"'The states will be the place where we can provide a proactive, positive vision of what progressive governance can look like,' says Nick Rathod, executive director of the State Innovation Exchange, or SiX, which pushes progressive policies at the state level. 'If you get out of D.C. and actually listen to people, establish policies that respond to local needs, and build narratives around what that means and why it matters, people will understand that government can actually be a force for good, and that progressive policies are more aligned with the needs of working and middle-class families of all races, religions, and cultures.'”