Jessica Ramos is the Director of Community Engagement at Advance Illinois.

“There is true power in being in community with people that understand the importance of fighting for systemic transformation. We are experiencing unprecedented times and our Black, Brown, and Indigenous community is demanding justice that is long overdue. The urgency to lock arms with other equity-minded leaders is needed now more than ever. We need leaders that are committed to disrupting the racist systems that have impacted our communities for generations. The Surge movement prepares people with the skills and the network to not only navigate spaces that were not created for us but to fight for what our community deserves.”