About Us

In the summer of 2022, Kansas was considering a state constitutional amendment to expand the ability of our legislators to write laws banning reproductive choice and criminalizing healthcare. A loosely organized group formed on Facebook called “Vote No Northeast Kansas” and banded together to spread accurate information (countering the misinformation of the supporters of the amendment), posting yard signs, and appearing at county fairs to have honest conversations with everyday Kansans. The members of this Facebook group were from all over the state, all walks of life, all demographics, and, importantly, were nonpartisan. They represented Republicans, Democrats, Independents, and Unaffiliated voters, all of whom stood up to this extremist, regressive attempt to take away civil rights in our state. Through this advocacy and joining many similar organizations and like-minded leaders and voters across the state, the amendment was resoundingly defeated despite pundits and political naysayers saying that Kansas would likely move to criminalize reproductive choices. With our remarkable victory in August of that year, our group still had momentum, and we looked to the future and what we could do next. We were renamed “The 802 United,” memorializing that moment when Kansans across political spectrums and from all backgrounds came together and stood up to preserve our rights. We became a community action forum, promoting events around the state for the good of all Kansans (for example, food and diaper drives, town hall meetings, and educational opportunities). Our interests grew more diverse, and rather than this evolution dividing us, we embraced what was essential to the majority of us and developed our set of policies reflecting those priorities. Since early 2023, we have begun to emphasize education over all other priorities- not just support of public education, though that is a core value, but educating the public. We had found, through various posts and comments, conversations, and letters to the editor of local newspapers, that many Kansans were unaware of how the issues of access to healthcare (including mental healthcare), impingement on voting and other civil rights, oppression of LGBTQIA individuals, gun violence in schools, and disregard for science in public policy making were affecting mainstream Kansans. In April 2023, we were incorporated as a nonprofit organization with the following vision statement: A nation of unified communities promoting acceptance and integrity, beginning in Kansas. To achieve that lofty goal, we wrote the following Mission Statement, Methods / Processes, and Guiding Principles: Mission Statement: The 802 United values the people and opportunities available in Kansas. We strive to make our state a welcoming environment for all humans, utilizing principles that put community and purposeful kindness ahead of ideological extremism. Methods and Processes: *We will focus on issues and topics, never candidates or political parties *We will transform ideas into action in our communities *We will utilize community outreach and education using the “3 V Method”- Voices/ Volunteering/ Voting Guiding Principles: *Our organization transcends partisanship *Our events and programs will be flexible to meet the needs of our community *Our choice of vendors and employees will be overseen by the Executive Board, emphasizing the selection of Kansans whenever possible *Transparency, acceptance, and authenticity are our foundational values *We will adhere to ethical principles in all matters of accounting and finances, in full compliance with all governing bodies and guidelines, and free from conflicts of interest We are a new organization, but between us, the Officers have a wealth of lifetime experience and the courage of our convictions. We are actively recruiting additional Board members to help shoulder the load. Please do not hesitate to reach out for additional information regarding our potential to realize our goals through a grant from your organization.