Who We Are

About Red Wine & Blue

Women Organizing Women. Welcome to the party.

Red Wine & Blue is a national community of more than 650,000 diverse suburban women from across the political spectrum, including many who have never been political before. We organize the way women actually talk to each other: friend to friend, in the group chat, by each other’s side. We fight book bans, stand up for public schools and reproductive freedom, and protect the right to vote. We turn “someone should do something” into a thing you can do Tuesday night.
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What we do

  • Friend-to-Friend Organizing. People in politics call it “relational organizing,” but we just call it what it is: talking with friends and family. We teach women how to take what we naturally do – conversations with friends, family, and neighbors – and turn it into political power by focusing on common sense and shared values.
  • Share Trustworthy Resources. We provide factual information that makes hard conversations a little easier. We provide easy-to-understand explainers, fact sheets, guides, and shareable social media content about the issues that matter.
  • Build Community. Suburban women are sick of extremists trying to divide us. We’re working together, sharing ideas, and building on what works. In-person and virtually, through the Red Wine & Blue Network, Rally Together events, local groups, virtual trainings, and the Red Wine & Blue app, we lift each other up and lean on each other when things are tough.

Who we organize

Red Wine & Blue is a welcoming way into politics for suburban women of all ages, races, and political backgrounds, including many who had never been political before. Contrary to what pundits say, we don’t all look the same, think exactly alike, or drive matching minivans. We’re a diverse community that finds strength in our differences and hope in one another. Together, we’re making sure suburban women are a permanent force in American politics.

How our organizing model works

Friend-to-friend organizing is what sets Red Wine & Blue apart from traditional political campaigns or other advocacy groups and civic engagement organizations. We know (and we’ve shown year after year) that the most effective way to inspire voters and win elections is by talking to people who already know and trust us. Instead of strangers talking to strangers, Red Wine & Blue equips women to have conversations with the people already in their lives — friends, family, and neighbors — focused on common sense and shared values. It’s easy for women to get involved – no experience required – through our local groups and organizing activities based on hyperlocal issues, personalized to what’s happening right in their communities.

Where we work

Red Wine & Blue is a national community fighting extremism. We have regional organizers on the ground in four focus states: Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. Our distributed organizers support local Red Wine & Blue Network groups across the other 46.

Michigan

Michigan

North Carolina

North Carolina

Ohio

Ohio

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania

United States outline

Other States

What we’re working on

We’ve all got so many issues on our minds, it can be overwhelming. We don’t tell women what to care about – they tell us what matters most to them, and here’s what we hear:

  • We want safe and welcoming communities.
  • We care about being healthy.
  • We want the basics to be affordable.
  • We want to protect our reproductive rights and our voting rights.
  • We support public education and fight book bans.
  • We know anti-racism is an everyday practice.
  • We push back against Project 2025.
  • We’re good neighbors when ICE shows up.
  • We stand up to attacks on the LGBTQ+ community.
  • We know that getting our friends and family to vote for commonsense candidates who share these values is the way to win elections, take power back from extremists, and move towards the America we want for all of us.

From the economy to healthcare, and from supporting education, diversity, and inclusion to protecting democracy from extremism, learn more about our issues-based advocacy here.

Our Values

  • We are relationship builders — We prioritize building strong connections and meaningful relationships with our team members, partners, and the broader Red Wine & Blue community. This is a must-do for lasting change.
  • We lead with love — We aim to handle every interaction and decision (even the hard ones) with empathy, compassion, and kindness, building a culture where care and support thrive.
  • We are always learning — We love and embrace curiosity and continuous growth, actively seeking knowledge, feedback, and opportunities for development to adapt and thrive in an ever-changing world.
  • We are inclusive and welcoming — Celebrating our diversity is at the heart of who we are; we work to ensure everyone feels valued, respected, and empowered to contribute.
  • We are resilient and bold — We face fear and challenges with courage and determination, embracing change as an opportunity for growth, innovation, and transformation, while staying true to our values and vision.
  • We are committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice — We celebrate the rich diversity of suburban women and work hard to make sure everyone is seen, heard, and valued. Contrary to media stereotypes, suburban women are not all white. We acknowledge that women of color, particularly Black women, have shouldered a disproportionate burden of this work for far too long, and we are committed to advancing diversity, equity, inclusion and justice in our core values and our daily practices.

Learn more about our values here.

Our Story

Red Wine & Blue was founded in 2019 by Katie Paris, an Ohio suburban mom, shortly after the 2018 midterms. After talking with women throughout her state who had become politically engaged following the 2016 presidential election, she felt a personal responsibility to mobilize other suburban moms to step up and do their part.

Like all the women she had been speaking with – meeting in living rooms, coffee shops, porches, and on soccer field sidelines across Ohio – Katie cares about what is happening to her kids, her community, her state, and her country. She quit her job after more than 20 years of working in national politics and created an opportunity to engage women in politics differently.

Katie Paris at TED Democracy 2026

Red Wine & Blue initially focused on building a network of women in Ohio and expanded nationally in 2021. Still headquartered in Ohio, we now build infrastructure in our four key states (Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, and Pennsylvania) as well as for our national Red Wine & Blue Network, with investments and paid organizing teams on the ground year-round, instead of just during election cycles. We also host weekly virtual events and trainings and have a robust social media presence, keeping women informed and engaged online, as well as in their local communities.

Who leads Red Wine & Blue

Red Wine & Blue is led by founder and CEO Katie Paris and a team who bring experience in organizing, politics, and nonprofit work to the fight against extremism.

Red Wine and Blue founder Katie Paris
Katie Paris, Founder and CEO, is a 25-year political veteran and an Ohio suburban mom. In 2019, Katie quit her job in national politics to found Red Wine & Blue because she saw an opportunity to mobilize suburban women for the long-term. Previously, Katie was Executive Vice President of Media Matters, which she helped launch as its first research director, and Program and Communications Director at Faith in Public Life, which she also helped found. Prior to building national organizations, Katie worked on presidential, U.S. Senate, and gubernatorial campaigns.
Lafonda Cousin wearing a pale yellow suit jacket and hoop earings
LaFonda Cousin, Chief People Officer, is an experienced talent and operations professional and a Texas suburban mom. She joined Red Wine & Blue in 2023 to help manage the organization’s rapid growth. Leveraging a background in HR, operations, and DEI, LaFonda is committed to enhancing team and organization trust, performance and outcomes. LaFonda was previously senior director of talent at the National Math and Science Initiative.
Drew seated at a wooden table, chin resting on his hand, wearing a black shirt
Drew Amstutz, Chief of Staff, is a Chicago-based political strategist and organizational leader responsible for steering Red Wine & Blue’s cross-department collaboration and program implementation throughout its rapid internal and external growth. Drew started as an intern with Red Wine & Blue in 2021 and holds a master’s degree in Political Management and a bachelor’s degree in Political Communications from The George Washington University.
Jackie Ross wearing a cream turtleneck and black-rimmed glasses
Jackie Ross, Head of Communications, has 20 years of experience creating visibility for organizations and issues and positioning brands in the private, public, and non-profit sectors. Prior to joining Red Wine & Blue, Jackie led the Public Affairs practice at Ward Circle Strategies, managing a 15-person team. She also served as the National Director of Communications for Higher Achievement after starting her career in the office of the President of PBS, followed by five years at The Glover Park Group (now FGS Global).

What impact did Red Wine & Blue have in 2025?

In 2025, Red Wine & Blue members organized in their own communities, pressed Congress on many issues we care about, and helped elect common sense candidates across the country.

Building community

  • Red Wine & Blue and our members hosted 4,212 events with 83,443 attendees.
  • The Red Wine & Blue Network grew to more than 700 local groups nationwide.
  • 13,258 Red Wine & Blue members used our platform to talk about voting with 107,321 friends and family.
  • 93% of Red Wine & Blue members encouraged friends and family to vote.

Taking action on important issues

  • Red Wine & Blue members sent more than 21,000 letters and phone calls to Congress opposing the SAVE Act.
  • Red Wine & Blue members sent more than 31,000 letters to Congress opposing ICE funding.
  • The Red Wine & Blue community raised more than $200,000 for Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio.

Winning elections

  • In 2025, Red Wine & Blue’s friend-to-friend organizing increased voter turnout among our members’ contacts by 5 to 7% across our focus states, compared to control groups, according to analysis by Workbench. In contrast, Presidential campaigns spend millions of dollars to move turnout by a single percentage point.
  • 72% of the common sense school board candidates Red Wine & Blue supported won their races, and 75% of the common sense municipal candidates we supported won theirs.
  • 83% of the extremist municipal candidates Red Wine & Blue opposed were defeated.
  • In 2025, Red Wine & Blue helped win 170 school board seats in our focus states.
  • In 2025, 219 Red Wine & Blue members ran for office themselves, winning 82% of their school board races and 73% of their municipal races.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is Red Wine & Blue?

Red Wine & Blue is a national community of more than 650,000 diverse suburban women from across the political spectrum, including many who have never been political before. We organize the way women actually talk to each other: friend to friend, in the group chat, by each other’s side. We fight book bans, stand up for public schools and reproductive freedom, and protect the right to vote. We turn “someone should do something” into a thing you can do Tuesday night.

Is Red Wine & Blue a Nonprofit?

Yes. Red Wine & Blue is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit social welfare organization. Red Wine & Blue Civics (formerly Red Wine & Blue Education Fund) is a separate 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization devoted to empowerment through civics education. Red Wine & Blue Civics hosts events, trainings, and creative campaigns that provide factual education in local communities.

Are donations tax-deductible?

It depends which entity you give to. Gifts to Red Wine & Blue (the 501(c)(4)) are not tax-deductible. Gifts to the Red Wine & Blue Civics (the 501(c)(3)) are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.

What is the Red Wine & Blue Network (formerly TroubleNation)?

The Red Wine & Blue Network is a nationwide network of local groups —  700 groups nationwide, plus a few abroad. Members organize in their own communities, sharing resources, hosting events, and taking action online and in person, with coaching and training from the Red Wine & Blue Network team.

What states does Red Wine & Blue operate in?

We’re a national organization with members and local Red Wine & Blue Network groups in all 50 states. We provide year-round organizing support nationwide. Organizers are based on the ground in four focus states: Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, while regional Red Wine & Blue Network organizers serve members and local groups throughout the rest of the country.

How do I join?

There are no membership fees to join Red Wine & Blue, and no experience is required. To connect with a local group, sign up at redwine.blue/network. To stay informed, subscribe to The The Sip,Red Wine & Blue’s monthly newsletter, or our Easy A blog for one easy way to take action each week. You can also download the Red Wine & Blue app to stay connected. Just show up as you are.

Who funds Red Wine & Blue?

Red Wine & Blue is funded by thousands of individual donors, including  suburban women, their families, as well as family foundations and organizations. Its supporters  care deeply about strengthening public education, restoring reproductive freedom, protecting our democracy, and building an economy that supports working families.

Why does Red Wine & Blue have “wine” in its name?

Our founder Katie picked the name to signify our love of this country and our ground-up approach of tapping into the power of women getting together in living rooms and kitchen tables to support each other, solve problems, bring change, and have fun doing it. Sharing a glass of wine symbolized that approach. Is wine necessary? Of course not. Wine is the metaphor, not the required ticket for admission. It’s about setting a tone that feels less like traditional politics and more like we’re among friends with a common cause. What’s necessary is not wine, but coming together in a more relaxed, personal, and festive way so that we stay involved.