Conversations with the March On Harrisburg Leaders: Sally Simpson
Sally Simpson knows what it’s like to live in a place where neighbors don’t always agree and where political divisions can run deep. But in Armstrong County, she’s become a trusted voice bringing people together. Sally has a gift for finding common ground, even when politics threaten to pull people apart. As a leader with MarchOnHarrisburg’s local organizing and Gift Ban teams, she’s channeling that gift into action, working fearlessly to bring her rural community together and end the culture of lawmaker bribery in Pennsylvania.
Sally at MarchOnHarrisburg’s annual leadership retreat in State College. June, 2025.
What made you get involved in fighting back against corruption?
“If we don't bring awareness to this, who will?”
“When I recognized that a system that was supposed to work for the people actually worked against it. I saw that both major political parties were equally culpable, therefore nullifying any chance at democracy. When I realized that the United States is the most propagandized nation in the world and that it uses militarism to maintain its political and economic influence over all other nation states.
The fact that the US exploits its own labor force and the labor and natural resources of other countries should not just be bothersome but disgusting as the wealthiest among us literally suck the life blood out of everyone beneath them like vampires as we watch and allow it to happen because we as Americans do reap some benefits of the exploitation of the poorer countries.
Though we reap these benefits so to speak, our politicians are so lobbied that we have a for profit healthcare system that commodifies something that should be a human right and allows people to die if they can't afford to pay the outrageous medical expenses that can be thrown at you because these life sucking insurance companies can set any price they want. If we don't bring awareness to this, who will?”
What has it been like organizing for a Gift Ban in Armstrong County?
“When I flyer or billboard it's my job to educate people on how we can get money out and people in. I believe it's always my job to educate people, not antagonize them.”
“Organizing for a Gift Ban in Armstrong County has actually been easier than organizing for other things because Armstrong is very political. I recognized it right away when I moved here. Republicans are very right leaning and Democrats definitely vote blue no matter who. They stick with their own sides. I don't remember much polarization at all from when I lived in Saxonburg but then again that was pre 2016. Many people have been receptive to the idea of getting money out of politics.
They don't seem to believe it can be done, but that is where we come in. When I flyer or billboard it's my job to educate people on how we can get money out and people in. I believe it's always my job to educate people, not antagonize them. It's just a simple phone call. I lead with "you know when I called Abby Majors office I ended up with a couple hundred extra bucks!" That gets their attention. Her secretary was nice enough to tell me I had money in the US Treasury which pops up when you call. Most people don't know that.
When we billboarded on a busy street corner in Kittanning we got a lot of beeps and a few cars stopped and asked questions. Someone even contacted MOH to sign up and thank us for trying to get corruption out of politics. It really does make a difference even in a safe red area like this one, especially like this one. Organizing around getting money out of politics is a pretty safe bet!”
Sally billboarding in her home town Kittanning, Pennsylvania, demanding Senator Joe Pittman pass a Gift Ban.
What inspires you to keep organizing?
“What inspired me to keep organizing? I guess I'm still alive.”
What inspired me to keep organizing? I guess I'm still alive. Once I started organizing I quickly saw the difference between being an activist and an organizer. It's almost like putting a puzzle together and you see how the pieces start to fit and you just can't quite stop yourself until it's all done. My puzzle is just starting to take shape. I promised myself that I would get as much done as I could on my limited time budget. I have brain cancer and I live three months at a time (from scan to scan) knowing that when it starts to grow quickly I'll be in heavy radiation and chemo again and won't be able to organize like I can now so I better make hay while the sun is shining. It's all about incredible collaborative partners like MOH!
