Meet Chris Deschene. He's Diné (Navajo). He's a Democrat. He's running for Arizona Secretary of State. And he's endorsed by INDN's List.
You can read Mr. Deschene's entire bio here. He's a lawyer specializing in renewable energy, an engineer, an Arizona state legislator, a Marine Corps veteran, a husband, a father of two children - and a solid progressive Democrat. He's already declared that one of his priorities will be cracking down on voting irregularities - as in voter suppression.
And lest anyone forget how important the Secretary of State's office is in Arizona, remember that it's first in line of succession to the Governor's mansion. Indeed, that was how we got Jan Brewer: a Republican Secretary of State who ascended to the governorship by default when Janet Napolitano was appointed head of DHS. And that, my friends, is how we got the abomination that is AZ SB 1070.
So it's time for Kossacks to support Chris Deschene. Visit his site. If you live in Arizona, sign up here to volunteer. And:
CONTRIBUTE HERE VIA ACT BLUE - NOW!!!
Note: This is the link to donate to INDN's List and to be entered in the drawing for the star quilt. Details accompany the quilt photos below. If you wish to donate directly to Chris Deschene, you may do so via the link at his site, above; however, only donations via INDN's List are eligible for entry in the star quilt and photo drawings.
Why does this matter? Here's why:
If you're unable to view the embed, here's a message from INDN's List founder Kalyn Free:
Since 2005, INDN's List has helped elect 45 American Indian candidates in 16 states. We have won 70% of our races and have brought about an unprecedented wave of electoral victories in Indian Country.
This November, all of that progress is at risk!
The Republican Party believes 2010 will be the year they retake legislative chambers across the country. They are spending record amounts of money on legislative races. And their money is targeting several candidates we worked so hard in the past to elect. They are also using Karl Rove style tactics to attack our elected officials and lie about their records.
The only way we can fight this attack is through your donations! Every single donation is vital. Please take a moment to donate $25, $50, $200, or whatever amount you can possibly spare.
INDN's List not only directly contributes to the campaigns of American Indian candidates across the country, but we also provide strategic guidance and tactical advice that allows American Indian candidates to run the smartest campaigns possible. That is how we have achieved so much success in the past. This year, with the proper resources, we can make sure our candidates are not overrun by Republican lies and Republican money.
We need your help today! Your contribution will be put to work immediately to ensure our candidates have the resources they need to fight back.
In fact, if we are able to raise enough money, we have a plan to actually win new seats this November. INDN's List has identified several races where Indian candidates have a real opportunity to win new seats. With your help, we can win legislative seats in states that have never had an Indian representative, like Wisconsin and Kansas. We have targeted a candidate running statewide in Arizona, which has never elected an Indian statewide!
Please donate now to help us not only defend our elected officials who are being targeted by the GOP but actually pick up additional seats! Let's continue the progress of electing American Indian candidates throughout America.
Yakoke,*
Kalyn Free
President, INDN's List
PS: This is the most important time for donations! We are making important targeting decisions and your donations will help us expand our map to protect our incumbents and challenge new seats where there is a great opportunity to pick them up! Please donate today to help make 2010 our best year yet.
*"Thank You," in Choctaw.
NOW, WHAT'S ALL THIS ABOUT A STAR QUILT?
My relations, you really have to get in on this.
All My Relations, a traditional star quilt hand-crafted by Kossack Sara R.
My relations, I have had the privilege of seeing a couple of Sara R's quilts firsthand, and I can attest to their healing properties. And while I have only seen this one in photos, I have a feeling that those properties are going to be unusually powerful. I also have a feeling that it's going to find its way to someone with a particular need for what it can offer. So please, give yourself a shot at winning it!
The Community Quilt Project Supports INDN's List
"All My Relations"
It is with great pleasure that I announce a drawing for a quilt. The above pictured star quilt, "All My Relations", was made from 200 diamond shaped patches signed at the 2008 Netroots Nation in Austin, TX. An additional four signatures of prominent bloggers were appliqued in the four corners: Meteor Blades, Speaks Lightning (known as Ojibwa on Daily Kos), Winter Rabbit, and Dengre. A full list of signatories may be found here. My own design, I machined pieced and hand quilted this piece.
I made the quilt in a promise to navajo to make something to support Native American people. She chose the beneficiary INDN's List, an organization supporting the election of Native Americans to public office. Please visit the INDN's List website and learn more about them!
Every contribution of $10 or more per day on this Act Blue page between now and August 15, 2010 will represent one chance in a drawing for the quilt on the last day of August.
The quilt measures 65" x 67", is made of cotton fabrics, cotton batting, and is decorated with Austrian crystals, Czech beads, and a piece of rutilated quartz at the center. The quilt is sleeved for hanging.
The quilt in a hoop for hand quilting
The quilt could be yours.
If you cannot donate, you may also enter by writing an essay of 50 words or less on this subject: "INDN's List's Mission -- Why it Benefits Everybody". Put the title in the subject line and email your essay on or before August 15, 2010 to communityquilts (at) yahoo (dot) com. If we find your essay to be topical, we will enter you for one chance in the drawing; one essay per person.
Thank you in advance for your support of INDN's List.
SUNDAY SPECIAL - TODAY ONLY!
As I write this, we have 183 supporters and $3,640 raised. Our goal is $10,000 - and we only have one week left! I'd really, REALLY like to see us get to $5,000 today.
Now, I can't offer dinner with Meteor Blades, or one of Robyn Serven's stunning pieces of graphic art, or one of Eddie C's professional photos. My offer doesn't fall into that Kossack celebrity category. But I will offer a small prize to one winner among today's donors - an unframed print of The Sun Society, which I took several years ago at Three Rivers Petroglyphs. (Ack - now I have to go buy printer ink!) Here's the image:
The glyphs are supposed to be more than 1,000 years old. I can't know what was in the artist's mind, but I like to think that s/he was creating an image of the day: The sun, containing within it the Four Sacred Directions, encircled by 23 dots - equaling 24 spaces, or hours of the day.
Be sure to follow Sara R's instructions above with regard to donating, so that you're automatically entered in the quilt drawing, and in today's drawing for the photo.
Finally: I know that we've come to the well a lot this year. And I know - do I ever know - how tight money is. But this is an unusually important cause, and one that will help all of us in the long run. As Kalyn Free says, "When Indians vote, America wins." To that, I would add:
"When Indian Democrats are elected, America wins."
So please: Help us help INDN's List elect some Indian Democrats!
Chi miigwech!