WHAT WE’VE BEEN UP TO:
What do bagpipes, the Knicks, World Cup fans, and South Carolina have in common?
Stay with me.
I was on a coalition call the other day when someone asked, "What's South Carolina’s story right now?"
Without even thinking, I blurted out:
"Joyfully winning!”
Now listen - if you've spent any amount of time organizing in South Carolina (or frankly, reading headlines over the last several years), you know that isn't a phrase we get to use very often. But lately, it feels true.
Over the last few months, South Carolina:
Became the only state in the South to successfully hold off mid-decade redistricting ahead of the 2026 election.
Shattered June primary voter turnout records, breaking every modern-era record for primary participation
Finally passed long-overdue pro-democracy laws that will create a standardized election calendar for special and municipal elections beginning in 2027.
Those are real wins worth celebrating. But the more I’ve sat with that phrase I blurted out so quickly “joyfully winning," the more I realize the wins aren’t actually the most interesting part. It’s what made them possible.
And while Be The Ones has had a hand in each of those victories (and yes, we’ve certainly celebrated them) - none of them belong to us alone. They belong to thousands of South Carolinians who decided to show up—for their neighbors, their communities, and a future they believe in. Some maybe even in a cape and fun hat?
Like many of you, I've been glued to World Cup fandom coverage and, admittedly, consuming more Knicks content than I'd care to admit.
I've watched Norwegian fans row themselves up escalators. Scots march through Boston with bagpipes, gathering strangers to join them along the way, and watched what felt like every New Yorker within shouting distance spill into the streets to celebrate the championship together.
What strikes me isn’t the final score of game 5 or which team got the last goal.
It’s the belonging.
Watching people find each other, witnessing strangers become part of the same story, watching people feel connected to something bigger than themselves. And have the absolute best time doing it.
The more I watch, the more I realize that's what we’re seeing across South Carolina too. Through democracy and people power - not sports. (don’t come at me, gamecocks fans).
Maybe that's what I really meant when I said we're "joyfully winning."
Not because we are winning every match, but more people are finding each other, building relationships, stepping into leadership, and believing their voice - and their votes - matter.
And, be sure to head over to our Pancakes & Policy blog for Advocacy updates too!

As we reach the halfway point of the year, I’m finding myself reflecting less on the victories themselves (don’t get me wrong - they’re absolutely worth celebrating) - but for me, it’s more about the people behind them.
Over the next few weeks, we'll be sharing some of our favorite stories and photos from the first half of 2026.
We may not have bagpipes to accompany them, but we do have plenty of joy worth celebrating.

And as we look ahead, be sure you are signed up for our newsletter and checking our events page and hope to see you out there!
Ps. If you’re as invested in World Cup fandom as I am right now, tap here to send us an email and tell us your favorite moment - we’d would love to share in that joy with you.