The word for May is “momentum”. We’re quite excited to break the news that FedEx has signed on to sponsor a successful grassroots program called Family-to-Family that seeks to end hunger in America. Read about Pam Koner from Hastings-on-Hudson, New York who turned a great idea into a mission and now a movement.
A whirlwind of energy formed out the March For Women’s Lives last month inspiring a million citizens to take their united stand and turn it into action. We have two reports from women who attended the march including Pam Paul with a First Person recollection of the event and Lanya Shapiro who writes about the next great grassroots mobilization effort: Healthcare National Day of Action.
We’re really excited to add a new feature this month. Celebrated children’s book author and illustrator, Rex Schneider is our new Editorial Cartoonist. He brings his considerable talent and wry wit to help us muse on the issues of the day. Read about Schneider in Inspiration Point and learn why he’s using his enormous talent to help take back our country.
Another notable piece is about a 13-year old Massachusetts girl who started Cell Phones For Soldiers to help our troops stay in touch with their families at home. Liz Herbert makes a call for the grassroots to help the Florida Democratic Party develop a volunteer coordination system to ensure the nightmare of 2000 is not repeated.
Find your May DFA Meetup agenda inside as well as a DemocracyFest update. We also have our first book review of Arianna Huffington’s “Fanatics & Fools”.
We hope you enjoy this issue and look forward to your feedback on our Roots blog. And, don’t forget, free subscriptions to Taking Root ensure direct delivery to your personal email box.
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Glimpse What’s Inside!
Click on a title to jump to the story below.
- News From The Roots
- NEW FEATURE: Editorial Cartoon
- New Groups Take Root
- The Power of Meetup
- Get Involved
- Inspiration Point
- Site Seeing
- The Tool Shed
NEWS FROM THE ROOTS
Suburban Mom Recruits Delivery Giant Federal Express to Sponsor Grassroots Project to End Hunger in America
Not long ago, suburban mom Pam Koner picked up a copy of the New York Times, and her life was changed forever. She read a story exposing the dark secret of poverty in America that rivals any third world country. Now, Koner and grassroots volunteers around the country are changing the lives of our country’s least fortunate through a project called Family-to-Family.
Like all great grassroots ideas, Koner’s was basic: recruit friends and neighbors to adopt a family in an severely impoverished American community and send groceries and other staples direct to their homes. Finding folks to donate was easy. Unfortunately, however, the town that Family-to-Family initially wanted to aid is so poor the U.S. Post Office doesn’t even provide standard delivery service there. For the last year, the families receiving aid had to walk or find rides to pick up their very heavy care packages at the local church. As new chapters of Family-to-Family chapters sprouted in other cities across America, they encountered similar problems. Koner needed to “absolutely, positively” solve the home delivery problems, so she sent a letter to Federal Express.
FedEx is not only providing pro bono delivery services direct to the homes of adopted families, but just this week the company agreed to be a national sponsor for Family-to-Family. This means as the organization grows, so will the FedEx commitment. Koner says the delivery teams have become so inspired that they have developed chapters of Family-to-Family for FedEx employees.
Participating in Family-to-Family requires a small commitment of time and money. Donor families "adopt" a receiving family, and receive information about names, number and ages of children, etc. Donor families are also asked to send a letter, card or photo with each care package to help improve the spirit of men, women and children because they are not used to having hope or optimism. This also makes the experience more personal for donors and their children. The package is last touched by the donor’s hands, and is opened only by members of the family being sponsored (click here for shopping list).
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Governor Dean in the Field: Launches “Farm League Initiative” at Latinos Meeting in East Los Angeles
By Steven Gibson, Latinos For Democracy – L.A.
On the afternoon of Friday, April 30, Governor Dean joined the Community Forum at East Los Angeles College. The event co-sponsored by Congresswoman Hilda Solis (D-CA 32nd) and Latinos for America heralded the launch of Democracy for America’s “Farm League Initiative” and focused on local participation in the 2004 election. Forum members candidly shared their views on the issues of organizing for November and drawing forth new candidates in all races – local, statewide, national.
California State Senator Richard Alarcón gave a rousing talk about the importance of empowering the grassroots and giving a progressive voice to the people in the communities. Congresswoman Solis praised Governor Howard Dean for his commitment to bring true democracy to all people. Ralph Miller explained the need to empower Latinos, Asians, and others in the political process and described the plans of Latinos for America.
Other elected officials were present as were many union members, with an especially large turnout by members of the SEIU/Janitors Union. It was great to hear one of the SEIU members ask Governor Dean a question in Spanish, and he did not need help with translating – although he did say, “Mas despacio,” (“but slowly”) to the questioner.
Paloma Gonzalez of Long Beach presented the Governor with a Latinos for America t-shirt and said that she would continue to wear her Dean for America t-shirt if he would agree to wear the LFA one. An ELACC student also presented the Governor with an ELACC sweatshirt. We signed up volunteers to help with voter registration and got the word out about the Latino organizer training planned for June 12-13 at ELACC sponsored by Latinos for America.
Thanks to the many people who helped with the event, especially Hilda Solis and her staff member Janelle Obando, who worked so hard, and who made the event possible. Also thanks to the ELACC staff and students and to Richi Ray for doing sound in his expert way. Thanks to Mike Faulkner for banner design, video work and everything he did for the event. And thanks to Nancy Richardson, Mike Villegas, Amethyst, Agi and Kess Kessler, Blanche Ramirez, Randy Economy, Gary Mendez and all the other volunteers and attendees who helped to make this event so successful. We had more that 150 people in the room at a time and everyone agrees it helped our plans for future concrete activities.
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FIRST PERSON: Pam Paul Reports from The March For Women’s Lives
By Pam Paul
[Watch video footage from the March shot by Pam.]
Although the March for Women's Lives was conceived to demonstrate the strength in the numbers of those who oppose the current administration's vile attempts to destroy Roe v. Wade – it was also symbolic of a much larger message. This March was speaking for our desire to free our country from the tyranny that is currently destroying our economy, security, civil rights, educational system, environment, international status, and rights of privacy. The speakers rang loudly with the messages of "free our choices," "free our nation," and "free our citizens" — let freedom ring.
Over a million spirits gathered on this day and became one regardless of which walk of life they entered from. The ages ranged from those in strollers to those with canes, men and women from every spectrum of the rainbow. The sight was absolutely awe-inspiring! There were delegations from national and local groups alike – each sporting the color or attire for their cause. People marched together, in unison, the mood calm for the moment and the air filled with intensity. Signs made up a sea of colors as far as the eye could see. One can only imagine the turnout if everyone who had wanted to be there could have made the trip. The event was flawless – like a work of art – and its impression is planted deep into our souls.
I believe this is the first of many such gatherings of people some call "liberal" but who should really be named "those with much heart." Somewhere along the line, the message of hope, tolerance, love and unity keeps getting missed by the shady cover of the Republican "life" police. They call themselves pro-life but the only lives they really care to protect are their own. It will take this gathering and many more to fully awaken our country from its apparent stupor. Maybe if there are enough of us, and we are loud enough, we will finally be heard.
The sense of unity and commitment felt by everyone as we departed was immeasurable. The tasks at hand are obvious, but they unfortunately become more complex as we become increasingly attacked by those who wish to stop us. We must continue this surge with pride and vigor and scream from the rooftops, "We have had enough!" Call on your friends and family, and even those you do not know. Tell them this election is vital – our lives, and those of our children depend on it.
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EDITORIAL CARTOON
Learn about Taking Root’s editorial cartoonist, Rex Schneider in Inspiration Point.
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NEW GROUPS TAKE ROOT
Cell Phones For Soldiers
The Associated Press reported this week on a grassroots program initiated by 13-year old Brittany Bergquist of Norwell, Mass. After hearing about a soldier who ran up $7,000 in cell phone charges, Brittany and her 12-year-old brother, Robbie, decided to start a program to help American soldiers call home without going bankrupt. “Cell Phones for Soldiers” seeks to raise money so they can send cell phones along with $25 or $50 calling cards to as many soldiers as possible. So far, they’ve raised $621.
According to the A.P., Brittany told the Patriot Ledger newspaper of Quincy that the soldiers put their lives on the line every day, and she thinks they deserve a good thing to happen to them once in a while.
Donations can be sent to "Cell Phones for Soldiers" at the South Shore Savings Bank. The bank’s phone number is 781 337-7800 and the address is P.O. Box 151, Weymouth, MA 02188.
E-Voting: New Organization Seeks to Inform and Bust Myths
By Ellen Thiesen
VotersUnite! is a new organization with a mission: Fair elections. With the energetic participation of the grassroots across the United States, we kicked off our first project with a splash on Tuesday April 20 when 41 groups of concerned citizens in 22 different states simultaneously hand-delivered "Myth Breakers for Election Officials" to their local election officials at 1:00 p.m. ET. (Read kick-off stories.)
The 59-page booklet is a collection of facts about e-voting including election disasters, pricing information, the realities of administering an e-voting election, HAVA misconceptions and more. VotersUnite! intends to provide grassroots election activists throughout the country with information that dispels e-voting myths so our local officials can make informed decisions.
So far over 300 booklets have been distributed, but we're not stopping there. Before we're finished, activists in every one of the 3000+ counties across America will have a copy of this booklet. Enthusiastic participants in Oklahoma, Iowa, Ohio, New Mexico, California, Washington, Maryland, Tennessee, Idaho, and many other states are busily printing the document and taking it to their county courthouses.
The pen is mightier than the sword. Be part of this United Grassroots movement to deliver the facts to your county. Sign up here: http://www.votersunite.org/takeaction/myth-signup1.asp.
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THE POWER OF MEETUPS
May DFA Meetup Agenda
Join more than 160,000 of your closest friends at the next Democracy for America Meetup, this Wednesday, May 5 at 7:00 p.m. at over 1,000 sites in 601 cities across the nation. Go to DFA Meetup Central to sign up to attend the location closest to you.
This month’s agenda again focuses on forming local and statewide DFA organizations. While these groups cannot be called “chapters” per se because of legal restrictions, they are being formed to reflect the national agenda of Democracy For America founded by Governor Howard Dean and to support its mission. In the spirit of the grassroots, the local organizations are being encouraged to take on their own character.
As always, DFA national has produced a Meetup agenda as a guideline for local discussions, and you can download it here. Over the last two weeks, Meetup hosts and attendees have submitted other discussion topics to Grassroots For America. An outline of these additional talking points can be downloaded as well.
It is worth noting that Governor Dean is asking that each group identify which candidates your team would like for DFA to support. DFA is especially interested in making sure every Republican candidate at every level is running with opposition. Look in the Taking Root Tool Shed for a link to 21st Century Democrats’ “Tips for Finding Uncontested Races.”
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GET INVOLVED
National Voter Registration Event: This Saturday, May 8
America Coming Together, will launch a National Voter Registration event on Saturday May 8, 2004. This effort is in conjunction with America Votes, a national coalition of the largest grassroots organizations in the country, representing over 20 million Americans.
This voter registration blitz aims to engage voters in every state in the nation. The plan is to not only concentrate on the battleground states, but to make every state center stage. State organizers will work through these groups in order to mobilize volunteers through every local community. May 8 marks six months before election day. Election Action Day marks the kick-off of a coordinated effort to enlist 200,000 volunteers to knock on 10 million doors and register thousands and thousands of new voters. It also aims to identify voters who support candidates ready to get America headed in the right direction. Data gathered during this event will fuel GOTV efforts to get progressive voters to the polls and VOTE on November 2nd.
Zephyr Teachout is the organizer of ACT Organizers that has over 200 members from almost every state. To become a member of this group, which currently represents primarily DFA supporters you may visit: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ACTorganizers.
Please participate in this project. In order to "take our country back" we must start at the very beginning stages of our Democracy by raising our numbers to the Democratic Party, and by educating them on the possibilities for them in politics!
Florida needs NATIONAL grassroots help
A special plea for grassroots action submitted by Liz Herbert, Editorial Director of National Rapid Response
The Florida Democratic party is considering implementing a revolutionary new volunteer coordination system that will unify vast numbers of volunteers and organize them to pursue concrete goals, turning grassroots energy into productive, intelligent effort…our best chance to win. Getting this system up and running in Florida quickly is the first step in exporting it to other swing states.
Committing limited resources this early is a difficult decision to make – we can help them expand their resources and pull the trigger. Your support can make it happen. Please make a donation to the FDP today: http://www.fladems.com/. By making a donation you:
- Send a powerful message to the party that the ultimate users of such a system are so eager to have it that they're willing to help fund its creation themselves
- Demonstrate the power of the grassroots to the Democratic Party
- Help prepare the party to counter the massive GOP machine, which already has a finely-tuned grassroots machine in place with hundreds of thousands of feet on the ground nationally
To identify contributions as coming from the grassroots, please make them in an amount ending in “.01”, for example “$25.01.”
DemocracyFest UPDATE:
Children’s Tent “Daffy Duck For President”
By DeAnn Deason, Educators for Democracy - Oklahoma
A group of progressive educators working within Educators for Democracy (formerly Educators for Dean) wants to give away a great book called "Daffy Duck For President" at the children's tent at DemocracyFest, July 24 & 25 in western Massachusetts. DemocracyFest organizer Jessica Falker will procure the books for $1 each and is looking for support from the grassroots community for this effort.
The Children's Tent at DemocracyFest will offer educational resources for children of all ages. It will focus on family and fun. Ideas range from clowns, balloons, and crafts all the way to musical entertainment. This is an awesome project and any and all donations are greatly appreciated. This will not be drop off spot, so parents and guardians are encouraged to join in on the fun and participate in any way they can!
Grassroots for America has agreed to support this effort, including collecting contributions to be used to purchase “Daffy Duck For President” and other books appropriate for older children. Click here to contribute to this worthy effort.
Educators for Democracy will provide more information as time progresses. If you are an educator interested in changing our country and addressing "No Child Left Behind" or if you would simply like to help with the Children's tent- please join Educators for Democracy at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EducatorsforDemocracy/.
Marching Forward To Bridge The Gap
By Lanya Shapiro
After the March for Women’s Lives, now is the time to stand up and demand a solution to the health care crisis! June 19th is the Health Care National Day of Action: Bridging the Gap – a day of high-visibility actions demanding that something be done about the growing health care crisis in America. Is there a more perfect event and cause for Dean supporters / Democracy for America activists?
Sponsored by our loyal SEIU friends, we'll keep the election spotlight on health care with events all across the country – including HUGE ones on the Golden Gate and Brooklyn Bridges (Bridging the gap, get it?) and smaller events like rallies, marches, honk-and-wave events in your area.
http://www.americansforhealthcare.org/action/events/bridgingthegap/index.cfmDFA will blog later on to generate turnout, but right NOW we need organizers to start planning local events. Former DFA staffers are developing the Get Local-ish web tool and step-by-step guides. Now's the time to start planning and building coalitions with other local groups.
There are many paths to taking back our country and the Democratic party. This kind of effort is one of them, and the broader the participation (i.e., Dean folks, Kerry folks, Kucinich folks, etc.), the better.
Until the web tool is up, please contact Lanya Shapiro at givebushtheboot-at-earthlink.net or bridgingthegap-at-imahealthcarevoter.org so we know you're interested!
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INSPIRATION POINT
REX SCHNEIDER: Using His Talent to Help Take Back Our Country
When you look at the whimsical Art Deco illustrations by Rex Schneider, it is not hard to envision him sitting in the shade of a hemlock tree surrounded by a curious assortment of animals while he draws them. Legend has it that, as a youth in Pennsylvania, he maintained a harmonious community of a goat, a cat, two dogs, two turkeys, several rabbits, and some chickens.
This good fellowship with animals has influenced and accentuated his artistic endeavors as a successful children’s book author and illustrator. Schneider’s mentor was the pre-eminent Donald Duck artist Carl Barks and his style reflects classic Victorian and Deco illustrations of the 19th and 20th century. His work includes the highly acclaimed book of Emily Dickinson poems for children, I’m Nobody, Who Are You? as well as the popular La Pinata and a series of historical novels for young people. It has always been his view that, if given the chance, other living creatures would be as creative and foolish as their human kin. This view is readily apparent in his many anthropomorphic illustrations in top selling children’s books like Jog Frog Jog, Ain’t We Got Fun? and It Happened One Halloween. Schneider is particularly known as the foremost chronicler of amphibilia with his original works The Wide Mouthed Frog, Frogville, Pastimes & Pleasures and Pollywog Playhouse. (Most of Schneider’s books are available through Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.)
Now Schneider is turning his considerable talent to the crafting of editorial cartoons for Grassroots For America’s national newsletter, Taking Root. “The main thing that has inspired...or maybe goaded me into trying my hand at political cartoons is the political situation we find ourselves in,” says Schneider. “This is no longer simply a serious state of affairs, it is a dangerous state of affairs. Anyway, I'm no good at organizing, canvassing, or begging for money, and am unable to give money, so I have to tap into whatever talents I have to use for 'the cause'.”
We at Grassroots For America think you’ll find him supremely talented. Enjoy the art and artistry of Rex Schneider (including some masterful Art Deco posters) at www.bluemousestudio.com and Frogville.
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SITE SEEING
Truth Lies & Consequences
Conservatives have spent the last 20 years distorting reality and getting away with it. That is about to change. The Center for American Progress has launched this new database project to chart the dishonesty and lies of conservatives – and compare them with the truth. In this database, each conservative quote will be matched against well-documented facts. And they need your help. If they’re missing a lie or distortion you know of, please submit an entry. If it checks out, they will gladly add it to the database at www.claimvfact.org.
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THE TOOL SHED
“Tips for Finding Uncontested Races”
DFA wants every Republican candidate at every level to be challenged by a progressive Democratic candidate. 21st Century Democrats has produced a primer on how to find races where GOP candidates are running unopposed. It is an easy-to-follow guide complete with links to web resources. You can find it on the DFA website by clicking here.
BOOK REVIEW: “Fanatics & Fools”
By Kacy McClure, Women of DFA
Last night I went to hear Arianna Huffington talk in Menlo Park, CA about her book, “Fanatics and Fools,” sponsored by our wonderful independent bookstore, Kepler’s. Her book is about the fanatics in the Bush administration and the fools who have allowed them to do such damage to this country, to the environment, and to our status around the world. I have been feeling very discouraged about John Kerry’s chances to unseat this fanatic in the White House come November. This morning, after listening to Arianna, I feel differently. First, she acknowledged how easy it is to become discouraged, but she fervently believes that if John Kerry will reconnect to the heart and soul of the John Kerry who spoke out in April of 1971 against the Vietnam War, he can connect with those who want a different kind of America than the one we have now.
Arianna’s message is clear: we need to put our energy towards registering new voters, and we need to reach those registered voters who did not vote in 2000 or 2002. We should not put our energy into persuading active voters to change their minds. This is not the time for a protest vote – she likened it to waiting until your house is on fire to tackle remodeling it. We, the people, need to tell Kerry loud and clear that we want to hear from him the vision of what this country is capable of. We want him to bring out the best in us. We need to look in the mirror on November 3rd and say, “I did everything possible to choose the politics of hope over the politics of fear.”
She believes that we can produce a landslide victory in November, and that only a landslide victory will allow us to take our country back.
It was wonderful to hear her acknowledge the huge debt the Democrats owe Howard Dean for giving the party back its spine. I was moved to hear her use familiar phrases like, “send Bush back to Crawford, Texas” and “take back our country”.
Arianna wears a button that says, “Go Big; Ask More” – so today I am going to a letter-writing party. I’m ready to believe that we can produce change, just one vote at a time.
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Grassroots Calendar
May 5 | |
May 8 | |
May 14 – 16 | |
May 21 – 23 | |
May 30 | Memorial Day Concert presented by DIY Politics: |
June 2 | |
June 4 – 6 | |
June 19 | |
July 7 | |
July 24/25 | DemocracyFest |
July 26/29 | Democratic National Convention, Boston, MA |
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VISIT OUR WEB SITE
Grassroots for America is a resource for progressive grassroots organizations across the nation, connecting groups and providing services, infrastructure and consulting to:
- Energize their ideas and bring them to life
- Connect with like-minded teams across the country
- Mobilize bodies of voters for active citizen engagement
- Publicize their projects utilizing a professional PR and Media team
- Multiply the impact of every grassroots initiative.
Grassroots for AmericaSM is a not-for-profit corporation operating as an IRS chapter 501(c)4 organization.
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