A "Mighty Fine" Day

We started our daily meeting with prayer- for our safety, for good results, for the continuance of blessings on all of us.

Before I knew it I was paired up with Mr. Jones and Emily* and we were out the door with a stack of registration forms. Mr. Jones is a real character- a retired school maintenance and janitorial worker, he has lived in Gary, Indiana for upwards of 40 years. He knows this town inside and out, and everyone knows him. He yaps away, saying plenty of things that only an old man can get away with, and always responds that things are "mighty fine." In one conversation, he can pull out this phrase at least 5 times.

Emily is a first generation American. Her parents moved here from Nigeria to attend college. We shared the same major and focus in college (Yay anthropology majors!), a similar work ethic and need to be busy to be happy, and I'm sure with some more time together a real friendship is waiting to blossom (collective "awww" inserted here).

Well I was surprised when our first stop of the day was to a soul food buffet. Being the newbie out in the field, my strategy is to go with the flow and see each member political organizer as my teacher. Over piles of mac 'n cheese, liver and gravy, greens, corn bread, and peach cobbler I started to learn a little bit about the SEIU members and organizers who have all given up their normal lives to help get Obama elected.

After second heaping portions, we wrapped up our conversations and headed out to register voters. A few groups went over to "The Village" shopping center. A run-down strip mall with maybe 15 stores horse-shoed around a large, mostly empty parking lot, The Village certainly did not look like prime pickings for voters.

Apparently, most folks here are registered, as the team hit up the FEMA flood disaster relief lines the past few days. I got lucky and the first man I spoke to needed to register. I filled out the form as he held his hot dog and newspaper. Yes! First one down. I was pumped.

An hour passed and we found that the other groups had set up tables inside and were catching most of the people. Hm. No where else to go Mr. Jones? Not really.

Emily and I started paroling the parking lot. A FedEx truck rolled in and I figured I'd ask- woo- a disenfranchised voter- he didn't even want to vote. I started rattling off issues that he would likely care about. After a few trips in and out- he got the point I wasn't leaving him alone. "Hey hold this box for me and I'll fill out your little form." I started asking him questions. Name. Date of Birth. Address. "You have until I get into the truck and drive away to finish." I quickly filled in the rest and got his signature. Phew- I can only hope when the card comes in the mail, he'll think about it and actually go to vote.

A trickle of people all day kept us engaged- and one man I signed up was head to toe decked out in 'Canes gear. Other than that, it was slow.

At the end of the day each person in my team collected 8 registration forms. I'm torn. I don't know the area- I don't know the "hot spots" but surely there is a better way to find other potential voters out there!

Well, I am going to still go with the flow today and see if I can push people to think of other ways we can get more forms-- a different neighborhood, driving farther out, switching locations, at least splitting up all the teams to different spots? I don't want to be the new girl who thinks she has all the answers-- but I desperately want us to turn out the maximum number of people to vote Obama!

(suggestions welcome- add them in the comments!)


*Names have been changed until I get permission to use them.

Voter reg. In indiana begins!

Today starts my 5 week volunteer trip in Northwest Indiana to register voters and encourage them to vote for O-ba-ma.

I'm out here as part of my job because we know that the most important thing for working families in this country is to elect a president who understands their struggles and needs. Obama is that candidate and already has a proven record. I'm just thrilled that I get to work day in and day out to get him elected in these last few weeks before the historic Nov. 4 election.

If you ain't registered or if you are unsure if you are all set to vote, go ahead and check out Vote For Change which has a super easy interactive form that walks you through the steps of checking whether you are registered, where, and how to get registered.

I hope to update often with stories and pictures from the field so stay tuned!

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Liberating Fisher Island video

Survey Says...

Today is election day in Miami Beach for the city commission and mayor's seat. I was out there at 7am waving a sign for honestly my favorite candidate this season, Jonah Wolfson. I was out there at 7am not necessarily by choice, but because of work. I'm employed by a labor union--and before you jump to any conclusions you should probably let me ramble on a bit before you start spouting some idiotic predetermined view of unions and political races stemming from New York or Chicago or Pittsburgh back when your grandparents starting making their millions off the back of laborers.

Anyways, back to working the voters. I truly believe it is next to pointless to stand out on election day with signs and t-shirts and info cards on your chosen candidate. If, and I strongly emphasize IF people are actually taking the time to go vote, I assert that they already have an opinion on whom they will vote. If they don't, if there is any value left in our shabby democratic republic, I hope they are not counting how many signs are in front of their polling station to determine which candidate is more popular-- or who they can pay more to stand out there like an idiot for hours at a time.

But there I stood waving my sign like one of those trickster rental place guys (did you know that is copyrighted- yes those guys that flip and twist the signs for you to rent or buy some condo). Luckily I met a lawyer who thought as I did-- standing out here was pointless for the voters. So why on earth would you do it? "Because Matti asked me to and I like her." So yes the whole point is to bolster the candidates feelings as they nervouly await the results at the end of the night. We joked about how many people's minds we changed by standing out there, the low voter turnout, how we should take the opponents signs and hit voters with them so they vote for our candidates...I have his card. His kid is my age.

I'm at UM right now. I just finished a presentation for STAND-- A Fisher Island worker, Mariette, came and spoke to them about the discrimination she faces and the plan of action-- November 17 beach invasion!!! what's up. It will be fun. Hopefully they will enter the contest.

I hung out with Liza which was great. She is writing a thesis on STAND and the movement, which will be great for record keeping. I admire her so much, she really is one of the most academically thoughtful people I know, and sweet- a good listener, and an intelligence that will come from nowhere and knock the wind out of you. She will definitely go far.-- ugh it only reminds me though how badly I need to actually graduate. It's been a running joke now for far too long. I have one measly paper left to actually attain my degree. If I don't hurry up, my cousin will beat me at graduating! I've lost my chance for this fall so I need to just do it sometime by January, apply for graduation, and simply wait for it to come to me in May. It's depressing to even think about.

I can definitely spend time on campus to be motivated to do my paper though, it m akes me want to study in the library, read and write. I miss school.

I miss it, yet I'm so ready for the next step in my life. I've been feeling as if I've been in transition for well, since I "graduated" (walked May 06).

My opportunity to move to D.C. has come about a year earlier than I expected- but you know I'm not waiting around for that door to open again! I love D.C. the sights, the atmosphere, the people, the work, the mood, the politics, the metro, the weather, the suits, the fast pace. I see this move as a true step forward in my life and I look forward to reflecting more when