Our Story

Centered America was born out of frustration but more importantly, out of friendship and shared purpose. Founders Sharad Swaney and Gavin Faivre are two Gen-Z change-makers who combined their backgrounds in political science and business, and their lifelong bond as artists and organizers, to build something different.

After years of watching elections come and go with each one leaving more Americans disillusioned and divided they decided that silence was no longer an option. The final straw came in the wake of the 2024 election cycle. Like many others, they saw how the political establishment had failed to meet the moment, especially with young people, working-class voters, and communities of color. It felt like nobody was truly talking to the people anymore only talking over them or around them.

So they got to work. What started as a conversation between two friends turned into a full-fledged organization with a bold mission: to create a space for people who didn’t feel represented anymore. People who weren’t MAGA extremists, but still felt left behind. People who once believed in the Democratic Party, but now felt like it stopped fighting for them.

Centered America began as a push to reform Democratic messaging but it quickly evolved into something larger. A vehicle for grassroots organizing. A platform for storytelling and policy education. A home for activists, artists, voters, and everyday people who know our democracy is in danger but don’t know how to act on that fear. Sharad and Gavin realized early on that this wasn’t just about elections it was about changing the way we relate to one another as citizens.

They used their creative skills Sharad as a musician and Gavin as a visual artist to infuse energy and culture into the movement. They built out a content platform, Front and Centered, where people could engage with short form videos, live trainings, and articles that cut through the noise. They designed messaging guides, hosted strategy sessions, and met people face-to-face in communities across the country.

Every step of the way, they focused on one question: How do we bring people back into the fold not with guilt or judgment, but with hope and clarity?

Centered America was never about creating another partisan institution. It was about building an engine for belonging, justice, and collective power.