Spitfire Sparks

The marketplace of ideas is crowded and gets busier every day. I edit a lot of content. People send me op-eds (which some news outlets have switched to labeling “commentary” or “guest essays”), social posts, statements and speeches. While I am paying attention to if the content...

Who represents you and your community matters. In 2020, millions exercised their right to vote to have a say in who represents us at the local, state and federal level. The promise of a true democracy is to ensure that every voter can have a say in who represents them. Yet, every...

As schools look to safely reopen, we must consider the lack of safety that Black, Latinx and disabled students face because of police presence in their schools. While the movement to end the school-to-prison pipeline has seen support from advocates, activists, parents, teachers...

Spitfires are passionate about a variety of things in our work and in our free time, and we're excited to talk about all the issues we care about, from advocating for LGBTQ+ rights and improving access to higher education to the best new books and TV shows. We're spotlighting...

I read a headline in Axios today that said “What IPCC report?” They are referring to the essential report from the U.N. that tells us exactly how serious the climate threat is. The report got covered. People heard about it. When a small group of swing voters was asked what it...

The late Congressman John Lewis once said, “Democracy is not a state. It is an act, and each generation must do its part.” On the 56th Anniversary of the Voting Rights Act, his words have never meant more than they do right now. Voting is one of the most fundamental features of...

Spitfires are passionate about a variety of things in our work and in our free time, and we're excited to talk about all the issues we care about, from advocating for the rights of immigrants and improving childcare policies to the best new books and TV shows. We're spotlighting...

The first thing I tell people about the Smart Chart is that it is at the core of everything we do at Spitfire. The concepts and questions included in it are the foundation to how we plan for, write and implement communication campaigns. The tool itself is also central to Spitfire...

Spitfire is committed to supporting movements that advance racial, economic and social justice across the country. We believe it’s critical to center the voices of people who are most impacted by systemic injustice, which is what led the firm to create a $100,000 pro bono fund to...

This July 14th marks the ninth annual International Non-Binary People’s day, and it serves as a salient reminder of the need to celebrate the non-binary people in our lives and continue working to build a world beyond binaries. Gender is a core part of our identities and it...

Communication is power and like all power, how you use it matters. Communication can shine a spotlight on problems, making them easier to see and offering a stage to popularize solutions. It can call people to the streets, and it can bring people together. Silence is...

Has anything been more polarizing than the wearing of masks? Instead of a simple and effective public health tool, it is a political statement, a social badge, a point of solidarity or conflict. During the past year, I became interested in how the request (or requirement) to wear...