Hi guys, first of all I would like to say WHEEEEEEEEEEEEW. Our country feels different today than it did three days ago doesn't it? The landscape has changed and for once it was done with hard work and dedication from millions of people like you and me that started to see what conservatism was doing to this country.
When I received an email from the Obama campaign rolling out a movement of volunteers aptly named the Obama Fellowship Program, I plowed through it and immediately filled out the online form, sent a copy of my résumé and chose Ohio as the battle ground state to travel to for the six week program. It seemed like forever before I got anything back that wasn't automated and then finally the word came, I would be hearing from a field organizer from Columbus with further instruction. Along with 3500 other volunteers I got my marching orders from the Obama campaign in early June. Once arriving in Columbus for the 3-day training session I was greeted at the Obama HQ with tired but hopeful eyes.
The training in Columbus was a crash course in community organizing. (Believe it or not I found it to have quite a few responsibilities). About 350 of us broke into groups based on the regions we were going to be placed and started chatting with fellows from across America ready to learn and then hit the streets to mobilize for change. It was truly inspiring to meet so many selfless people willing to drop everything for six weeks to work 84 hours a week for no pay simply because they saw hope in the strangest of places, a politician. We learned that the best way to connect with people is on an emotional level. We wrote out our own personal story as to why we decided to volunteer for the campaign and a little about our life history. Then we practiced telling our stories to each other and noticed in the process that we were developing a bond. This bond, camaraderie is the American spirit of generosity, compassion and constant vigilance for the welfare of every person is what has been missing over the past eight years and right in front of our eyes we were experiencing the Obama administration before he even got elected.
After the training in Columbus we all congratulated each other with big hugs all around and departed with a fierce determination to get people motivated and active in their representative democracy again. A kind Fellow by the name of Zanthe gave Tom and myself a ride from Columbus to Toledo where we would meet our supporter housing and get situated. Toledo was probably the smallest town I have ever spent a fair amount of time in. The class divide is stark with many abandoned buildings and dilapidated homes. I knew right off the bat a populist message would work in Toledo. The soup kitchens and shelters were over flowing, while jobs were few to be found.
Basic responsibilities of an Obama Organizing Fellow:
- Find and train Team Leaders.
- Organize House Parties for Change.
- Voter Registration Drives.
- Phone banking.
This is one of the best experiences of my life. I met some of the most amazing people willing to sacrifice for the good of the country. Team Toledo worked our asses off and we helped turn Ohio blue!
I have one word for you Dailykos: Now.
What will you do now to ensure that this grass roots movement continues on and fights for the change we need? How will you volunteer in your community? How will you personally change the hearts and minds of your neighbors and fellow citizens of this great nation?
I will leave you with a link to an interview that I gave for the Obama Campaign for change podcast that the new media team did on me in Ohio.
http://my.barackobama.com/...