A daily series, Connect! Unite! Act! seeks to create face-to-face networks in each congressional district. Groups regularly socialize but also get out the vote, support candidates and engage in other local political actions that help our progressive movement grow and exert influence on the powers-that-be. Visit us at Daily Kos every morning at 7:30 A.M. Pacific Time to see how you can get involved. The comment thread is fun and light-hearted, but we're serious about moving the progressive political agenda forward.
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The orange pinpoints are the location of each organized group of Daily Kos readers.
If you'd like to join a group, click on a point and a box will pop up showing contact links.
If you'd like to start a group, contact navajo for instructions.
View Interactive Map of Daily Kos Regional Communities in a full screen version.
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How well do you know Asheville, North Carolina?
If you have been anywhere near Daily Kos these past several weeks, you almost certainly couldn't help notice that an amazing regional event
is in the works to be held in Asheville, North Carolina on September 26th. Our own
navajo has been working her butt to the bone to see that every
t is crossed and every
i, dotted.
Meteor Blades will be there along with
Denise Oliver Velez. A very special honor by the president of the NAACP,
Reverend William J. Barber II, has been bestowed. He will be blessing the gathering at
St. James African Methodist Episcopal Church and all are welcome. If you haven't registered for the event yet, there is still time to do so. The time and effort put into this gathering of minds promises to be an empowering moment for those hoping to effect change in a challenging part of our country.
The choice of location has me intrigued. I have been doing a little digging. I've never visited Asheville and knew very little about the city. So I did a little research about Asheville yesterday, and I'm even more jealous of those attending than I was before. This city is pretty awesome. Daily Kos couldn't have chosen a more ideal location to hold this regional gathering. It appears to have it all. It is steeped in history, set in truly beautiful surroundings and is a rising blue dot in a sea of red. It begs to be reached out to and passionately explored.
The story of how Asheville came to be is sadly familiar. It was explorer Hernando de Soto who "discovered" this land within the borders of the Cherokee Nation in 1540. Eventually, a man by the name of Colonel Samuel Davidson claimed a piece of the land for himself and his family even though it wasn't his land to claim. He was killed and retaliation was swift and brutal against the Cherokee. A lot of blood was spilled and Asheville became a white settlement. That, tragically, was that.
The Civil War was kind to Asheville. It eluded devastating battle and was left largely intact but in extreme poverty after the war was over. It slowly recovered and prospered during the Golden Age when a railroad was inevitably built through it in 1894. Shortly after, a trust fund baby, George Washington Vanderbilt, built himself a modest 178,926 square foot residence nearby, Biltmore. The estate remains in the hands of the Vanderbilts to this day. It stays afloat now, largely by largess of the entry fees paid by all the little people who want to take a peek at bloated wealth at its most extravagant.
Asheville thrived during the roaring 20s, becoming a happening place to be. When the Great Depression arrived, the Vanderbilts had scraped by and saved Biltmore as a testimony to the damages done for the sake of unlimited wealth. However, Asheville itself was dealt a lethal economic blow that lasted well into the 1980s. As a result, the architecture of the city remained intact, albeit terribly run down. Progressive people saw an opportunity, and are creating something unique, historically in touch and forward-thinking. At the foot of one of the most extravagant homes ever built in this country is a community that has seen the mistakes of our past and is looking forward to not making them again.
Therein rests the brilliance of the host location. Even with the Biltmore Estate remaining a grand tourist attraction, the town of Asheville is in serious competition for hearts, minds and souls because the city itself has so much heart, mind and soul. Asheville has become a huge draw for people who see the potential for change in a resistant, yet resilient south. Daily Kos knew where to throw this party and the location rocks.
Send me a postcard!
Latest Updates on Regional Meet-Up News Can Be Found Below the Orange Group Hug.
Let's Build Communities!
Our team is here to provide support and guidance to new and existing volunteer leaders of each regional and state group, helping them with recruiting, organizing and executing social and action events.
We invite you to join in this effort to build our community. There are many ways to pitch in.
If there isn't a group to join near you, please start one.
Instructions on HOW TO FORM A NEW DAILY KOS GROUP
List of All Existing Meatspace Groups
Where the Kogs Are: Index/Directory of the 130+ Localized Daily Kos Groups
THINK GLOBALLY, ACT LOCALLY
Colorado: Wednesdays, 6:00 PM Mountain
Michigan: Wednesdays, 6:00 PM Eastern
North Carolina: Sundays, 1:00 PM Eastern
Washington: Sundays, 3:30 PM Pacific
Event Organizers! Please contact wink from Netrootsradio.com by KosMail to schedule airtime with them to live broadcast the date of your Event. Wink & Justice will then promote it on The After Show radio program!
Saturday, September 26, 2015
Daily Kos Connects Asheville
LOCATION: US Cellular Center in the Banquet Hall
87 Haywood Street • Asheville, North Carolina
Grow our network, unite our progressive communities, help win elections!
Join us for a day of progressive strategizing and camaraderie with Big Orange flavor. In a day-long seminar, learn how our Connect! Unite! Act! team used the Daily Kos forum to help affect change in North Carolina state politics. Participants will focus on organizing from the ground up. You'll also get a chance to meet the blog's founder, Markos Moulitsas and some Daily Kos writers, such as Joan McCarter, Meteor Blades, Denise Oliver-Velez and others.
8:00 AM - Registration and continental breakfast
9:00 AM - Morning Session:
• Welcome by navajo
• Ask Me Anything & discussion of the politics of our site by kos
• Data-Driven Activism by Bill Busa
• Southerners on New Ground (LGBTQ Organization) presentation by Mary Hooks
• NC NAACP Attorney Al McSurely interviewed by Denise Oliver-Velez
• Video interview of Activist and Filmmaker Bree Newsom by Shaun King
Noon - Free lunch provided
1:00 PM - Afternoon Session:
• NC Dem Party Chair Patsy Keever interviewed by Joan McCarter
• Exploring the Power of Local Media featuring Scrutiny Hooligans’ blogger Tom Sullivan, local radio host Jeff Messer & The Urban News publisher Johnnie Nelson-Grant moderated by Meteor Blades
• Environmental Concerns in NC by FishoutofWater
• Rural Healthcare Realities in NC by TBirchard
• Video interview of Campaign Zero Activist DeRay McKesson by Shaun King
• Leveraging Local & State Government Through Citizen Activism by Democratic State Sen. Terry Van Duyn, City Councilman Gordon Smith & citizen activist Barry Summers
• Activism Leads to Coalition by Barry Summers, Carmen Ramos-Kennedy & Elaine Lite
5:00 PM - After party at nearby Lexington Avenue Brewery, 39 North Lexington Avenue. You'll need a wristband from the day event to get in.
$30 registration fee required for Saturday's events
Seating is limited to 200.
Parking at US Cellular
Pre-Events:
Friday, September 25, 2015
11:00 AM Friday Fish Fry - Fish sandwiches $7, includes chips & soda!
12:15 PM - 2:30 PM, Church opens at noon
St. James African Methodist Episcopal Church,
44 Hildebrand Street - 2.5 miles from Crowne Plaza; 0.6 miles walking distance from Crowne Plaza shuttle drop-off near US Cellular
Rev. William Barber II, president of the NC NAACP, will welcome Daily Kos to Asheville and speak about the Moral Monday Movement, blessing by Reverend Edwards, introduction by Denise Oliver-Velez, vocal performance by Yara Allen • No charge for this event but donations to the church are welcome
Friday, September 25, 2015
3:00 - 4:00 PM
Rev. William Barber II, president of the NC NAACP, was was inducted into the traveling exhibition of 52 inspiring portraits of courageous Americans titled Americans Who Tell the Truth on September 19, 2015. Please join us as we walk through this superb gallery of amazing Americans documented in portraiture by famed artist, Robert Shetterly. YMI Cultural Center, 39 S. Market Street
(0.5 mile walk from St. James AME Church)
$10 donation suggested for this labor of love
Friday, September 25, 2015
5:30 - 8:30 PM
No-Host Mixer, The Bywater, 796 Riverside Drive
(2.5 miles from hotel and US Cellular)
Post-Event:
Sunday, September 27, 2015
9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
No-Host Brunch, Crowne Plaza, 1 Resort Drive,
Overlook Restaurant
Logistics:
Hotel providing the best rate:
Crowne Plaza, 1 Resort Drive
Double-bed rooms available:
Thursday, 09/24/15 - $129.00 plus 11% tax
Friday, 09/25/15 - $209.00 plus 11% tax
Saturday, 09/26/15 - $209.00 plus 11% tax
Reservations: 888-211-7755
Mention KOS as the group code.
Hotel Airport Shuttle cost:
14.5 miles from AVL Airport
Hotel Shuttle to/from AVL Airport $20 per person, each way.
Flight details must be provided to hotel 72 hours in advance notice for arrivals, 24-hour notice for departures.
Hotel Shuttle to US Cellular $5 per person, round-trip
Drop-off location is 0.2 mile walk from US Cellular
Questions? Need a scholarship? Send me a kosmail.
Saturday, September 26th
Colorado COmmunity and Pikes Peak Region Kos Ride the Pikes Peak Cog Railway
TIME: 10:40 AM
LOCATION: Pikes Peak Cog Railway
515 Ruxton Ave • Manitou Springs
ORGANIZER: Send ColoTim a kosmail to attend
RSVPs:
1. ColoTim
2. Mrs. ColoTim
3. Leftcandid
4. Cedar Foote
5. Cedar Foote's guest
6.
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Maybees:
Badkitties
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Latest info: Colorado COmmunity meet-up proposed
Saturday, September 26th
Houston Kos Meet-up
TIME: 1:00 PM
LOCATION: Simply Pho
2929 Milam Street • Houston
ORGANIZER: Send Chrislove a kosmail to attend
RSVPs:
1. Chrislove
2. nomandates
3. jmbar2
4. Delilah
5. scott5js
6. Blood
7. JJR1971
8. NoBlinkers
9. Mr. NoBlinkers
10. |
Maybees:
MarciaJ720
Baby NoBlinkers
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Latest diary: Houston Area Kossacks: Meetup Scheduled for Saturday, September 26
Saturday, September 26th
Dallas Kos Meet-up
TIME: Noon
LOCATION: Ojeda's Mexican Restaurant
4617 Maple Avenue • Dallas
ORGANIZER: Send Andy T a kosmail to attend
RSVPs:
1. Andy T
2. Catte Nappe
3.
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Maybees: |
Latest diary: Dallas Kossacks Round Up and Meet-Up!
Saturday, October 3rd
Seattle & Puget Sound Kos Meet-up
TIME: 1:00 PM
LOCATION: Columbia City Ale House
4914 Rainier Ave. S. • Seattle
ORGANIZER: Send John Crapper a kosmail to attend
RSVPs:
1. John Crapper
2. John Crapper's SO
3. bleeding blue
4. momomia
5. Penny GC
6. doingbusinessas
7. TBApollo
8. kakumeiji maru
Max. Occupancy: 24
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Maybees:
Piren
EagleKeeper
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Latest diary: S&PS Kos - It's Time for a Meetup!
by Chrislove ♥ for Houston Area Kossacks
Another Houston event! Great job, Chris. Photos below:
L-R: Chrislove, Delilah, scott5js, cosette & suesue
L-R: htowngenie, her son, Blood, JJR1971 and PIZZA!
You can join Houston Area Kossacks by sending a Kosmail to Chrislove.
by smileycreek ♥ for Butte County kossacks of CA-01
12 Kossacks from California's large First Congressional District made the trek to downtown Chico for camaraderie! Led by CUA Lady Co-Diva, smileycreek!
L-R: side pocket, smileycreek & paradise50
L-R: teresa, jesterman, Everett, Alice & Chico David RN
L-R: voracious, paradise50, side pocket & FoundingFatherDAR
Please visit smileycreek's diary for many MORE photos! Enjoy! You can still REC it. You can join Butte County kossacks of CA-01 by sending a Kosmail to smileycreek.
navajo's Last Minute Trip to DC
by navajo ♥ for Connect! Unite! Act!
Here are two photos of the readers who took up a last minute invitation to join navajo for dinner or drinks, many thanks, what a pleasure to meet them all in real life!
Reston, VA - Thursday, August 13, 2015
L-R: Diana in NoVa, JamieG in Md, Elizabeth Amy Miller, Edward Adams, NinthElegy and navajo
Washington, D.C. - Saturday, August 15, 2015
L-R: navajo, mollyd, Edward Adams and mimi
navajo maintains the above event list. Kosmail her if you have any diaries
about your event or if you have changes or additions.
EVERYONE is welcome, tell us what you're working on,
share your show and tell, vent, whatever you want.
This is an open thread. Nothing is off topic.