Since 2023 I have been attending professional political and grassroots conferences to learn what I do not yet know. Every time I come home I share detailed notes with our team. I kept thinking: what if Texas had a version of this where we could all attend and share resources? After the tough loss last fall, I made a list and asked the Mothers Facebook group a simple question: “What do candidates need to know?” The RISE Summit grew from those suggestions.
On September 12 and 13, Mothers Against Greg Abbott is hosting an inspirational conference to guide candidates, campaign teams, and grassroots organizers toward 2026. We built a strong agenda and lined up a few surprise guests. Attendees will have the chance to network, learn, and leave inspired.
If you know anyone who is running for office or wants to get politically involved in Texas, please share this with them.
Friday Agenda:
8 am: Check in, breakfast, and booth mingle
9 am: Welcome
9:05 am: What do you need to know about running for office?
Presented by Pooja Sethi, Kristin Hook, and Jennie Birkholz10 am: What do you need to know about AI and its role in politics in 2026?
Panel presentation by Andrew Cates and Britt Bischoff11 am: What do you need to know about messaging in 2026?
Presented by Anat Shenker-Osorio12 pm: Lunch/Booths/Social Time
1 pm: What do you need to know about the candidate footprint and expanding our footprint to fight for democracy?
Presented by David Pepper2 pm: What do you need to know about compliance and legal?
Presented by Andrew Cates and Cassie Tinsmon3 pm: What do you need to know about ads and buying media?
Presented by Sandra Richards, Chelsea Aldrich, Michelle Mower and Winston O'Neal4 pm: What do you need to know about social media?
Presented by Josh Klemons5 pm: Happy Hour with our guest James Talarico
Saturday Agenda:
8 am: Check in, breakfast, and booth mingle
9 am: Welcome
9:05 am: What do you need to know about campaigning?
Presented by Robert Creamer10 am: What do you need to know about branding and marketing?
Presented by Nancy Thompson, Lindsey Hoeft, and Sandra Richards11:05 am: What do you need to know about data?
Presented by Jeremy Smith and Taylor Hogeland12 pm: Lunch/Booths/Social Time
1 pm: What do you need to know about creating community?
Presented by Shion Deysharkar and Ian Lee2 pm: What do you need to know about fundraising?
Presented by Grassroots Analytics and Emily Wineland3 pm: What do you need to know about building your ground game?
Presented by Alex Salerno and Kristi Lara4 pm: Congressman Joaquin Castro will inspire us to keep running and working for a blue Texas
We hope to see you there: https://mothersagainstgregabbott.com/rise/
Together we will rise again from the ashes,
Nancy Thompson
I'd like to volunteer to host out-of-town guest(s) at my house.