The finalists have been announced for the Reed Awards, being put on by Politics Magazine in Washington DC on January 22. There were 30 judges, including George Stephanopoulos, Joe Trippi, Tucker Carlson, Monica Dixon, Dick Morris, etc.
One of our ads from the Local Voices Project has been chosen as a finalist for Best Presidential Ad, as well as Best Independent Group Ad.
Here's the Ad that was chosen in both categories: Darrell Hanschen on Race:
Major thanks go to the many supporters of our work here on DailyKos which allowed it to be seen.
Of course special thanks goes to Lee Hirsch who conceived of Local Voices, directed, produced & edited the Darrell ad and others in Missouri, as well as to John Allen & Alicia Dwyer for their Local Voices ads in Nevada & Ohio respectively.
It's quite an honor to nominated as one of three finalists, considering the exceptionally well funded competition, particularly when this was a truly grassroots collaborative effort that was Lee's brainchild & TruthandHope.Org was able to provide the platform with which this work could be seen, with your help.
Here are our competitors for Best Presidential Ad (warning: their both Anti-Obama spots):
Celeb:
Puzzle:
The Darrell ad is also a finalist for Best Independent Group Ad, here are the other two finalists:
Running Man:
Class Elections:
The TruthandHope.Org team, and creative leader Lee Hirsch will be at the Reed's & hopefully taking home the awards!
As for what we are working on now, a few projects have been presented, but I am clear that the issue we need to tackle next is the ongoing Prop 8 fight in California. I wish we had been involved during the campaign, particularly after seeing the media approach used by the 'No on 8' campaign. My belief is that this issue needs to be taken beyond the rhetoric & surface arguments & humanized. Once again, telling real people's stories, sharing how this is an issue about love & relationship not politics & dogma will move the public to the right choice.
Prop 8 passed by a narrow margin, and I feel that if the stories of couples who were, would be or someday might marry as an expression of their love & devotion were told, that the majority of Californians would not deny this right. That is the approach we will take, and that is our next campaign, for this fight is not over. It is in the courts now, but if upheld there will be a new proposition to right the wrong. If overturned, the Prop 8 forces will redouble their efforts. And, the forces behind Prop 8 are already prepared for a full on recall effort to take away the fair minded judges who granted marriage equality in the first place. We need to stand with those judges, as this fight will come to us soon after the verdict is rendered.
If you can help us get underway with this new project & to support our continued work in general, please donate at our ActBlue page.
Thank you for your help is getting us this far & going forward as there is still so much to do,
Eugene Hedlund
Founder/Chair
TruthandHope.Org