Sister Warriors: Building Power Through Digital Storytelling

Sister Warriors Action Fund (SWAF) is a member-led organization of over 5,000 formerly and currently incarcerated and systems-impacted women and trans people. Founded in 2017 at a convening of over 200 systems-impacted people in Oakland, SWAF works to improve conditions for women and trans people by fighting for policies and system changes that center the needs of communities most impacted by criminalization and incarceration throughout California.

Overview

With support from Progressive Multiplier Fund, SWAF launched a digital outreach and fundraising initiative to grow its supporter base, raise awareness about critical issues, and establish itself as a thought leader in the abolitionist movement. By combining digital lead generation with documentary storytelling about sexual violence in prisons and influencer engagement, SWAF aimed to connect its advocacy work to fundraising efforts while expanding its reach and influence. The project demonstrates both the potential and challenges of building independent revenue streams for organizations led by directly impacted communities working on complex social justice issues.

Key Strategies & Tactics

• The organization invested in paid lead generation through Daily Kos, which brought over 3,000 new contacts to their email list.
• They produced a documentary highlighting sexual violence perpetrated by prison staff, choosing this issue because of its broad bipartisan support and its ability to effectively illustrate the human impact of their work inside prisons. The documentary humanized individual stories while contextualizing them within larger structural problems.
• SWAF also hosted an invite-only luncheon to build coalition support and establish themselves as thought leaders in abolition and gender justice movements. To nurture new supporters, they developed a four-message email automation that triggered upon signup, gradually building from a welcome message to a donation ask that included options for recurring donations and planned giving.

Lessons Learned

• SWAF discovered that building an independent revenue program requires dedicated staff capacity and cannot be effectively managed as a secondary responsibility. When their original project manager left on medical leave, the initiative sat dormant until new communications staff could be brought on board.

• The organization learned the importance of establishing reliable processes for creating, approving, and sending communications to maintain engagement with their growing audience.

• They found that focusing on a compelling issue like sexual violence in prisons provided a narrative that connected directly to their mission while appealing to a broader audience.

• Working with Progressive Multiplier advisor Polly Stamatopoulos helped them adjust their goals to be more realistic and their approach more practical, demonstrating the value of expert guidance in refining strategy.

By the Numbers

Impact

While the financial results fell short of initial projections, SWAF's initiative produced outcomes that extended far beyond immediate fundraising returns. Their expanded digital reach and enhanced credibility positioned them as trusted voices in the abolitionist and gender justice movements, creating a foundation for future donor cultivation. The documentary and influencer engagement allowed SWAF to highlight their work combating sexual assault by prison staff, including hosting town hall meetings and driving policy change. This visibility directly contributed to legislative progress, with two bills currently being considered by the California legislature. SB 1069 gives the Office of the Inspector General responsibility to investigate cases of sexual violence inside prisons, while SB 898 allows survivors of staff sexual abuse to receive resentencing consideration. By growing their audience nearly fourfold and establishing systematic approaches to communications and fundraising, SWAF created infrastructure that can be built upon in future campaigns, positioning the organization to convert their expanded base into financial supporters over time.