Unite and Conquer: How to Build Coalitions That Win-and Last

Divide-and-conquer tactics stolen from conservatives do not work, especially in the long term, to further progressive causes. There is no logic or power in trying to use bad strategies to get to a good place. In Unite and Conquer, legislator Krysten Sinema shows how the future of the progressive movement is to be found in unity, alignment and partnership. Sinemas no-nonsense, concrete approach shows readers that we are all really more alike than different, and that we can get work together successfully for change when we let go of specific outcomes and focus on our shared values.

In 2004, Kyrsten Sinema—activist, organizer, and accomplished troublemaker—put down her homemade
protest signs and ran for the Arizona State Legislature. She has since served two terms in the house, was recently elected to a third term, and now serves as the assistant leader to the house Democrats. After some initial bumps and bruises, Kyrsten figured out how to successfully navigate state politics and thereby deliver real results that serve her constituents.
Kyrsten’s path to politics was unusual. She began her professional career in 1995 as a social worker in the Sunnyslope community of Phoenix. Over the next eight years, she cre- ated and directed a family resource center, focusing her work on community development and empowerment. In 2002, she decided to earn a law degree and run for public office, which led to her current service in the state legislature.