Ep 106: The Secret to Impacting Our Democracy with States Project's Melissa Walker

As I bring you this episode, we are less than two weeks from the 2024 U.S. Election. In preparation for this moment, I seized the opportunity to sit down with Melissa Walker, a children's book author turned powerful political advocate, instrumental in the founding of an organization called The States Project. 

Melissa’s path to The States Project was paved in the election results of 2016 which, like it did for so many of us, became a catalyst for activism. Looking for a way to get more intimately involved in our democratic process, her journey took a powerful turn when she attended a holiday party where then New York state senator Daniel Squadron, opened her eyes to the influence of state governments.

She learned that issues—like education, healthcare, civil rights, and voting rights—are often decided in state capitals, not Washington, D.C. This spark led her to gather other mothers and children's book authors in her own living room to create what they called a States Project Giving Circle. That group went on to help flip legislative seats in Virginia in 2017, impacting the balance of power enough in that state that they expanded healthcare for 400,000 Virginians that year.

Fast forward to 2024 and the States Project Giving Circles grow to over 200 across the country while my Mom Fran and I were searching for how we could transform our anxiety and fear to make an impact in this year’s election. The answer came from my niece Nicole, whose work with The States Project inspired us to start our own Giving Circle, which we named “Generations” for the three generations of women we sought to engage. It was also Nicole who invited Melissa to join our Circle on Zoom, where Melissa helped us make a strategic decision to pick Pennsylvania to direct our funds. 

This episode is the invitation we ALL need right now—to look beyond the obvious and consider how strategic political giving in key states can create profound ripple effects across the country. Melissa helps us realize that by coming together with shared values and a sense of purpose, we can light the way for change.

In these critical weeks before the 2024 U.S. election, I hope Melissa’s E.P.I.C. life journey and her wisdom inspire all of us to use our power to make a difference—and to bring someone else along. Whether you join our Giving Circle or decide to come together with a community of your own, this episode reminds us that we have agency…and that collective, strategic action, even in small steps, can shift the course of our democracy.

Join Us in Our “Generations” States Project Giving Circle!

As mothers and daughters... we know that the stakes in this election couldn’t be higher for ourselves and future generations. Many of us are feeling a deep desire to make a meaningful impact but are unsure how best to channel our resources.

That’s why we’ve come together to form a States Project Giving Circle focusing on a powerful and often overlooked area of change—state legislatures.

In collaboration with The States Project, we are uniting across generations—mothers, daughters, family, and friends—to drive transformative change at the state level. State legislatures play a critical role in shaping policies that affect our daily lives, from education and healthcare to voting rights and environmental protection. Yet, they often receive far less attention and funding than national races.

Our Circle selected the state of PA and we are almost at our goal. Help us cross the finish line! Learn how you can make an impact by clicking HERE

Topics Discussed in this Episode:

• Melissa's journey into political engagement post-2016 election and her quest to help people look beyond the first glance to engage strategically and purposefully. 

• How Melissa balances the “doer” qualities of her mother alongside the “thinker” qualities of her father.  

• The holiday party with then New York State Senator Daniel Squadron that became the “spark moment” that helped Melissa realize the power of state legislatures. 

• Melissa’s leadership in the formation and expansion of States Project Giving Circles to promote collective political giving and community engagement.

• Why a few states like Pennsylvania, the one we selected for our Generations Giving Circle, can also impact the presidential election. 

• Melissa’s two daughters, and how they have become advocates for educating about state legislatures. 

• How Melissa weaves in WT (aka window time) into her day to give her space to reflect and how little shifts like reading the news from a newspaper instead of her phone helps her stay more present with her children. 

• The “epic snapshot moments” that have touched Melissa, from participating in Stand Up for the States with stars like Octavia Spencer to the thousands of conversations she has facilitated in Zoom rooms and living rooms across the country.

About Melissa Walker

Melissa Walker, Head of Giving Circles at The States Project. Melissa is the author of 10 novels for young adults and children. A former magazine editor, she now enjoys gathering people together to share stories about how they can pool their resources and change the balance of power in state legislatures — in fact, she helps organize over 200 Giving Circles across the country working on this mission. She is a graduate of Vassar College who hails from Chapel Hill, NC, and her work has appeared in publications including The New York Times and Teen Vogue.

The States Project aims to highlight the importance of state legislatures in shaping American lives and improving democracy. They provide resources to help state lawmakers effectively govern and push for necessary changes​.

Connect with Melissa

• Website | www.melissacwalker.com

• LinkedIn | www.linkedin.com/in/melissacwalker

• The States Project Website | statesproject.org

• X | @melissacwalker

This Episode’s Challenge:

Melissa invites us to reflect on how we can come together, not just in times of crisis, but proactively. Her challenge: think about how you can mobilize your community. Invite one friend to bring another, forming a powerful group that can create meaningful change, whether by starting a States Project Giving Circle or another form of collective effort.

Related Episodes and Resources To Explore Next: 

• Episode 104: Calm, Compassion, Clarity in the 2024 Election https://mothersquest.com/episode104/ 

• MOM THE VOTE: Election Impact Advice To Light Your Way https://mothersquest.com/mom-the-vote-election-impact-advice-to-light-your-way/ 

• Learn about States Project Giving Circles https://statesproject.org/get-involved/giving-circles/ 

• Watch a quick video about why state legislatures matter https://youtu.be/Kv68pp104UQ?si=TV74BJHUVNe4rr23 

• Generations : A States Project Giving Circle https://www.grapevine.org/giving-circle/wj6hg3K/Generations-A-States-Project-Giving-Circle 

This Episode is Dedicated by Nicole Lettiere  

About Nicole 

Nicole Lettiere is a Principal of Industry Partnerships at The States Project, where she focuses on building impactful collaborations that drive change at the state level. She also serves as a Strategic Consultant at Propper Daley, a social impact agency where she has been applying her expertise in social innovation for over six years. Nicole’s career began in education as a middle school science teacher with Teach for America in New Orleans, where she created an arts-integrated science curriculum in partnership with the national Turnaround Arts program. A proud graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, she was honored with the Joel Skornicka Service Award for her leadership in developing college readiness programs for underserved communities.

Connect with Nicole

• Linkedin | www.linkedin.com/in/nicole-lettiere 

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