As I delve into the inspiring journey of Katie Spillane, I find myself utterly captivated by her unwavering dedication to empowering voices and fostering change. With over two decades spent in grassroots civic engagement and a knack for harnessing the power of pop culture, Spillane has truly revolutionized the political landscape.
The iconic performance of “Turn Down for What” by Atlanta rap legend Lil Jon at the Georgia roll call during the Democratic National Convention in August was made possible through the efforts of veteran social impact strategist Ashley Spillane. After noticing the popular “from the window to the Walz” memes related to Kamala Harris’ vice-presidential pick Tim Walz (a reference to Lil Jon’s 2003 hit “Get Low”), Spillane took action. Leveraging her extensive connections in both pop culture and politics, Spillane – who previously served as the president of Rock the Vote, a nonprofit established in 1990 to boost voter turnout among young adults – collaborated with Lil Jon’s long-term publicist Tamar Juda, along with crucial members of Harris’ and DNC team. Together, they orchestrated one of the most talked-about moments during the political season.
For Spillane, bridging pop culture with civic duty is a proven strategy, having founded her D.C.-based social impact and creative agency Impactual in 2016. In the years since, this firm has taken on numerous projects, with a notable focus during the 2020 election. To tackle poll worker shortages amidst the pandemic, they orchestrated a program called “Democracy is Delicious,” delivering approximately 1.4 million snacks to voters waiting in long lines at over 3,265 polling stations nationwide via food trucks and UberEats partnerships. The agency’s initiatives have garnered over 100 media mentions spanning various ideologies, from Time magazine to Fox News. Additionally, Impactual has collaborated with more than 40 celebrities such as Lady Gaga and Tracee Ellis Ross on endorsements.
During this election period, Spillane has broadened her business by incorporating a fresh entertainment sector. This new wing of the company aims to collaborate directly with athletes, artists, and celebrities, providing guidance and assistance as they develop their own social responsibility and civic engagement projects. Furthermore, she explains that this division will also link nonprofit organizations with influential cultural figures, who can lend their support to boost these organizations’ causes.
To aid in this growth process, Spillane has enlisted Marc Keiser, a co-founder of the fashion brand Keiser Clark who has styled numerous professional athletes, as the head of Athlete and Artist Relations. Additionally, CiCi James, previously Michael B. Jordan’s chief of staff, will oversee Artist and Celebrity Engagements.
Spillane began Impactual due to recognizing a significant influence that cultural entities possess, such as major corporations, influential personalities, and popular social media outlets, in promoting beneficial changes globally,” can be rephrased as:
Spillane’s introduction to community involvement and civic duty began in West Hyannisport, Massachusetts during her childhood years. “I can still recall attending gatherings and assisting my parents, who were essentially neighborhood leaders, in distributing notices about forthcoming meetings or a beachside ice cream social,” she recalls. “At that point, it wasn’t about campaigning door-to-door for a candidate, but I developed an early enthusiasm for organization. At the tender age of seven or eight, I even started a local newspaper for our community. I used to sit outside the post office and distribute copies.” She also motivated her peers to establish a junior newsroom and circulate the paper. This passion for community service continued at her small Catholic high school, where she successfully rallied diverse groups of friends and small businesses behind numerous causes.
She studied at George Washington University in Washington D.C., a place that sparked her interest in foreign affairs due to her beloved cousin’s career in the foreign service. This family member, who they had visited in various countries such as Senegal, piqued her curiosity about global politics. Being admitted into the university’s women’s leadership program and residing in a women’s dormitory allowed her to encounter Muslim and Arab women during the aftermath of 9/11 and at the onset of the Iraq War. This experience opened her eyes to “the far-reaching effects that domestic elections could have on the international community.
In the summer of 2004, I was considering an internship in Jordan. However, a mentor advised me that if I wanted to significantly influence Middle East policy, I should work on a presidential campaign instead. Taking his advice, I postponed my graduation and joined John Kerry’s presidential campaign. This decision marked a pivotal moment in my life. In the crucial states of Ohio and Florida during the election, I discovered a passion for our political system, enjoyed interacting with voters, and found fulfillment in giving everyone a chance to be heard. Ever since then, approximately 20 years ago, I have continued to pursue this line of work.
From 2014 to 2016, serving as president of Rock the Vote was an enlightening journey for Spillane. She skillfully merged her passions for music, pop culture, and politics to instigate change at a grassroots level. Capitalizing on Lil Jon’s popular song at the time, Spillane and her team organized the “Turn Down for What” concert in Atlanta during the 2014 midterm elections, featuring emerging rappers Rich Homie Quan and Young Thug. Although Lil Jon did not perform, he supported Rock the Vote through commercials and outreach efforts. This concert demonstrated to Spillane the power of social influence. Not only did it attract a massive young audience, many of whom were marginalized, but the two rappers also registered to vote, inspiring their fans to do the same. Under Spillane’s leadership, Rock the Vote also managed to get Kendall Jenner to register to vote on Instagram. Spillane is often credited for rejuvenating the organization through digital marketing campaigns and initiatives like the viral Turn Out for What campaign.
For Spillane, it was Trump’s transformation from a businessman and “Apprentice” TV star to president that best demonstrated the political power wielded by cultural figures. As she puts it, “Trump’s victory in 2016 made people understand not only the effect pop culture can have but also that they themselves could impact things.” The success of Trump’s controversial presidential campaign paved the way for Impactual’s initial success. According to Spillane, NBCUniversal cable head Bonnie Hammer hired the company because she wanted to revive the Erase the Hate campaign in an effort to counteract the increase in harmful rhetoric, actions, and violence that followed the 2016 election.
In collaboration with their philanthropic ally, Democracy Fund, Impactual assisted Hammer and her group in selecting suitable nonprofit allies, as stated by Spillane. Furthermore, they collaborated with the company’s social impact department to design a strategic plan grounded in research, and they also provided support for the creative agency during the production of PSA content.
Throughout 2024, Spillane has consistently shown the power of enlisting celebrities and influencers to captivate the youth demographic. Beyond the widely-shared Lil Jon moment at the DNC, her nonpartisan organization – the Civic Responsibility Project – coordinated Party to the Polls The Purple Tour in 16 states, many of them crucial battleground areas. This tour aimed to stir excitement about the electoral process. Over its 50 events, a variety of activities were undertaken, such as voting, registration for voters, acquiring absentee ballots, and much more. Additionally, poll workers were honored as part of this initiative.
As the election season winds down, Spillane is gearing up for her expanding entertainment division, promising to disclose its client list soon. She explains, “Artists, athletes, and celebrities are exceptionally skilled in their respective areas, but social impact work might be unexplored territory for them. That’s where we step in.” She highlights the need by stating, “We can combine our expertise in social responsibility and civic engagement with their drive to bring about change, and we know how to translate their visions into tangible impact.
With over a decade of utilizing celebrity for a greater purpose, accompanied by two decades of dedication to community activism, Spillane remains enthusiastic about the future. A pivotal moment in her life has been becoming a parent, which has only fueled her determination. “We need to do more,” she emphasizes. “We must fight harder for every child.” Now, at Impactual, she no longer doubts her motivation: “We’re doing this for her.
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2024-11-04 22:55