Meteor Blades
Navajo
I'm very excited and thrilled to announce that Meteor Blades and Navajo will be at our next meet up!! Save the date, RSVP in comments below and join us as we kick off 2015 with a bang! (I'm personally thrilled to meet both in person as they've provided immense support to me since joining Daily Kos!)
Where: Pyramid Alehouse, Brewery and Restaurant
1201 First Ave S. (across from the sports stadium - free parking)
Executive Room
Date: Saturday, 1/17/15
Time: 12:30 - 3:00
Why: Connect, Unite and help plan Action for 2015!
Cost: $20.00 cash only (includes gratuity & choices from selected menu (TBD).
Max Occ: 40
Pyramid is on the corner across from the Mariners' Stadium
Great selection of brews, great food and a lively atmosphere.
This meet-up will be an excellent opportunity to invite a friend and introduce them to our friendly group and wonderful DK community.
Sometimes I find it heartening and invigorating to reflect on the past. It seems impossible this group has only been in existence for about a year but if you recall
Eagle of Freedom on 12/17/13 sent out his diary asking this question:
"Why don't we have a Seattle-specific Kossack group?"
Luckily for us he didn't just ask the question but stepped up the the plate and took on the task of organizing one and on February 1, 2014 twelve of us had our first meetup.
We failed to get a group picture that day but the attendees were bleeding blue, John Crapper & Spouse, MLharges, doingbusinessas, Regina in Sears Kit House & Spouse, N in Seattle, TBone Apollo, FlamingoGrrl and EagleofFreedom.
When Kathy and I arrived EagleofFreedom was already seated at the table staring into his computer. He immediately stood up with a big smile on his face, extended his hand and introduced himself. I liked him from that first moment! Immediately stimulating conversation ensued. As others arrived this scene was repeated time and again with all immediately comfortable in the knowledge we were with kindred spirits.
There was no silent tension in the room as you often experience when confronted with many you've never met. We were kossacks! We knew our mindsets. We were automatically comfortable with each other.
As I recall, it was at that meeting that EagleofFreedom let it be known there was a possibility he was going to be relocating to another city soon. The call went out for a back-up group organizer. I volunteered. Why? Because I wanted to continue to see the kindred spirits seated around me.
In the words of EagleofFreedom after our second meetup in April,2014 the last one he organized before departing to live in the San Francisco Bay area:
Left to right:
mlharges, bleeding blue, Ojibwa, Ms. bleeding blue, ReasonableGunsPlz, John Crapper's Girl, EagleOfFreedom, John Crapper, RickEagle, Momomia, N in Seattle
If you’ve been on the fence about coming out to a Seattle & Puget Sound Kossacks meetup, or probably any Kossacks meetup around the country, I encourage you to set aside your apprehension and go to the meetup closest to you. And if there isn’t one, send a Kosmail to Navajo and ask her if she knows of one. That was what I did, and look where it got me? It got me something I’ll be happy I was part of making happen and people I was happy to meet forever. And in a world that has a lot of bad things in it that we are all fighting to change, sometimes just having your Kossack Komrades to commiserate with is just the thing you need to recharge and reenergize for the next fight.
I miss him at our meetups!
EagleOfFreedom
So now, with 2015 around the corner, I find myself once again volunteering to take on more. Why? Because I want other Kossacks in other cities around our state to have the same experiences we've been having.
You may have noticed I've volunteered to take on the additional role of the community building leader for Washington State. I'm humbled, honored and very excited to be allowed to assume this new role. I'm counting on all of you to help me. I'll need it!
Here is the formal announcement posted by navajo on Daily Kos on Friday, 12/12/14.
Announcing Daily Kos State Meet-ups, Pep Talk events and two State Leaders!
Pep Talks: Our first Pep Talk is scheduled in Seattle on January 17, 2015 and I'm pleased to announce John Crapper as our State Leader for Washington! He's been doing a great job of organizing Seattle and we need him to roll out that process around the state to create more groups. Meteor Blades, with his valuable 12-years experience as a precinct captain in Los Angeles, will be attending. I've found that when the Daily Kos staff attend various meet-ups it becomes a very energizing event for all. Earlier this year we had rewarding Pep Talks with Los Angeles and Sacramento. Both of those groups grew in size and calibre of action, such as, delivering a Daily Kos petition to the labor board at LAX. John Crapper has proposed visionary plans for Washington and we are going to show our support.
Follow below the orange hairpiece for a look back at 2014
Again, I ask all of you to recall. At our third meetup in May our turnout doubled!
Left to right: Back row: Gemina13, TBone Apollo,Toymaker, Sir Vantes, Lefty Coaster, dougiemac
3rd row: Bleeding Blue, Ratcityreprobrate, Jeff - Piren's SO, momomia, Regina in a Sears Kit House, Regina's SO Joel,
2nd row: Christine friend of Flamingogrrl, Piren, Flamingogrrl, doingbusinessas, N in Seattle,
Front row: Grey Fedora, John Crapper
Taking picture: John Crapper's SO
We toasted to EagleofFreedom!
In
June we met once again and came up with a list of guest speakers we'd like to have address our group at future meetups.
In a subsequent meetup in August that planning continued.
In October there was a packed room sharing ideas and lunch with our guest Seattle City Councilmember Kshama Sawant who gained national attention in her successful push to get the $15.00 minimum wage passed in Seattle.
Seattle City Council member Kshama Sawant
Council position 2, In office since 2014.
Finally, thanks to the efforts of
bleedingblue we ended the year with a packed room and a
blockbuster meeting with Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon just four days after the disastrous mid-term elections.
Rep. Joe Fitzgiibbon WA 34th and Chair of the WA St. Environment Committee addressing our group.
Joe did not beat around the bush with his assessment of the results. He gave it to all of us straight up and did not sugar coat anything.
So that's a quick look back on our first year's meetups. Upon reflection I'm sure you'll agree we had some wonderful, interesting and productive times. Let's keep the momentum going in 2015!
In the coming weeks I'll be sharing some ideas and asking for your feedback. I'm counting on your help and support. Together I'm sure we can accomplish great things!
This meetup is the perfect time to bring a friend and introduce them to our friendly group and the wonderful Daily Kos community!
And now that I reflect on it this first meeting of 2015 will be taking place in the same room we had our first ever. The only difference is this time it will only be our group in it. That's progress!
Let's fill it to capacity! See you there!
Below is the list of people who have already RSVP'd.
Lefty Coaster
PennyGC
Momomia
Momomia's friend
doingbusinessas
Smrichmond
capt snagger
bleeding blue
John Crapper
John Crapper's SO
Ryan P - guest of JC
Kitsap River
Kitsap River's SO
and of course as our friends and guests
Meteor Blades
&
Navajo
Maybe: Angie in WA State
Our group is the hub of a wheel with spokes emanating from that hub. A place where people can share their reasons for being part of Daily KOS. A place where people can inform others of their activist efforts so like-minded individuals can connect. A place where we can invite others to join our community. A place to make new members feel welcome and connected. And a forum giving us the opportunity to hear from our local leaders and us a chance to share our ideas with them. And a place to gather and have a good time.
Join us!