Taylor Jackson (she/her/hers) works with Unemployed Workers United as a National Digital Organizer. She started organizing in 2017 focused on advocating for teen mental health. She built an app that was able to connect teens seeking help/support with local therapists, counselors, as well as local resources. The accessibility of this app and the connection between technology and organizing sparked her passion in the field of digital organizing.
Going into her undergraduate career at Arizona State University Taylor participated in several equity centered research projects such as her Independent Research Project with the Neuberg-Kenrick Lab, Intergenerational Stereotype Response Mechanisms, which investigated how Black Americans communicate how to navigate negative stereotypes through intergenerational messages (i.e. how to behave when pulled over by a cop). She then began working for Progressive Turnout Project in the 2020 election as a Field Representative, canvassing across the United States to increase voter turnout. In the heat of the pandemic many at risk communities did not have access to mail in voting. Taylor was canvassing many people in the Tohono O'odham Nation in Maricopa County who resided on the reservation and USPS did not cover their jurisdiction. Wanting everyone’s voice to be heard in this election, she assisted in developing a plan for people residing on the reservation to be able to vote via mail, so there would not be extra COVID exposure by being forced to vote at the polls. Following this, Taylor began her community organizing work at Black Phoenix Organizing Collective. She started on the #WhyIdidn’tcall campaign which was focused on surveying Black Phoenix residents on why they don’t contact first responders and who they contact instead in order to build out a community safety system. In this work she also helped build out their digital advocacy by organizing several online events and building out their social media outreach.
Upon graduation, Taylor moved to Los Angeles to begin as a Regional Organizer for the Southern California Black Worker Hub. In this role she focused on building a base of active worker members, wellness centered resources and guides, and helped push forward programs focused on anti-discrimination at the workplace. Now, as a National Digital Organizer at Unemployed Workers United, she is excited to continue power building for workers through the field of digital organizing. With all the tools, techniques, strategy, and passion UWU holds she feels like movements are unstoppable here. With her first project The 2023 Black Census, she is motivated to continue advocating for Black folks to make sure their opinions are heard and translated into equitable policy.