Do you know India?
A prominent voice in national organizing and strategic advocacy, India Walton is a Registered Nurse, acclaimed public speaker, and the 2021 Democratic mayoral nominee for Buffalo, New York. Collaborating through the Rose Jade Consulting Cooperative, India works alongside labor unions, political campaigns, and grassroots activists to cultivate transformative leadership and translate visionary concepts into concrete power-building results. A native of Buffalo, New York, India began organizing to influence policy that addresses the root causes of inequities in the social determinants of health. She has been a staunch advocate for criminal legal reform, as well as for improving access to healthcare, safe staffing, and affordable housing. In 2021, India rocked the political establishment in her hometown by challenging and unseating a four-term incumbent in the Democratic Primary for mayor of Buffalo. Since her loss to an unprecedented write-in campaign in the general election, she has continued to advocate for increased civic participation and policies that prioritize the poor and working class as Senior Advisor with Roots Action. India has been featured in several publications, including The New Yorker, Essence magazine, Teen Vogue, Rolling Stone, and Forbes. She has spoken at The New School, Harvard University, Rutgers, Niagara University, and numerous national conferences. India is known for engaging and informative presentations and her ability to connect with audiences on a personal level. India’s experience in frontline healthcare and community activism offers a unique perspective on the intersections of health, racial, economic, and social justice. In 2025, India Walton joined Rose Jade Consulting Cooperative, broadening access to her nationally recognized leadership and grassroots expertise. Starting in May 2026, India will work directly with Rose Jade partners and a limited group of clients—including political campaigns, grassroots organizations, organized labor, and community leaders—to translate bold, transformative ideas into lasting impact. Email info@rosejadeconsulting.com to book India for in-person or virtual convenings, retreats, direct actions or rallies, podcasts, keynote addresses, media interviews, or other collaborations. Please note: India is not accepting pro bono engagements at this time. Limited low bono opportunities may be considered on a case-by-case basis for projects aligned with her values and current organizing priorities.
You may have heard about her from…
Rolling Stone: India Walton’s Blueprint for the Future of Progressive Politics
Read the whole article here!
“Our campaign is 100-percent volunteer-run. It is truly grassroots. It is democratically governed. Our leadership makes decisions together. I think it’s just a perfect example of the United States that we want to see. It is proof that organizing still works and that you can win political campaigns that are deeply rooted and based in our values.”
Teen Vogue: India Walton Claims Buffalo Mayoral Victory in Latest Major Democratic Socialist Election Win
““India demonstrates the strength of a movement that centers the needs of everyday people,” Charlie Blaettler, elections director for the New York Working Families Party, said in an interview. “This is only the beginning. The Working Families Party is committed to working with India and candidates like her to build the power needed to make government deliver for working people.”
Laura Flanders & Friends Show: In Buffalo with India Walton: An Insurgent Candidate Runs for Mayor
The New York Times: India Walton Stuns Longtime Incumbent in Buffalo Mayoral Primary
“Ms. Walton showed no such hesitation in declaring victory, highlighting what she said were the race’s national ramifications. She said the stunning outcome would “resound here in Buffalo and throughout the nation, showing that a progressive platform that puts people over profit is both viable and necessary.”
Democracy Now!: Meet India Walton: Black Socialist on Democratic Ticket for Buffalo Mayor Snubbed by NY Dem Party
Why India Walton Matters to Organizations & Campaigns
Authentic Working Class Leadership
India doesn’t just speak about inequities—she lives them. That authenticity resonates with communities often ignored by traditional political structures.
Her story builds trust quickly and deeply.
This leadership intensive is designed for members of working-class, BIPOC, and LGBTQIA+ communities to explore their relationship to power, privilege, and oppression, and to develop the skills needed to grow as transformational leaders in these critical times.
Leadership intensives range from half-day virtual sessions to weekend retreats, with professional staff coordinating logistics as well as after-hours activities.
Grassroots Campaign Strategy and the Tools to Get the Job Done
In 2021, India made international headlines when she unseated a four-term incumbent in the Democratic primary for Mayor of Buffalo.
Nearly five years later, the impact of that campaign continues to be felt both in the halls of power and on the streets, where India is often called upon to help shape a vision for the City of Buffalo grounded in community care, safety, and putting people over profit.
This daylong to weeklong in-person intensive centers the work India is most passionate about: training movement and community leaders to build independent political power.
Participants will learn how to build effective campaigns and gain practical tools to get the work done, including voter targeting (e.g., turf cutting), VAN usage, script development, and hands-on practice through phone and text banking.
The training will also cover strategies for:
Mobilizing low-propensity voters
Building coalitions across race, class, and gender
Challenging entrenched political establishments
She draws on her experience as both a candidate and staffer, her work as a senior advisor with the Working Families Party and RootsAction, and her role as co-founder of Our City Action Buffalo to deliver an intensive experience designed to be both practical and transformative.
Housing & Community Development Expertise
India knows firsthand what it means to have to choose between paying rent and putting food on the table. As a resident of a historically underserved community, she faced the threat of displacement due to gentrification. This experience led her to become a housing justice advocate and affordable housing expert.
Through her work co-founding the first community land trust (CLT) in the City of Buffalo, she helped establish a citywide model for community self-determination and control, while also supporting similar efforts in communities across the country.
India is available to work with individuals, community organizations, governmental entities, and others committed to practical, scalable solutions to today’s housing crisis. Engagements may include lectures or keynote addresses, capacity-building sessions, Board of Directors and staff trainings, or full community visioning and strategic planning processes.
Movement Building and Narrative Framing
India has developed strong expertise in the “story of self” as a key organizing tool. She attended Harvard University and earned a certificate in organizing under Dr. Marshall Ganz, and completed a media fellowship with Laura Flanders and the New Economy Coalition. Combined with hundreds of interviews with international, national, and local media outlets, she brings extensive experience in public storytelling and media engagement.
She is well-positioned to help both experienced and emerging organizers build the confidence and skills needed to serve as effective spokespeople for our movements.
Participants can expect to:
Frame their area of advocacy in accessible and relatable terms
Build narratives that energize rather than alienate audiences
Align grassroots movements with issue-based and/or electoral campaign goals
In this immersive experience, participants will workshop an issue of their choosing and receive constructive feedback, support, and opportunities to apply and refine their skills in real-world settings.
Lessons in Political Courage & Adaptation
She has also navigated personal challenges and endured significant cyberbullying and in-person threats as a result of her political beliefs and commitment to ensuring that everyone has a seat at the table—regardless of immigration status, sexual orientation, gender identity, class, race, religion, or other marginalized identities.
This offering is designed for elected officials, public figures, and movement leaders who need space for radical vulnerability, reflection, and support. India is available for one-on-one coaching and trust-building, as well as daylong virtual or in-person retreats to help individuals and cohorts navigate the realities of this work with resilience and clarity.
Ready to book India?
Email info@rosejadeconsulting.com to book India for in-person or virtual convenings, retreats, direct actions or rallies, podcasts, keynote addresses, media interviews, or other collaborations.
The initial consultation is free of charge. We’ll work together to figure out what makes the most sense based on expected purpose and outcomes.
Prices range from $2,500-$50,000 and are based on individual income or organizational budget.
Here’s just some of what India can do you for!
-
Virtual guest appearance or panel (30–60 min) :$750–$1,500
Local keynote (Buffalo/WNY): $2,500–$5,000
National keynote: $5,000–$12,500
Conference plenary or university lecture :$5,000–$15,000
Media commentary/interviews: Case-by-case
-
Half-day training: $3,500–$6,000
Full-day intensive: $6,000–$12,000
Weekend retreat: $12,000–$25,000
Multi-session leadership cohort: $15,000–$40,000
-
Strategy session (90 min): $500–$1,500
Campaign intensive: $5,000–$20,000
Ongoing advisory retainer: $3,000–$10,000/month
Message/narrative development: $2,500–$7,500
Candidate coaching: $250–$500/hour
-
Community visioning facilitation: $5,000–$15,000
Strategic planning process: $7,500–$25,000
CLT/shared equity consulting: $5,000–$20,000
Board/staff trainings: $2,500–$7,500
-
Solidarity pricing for grassroots organizations: Limited availability based on mission alignment and organizational capacity