and communities of color and all other marginalized communities in our state. Rise doesn’t believe you must fit anyone’s mold to have a civic voice.