18 Million Rising

What 18 Million Rising does

18 Million Rising (18MR) is a 501(c)(3)-equivalent nonprofit political organization founded in 2012 and headquartered in Oakland, California, that educates, organizes, and mobilizes Asian Americans toward building progressive political power online and offline. The organization operates with a small core team of 7 employees and serves a primary constituency of Asian American community members, organizers, and grassroots leaders seeking a progressive political home, with a secondary audience of allied social justice organizations and coalitions. Its mandate areas, formalized in a 2025 Theory of Change, center racial and immigrant justice, abolition, anti-militarism, and democracy.

18MR's core product portfolio includes training programs (digital security, community safety, political education, social media organizing, and campaign development), the monthly 'Did You Eat Yet?' newsletter, free and donation-based digital downloads (zines, posters, artwork) distributed via Gumroad and Bonfire, virtual and in-person events, petition-based campaign actions, and a structured membership program launched in 2025 that grew to over 80 active members. The organization's underlying technology stack comprises off-the-shelf platform services: Action Network for mass email and SMS outreach, Zoom for virtual trainings, Stripe for payment processing, and Gumroad/Bonfire for digital merchandise distribution. Digital store links are strategically prominent on the website.

The organization's revenue model is nonprofit in structure and diversified across three streams: tax-deductible individual donations (processed online and via checks payable to fiscal sponsor Visionary Futures), merchandise sales, and a newly launched recurring membership dues program. 18MR runs a community-led go-to-market approach that relies on organic social media (TikTok, Instagram), email newsletters, in-person socials in key U.S. cities (Philadelphia, NYC, Chicago, Bay Area), and a network of 70+ allied organizations for campaign amplification and member recruitment. No commercial pricing, software products, APIs, or AI-driven technology offerings are part of the model.

Name

18 Million Rising

Legal name

18 Million Rising

Website

https://18millionrising.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

18 Million Rising is an Oakland-based nonprofit founded in 2012 that organizes and mobilizes Asian Americans for progressive political causes through digital and in-person training, campaigns, newsletters, and a membership program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Political Organizing and Advocacy Services

NAICS

Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Civic, Citizenship & Community Engagement Education (EDAAAEAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Digital Inclusion & Public Tech Access Training (Device/Internet/Basic IT) (EDAAAFAE)

Keywords

• Political organizing
• Community mobilization
• Political education
• Digital security training
• Movement building

Headquarters

HQ city

Oakland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individual supporters, processed via the website. The organization accepts check donations sent to their office payable to fiscal sponsor 'Visionary Futures'.
2. Merchandise Sales: Sale of zines, posters, artwork, and campaign materials through Bonfire and Gumroad platforms. Materials are available as free downloads (donation-based) or for purchase.
3. Membership Dues: Revenue from membership program launched in 2025, which provides active members with programming, events, and organizing resources.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

18 Million Rising educates, organizes, and mobilizes Asian Americans through digital and in-person political organizing. Its core programs include digital security and political education trainings, the monthly 'Did You Eat Yet?' newsletter, downloadable zines/posters/art, virtual and in-person events, petition-based campaign actions, and a 2025-launched membership program that grew to over 80 active members across the U.S.

Product overview

18 Million Rising (18MR) is a political organizing nonprofit — not a software technology company — that offers a portfolio of programs centered on digital and offline organizing. Its core offerings include a Trainings program (digital security, community safety, political education, social media organizing), the monthly 'Did You Eat Yet?' newsletter, Digital Downloads via Gumroad (zines, art, posters), Events (virtual and IRL), Campaign Actions (petitions, call-ins, letter-writing), and a Membership Program. Campaign merchandise supporting the 'Freedom to Stay, Move, Resist' initiative is sold through Big Cartel and Gumroad. There are no software products, SaaS tools, APIs, or AI-powered technology offerings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Did You Eat Yet?: 18MR's beloved newsletter featuring writers, organizers, artists and cultural work in Asian American organizing.

Products and services

• Trainings Virtual and in-person training sessions covering digital security, community safety, political education, social media organizing, and campaign development, designed for Asian American organizers and activists.
• Did You Eat Yet? Newsletter Monthly email newsletter featuring writers, organizers, and artists, with a focus on cultural work and Asian American organizing; published in multiple languages.
• Digital Downloads (Zines, Art, Posters) Free and donation-based downloadable zines, artwork, posters, banners, and social media graphics distributed through Gumroad, covering topics such as abolition, digital security, Palestinian solidarity, Khmer New Year, Lunar New Year, and campaign-specific materials.
• Events Virtual and in-person events including reportbacks, teach-ins, social gatherings, panel discussions, and webinars on topics such as anti-imperialist organizing, Palestinian solidarity, queer liberation, and Black-Asian solidarity.
• Campaign Actions Petition-based and letter-writing action campaigns targeting corporations and elected officials on issues including ICE accountability, anti-militarism, immigrant justice, democracy, racial justice, and Palestinian liberation; includes call-in scripts, email forms, and event organizing tools.
• Membership Program Structured membership program launched in 2025 that grew to over 80 active members across the U.S., providing orientation, workshops, 1:1 organizing conversations, and leadership development for Asian American left organizers.
• Freedom to Stay, Move, Resist Merchandise Campaign merchandise including t-shirts and posters supporting the Freedom to Stay, Move, Resist campaign, sold through Big Cartel and Gumroad to fund training, political education, membership support, and digital security tools.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2,247+ people trained in digital security across 18 sessions in 2025
• +5 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

23 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Action NetworkcoreTechnology or IntegrationAction Network is 18MR's mass emailing platform used to process and administer mailing list subscriptions, event registrations, SMS messaging, and targeted petitions/communications. 18MR's entire digital organizing infrastructure depends on Action Network for list management and outreach.
• StripecoreTechnology or IntegrationStripe processes all financial transactions including donations and merchandise purchases made through 18MR's platforms. Viewed as a trusted payment processor aligned with 18MR's privacy values.
• GumroadcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThird-party platform used to sell and distribute 18MR's merchandise including zines, posters, artwork, and digital downloads. Gumroad serves as the primary storefront for 18MR's digital product catalog.
• BonfirecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThird-party platform used alongside Gumroad to sell and distribute 18MR's merchandise, posters, artwork, zines, and other campaign materials. Bonfire is referenced as the store link on the main website.
• ZoomcoreTechnology or IntegrationVideo conferencing platform used to register and host all of 18MR's webinars, trainings, and workshops. Participants may share personally identifiable information to access and participate in training sessions.
• Visionary Futures (Fiscal Sponsor)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVisionary Futures is 18MR's fiscal sponsor. Checks for donations are made out to 'Visionary Futures' with '18 Million Rising' in the memo line and mailed to 18MR's Oakland office. This sponsorship enables 18MR to receive tax-deductible donations.
• MomentummajorStrategic or Co-development Partner18MR collaborated with Momentum to develop the Asian American Momentum Training — a week-long training program to develop the Asian American left through hybrid organizing skills, campaign development, and base building tools. The training took place April 7–11, 2025 in California.
• Nonviolent PeaceforcemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner18MR partnered with Nonviolent Peaceforce to deliver community safety training sessions, teaching participants how to intervene and apply Know Your Rights tools when witnessing threats of violence against community members.
• ASATA (Asian Americans and Allies Solidarity & Transformation)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-sponsor of the teach-in 'From Asian America to Palestine: A Teach-In on Zionism, Empire, and Hindutva.' ASATA collaborated with 18MR to present political education on the intersections of Asian American organizing and Palestinian liberation.
• Asians for Palestine NYCmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-sponsor of the teach-in 'From Asian America to Palestine.' Asians for Palestine NYC collaborated on presenting a joint political education event alongside 18MR, Hindus for Human Rights, and ASATA.
• Hindus for Human RightsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-presenter at the teach-in 'From Asian America to Palestine.' Contributed expertise on Hindu Fascism (Hindutva) and connections to broader anti-fascist organizing.
• NAKASEC (National Korean American Service & Education Consortium)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner18MR worked closely with NAKASEC to campaign for the release and pardons of Will and Emily — a campaign they won. This collaboration represents an instance of cross-organizational campaign coordination in the Asian American left.
• Asian Prisoner Support Committee (APSC)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner18MR collaborated with APSC and artist Tevy Khou to release a 'Keeping Community Together' comic/zine for Khmer New Year featuring APSC4 members (Borey 'Peejay' Ai, Nghiep 'Ke' Lam, Chanthon Bun, and Maria Legarda). APSC4 members are Cambodian Americans at risk of deportation.
• SALAM (South Asian Leftist Alliance Movement)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner18MR partnered with SALAM for the TATA India/Israel NYRR campaign to demand the NYC Marathon drop TATA Consultancy Services as a sponsor due to TATA's involvement in Israeli weapons. SALAM provided ongoing campaign updates and co-organized protest actions.
• MediaJusticeminorStrategic or Co-development Partner18MR collaborated with MediaJustice on the 'Copaganda Clapback' education series, a project designed specifically for Asian American communities to fight back against police-generated propaganda. Also partnered with Xin Sheng Project and the Asian American Disinformation Table.
• Xin Sheng ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the 'Copaganda Clapback' education series alongside MediaJustice and the Asian American Disinformation Table, focused on helping Asian Americans fight police-generated propaganda.
• Asian American Disinformation Table at the Disinfo Defense LeagueminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the 'Copaganda Clapback' education series alongside MediaJustice and Xin Sheng Project, focused on disinformation defense specific to Asian American communities.
• Tiny GiganticminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-host of 'Digital Security for Activists on the Go' training alongside 18MR. Tiny Gigantic contributed to the design and delivery of this 1.5-hour digital security workshop covering device, data, and communication protection.
• ACLU of Northern CaliforniaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJake Snow, Senior Staff Attorney at ACLU of Northern California, served as guest presenter for 'Digital Security for Activists on the Go,' providing a 'Know Your Digital Rights' segment during the training.
• MPower ChangeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-sponsor of the 'Enterprise Drop ICE' campaign action page on Action Network. MPower Change joined 18MR in urging Enterprise CEO Chrissy Taylor to stop leasing vehicles to ICE.
• The Rising MajorityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-sponsor of the 'Enterprise Drop ICE' campaign action page alongside 18MR and MPower Change, amplifying the call for corporate accountability targeting ICE's vehicle supply chain.
• Liquor Store DreamsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner18MR partnered with Liquor Store Dreams documentary filmmakers So Yun Um and Danny Park to host a discussion panel and create a resource guide supporting conversations about anti-Blackness in Asian American communities and intergenerational organizing.
• StripecoreTechnology or IntegrationStripe processes all financial transactions including donations and merchandise purchases made through 18MR's platforms. Viewed as a trusted payment processor aligned with 18MR's privacy values.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• SALAM (South Asian Leftist Alliance Movement): A South Asian leftist organizing group building power across diaspora communities through cross-movement solidarity. Comparable in size, model, and cross-movement orientation; partnered with 18MR on the TATA India/Israel NYRR campaign.
• MPower Change: A Muslim American social justice organization focused on racial and economic justice. Directly comparable community-organizing model; co-sponsored the 'Enterprise Drop ICE' campaign with 18MR and shares the digital organizing + grassroots mobilization approach.
• Chinese for Affirmative Action: A Chinese American civil rights organization based in San Francisco building multiracial solidarity and progressive Asian American power. Comparable mission and Bay Area base to 18MR with similar organizing on immigrant rights and racial justice.
• ASATA (Asian Americans and Allies Solidarity & Transformation): An Asian American solidarity organization focused on anti-imperialist and cross-movement organizing. Closely aligned with 18MR's political education and Palestinian solidarity work; co-hosted the 'From Asian America to Palestine' teach-in.
• AAPI Victory Fund: A political organization focused on mobilizing Asian American and Pacific Islander voters and candidates, particularly in electoral politics. Comparable to 18MR in targeting Asian American political power but focused on electoral vs. movement-building organizing.
• Hindus for Human Rights: A South Asian American advocacy organization combating Hindutva fascism and building progressive South Asian political power. Directly comparable to 18MR in cross-movement organizing, co-hosted the 'From Asian America to Palestine' teach-in, and shares the small-team, movement-building model.
• NAKASEC (National Korean American Service & Education Consortium): A Korean American social justice organization focused on immigrant rights, racial justice, and coalition building. 18MR worked directly with NAKASEC to win the release and pardons of Will and Emily, indicating close operational alignment on Asian American progressive organizing.

Emerging players

• Asian Prisoner Support Committee (APSC): A grassroots organization supporting Asian and Pacific Islander prisoners and at-risk community members, particularly Cambodian Americans facing deportation. Partnered with 18MR on the 'Keeping Community Together' Khmer New Year zine, sharing community-based organizing approach.

Broad incumbents

• Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA): The official labor constituency group representing Asian Pacific Americans within the AFL-CIO, focused on workers' rights, immigration, and civic participation. Comparable Asian American political organizing with broader labor-backed infrastructure than 18MR.
• Asian Americans Advancing Justice: The largest Asian American civil rights organization with affiliates nationwide, operating across legal aid, policy advocacy, and community education. While broader in scope and larger in scale than 18MR, it serves overlapping Asian American constituencies with complementary civic engagement work.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/18millionrising
• TikToktiktok.com/@18millionrising
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/18-million-rising

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about 18 Million Rising