Sunrise Movement
| Sunrise Movement | |
 | |
| Basic facts | |
| Location: | Washington, D.C. |
| Type: | 501(c)(4) |
| Top official: | Aru Shiney-Ajay, Executive Director |
| Founder(s): | Sara Blazevic and Varshini Prakash |
| Year founded: | 2017 |
| Website: | Official website |
The Sunrise Movement is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit based in Washington, D.C. The organization focuses its efforts on climate advocacy.[1] According to the organization's website, it focuses on climate advocacy, including supporting the Green New Deal.[1] As of October 2025, the Sunrise Movement's website describes the Green New Deal as "a governing agenda to mobilize every aspect of American society to 100% clean and renewable energy, guarantee living-wage jobs for anyone who needs one, and a just transition for both workers and frontline communities—all in the next 10 years."[2] The organization was founded in 2017.[1]
Background
The Sunrise Movement was founded in 2017 by Sara Blazevic and Varshini Prakash.[1] According to the organization's website, its objective is to "force the government to end the era of fossil fuel elites, invest in Black, brown and working class communities, and create millions of good union jobs. We’re on a mission to put everyday people back in charge and build a world that works for all of us, now and for generations to come."[1]
The organization is divided into a number of local decentralized "Sunrise hubs" where events are planned and carried out.[3] These are listed on the Sunrise Movement website by state.[3]
Leaderhsip
As of October 2025, the following individual held a leadership position at the Sunrise Movement:[4]
- Aru Shiney-Ajay, Executive Director
Work and activities
2025 Campaigns
As of October 2025, the Sunrise Movement;s weiste listed the following campaigns:[5]
- End the Oligarchy, Save Our Futures: Focuses on oil companies.
- People vs. Billionaires: A collection of teach-ins called "How to End an Oligarchy."
- Green New Deal for Communities: Local campaigns focusing on areas such as public transit and public housing.
2022 Campaigns
The Sunrise Movement's website listed the following 2022 actions:[6]
- Green New Deal for Public Housing: Focuses on housing policy.
- Generation on Fire: A collection of two marches advocating for the creation of a Civilian Climate Corps.
- Good Jobs for All: Focusing on employment policy, including advocacy for a federal job guarantee.
- Reimagining Sunrise: Focusing on developing a new plan for the group, "Sunrise 2.0."
- We Are Wide Awake: Events meant to interrupt local politicians' sleep in protest of climate policies.
2021 Campaigns
In January 2021, Sunrise Movement Political & Legislative Coordinator Lauren Maunus described the "Green New Deal Year One" as the priority going into the beginning of President Joe Biden's (D) first term.[7]
- Sunrise Movement's Climate Mandate from the 2020 Election: Focused on advocacy for pro-Green New Deal Cabinet members for President Biden's administration.[8]
2020 Campaigns
The Sunrise Movement's website listed the following 2020 actions:[9]
- Wide Awake Actions: Events meant to interrupt local politicians' sleep in protest of climate policies.
- Wake up, Mitch! Justice for Breonna Taylor: Protest meant to disrupt then-Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's (R-Ky.) sleep following the death of Breonna Taylor in March 2020.
2019 Campaigns
The Sunrise Movement's website listed the following 2019 actions:[9]
- Dec. 6 Global Climate Strike: Protests meant to advocate for progressive climate policies.
- Sept. 20 Global Climate Strike: Protests in 150 countries meant to express "the demand for serious climate action across the globe."[10]
- Road to a Green New Deal Tour: Speaking tour including Sens. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt) as well as Reps. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.)
- Kentuckians occupy McConnell's office in D.C.: School walkouts and sit-ins at then-Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's (R-Ky.) office in protest of donations from the oil and gas industry.
Notable endorsements
This section displays endorsements this organization made in elections within Ballotpedia's coverage scope.
Affiliations
Sunrise Movement Education
The Sunrise Movement Education Fund (legally registered as U.S. Climate Plan Inc.), is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The organization is exempt from federal income tax, and donations made to it are tax deductible for the donor. It is also required to be politically nonpartisan.
Sunrise PAC
The Sunrise PAC is a federal political action committee. The PAC can spend money in electoral politics by donating to parties or candidates they support, subject to contribution limits defined by state and federal election agencies.
Finances
The following is a breakdown of the Sunrise Movement's revenues and expenses from 2017 to 2023. The information comes from ProPublica
| Year | Revenue | Expenses |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $2.46 million | $2.51 million |
| 2022 | $3.23 million | $3.58 million |
| 2021 | $4.13 million | $3.96 million |
| 2020 | $7.02 million | $1.99 million |
| 2019 | $3.81 million | $2.32 million |
| 2018 | $584,235 | $412,722 |
| 2017 | $77,791 | $31,210 |
See also
External links
- Search Google News for this topic
- Sunrise Movement official website
- Sunrise Movement on Facebook
- Sunrise Movement on X
- Sunrise Movement on Instagram
- Sunrise Movement on YouTube
- Sunrise Movement on TikTok
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Sunrise Movement, "About Sunrise," accessed October 17, 2025
- ↑ Sunrise Movement, "Our Demands," accessed October 17, 2025
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 The Sunrise Movement, "Join a Sunrise Hub," accessed October 17, 2025
- ↑ LinkedIn, "Aru Shiney-Ajay," accessed October 18, 2025
- ↑ Sunrise Movement, "Campaigns, accessed October 18, 2025
- ↑ Sunrise Movement, "Sunrise Movement's Current Campaigns," accessed March 16, 2022
- ↑ Sunrise Movement, "Green New Deal Year One: What We're Fighting For," January 20, 2021
- ↑ Sunrise Movement, "Sunrise Movement's Climate Mandate from the 2020 Election," accessed March 16, 2022
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Sunrise Movement, "The Sunrise Movement's Past Actions," accessed March 16, 2022
- ↑ Sunrise Movement, "September 20, 2019 — Global Climate Strike," accessed March 16, 2022
| |||||||
