Hi Bay Area Kossacks!
I'm the co-chair of the Agenda committee of "Rock the Congress: SF & Peninsula," we're all set to go on Saturday, March 24, at Balboa High School in San Francisco, and I'd like to see you there! (Yes, it's the same day as March for our Lives, and we're coordinated with them -- see below.)
It is a day-long conference dedicated to building a strong, lasting coalition of organizations laser-focused on winning elections and regaining control of Congress.
The conference features intensive training sessions on topics such as direct action tactics (e.g., canvassing, phone and text banking, voter registration, postcards), social media and campaign technology, and media and messaging.
Featured speakers include Pod Save America's Dan Pfeiffer, CA State Controller Betty Yee, and Congressman Eric Swalwell. You'll also get updates on crucial races and have the chance to network with leading organizers working on the 2018 midterms.
Two tracks are dedicated to "Coalition" workshops, which provide opportunities for leaders to roll up their sleeves and dive right into coalition-building efforts on the spot. We'll have professional facilitators to help us develop action plans for November! (This is part of some very exciting inter-organizational coalition work going on here in the Bay Area that will roll out across the country. We're already working on a Northern California coordinated calendar for ALL events, very similar to SoCal Swing Left's , with the goal of making the software and the procedures available nation-wide ASAP. We're also planning to develop a coordinated directory and a coordinated "bat signal" if the Trumpster Fire does something unusually abrupt 'n stupid (wow, that's really saying something) that calls for instant response. I'll write this up as a separate diary soon; meanwhile, if you want to get involved, come to Rock the Congress or contact me, EricS, on Kosmail.)
There was a previous Rock the Congress: North Bay event that was highly successful and that was the inspiration for this one. We're now creating a cookbook about how to run Rock the Congress events nation-wide, and we already have some others going in the Bay Area. Other cities, e.g., Philadelphia, Minneapolis are interested, too.
We stand in solidarity with our youth and fellow activists who are rallying to force our elected officials to finally take action and stop the continued mass murders that have taken the lives of so many in our country. Therefore, we have incorporated programming such as a workshop on how to advocate for better gun laws, featuring Moms Demand Action -- a movement that has been working nationwide to decrease gun violence since 2012. That training, along with others that will be useful for young activists, is scheduled in the morning so that attendees may participate in March for Our Lives (an easy BART ride away) in the afternoon.
Cost is $25 to $100; student discounts and limited scholarships are available. This is a 100% volunteer-run event; all funds are for expenses for this and future Rock the Congress conferences. For more info and to register, visit: Eventbrite
Date: Saturday, March 24th 8:30am - 6:00pm
Location: Balboa High School,1000 Cayuga Ave, San Francisco, CA 94112. (Under a ten-minute walk from the Balboa Park BART Station, and also accessible by the J Muni line and 8, 14, 43, and 54 buses.)
If you have any questions, just Kosmail me, EricS.