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Beyond Incremental-ism and identity divides: All-inclusive queer activism for full equality
The National Equality March united 250,000 people to demand our full federal equality. How can we successfully pursue full equality in our own country and fight for our global community's rights? How can we overcome the divides and marginalizations within our own LGBTQIA community to become a stronger and truly inclusive movement?
Facilitated by Misha Deborah
BSD Philosophy: 5 lessons learned
Members of the Blue State Digital team outline our campaign philosophy. Join us for a discussion of online organizing and the tactics we have implemented during our experience working with Obama for America, the American Red Cross, the US Bid for the World Cup, United Jewish Communities and more.
After a brief presentation, we look forward to answering your questions and holding a conversation about the best practices that you have learned along the way.
Facilitated by: TJ Helmstetter and Alex Kellner
YOUTH VOTE 2010
A strategy discussion on how to turn out the youth vote in 2010.
Facilitated by: Jessy Tolkan, Christina Hollenbach, Biko Baker, etc.
Translating campaigns into a movement!
Everyone knew going into the 2008 elections, Obama was not entirely progressive but we jumped on the bandwagon and made his victory happen. We knew that crafting and moving necessary reforms through congress would be extremely difficult. In 2008, we activated a network of sleeping giants; activists from the 60's, college students and everyone in between got "involved."
We still have millions of people waiting yet they are not acting, and if they are; it seems fragmented. The news, media and blogosphere are being co-opted by corporate funded tea parties. We have had small victories but the campaign for the White House has not yet translated into the significant reform, regulations and business growth we need to propel our country forward. We're part of a progressive movement still, correct? Or are we just a bunch of campaigns?
This session is an open discourse seeking to address the following questions,
How do we keep the movement alive? How do we keep it alive at the dinner table? As activists we are involved, but millions of Americans do not wake up in the morning ready to roll up their sleeves and discuss the great tenets of society. How do we support Congress while holding them accountable to us? How does the progressive movement stay united?
Facilitated by Valerie Woodall (BORDC) & Misha Clive (Green America)
"STORIES OF STRUGGLE! THE CASE FOR EDUCATION REFORM"
Across the country too often the debate for education reform in is framed by the media, activists, policy advocates, and elected officials. You never hear from the organizers on the ground doing the work. This workshop will be focused on having a roundtable discussion about what's going on the ground in terms of organizing around education reform locally, both from a parent organizing perspective and a youth organizing perspective, and will be an opportunity for anyone organizing around education reform to come and share their story. The workshop will end with coming up with a set of shared best practices that each organizer can take back to their organization.
Facilitated by local Education Organizers Ebonee Stevenson (Empower DC), and Jahi Wise (Critical Exposure)
HOW WE RAISED MILLIONS OF DOLLARS ONLINE FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY IN A STATE NOT NAMED CALIFORNIA
Campaigns often are hesitant to collaborate with "the bloggers" or spend a lot of resources on the online department. The No On 1/Protect Maine Equality campaign facilitated a model of campaign/online activist collaboration, and invested at all levels- senior staff, tech infrastructure, time and money- in the online department. Come learn how we did it, and how the rewards that were reaped remain a widely-acclaimed part of the campaign.
Facilitated by Adam Bink (Open Left), Karin Roland (No On 1/Protect Maine Equality), Julia Rosen (Courage Campaign), Jenna Lowenstein (National Stonewall Democrats)
COORDINATED ACTION FOR LGBT EQUALITY: GAY, INC + NETROOTS + MULTI ISSUE ORGS = VICTORY
The combination of netroots power has yielded key progressive victories. In this crucial moment when progress on LGBT civil rights is possible, how can LGBT activists, netroots organizers, and straight allies join together to end anti-gay discrimination?
Facilitated by Adam Bink (Open Left), Michael Crawford (Freedom to Marry), TJ Helmsetter (Blue State Digital), Eden James (Courage Campaign), Jenna Lowenstein (National Stonewall Democrats), and Julia Rosen (Courage Campaign)
BUILDING A BROAD-BASED MOVEMENT FOR LGBT RIGHTS: LEARNING FROM SUCCESS AND FAILURE
Post-Prop 8 gay and straight activists joined together to end anti-gay discrimination. Some things worked well. Some not so much. Netroots and grassroots activists will share case studies of what worked, what didn't, and we'll discuss what comes next.
Facilitated by Adam Bink (Open Left), Michael Crawford (Freedom to Marry), TJ Helmsetter (Blue State Digital), Eden James (Courage Campaign), Jenna Lowenstein (National Stonewall Democrats), and Julia Rosen (Courage Campaign)
STORYTELLING FOR ADVOCACY
People are hard-wired to respond to stories, especially compelling visuals. How does visual storytelling with crowdsourcing, short videos, long-form documentaries, and more help achieve advocacy objectives? Discuss the benefits, types, elements and cases of visual storytelling for advocacy.
Jessica Duda is the co-author of The Advocacy Communications Handbook (summer 2010), and has managed research and convenings on documentary and civic engagement for PBS Interactive and the Center for Social Media
MOVEMENT SCI-FI: What is The Future of Field Organizing?
We will tease you with some provocative future scenarios and then do a group visioning exercise –fun!
Facilitated by: Eli Pariser & Billy Wimsatt
ALL HANDS ON DECK: How do we WIN in 2010?
How do we organize all the scrappy groups and bloggers to maximize our networks, re-energize our base, win in 2010 and change the game? We have a plan! Or at least half a plan. Come plan with us!
Facilitated by: Billy Wimsatt, Ian Inaba, Jessy Tolkan
COFFEE. NOT TEA: WAKE-UP AMERICA!
Vision: A coffee party movement in every coffee shop in America to re-energize our base for 2010.
How we do it: • Smart messaging (group photo with signs: Jobs Jobs Jobs, etc) • Advocacy on a jobs/populist economic package. • Economic self-help (cutting credit cards, micro-enterprise, etc) • Self-organized online-to-offline groups meet monthly. • Train the local facilitators so they don’t suck! • Sell “Coffee Not Tea” and other clever t-shirts • Self-organize 2010 election activities: Voter guides, GOTV, Trick or Vote, Swing state trips, etc.
We need a few ingredients to make this work: • An online organizer or three. • People who want to test it locally (low-commitment fun) • Groups, networks, bloggers and other influencers to spread the gospel and stir the pot.
Come help create this new movement!
Facilitated by: Billy Wimsatt
Utilizing Intelligent Data Mining Databases, GIS and Planning Theory to Connect with Constituents
With the help of the Obama campaign and MyBarackObama.com, intelligent data mining, otherwise known as Voter Action Network (VAN) is utilized at all levels of the campaign to manage the public. However, how do we utilize VAN effectively? Every time we have a different constituent group, we have to reformulate a new infrastructure or universe. With the use of planning theory to re-strategize modern campaign techniques, analysis is highly effective and more productive to activate even disenfranchised and apathetic groups. In addition, GIS or Geographic Information Systems today is more useful, if the tool is available, to make turf maps and present up-to-date data than VAN. How can GIS complement VAN, although VAN now has a component for Googlemaps that even the lay-user can operate? In 2012 GIS will have a new product package to also enable users to easily project census files more directly, than creating more layers. Come and integrate your mind with technology and true effective campaign and grass-roots organizing in this session.
Carry Smith, Younger Women’s Taskforce of Atlanta, www.ywtf.org
Progressive Speak Translated into Plain English
We all sit by and watch Sarah Palin turn untruths into reality for many listeners. She is in fact the "charismatic figure with a teleprompter," with her simple phrases spreading falsehoods. I know we can create simple phrases about the positive world we work each day to create. Let's let the juices flow and ... what about swindle taxes = the high cost of our current health care... ok maybe not, but we can get together and do this, can't we?
Marcia West, National Community Reinvestment Coalition, www.ncrc.org
_Basic Income Guarantee: A Goal and a Strategy
Guaranteed Income was a mainstream, moderate idea in the 1960s, and Martin Luther King Jr. campaigned for it in his last year, endorsing it strongly in his last book. Moderate Democrats, moderate Republicans, and leading economists also supported the idea of guaranteed cash payments to the poor. Earlier versions of these ideas sparked mass movements in the 1890s and 1930s. An updated version, basic income or Citizen Dividends, is more Green and libertarian. We'll consider prospects for organizing around these ideas as the basis for peaceful progressive revolution.
Steven Shafarman, IncomeSecurityForAll.org, USBIG.net, BasicIncome.org
_Can we create a national movement to keep corporate money out of politics?
In January, 5 rightwing Supreme Court justices said corporations have a Constitutional right to spend as much money as they want to buy elections. In his State of the Union Address, President Obama rightly said this would "open the floodgates for special interests, including foreign corporations." If we do nothing, there will be a tsunami of corporate money this November. Can we create a national movement to stop corporations from buying up - and destroying - American democracy?
Bob Fertik, Democrats.com
The Dream and the Drama: Ups and Downs of Alternative Organizational Structures
Many movement-building groups are struggling not only to advance social justice values externally, but to live them internally. What happens when we experiment with collective organizations, flat structures and director’s circles? What are the benefits we seek and the issues we get blindsided by? This discussion will flow from lessons learned, best practices and key questions of the participants. Facilitators will share their own experiences and a new tool for balancing issues of structure and power.
Patrick Masterson & Ann Caton, Potomac Group, www.potomacgroupllc.com
FINDING A JOB IN PROGRESSIVE POLITICS
So you want to work for a cool progressive advocacy organization? Or maybe a candidate for local or state office? How about a consulting firm, labor union, media organization or one of the thousands of other employers in this crazy world of politics?
Democratic GAIN, the professional association for political operatives, will help you figure out how to land your next dream job! Whether you're employed now and looking for the next big thing or you're between jobs looking for your next opportunity, we'll help you navigate the political jobs world.
This will be an informal discussion about types of political jobs, how to land them (both in DC and in the states), and networking tips. Feel free to bring your resume with you as well.
"Facebook, twitter, and youtube, oh my!"
The ins and outs of social media for organizing - what works, what doesn't and everything in-between!
This will be a flexible "bring-what-you-know-and-let's-have-an-open-discussion" session.
Jessilyn Kemp, North Carolina Conservation Network (www.ncconservationnetwork.org)
How to be an agent of change and instill progressive ideas in a campaign by partnering with the community. I began working on the Obama Campaign in the DC Office and realized that I was good at connecting, organizing and leading solution to campaign issues. Been an active advocate and understanding that change is not easy and human being will resort to what is familar if allowed. I an on a misssion to spear head change in the communities that I serve by first identifying what are the need and how can these needs be met and working with progressive individual to bring about the change by been an active participant in the political process of governance.
I have create Mills Hall & Associates; a political consulting,fundraising, event planning & management firm that specialized in assisting progressive candidates get elected to public office. We are based in Georgetown DC. This session will attract anyone who is interested in learing how to organized around progressive ideas on the campaign trail.See you at RootCamp 2010
Advocating for Young Children
This is an exciting time to be an advocate for services for young children. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act's investments in the Child Care Block Grant, Early Head Start and Head Start expanded edcuation and child care opportunities for young children. Many states have implemented or are working on innovative pre-school programs. The coming debates on child nutrition reauthorization and the Early Learning Challenge Grants will also be essential. At the same time, States and Cities face budget crunches and in some places, services for children are on the chopping block.
I work as a policy analyst and advocate at United Neighborhood Houses, New York City's federation of settlement houses and community centers, whose member agencies provide services for children such as early childhood education and child welfare preventive services. I would like this session to be a discussion among those who advocate and organize for young children on methods and ideas for sustaining and improving children's services. Because so much policy is seat at the State and local levels, it would be particularly interesting to see the perspectives from advocates and organizers in different parts of the country.
Gregory Brender, United Neighborhood Houses, New York City
More Jobs, Less Pollution, Greater Security: How Operation FREE is turning the discussion around on climate change & energy independence.
Over the last six months, Operation FREE - a coalition of veterans' and national security organizations - has been touring the country, meeting with legislators and other leaders in order to pass comprehensive clean energy legislation.
I've been involved with Operation FREE from the beginning. I'd like this to be a discussion about transcending the traditional definitions of what it means to be pro-environment, and to find out what other folks are doing in this field.
Organizing for Higher Education Funding
All across the country, tuition is exploding, public universities are having their funding cut, and the scariest part: the future of our society is at stake.
You've probably heard of the efforts going on in California, with building takeovers, student strikes, and other radical actions, but their efforts failed, so we've got to learn from their experiences to mobilize effectively. Nationwide, March 4th has been declared the National Day of Action to Defend Higher Education, and in building up to this event, a number of students from the University of Connecticut have already been taking serious action. I'd like to share our successes and our failures, and build solidarity in this movement across the country.
We've been working with a diverse range of student groups to lobby both the administration, and the state legislature to defend education. Our tactics have ranged from straight forward protests and petitions to creative disruption and demanding student representation in the administration's decision making process.
I'd like to generate new ideas, and empower student leaders to assert their rights as members of a University community.
