Press Release: Political Research Associates Welcomes New Executive Director Sylvia Broude
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 10, 2024
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT
Koki Mendis, Communications Director
k.mendis@politicalresearch.org
Political Research Associates Welcomes New Executive Director Sylvia Broude to Lead 40-Year Research and Strategy Center
SOMERVILLE, MA – The board of directors of Political Research Associates unanimously voted to appoint Sylvia Broude as the next Executive Director of the organization. Political Research Associates is a 43-year-old research and strategy center devoted to supporting social justice organizations, civic leaders, journalists, and social sectors through the development of research monitoring the U.S. and global Right and analysis on how to strategically block antidemocratic movements in service of justice and liberation work.
Sylvia Broude brings 20 years of experience leading grassroots campaigns and non-profits to build multi-racial and cross-class people power. For 16 years, Sylvia led a non-profit that organizes with communities facing climate and environmental injustice in the Northeast U.S., and she helped community groups win more than 100 victories for clean air and water, from retiring coal-fired power plants, to halting new fracked gas pipelines, to closing and preventing polluting landfills and incinerators, to securing clean drinking water for thousands of families in the region.
“Sylvia’s experience and investment in sustainably leading organizations through needed growth and her deep commitment to maintaining the focus on flanking communities most under threat by unjust movements underscored that she’s a leader that we can partner with and look to in the coming years,” said Katherine Acey, Board Chair of Political Research Associates.
“With so many unknowns in our political environment, Sylvia’s steady, focused leadership will provide the internal stability needed to navigate a rapidly changing landscape in which authoritarian, anti-democratic forces have already gained far too much ground,” said Linda Burnham, renowned activist and writer and PRA board member. “I look forward to her partnership in stewarding such a vital organization in its next period of growth and development, “ she added.
Under Sylvia’s leadership, PRA is about to embark on an extensive rebrand, continue momentum of its 5-year strategic plan, prepare for a new presidential administration, and fortify our social justice movement to identify, disrupt, and compete with movements and institutions that undermine democracy, justice, and human rights.
“PRA’s work to shine a light on rising authoritarianism and threats to democracy could not be more critical in this moment where civil rights are being eroded nationwide” said Sylvia Broude, incoming Executive Director of PRA. “I am so excited to learn from my new team and to join in their work to strengthen and inform resistance efforts here and across the country.”
Tarso Luís Ramos will conclude his 18-year tenure at PRA at the end of 2024 and Sylvia Broude will take on the role of Executive Director full time in early 2025.
Founded in 1981, Political Research Associates is a research and strategy center devoted to supporting organizations, civic leaders, journalists, and social sectors that are building a more just and inclusive democratic society. We provide change-makers with strategic insights and actionable research in order to identify, disrupt, and compete with movements and institutions that undermine democracy, justice, and human rights.
Political Research Associates envisions a just and inclusive democratic society free from oppression and exploitation—a society in which supremacist and authoritarian forces no longer wield significant cultural or political power.
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