Our Team

The Community Action Project is dedicated to supporting public education and labor champions from underrepresented communities, and we’re also dedicated to collaborating with BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ political consultants and vendors in the work we do in support of candidates.

Djibril Diop

Djibril Diop has over a decade of experience and accomplishments in the world of politics, including serving as the youngest Chief of Staff in the California State Senate. Djibril worked as a legislative analyst for the American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees in 2004 before becoming a Legislative Aide in the California State Senate, where he advised lawmakers on public policy pertaining to education, energy, and international trade. As the Senior Consultant for the California State Senate Majority Leader, Djibril, amongst other victories, staffed landmark legislation on Global Corporate Social Responsibility, SB 861, that banned state agencies from signing contracts with companies that don’t follow regulations intended to remove Congo’s blood minerals from the supply chain. Later, Djibril became the youngest Chief of Staff in the history of the California State Senate before joining the California Faculty Association, which represents university professors, counselors, and coaches across California, as their Director of Governmental Relations. While at the CFA, Djibril managed their political and legislative affairs, as well as CFA’s IE election efforts. He successfully lead young voter engagement during Gavin Newsom’s campaign for governor, secured millions dedicated to the hiring of full-time professors and millions more in new enrollment funding for over 10,000 students, and led political efforts for the “Fight for Five” campaign, which won a 13.5% salary increase for California State University faculty. During his time at the CFA, Djibril also led the legislative work to pass a landmark bill requiring Ethnic Studies courses for all freshman in the California State University. Djibril joined the Washington Education Association as their Director of Government Relations. In the 2020 elections, Djibril oversaw multiple independent expenditure programs in support of candidates from underrepresented communities, helping many of them, such as Senator T’wina Nobles, Representative Jamila Taylor, and Representative Kirsten Harris-Talley, get elected into public office. Djibril currently resides in Tacoma with his family, and continues his commitment to improving representation of underrepresented communities in elected office.

Emily Hansen has spent nearly 20 years working on campaigns and elections. Emily found her passion for political work while in college studying political science and women/gender studies. Seeing the gender gap in political representation and public policy motivated her to get politically active and ultimately work to help change who we elect.

She made her professional start in politics working in local and Congressional campaigns, including managing a Seattle City Council race that successfully ousted the seat’s incumbent by nearly 30 percent of the vote. She served as the Political Director for the Senate Democratic Campaign Committee, where she recruited and helped elect legislative candidates for swing districts across the state and helped re-elect vulnerable State Senators. As a Policy Analyst for the Senate Democratic Caucus, Emily helped draw the legislative and congressional boundaries during the 2011 redistricting cycle. She served as the Field Director for Jay Inslee’s successful first campaign for governor, where she ran a statewide field program that made 1.25 million calls, knocked 28,000 doors, engaged over 16,000 volunteers, and attended over 300 community events in one of the most top targeted gubernatorial races in the country.

Emily has served as the Coordinator of Political Programs for the Washington Education Association since 2013. She has helped lead a number of successful WEA-PAC political efforts, including the passage of statewide Initiative-1351 to reduce class sizes. Emily’s work helps shape the narrative around public education to support teachers, children and families. She has been instrumental in the work to help elect BIPOC and other underrepresented candidates to public office, and co-launched the Community Action Project. Emily resides in Washington state with her family, and continues to work to reduce the gaps in political representation across the state.