On July 21, President Joe Biden announced that he would no longer be running for re-election in 2024 and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris to finish the race. That very same day, this tweet from 22-year-old Emerald Medrano activated an enormous and powerful yet often underestimated demographic: Taylor Swift fans.

Just over a month later, on August 27, Swifties for Kamala hosted a Zoom call that raised $144,000 for the Harris-Walz campaign and got 14,000 people registered to vote. More than 34,000 people watched the call live to see fans like themselves, along with politicians like Senators Elizabeth Warren and Kirsten Gillibrand (plus the legendary Carole King), and to talk about why they hope America will never, ever, ever get back together with former president and convicted felon Donald Trump.

And they did all this without any help or endorsement from Taylor or her team, though they told BuzzFeed that “she is welcome to show up at our party anytime!”

To learn how they pulled it off and what’s coming next, BuzzFeed interviewed three of the organizers behind Swifties for Kamala: Emerald Medrano, 22, cofounder and chairman; Irene Kim, 29, cofounder and executive director; and April Glick Pulito, 36, political director.

Swifties for Kamala / Via youtube.com
The group shared the deeply personal reason why they decided to organize Taylor Swift fans to support Kamala Harris’s campaign and opened up about the biggest challenges they’ve faced so far. They talked about why people often underestimate the power of fandom — especially when it comes to women and girls — and shared how they’re proving their critics wrong.

And above all, they want you to know that there’s no perfect time or way to get into politics, so why not start with something as simple as a friendship bracelet? Here’s what else they had to say.

Alishia Abodunde / Getty Images
BuzzFeed: How many people are working on Swifties for Kamala behind the scenes, and did you all meet online through the fandom?

Irene Kim: Our Discord group currently has over 3,300 members who all help support this movement. In terms of leadership, we have seven directors leading various teams that all coordinate with one another – from social media to political organizing, these teams also have leads and coordinators overseeing an immense amount of work every single day.

My co-founder Emerald and I did meet online through the fandom! Many of our Twitter Swiftie friends also joined this movement and are helping organize the group, but we’ve also made new friends through the Discord. So it’s a mix of people who were already friends beforehand, and new friends from being part of the movement.

I think the fact that so many of us were friends before did help us a lot though, because we knew how to communicate with one another and also already had a deep sense of trust with each other. So there’s just a lot of respect and understanding, and I think you need that for a movement like this. It also helped to already know what a lot of folks were experts in so we could move them into roles or teams to utilize their skills right away.

Swifties for Kamala / Via youtube.comMore

What inspired you to tap into the Taylor Swift fandom to make a difference in the 2024 election?

Emerald Medrano: For me, Swifties have always been safe people. This community has the biggest hearts I’ve ever seen. When I came out as a trans man to my Twitter friends, it was an overwhelm of support. And when I share my anxieties about anti-trans laws being passed, they send me hug emojis and gifs. That amount of support for my identity is rare, and I am glad I am a part of this community to enjoy it.

So, for this election, when it felt necessary to do something, I knew I could rely on Swifties. And I am glad to say they proved me right! That’s the power of fandom. We care for each other, and we are tied by the invisible string of the things we love. The combination of those two things creates magic, and I’m excited to see where we go next.

Carlos Alvarez / Getty Images for TAS Rights ManagementMore

What were some of the biggest challenges in organizing the Swifties for Kamala Zoom call, and which parts came more easily?

Irene Kim: I’ve never been part of anything like this, so the whole set-up was nerve-wracking, especially confirming speakers were able to connect to the Zoom and introducing them in real-time. The technical aspects were the biggest challenge, in my opinion, but also coordinating with so many speakers who are understandably very busy.

We’re super lucky that our campaign manager has experience in the political world and connected us with most of our speakers and our political director did a phenomenal job putting together a detailed run of show to share with our team and speakers. Because this fandom is so diverse, that means we have experienced political Swifties helping put all this together and create something that is both accessible and informative. Swifties are EVERYWHERE, and we’re all pretty good at what we do!

Kevin Mazur / Getty Images for TAS Rights ManagementMore

April Glick Pulito: Coordinating appearances from multiple elected officials during a whirlwind presidential campaign is not for the faint of heart! I was the primary person who handled drafting our speaking order and full run of show and managed direct correspondence and distribution of links, etc., with the congressional staffers who also really helped us make all of this possible.

My past as a volunteer and organizer meant that I understood what a call like this might look like. I think my biggest contribution was bringing my experience to those newer to politics to help blend all of our goals to create a really strong final project.

As Irene mentioned, I’m not the only Swiftie in politics, and it’s been really exciting to see so many staffers get to flex their Swifties for Kamala side, too.

It seems to me like people tend to severely underestimate what Swifties are capable of. Why do you think that is?

Irene Kim: I think people tend to underestimate fandoms, especially ones largely made up of women and girls. For Swifties specifically, there’s this idea that we’re all white girls and also all 12-year-olds – which, to be clear, there’s nothing wrong with being either, and many Swifties are both! But we’re also a very diverse community that’s existed for nearly two decades, and many of us have grown up to be doctors, lawyers, web developers, political organizers, social media experts, and more. We’re more than just a group of people that exists because other people label us a certain way. We care a lot about all sorts of things and know how to mobilize our community to achieve our goals.

Swifties have rallied around important causes and have supported one another for years – whether it’s to help someone in our community going through tough times, raise money when tragedy strikes, or bring awareness to an issue, this is what we do.

I think there also tends to be this idea that we’re just this entity of faceless fans waiting for Taylor to tell us what to do, but we’re not. We’re your friends, family, coworkers, even some of your bosses. We’re real people who are united by our love for Taylor Swift, care about a lot of important issues, and know how to get things done together.

It’s unfortunate that people underestimate us, but we’re more than happy to keep surprising people with how much we can get done.

What would you say to other young people who want to get involved in politics but aren’t sure where to start or who feel like their voices won’t matter?

April Glick Pulito: I think that’s part of why we’re so committed to accessibility in the volunteer opportunities we share and are working to create! I might work in politics full-time now, but five years ago, I was a waitress with a theatre degree who wanted to take action for the first time for a candidate I believed in (shout out to Elizabeth Warren!). I started hosting a debate watch party. Understanding the power of volunteering and how it can shift election outcomes, create community, and empower the people taking action taught me how to mobilize within my community and use my voice for what I believe in. It’s all super personal to me.

Politics can be intimidating. We’re hoping that, as Swifties, we can help demystify it and remind people of all ages that we have power. Our voices matter, and every action contributes to the world we’re trying to build together! The presidential election in 2020 came down to about 40,000 votes across three key swing states, which is terrifyingly close, and down-ballot seats often come down to even tighter margins. Learning more now about how to build power on all levels sets the stage for Swifties to continue growing into their political power in the future.

Irene Kim: Every voice matters! Our group and movement pretty much started from ONE tweet that ONE person made. And that one tweet has led to over 41,000 voter registration checks, raised $149k for the Harris campaign, and connected hundreds of Swifties with volunteer opportunities. Politics can feel scary and confusing, but there’s never going to be a perfect way to get started.

Just get started and go from there and know we’re here to help in any way we can. Start wherever you’re comfortable and know you ARE making a difference – whether it’s hosting a debate watch party like April mentioned, checking your voter registration and encouraging your friends and family to check theirs, or making a $13 donation – everything helps and is the right way forward.

What are your plans as we get closer to the election?

Irene Kim: We’re planning text and phone banking around pop culture events like the VMAs – Swifties want to know how to help support the campaign, so we’re looking to connect Swifties with groups and organizations who are already doing the work but are in need of enthusiastic volunteers. Our political team is working around the clock to connect Swifties with volunteer opportunities: everything from text/phone banking and writing postcards to canvassing in person.

Our social media team has also planned out content to help Swifties find those volunteer opportunities and reach Swifties anywhere they might be online. We want to make sure everyone knows how important this election is and how vital their vote and voice is. Our socials are meant to be a resource for anyone looking to get informed about this election, and that includes things like highlighting voter registration deadlines and down-ballot candidates to support because we need to vote for progressive candidates everywhere.

We’re also looking into planning calls to reach swing state voters and also support causes we care deeply about, like LGBTQ+ rights and reproductive freedom so stay tuned!

April Glick Pulito: As I speak, we’re finalizing a full organizing calendar for the rest of the election! (Look out for our “Typical Tuesday Night” volunteer opportunities!) We’ve had established groups like Vote Save America and Indivisible reach out to us to tap into the power of Swifties to attend, share, and help recruit for existing efforts to phone bank, text bank, and organize in our communities to get out the vote for Democrats up and down the ballot.

We have 60 days (right now) until the election, so we have to keep our eyes on the ball. Every vote counts, every call counts, and every volunteer shift can make a difference in a close race like this!

Anything else you want to say?

Irene Kim: For anyone who isn’t sure how to get involved – start where you’re comfortable. Whether that’s signing up for text banking or just texting your family and friends to make sure they’re registered to vote, or posting an Instagram story to remind people about voter registration deadlines, everything helps.

We know a lot of people making bracelets and handing them out to start a conversation – find something that works for you and go from there. We’re in an election where every vote counts and so your individual voice and actions have never mattered more.

April Glick Pulito: I stress a lot inside our Discord and online that we can’t get distracted between now and November 5th! We love talking about our fandom, the astounding catalog of music we get to listen to, the latest Chiefs game, sure, but again, we have 60 days (as of now) until the election.

We should try not to get lost in discourse and instead focus our energies where they can make a difference. Every single thing we do between now and November 5th DOES matter so let’s make it count!

Prediction: Here’s What Will Happen With the Stock Market if Kamala Harris Wins

Which presidential candidate will win the election? Most polls show a close race between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump with only three days to go before Election Day. With such a close contest, a victory could be determined by small numbers of votes in one or more swing states.

I won’t attempt to predict whether Harris or Trump will prevail. However, I’m more confident about predicting what will happen with the stock market if Harris wins.

Image source: Official White House photo by Lawrence Jackson.

A relief rally

I predict the S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) will rise if Harris is declared the winner in the presidential race. But I also think stocks will move higher if Trump wins. Why? I expect a relief rally either way.

If there’s one thing investors uniformly despise, it’s uncertainty. A lack of clarity about the future makes decisions about where to invest more difficult. Uncertainty can often serve as an anchor on the stock market. When the uncertainty is removed, though, the anchor disappears, allowing stocks to gain.

Because of the tight presidential race and the significantly different policies of the two major presidential candidates, investors currently face a lot of uncertainty. I’m unsure if the uncertainty will be gone immediately after Tuesday’s elections. It’s possible we won’t know who the winner is until days or even weeks later. However, when we do know, the stock market is likely to respond positively to the removal of the uncertainty.

I don’t expect a relief rally will last very long, though. Once the collective exhale of investors is over, other factors will weigh more heavily — in particular, which policies proposed by the winning candidate are likely to be implemented.

Divide and conquer

Let’s assume that Harris defeats Trump. How will stocks perform after the initial relief rally ends? I think it depends on which party controls Congress.

Some stocks should soar if Harris wins with her fellow Democrats gaining majorities in the Senate and House of Representatives. For example, the vice president’s housing proposals would more likely be implemented with a sweep of the elections. I predict top homebuilders D.R. Horton, Lennar, and NVR would be very popular with investors.

Democrats have a steep hill to climb in holding onto the Senate. They’re defending all but three of the 15 battleground Senate seats. Decision Desk HQ predicts Republicans have a 71% probability of winning the Senate.

I predict that the current S&P 500 bull market will gain renewed momentum with Harris as president and the GOP controlling at least one chamber of Congress. Historically, stocks have performed best when there’s a divided government with a Democratic president.

This environment could provide the best of both worlds for investors. Harris beating Trump would mean that the former president’s steep tariffs won’t be implemented and cause inflation to mount an ugly comeback. Republicans controlling the Senate and/or the House would likely doom Harris’ plans to raise corporate tax rates. The only legislation that would pass would be bills that can secure bipartisan support.

Known unknowns

While I admit I could be dead wrong, I’m relatively confident in my prediction of a relief rally followed by a continued bull market with a Harris victory. That said, some “known unknowns” could cause my prediction to fall flat on its face.

A major geopolitical crisis could cause the S&P 500 to plunge. For example, a full-blown war between Israel and Iran would almost certainly be bad for stocks. Another pandemic would probably cause the stock market to sink. Unexpected interest rate hikes by the Federal Reserve could be problematic.

Things can happen that derail any prediction regardless of how much merit it might have. However, these “known unknowns” would likely cause headaches for investors if Trump wins a second term, too.

The good news: Investors will soon be able to cross one major known unknown — who will be the next president — off the list.

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Keith Speights has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends D.R. Horton, Lennar, and NVR. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.