Tennessee is under siege.
We’ve got one of the most extreme Republican supermajorities in the country—and they’re using their power to silence dissent, punish the poor, and strip us of our freedoms. We are one of the most gerrymandered, underrepresented, and politically neglected states in the South.
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49% of legislative seats held by Republicans go uncontested.
47th in the nation for gender parity.
51st in voter turnout.
We’re not losing because we don’t have the people.
We’re losing because the right people don’t have the support.
That ends now.
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​​At Upstream, we find the fighters. We train the truth-tellers. We back the bold.
Whether you're a first-time candidate, a campaign staffer, or someone who's just fed up—we've got you. We're here to:
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RECRUIT rising leaders ready to serve
TRAIN them to run and win
SUPPORT them every step of the way
No more gatekeeping. No more playing defense. We play to win.
We need new leaders, new energy, and a new way to win in Tennessee.
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Upstream is a strategic initiative, founded by Tennessee State Senator Charlane Oliver, committed to building leadership development pipelines that train, develop, and support courageous, skilled, diverse leaders and changemakers in Tennessee. Since September 2023, Upstream has actively - and proactively - worked to address the leadership void in Tennessee’s political infrastructure by powering institutions to lead effectively, identifying high-potential candidates, delivering campaign-readiness training, and creating connective tissue between political entities and allied-stakeholder organizations.
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No matter your zip code or background, Upstream is a political home for everyday people who are ready to shake the table, flip the script, and flip this state. We are building a bold pipeline of diverse, values-driven leaders ready to run for office, run campaigns, and run the South forward.​​
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Our North Star
Our Work
Strategic Advisement
We offer professional services to power institutions, political parties, campaigns, and social welfare organizations to lead effectively.
Training & Coaching
Our aim is to train and equip candidates and campaign staff with the knowledge, tools, skills, and temperament to run for office, lead campaigns, and pass bold, transformative policies.
Leadership Wellness
Our goal is to fully and holistically support change-driven and outspoken leaders with the resources necessary to launch a viable campaign, stay in the race, win on Election Day, and govern effectively.
Upstream Boot Camp
In 2024, Upstream partnered with Emerge Tennessee to offer our inaugural Upstream Boot Camp Training in Nashville. This training was designed for anyone - volunteers and team members alike - to learn how to effectively lead well-resourced campaigns, alongside Emerge Tennessee candidates. In total, we welcomed 12 candidates and campaign staff members to complete the training.
Boot Camp Training is open to Candidates, Campaign and Organizational staff and volunteers (managers, directors, coordinators, etc). Participants have the opportunity to discover effective strategies for campaign planning and strategy, messaging and media relations, digital organizing, fundraising and budgeting, field planning and direct voter contact.​
Meet Hannah
Hannah served as a Regional Field Organizer for the Megan Barry for Congress campaign. She participated in Upstream's inaugural boot camp training. Hear what she had to say!