Is it really that soon? Yes. Netroots Nation takes place this year August 13-16 in Pittsburgh, PA, at the beautiful and ridiculously green David Lawrence Convention Center.
A few weeks ago, in my role as Board chairman I joined the NN staff in Pittsburgh to scout the location (including a staff trip to audition bars for the third annual NN Pub Quiz) as well as to meet with Pennsylvania Democratic leaders visiting that same weekend for the annual state party convention. What I can tell you is that there's a level of enthusiasm and interest from the locals that's unprecedented, and we plan to have a lot of Keystone State involvement and perspective in our proceedings.
In recent days, we've started to roll out the panels and workships which will constitute the 2009 agenda, including:
Turning Red Districts Blue: Organizing For Change
Democrats and progressives won huge victories in 2008, gaining the presidency and winning big majorities in the House and Senate. Yet millions of progressives live in the shadow of Red districts held by Republican Congressmembers, state senators and assemblymembers. Panelists will relate their experiences in helping turn Red districts Blue and will offer advice on how you can help oust Republicans in your own district, from organizing voter registration drives and influencing local media to affecting your local committees and recruiting good candidates.
PANELISTS: Adam Lambert, Matt Browner Hamlin, Darcy Burner, David Atkins
Advocating for Reproductive Rights in the Age of Obama
The mainstream media may think having a pro-choice president is all that matters, but reproductive rights activists know there's so much more to the issue. Instead of just making up for ground lost under Bush, how can we push for a reproductive justice framework, where more people have their real needs met? Most importantly, how can we use online tools like blogs and social media to spread the word despite silence from many mainstream sources?
PANELISTS: Aimee Thorne-Thomson, Joerg Dreweke, Jodi Jacobson, Amanda Marcotte
Si Se Puede 2.0
President Obama pledged to tackle immigration reform during his first year in office—even borrowing the immigrant rights slogan "Si Se Puede"—and has reaffirmed his campaign promise as President. Now, with immigration reform on the horizon and more urgent than ever, progressives are engaging new audiences with creative and interactive strategies and content on immigration. In this session, we’ll discuss online and offline strategies to motivate diverse communities to take action on this key issue. Learn how to leverage mobile and blog strategies, 3D games, video documentaries, creative online actions, and viral videos to create change.
PANELISTS: Madhuri Mohindar, Nicola Wells, Jackie Mahendra, Crissy Spivey
If there's a theme you'll detect in the panels this year, it's about doing. Those of us in the panel selection process put great weight on those panel proposals which didn't just talk about an issue, but took the next step to highlighting steps activists could take in making change real.
In the coming days and weeks, we'll continue to unveil the list of panels, and start telling you about the featured speakers at our keynote and plenary sessions. I can't drop any hints now, but I suspect our community will be pleased to see stacks of leading politicians and thinkers eager to greet our community, to talk with us and to listen.
In addition, I know the next slate of DFA Scholarship recipients will be rolled out very soon.
All that's left, of course, is you. Have you registered yet? That $275 price will go up to $325 as soon as we sell out that level, so make your commitment to join us in Pittsburgh today.
I'm happy to answer any questions you have.