Dear Friends ,
We hope you are finding time to rest to close out the year despite the ongoing challenges facing so many in central Ohio and across the country. We also wanted to take a moment to celebrate what we have accomplished together this year in all of our core areas of work to build community-based power in Columbus. Even as the ICE raid in Columbus remind us that the fight is coming at us on several fronts, we want to take a moment to remember that we are truly stronger together.
Electoral Organizing
Every year we host a non-partisan forum early in the cycle featuring Franklin County candidates in competitive elections. This year, in partnership with more than 20 community organizations and partners, we hosted candidates at New Birth Christian Ministries for the District 7 Columbus City Council seat and the three open seats for Columbus School Board. The response was overwhelming. More than 200 community members packed the house to get an early look at those vying to become the next generation of city leadership. Local press covered the forum and sent a message that these races were the ones to watch, affirming that leadership should be shaped by the people most impacted.
For both races, we also released social media-first voter guides that became a trusted resource for families and voters navigating the school board elections in particular that featured 9 candidates. It demonstrated the impact of clear, accessible, community centered information and reinforced the importance of meeting people where they are with tools they can use.
By the general election, our message was simple: voters need to think for themselves, not just blindly follow party insiders’ sample ballots. We placed that message for a month on a billboard at Main St. & Nelson Rd.--a high traffic area in the middle of Columbus.
Activating New Constituencies
Columbus Stand Up! works to engage the entire working class of Central Ohio, but we have a particular focus on black voters and young people. For the latter, every year we host a RESET debate before the November general election organized by and for people under 25. This year’s debate with city council and school board candidates was at Ft. Hayes High School and relied heavily on their production team and student volunteers. One lucky attendee received a free Nintendo Switch 2!
We also heard from many this year about a desire to connect and listen to each other as so many changes take place around us. CSU mobilized to host spaghetti dinners in Black community spaces throughout the city, including in Linden and on the east side, culminating with partners welcoming us to Dublin. We then pivoted the dinners to respond to the SNAP benefit cuts in the Shepard area. These meals built trust and relationships and most who attended reported feeling more optimistic about the future. Look out for a release of the spaghetti dinner toolkit in early 2026.
Issue-based Organizing
Since 2021, CSU has engaged the community on issues around clean energy and by hosting community conversations on environmental justice in partnership with Black Environmental Leaders and Green Columbus. In 2023, we launched our first campaign on electricity price increases, and this year we took that work to the next level with Lights Out on AEP.
Lights Out has mobilized the community to fight back against AEP Ohio’s latest rate request before the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO). We recruited over 40 people to testify before the PUCO and more than 2,000 people to sign a petition requesting PUCO reject the rate increase.
In conclusion, this year was not about any single moment. It was about consistency, shared purpose, and the steady work of building people powered infrastructure that lasts. As we look toward 2026, we are excited to build on this foundation to continue creating spaces where communities can come together to learn, organize, and become more powerful.
Thank you for being part of this work. We look forward to continuing the fight with you in 2026
With gratitude,
Kwesi & Morgan
P.S If you would like to continue supporting CSU before the end of the year, please donate here!
