Activist Origin Stories

Join Gwynne and bus full of sleepy but determined people who got up before dawn on a Saturday to canvass for TJ Cox in California's 21st Congressional district.  This episode features the voices of a few of the hundreds of people who traveled to this district to campaign for TJ Cox and flip the House. The bus was sponsored by Commit to Flip Blue:  http://www.committoflipblue.com/ City of Selma website: cityofselma.com Stats on CA-21: https://tinyurl.com/CA21Stats

Gwynne talks to Ken about how community service, starting at a young age, has been a constant theme throughout his life.  His ongoing activism emerged from his experiences of collective support and healing in the midst of the AIDS crisis.  Ken's political engagement is inextricably interwoven with his spiritual orientation, and his focus on helping newcomers to activism remain engaged is one key to building the progressive movement for the long term.

Hope needs a foothold, and a regular weekly meeting provides the support and connection that a small group of regulars needs to recharge. Gwynne talks to the Kathryn, the organizer of Indivisible ReSisters, about how the founding of this group led to increasing participation in local politics and activism.

Gwynne interviews Rachel about the origins of her activism and how she started working with Swing Left. Our discussion includes a primer on grassroots organizing, and how her experiences collaborating with the Democratic Club of Greater Tracy hold lessons for the national party.