Each of the victories described in this site has been achieved through the engagement of members of PCIC institutions who have attended leadership training workshops, conducted research, led house meetings, and participated as leaders of public actions. PCIC is a non-partisan organization that does not accept government funding; our work focuses on issues that matter to families rather than party politics.

This leadership training strategy has proven to be effective at mobilizing voters. Our research has shown that voters engaged by PCIC, over multiple election cycles, vote at a rate of 90%. Our work opposing Proposition 200, in collaboration with our Arizona Interfaith Network partners, led to a shift in voting patterns statewide, with increased participation from the economically marginalized neighborhoods where we organized. This campaign also led PCIC to develop the infrastructure in our institutions (citizen lobbyist, phone calls, and emails) and networking with other organizations to wage a successful lobbying campaign against 41 anti-immigrant bills proposed in the Arizona legislature in 2006.

PCIC’s citizen engagement strategy also builds a constituency of support for the issues people care about most; for example, JobPath students are becoming the program’s most eloquent and vocal supporters. Perhaps most importantly, this intensive focus on citizen engagement develops leaders who solve their own problems through systemic change; the parents who advocated for the School Plus Jobs program at Sunnyside High school addressed the need for student employment head-on by spearheading this highly successful program.