Bread & Roses Project / About

Christine Nicols

Founder of Bread & Roses Project. Campaign manager, political strategist, grassroots organizer, event coordinator, child-behavior and family-support specialist, and nonprofit board member.

ABOUT THE FOUNDER

Organizing that is practical, personal and accountable

Christine builds campaigns and the systems that keep them moving. Her work brings together political strategy, field operations, coalition building, communications and event coordination, informed by years working directly with children and families.

How she works

Christine builds campaign strategy, coordinates field operations, recruits and develops teams, strengthens coalitions and helps organizations move from ideas to action.

Why Bread & Roses

Bread is the material security people need. Roses are the dignity, freedom and joy they deserve. The project connects immediate work, such as campaign logistics or a community event, with longer-term movement building.

Christine Nicols smiling in a black top and pearl necklace
Christine Nicols · Founder and principal, Bread & Roses Project

ELECTIONS & POLICY

Campaign Management & Political Strategy

Christine has led electoral work and participated in issue-based organizing involving volunteers, coalitions, elected officials and public campaigns.

Campaign Management & Political Strategy

Campaign management and political strategy for Leslye Oquendo-Thomas in Westchester County Legislative District 17 and Joshua Bristol in Brooklyn’s 9th Congressional District. Additional work includes Michael Goldfarb in Brooklyn’s 9th Congressional District and Gabriel Cornejo in Nevada’s 1st Congressional District, as well as organizing alongside Delgado and Mamdani teams and with Diana Moreno and Abeer.

Colorado Turnout Project

Christine worked alongside the Colorado Turnout Project, including designing campaign literature supporting Manny Rutinel for Colorado’s 8th Congressional District and Phil Weiser for governor. Her work connects field organizing with practical, voter-facing communication.

Working Families Party, Working Families Guarantee & Tax the Rich

Working Families Party organizing, candidate engagement and coalition work across upstate New York, alongside advocacy for affordability, public investment and tax fairness. Christine has brought organizers and community members into conversations with candidates and lawmakers about the issues that affect working families.

Climate and survivor-centered policy work

Climate and environmental justice organizing, public advocacy related to the Child Victims Act and survivor protections, and community mobilization around Albany policy debates.

Immigrant rights and rapid response

Immigrant-rights education, rapid response, legal observation and assistance with Haitian asylum declarations. Christine has also supported Dignity Not Detention advocacy against immigration-detention contracts in New York, connecting public mobilization with protections for immigrant families. Learn about the statewide campaign.

EVENTS, SPEAKING & LEADERSHIP

Bringing people together, moving ideas forward

The visible event is only part of the work. Effective organizing also requires agendas, permissions, volunteers, communications, safety plans, and trusted people to make it happen.

More Than 50 Community Actions & Events

As SWWPA co-chair, Christine coordinated more than 50 rallies, marches, memorials, community forums and public events, bringing together speakers, volunteers, performers, venues, vendors and community partners.

Community Fundraising & Benefit Events

Christine has organized community benefits and fundraising events, including a basket-and-raffle fundraiser for a child facing a life-threatening illness in the Glens Falls area. The effort brought together donations, local supporters, event planning and family-centered community support.

Speaking & Press

From Women’s March opening remarks to electoral campaign events, rallies and public education, Christine brings organizing experience to the microphone and works with press to bring community priorities into public view.

Building the Next Generation for Change

Developing canvassers into field leaders and field directors; organizing Protesting 101 education, volunteer and event-organizing workshops, Know Your Rights trainings, and rapid-response trainings that equip people to lead.

Community & Coalition Relationships

Building relationships among grassroots groups, labor allies, advocacy organizations and local leaders, and turning those relationships into coordinated campaigns, turnout operations and public action.

Christine speaking with a megaphone at the 2020 Glens Falls Women’s March
Christine giving opening remarks at the January 2020 Women’s March, Glens Falls. Photograph: Kathleen Phalen-Tomaselli / The Post-Star.

CHILDREN, FAMILIES & INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY

Care, education and community support

Christine’s work with children and families is a separate professional practice, but it informs how she approaches organizing: listen carefully, adapt to real needs, and build systems people can use.

Specialized child-behavior and family support

Individualized behavioral supports, calming tools, learning materials and tutoring support for children with varied needs, including disabilities and learning differences, through her work as a child-behavior and family-support specialist.

Educational and arts programming

Experience in child-focused enrichment and coordinating arts and crafts in a Montessori setting, alongside hands-on program planning and family communication.

Community partnerships

Christine has helped build community support networks through Helping Others Onward, mutual aid and the performing arts, including Sing in Solidarity.

LEADERSHIP & COMMUNITY WORK

Organizing does not begin or end with an election.

Christine's background also includes nonprofit development, community advocacy, political education, inclusive programming for children and families, and volunteer-led movements.

COMMUNITY ORGANIZING

SWWPA · Co-Chair

Helped organize more than 50 community actions and events, coordinating speakers, volunteers, permits, venues, local officials, outreach and fundraising.

SURVIVOR SUPPORT

Helping Others Onward

Co-founded and co-directed early nonprofit-development work focused on community resources, domestic-violence prevention and survivor support.

RACIAL JUSTICE

Showing Up for Racial Justice

Helped organize opportunities for anti-racism training and participated in organizer education, supporting local volunteers and partners.

POLITICAL EDUCATION

NYC Democratic Socialists of America

Participates in grassroots organizing, political education, outreach and community solidarity activities.

INCLUSIVE CHILDREN'S PROGRAMMING

Friendship Circle

Taught arts and crafts for children with disabilities and different learning needs, creating lessons and supporting inclusive community programming.

INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS

Voice of the Children Foundation

Serves on the Board of Directors, supporting community-led initiatives for children and families in Haiti. This is a separate nonprofit organization.

Explore nonprofit and community work →

LET’S CONNECT

Work together

For campaign operations, event coordination, strategic outreach, speaking engagements, advocacy partnerships or related work, get in touch with Bread & Roses Project.

Contact

Email [email protected] with an outline of your project, location, timing and the support you need.

SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS

Speaking, facilitating and preparing others to lead.

Available for public speaking, panel discussions, campaign events, advocacy programs, trainings and event facilitation. Christine's work also includes preparing candidates and advocates with speech support, talking points and media training.