For many, today’s mainstream methods of political action can be unappealing or intimidating. SameSide is working to change the way citizens participate in our democracy – by putting the party back in politics! The company is dedicated to making grassroots political action accessible to all through events in music, arts, and culture.
Following the 2016 election, the country has seen an unprecedented wave of political activism and enthusiasm. The day after Donald Trump’s inauguration, the Women’s March became the largest single-day protest in U.S. history and drew 5 million people worldwide to the streets to protest the administration and fight for human rights. For many, movements such as the Women’s March were the first time they’d been actively involved in politics. Afterwards, however, many individuals left wondering what to do next. People want to get involved and make a difference, but they don’t know how.
SameSide believes that the key to sustained political activism is meeting people where they’re at and where they want to be: dinners & brunches, parties & festivals, yoga & screenings. By integrating political action into people’s everyday lives, SameSide believes that their guests can establish meaningful human connections while actively participating in our democracy.
SameSide has cultivated a growing network of influencers who are passionate about progressive causes, but weren’t sure where they could best make an impact. These influencers serve as hosts for SameSide experiences. The hosts use their influence to bring like-minded individuals together for a social event. During the experience, the attendees take political action — whether it be phonebanking, reaching out to friends in swing states, or writing letters to their elected representatives. Through SameSide’s platform, individuals take part in a political action while connecting with other progressives!
SameSide’s influencers host at least one of these paid experiences a month, creating sustained political engagement. By signing up to be a host through SameSide’s platform, approved individuals are able to partner with different advocacy groups to create an experience. SameSide offers support along the way, making the process seamless for all involved.
SameSide was cofounded by David Legacki and Nicole áBeckett. David is a former U.S. Navy Seal and held senior leadership roles at Twitter, Shuddle, and Airbnb. Nicole brings experience as a three time entrepreneur and as Senior Director of economic & business policy for Los Angeles Mayors Antonio Villaraigosa and Eric Garcetti. Together, they launched SameSide as a way to revitalize the way individuals participate in our democracy.
SameSide is currently experiencing 127% monthly user growth, and their model is loved by both hosts and guests. One guest writes, “I love how you’ve found a way for people to incorporate activism into things they’d do anyway.” SameSide’s platform has led to over 13,000 grassroots political actions to date from over 70 experiences in 2 markets and more than 3000 guests.
SameSide is currently looking for investors to complete its seed round of funding. If you would like to learn more about SameSide, please reach out to info@highergroundlabs.com to be connected with a member of their team.
