About Tennessee Alliance for Progress
What We Believe
TAP is a think/act tank with a mission to create healthy families and communities in Tennessee. TAP believes in true political and economic democracy, that people should participate in decisions that affect their lives.
TAP believes that progressives need to articulate a hopeful vision for the future based on the idea that we are all in it together, not that we’re all on our own and we’re all out for ourselves.
TAP is working to mobilize a public majority for progressive policies that will address broad public concerns, instead of narrow corporate interests. TAP connects the dots between issues, believing that many of our social problems are systemic, not isolated bad policies.
TAP believes that the citizens of Tennessee deserve a good education, affordable healthcare, public officials who are accountable to their constituents, a fair day’s wage for a fair day’s work, clean air and clean water, sustainable energy, equality for all, and just and fair criminal justice system.
What will it take to make our vision a reality?
TAP operates from the Three Faces of Power model, created by the Grassroots Policy Project www.grassrootspolicy.org/power/essays/three. The Three Faces of Power to effect change are 1) Direct political involvement, 2) Building infrastructure and 3) Changing worldview. TAP seeks to operate on all three of these levels.
TAP's current main policy initiative is creating green jobs as pathways out of poverty. We are a key organizer of the Green-Collar Jobs Task Force of Nashville/Davidson County greenjobstn.ning.com.
We have built a progressive infrastructure with our Common Vision Network that brings together organizations from a variety of issues to create a common vision for the future of our state. TAP's annual Compass Conferences bring together people from around the state for two days of networking, film, music, workshops and a youth track. TAP's annual Long Haul awards salute the achievements of outstanding people who work for social, economic and environmental justice in Tennessee.
We are working to change worldview with our popular education workshops on Sustainability and the Environment and Vision and Values. We have held workshops with many of our partner organizations and others. TAP was also a key member of the Common Message Project that conducted research on framing issues and messaging. The Project did a survey of 2,000 Tennesseans and was funded by the Ford Foundation.
TAP also supports the issue work our member organizations and allies.
