501(c)(4) · New Orleans, LA & the Gulf South
Uniting Grassroots Power With Grasstops Influence
We unite community organizing with policy access to build a Louisiana and Gulf South where every resident, regardless of zip code, has the power to shape the decisions that affect their lives.
Our Mission
Democracy in Action Now is a 501(c)(4) organization.
Democracy in Action Now unites grassroots community power with grasstops leadership influence to drive systemic transformation across Louisiana and the Gulf South, so that public policy reflects the people it serves, not just the interests that can afford to be heard.
Our Approach
Five ways we build power
Community Outreach
Door-to-door canvassing, community events, and town halls that start real conversations.
Volunteer Mobilization
Recruiting and training volunteers who become the backbone of the movement.
Public Education
Making political processes, policy, and candidates understandable to everyday citizens.
Policy Advocacy
Working directly with policymakers and legislators to advance people-first policy.
Strategic Partnerships
Alliances with organizations, advocacy groups, and institutions that share our goals.
Our Values
What guides the work
Community Voice
The people directly affected by an issue shape how we act on it.
Coalition Building
We unite grassroots advocates and grasstops influencers around shared goals.
Nonpartisan Focus
We advocate for people-first outcomes, not party positions.
Accountability
We hold public officials to the same standard we hold ourselves.
Access
Direct lines to community leaders, business owners, faith leaders, and policymakers.
Who We Serve
- Residents & Community Groupsseeking a stronger voice in local decisions.
- Candidates & Campaignswho prioritize people over politics.
- Policymakers & Legislatorslooking for grounded, community-informed input.
- Coalition Partnersworking toward systemic policy change.
Organizational Capacity
- Field Organizingvolunteer recruitment, training, and field organizing.
- Public Educationvoter education programming for everyday citizens.
- Policy Researchresearch and legislative advocacy on people-first issues.
- Coalition Conveningconnecting grassroots and grasstops networks.
Our Model
Grassroots
Community outreach, volunteer mobilization, public education, and local advocacy that put power in residents' hands.
Grasstops
Engaging influencers, strategic partnerships, and policy advocacy that move decision-makers.
Together
Grassroots pressure and grasstops influence moving in the same direction to drive lasting change.
Leadership
Telley Madina, President
Telley Madina is President of Democracy in Action Now, a 501(c)(4) organization uniting grassroots power with grasstops influence across Louisiana and the Gulf South. He leads the organization's strategy for community outreach, volunteer mobilization, policy advocacy, and coalition building, working at the intersection of community organizing and public policy to connect everyday residents with the policymakers and influencers who can act on their behalf.
Under his leadership, Democracy in Action Now builds direct lines between communities and decision-makers, translates grassroots concerns into policy outcomes, and holds public officials accountable to the people they represent. Telley's approach is rooted in the belief that lasting change happens when the people closest to an issue have real power to shape it, and when those with influence are engaged as partners in that work rather than gatekeepers to it.
Empowering Individuals. Influencing Leaders. Building Coalitions.