Spitfire Sparks

The late Congressman John Lewis once said, “Democracy is not a state. It is an act, and each generation must do its part.” On the 56th Anniversary of the Voting Rights Act, his words have never meant more than they do right now. Voting is one of the most fundamental features of...

Spitfires are passionate about a variety of things in our work and in our free time, and we're excited to talk about all the issues we care about, from advocating for the rights of immigrants and improving childcare policies to the best new books and TV shows. We're spotlighting...

The first thing I tell people about the Smart Chart is that it is at the core of everything we do at Spitfire. The concepts and questions included in it are the foundation to how we plan for, write and implement communication campaigns. The tool itself is also central to Spitfire...

Spitfire is committed to supporting movements that advance racial, economic and social justice across the country. We believe it’s critical to center the voices of people who are most impacted by systemic injustice, which is what led the firm to create a $100,000 pro bono fund to...

This July 14th marks the ninth annual International Non-Binary People’s day, and it serves as a salient reminder of the need to celebrate the non-binary people in our lives and continue working to build a world beyond binaries. Gender is a core part of our identities and it...

Communication is power and like all power, how you use it matters. Communication can shine a spotlight on problems, making them easier to see and offering a stage to popularize solutions. It can call people to the streets, and it can bring people together. Silence is...

Has anything been more polarizing than the wearing of masks? Instead of a simple and effective public health tool, it is a political statement, a social badge, a point of solidarity or conflict. During the past year, I became interested in how the request (or requirement) to wear...

After more than a year of quarantine, fear and anxiety, people across the country are clamoring for the excitement brought by the parades, marches, parties and events celebrating LGBTQIA+ Pride Month in the post-vaccine era. While joy is important to Pride, celebrated every June...

I am often asked to run strategic communications planning sessions. Anyone who works with me knows I am disciplined about starting with strategy and not tactics. The author of and evangelist for the Smart Chart, I always design agendas to spend much more time on goals and...

Over the past year, advocates across the country have cried out for bold progressive change. Advocates working for gender equity, racial justice, fair wages, climate justice and voting rights swept the nation with a progressive agenda. Driven by dedicated community organizers...

Today is National Grilled Cheese Day, an annual celebration that honors one of the most popular sandwiches in the United States. Americans eat approximately 2.2 billion grilled cheeses per year. In 2012, one man set a new world record for eating 13 grilled cheese sandwiches in...

As we come to the close of Women’s History Month, we must acknowledge the pivotal elongated moment in women’s history we are currently living through: the unbelievable challenge working moms are collectively facing to keep our children and our country afloat. When the threat of...