Volunteering for Kamala Harris has been a profoundly powerful experience. Though I can’t disclose private campaign information, I can share about public campaign events available online and what my observations and feelings about have been.
In 2008, the first candidate I volunteered for was Barack Obama. I spent half a day canvassing in North Hollywood. Then I went to Long Beach and spent the 2nd half of that Saturday doing phone banking. Up until this year, that was all the campaign volunteering I had ever done.
I’ve now been volunteering for Kamala’s campaign for the past 3 months and 10 days. No other candidate has ever inspired me more. I believe in Senator Harris with all my heart.
8/17/19: My journey started at Camp Kamala in Burbank, California. Looking back now, I wish I’d taken a few pics just to remember that first day. Alas, I’m usually too actively involved in experiences to even remember to take pictures while going through big moments in my life. I’m getting better about doing that (as you’ll soon see below!).
I remember how I figured I’d volunteer for whatever needed doing. Probably nothing important.
No task would be too small. Even if I could only contribute once or twice a month, I’d do what little I could to help.
However...a veteran volunteer from Hillary’s 2016 campaign who was there suggested we name the team HOLLYWOOD FOR HARRIS. She followed that suggestion up by pointing at me and the woman seated next to me and then announced:
“And you and you will be the co-captains!”
Needless to say, my eyes widened as I forced a smile and turned my head to glance at my new fellow co-captain. Dear Lord, what had we gotten ourselves into?!
8/25/19: My co-captain and I set up an introductory meeting for people in our area to get to know each other and worked on our “elevator pitches” about why we supported Kamala.
9/7/19: We had our 1st official team meeting and started to delegate tasks: recruitment, phone banks, etc.
9/15/19: I and two others made volunteer recruitment calls over the weekend.
9/22/19: We started phone banking for Kamala! Making calls to voters in other states was a first for me. No, I can’t disclose contents of conversations. But I will say getting a Trump supporter on the phone in the first hour was a memorable experience (especially when he answered the phone pretending to have a Mexican accent).
I’m embarrassed to admit I only made 20 calls that day, but I was scared and nervous. And I needed to go slowly to learn how to talk to people and engage them in conversation in a way that made them feel at ease speaking about politics with a total stranger.
10/6/19: Had a meeting with my Volunteer Recruitment team to do training.
10/13/19: More phone banking. I got up to 38 calls! Then our Phone Bank Team captain told me she’d made 70 calls. I’ll own it—I felt competitive and vowed to do more next time!
10/20/19: Another phone bank. Had some computer issues so I couldn’t see the number of calls I made this time, dang it! :(
11/2/19 and 11/3/19: Yet another phone bank. This time I made 51 calls, WOO-HOO! A new record! And I connected with multiple Kamala supporters, plus I persuaded someone who was on the fence to support Kamala! What a rush! :)
In addition, I spent 6 hours split over 2 days helping paint Kamala’s Los Angeles office (with help of caffeine and doughnuts!) alongside several other volunteers which was both fun and colorful…
I painted all of the yellow section and a good portion of the purple...
By the time I got done, I had yellow paint in my hair, on my face, on my glasses and my T-shirt and jeans. Luckily, I ran into the bathroom and after 20 minutes, I got all of it off with soap and water—thus saving my glasses, jeans and my beloved KAMALA HARRIS FOR THE PEOPLE T-shirt!
11/10/19: My beloved co-captain asked to step back from co-leading and requested that I take over as sole captain of our team. Scared but determined, I said yes!
Kamala’s L.A. office had its grand opening and here are a few pics that were posted on Facebook and Twitter…
You can see me with glasses and a crew cut on the far left in this next pic...
Hollywood For Harris had another phone bank that weekend, too. My laptop crashed, but the team valiantly made calls without me.
11/16/19: The California Democratic Convention in Long Beach! Over 200 volunteers for Kamala were out in full force!
We marched through the lobby, down the escalators and stopped for an impromptu rally where we chanted, sang and danced. I can’t show you a video of me dancing (a poor man’s Blues Brother at best, LOL), but here are a couple pics. Ya can’t miss me in those burgundy pants…
We were by far the most diverse (and LARGEST!) group of supporters there! Then we marched through the basement past all the candidates’ booths and back up the escalator to stand out front of the Long Beach Convention Center. Volunteers were encouraged to step up and give testimonials. I took a deep breath and forced myself to raise my hand. Then I stepped into the center of the crowd, held up my rally sign and raised my voice to give it all my all…
By this time, all that shouting, singing and chanting had left me very hoarse. But I decided someone needed to speak up about gun violence (as I am a victim of that twice over) as well as addressing LGBTQ issues and how Kamala is the best person to address both because of her pragmatic and innovative proposals!
After lunch, a volunteer from my team and I trudged back to The Courtyard Marriott to sit down in the Ballroom for a mid-day team meeting. We did a round of “social media speed-dating” to get to know our fellow volunteers. People stood up to share stories about what each team was doing to help Kamala. Then we watched a live broadcast of Kamala being interviewed on Univision.
Both of us were tired and our feet hurt. By now, we’d been there almost 6 hours. We were debating whether to stay for the last 2 caucuses or head home.
That is when the doors popped open...and in walked Kamala!
The crowd went wild! Everyone jumped to their feet, screamed and gave her a standing ovation!
Instead of going home after her interview, she insisted on stopping by the ballroom to personally thank us volunteers for all of our hard work. it is not hyperbolic to say that when she walked into the room, it was like a bolt of lightning hit. She has a charismatic presence that you can feel. Every person in that room was rapt in attention. She has real stage presence and genuine warmth. She draws people to her.
After 7 hours on our feet, my volunteer and I were still giddy with excitement. The photo you see at the top of this diary is the closest I got to getting my picture taken with her. I really encourage people to go see her speak in person if you live in a caucus or primary state. Her personal magnetism is powerful and she is compelling in person.
On top of all that, the Campaign’s Regional Director for California introduced me and the volunteer with me to the crowd. Afterwards, a top notch recruit walked across the room to introduce himself to us asking to join our team! What a day and what a rush!
11/23/19: Yep, my team had yet another phone bank for Kamala. This time, we made around 270 calls! And that was part of a push last weekend which according to the campaign’s announcement posted on Facebook and Twitter last Sunday night ended up with a grand total of over 100,000 calls to Iowa—in just 2 days! :)
WHAT’S NEXT?
Every week, both my team and I are coming up with new ideas. More ways to recruit more volunteers. Increasing our number of phone banks. Planning for events all the way through to January. Even discussing possible trips from Hollywood to Vegas to canvass for Kamala!
Why put all of this in a diary? Because if you aren’t doing anything to help Kamala Harris, ask yourself why. Why aren’t you participating?
Take that next step. Come join us and be a part of one of most important campaigns in history. Help put a black woman in the White House! Just go to her website and sign up!
action.kamalaharris.org/…
Maybe you’re shy and introverted. If knocking on doors is too uncomfortable for you, why not make phone calls from the comfort of your own home?
Go to Mobilize and search for different events in your area. Virtual phone banks are available all the time and you can make calls without having to leave your house or apartment:
www.mobilize.us/…
And if talking to strangers on the phone scares you, too? Then you can always donate money to Kamala’s campaign here at this link if nothing else…
action.kamalaharris.org/…
Or you can contact the campaign and just offer to buy food like sandwiches or pastries or coffee or bottled water for one of their events. You get the food and beverages, drive to the local event in your area and drop off the items. Simple and easy.
The bottom line is, DO SOMETHING. Get involved!
If you believe in Kamala Harris and think she is a good candidate, don’t just sit here online reading about it or looking at pics from rallies and events. Send an email to the campaign. Sign up online at the website. Or make a call to the campaign. You can be a part of history. Being a volunteer for Kamala Harris has been and continues to be one of the greatest experiences of my life.
I’m proud to be an American and a voter who stays informed and actively involved. Nominating a Democratic candidate that’s never lost an election who can reunite the Obama coalition next year, drive voter turnout to record levels and help reclaim the Senate has never been more important to the future of our nation, if not the world.
We cannot afford 4 more years of Donald Trump. Dude gotta go.
KAMALA HARRIS CAN BRING JUSTICE TO A CORRUPT ADMINISTRATION AND BRING PEACE TO OUR NATION.
YES. WE. KAM.
Kamala2020 info and links are below!
- Newpioneer has rounded up some highlights of her sponsored legislation here.
- snowman3 has rounded up some more legislative highlights here.
- Gay CA Democrat lists 21 bills or proposals here.
Want to know more about her positions and plans? Read about Kamala’s Agenda for the People, and her Policies for the People. (Yes, the kamalaharris.org policy pages have been completely revamped and expanded.)
Go straight to an agenda item:
Affordable Housing, Children, Climate Change, Communities of Color, Criminal Justice Reform, Disabilities, Economic Justice, Education, Foreign Policy, Gender Equality, Gun Violence, Health Care, Immigration, Infrastructure, Labor, LGBTQ+ Equality, Veterans, Voting Rights & Our Democracy.
Or go straight to a policy:
Kamala's Medicare for All Plan key points and full policy. Kamala’s Plan to Set Fair Prescription Drug Prices key points and full policy. Kamala's Rent Relief & Lift Acts key points. Kamala’s Plan to Transform the Criminal Justice System and Re-Envision Public Safety in America key points and full policy. A Climate Plan For The People key points and full policy. Kamala’s Plan For Action On Gun Violence key points and full policy. America's Teachers Deserve A Raise key points and full policy. Reproductive Rights Action key points and full policy. Holding Corporations Accountable For Pay Inequality In America key points and full policy. Kamala’s Partnership With Rural America key points and full policy. Kamala's Children's Agenda key points and full policy. Kamala’s Commitment To Fight For Organized Labor key points and full policy. A New Roadmap to Citizenship for Dreamers key points and full policy. Kamala’s Commitment to Full Inclusion and Civil Rights for People with Disabilities key points and full policy. Fighting for Justice for Sexual Assault Survivors full policy. Combating Violent Hate key points and full policy. Kamala’s LGBTQ+ Plan To Provide Equality And Dignity For All key points and full policy. Kamala’s Promise to America’s Veterans and Military Families key points and full policy. Closing The Opportunity Gap key points and full policy. Closing The Homeownership Gap key points and full policy. Kamala’s Plan To Honor Tribal Sovereignty And Lift Up Native American Communities key points and full policy. Kamala’s plan to invest in infrastructure and build for America’s future full policy. Kamala’s Plan of Action for Asian Pacific Islander Americans full policy.
Please remember to visit our community group page Kamala2020 and give us a follow! That way all our group efforts will appear in your stream; this makes it easy for everyone to keep up with our latest posts. As always, any who would like to join our group please leave us a comment and we’ll get your invitation right out to you!
If you’d like to volunteer to host one of our Kamala 2020 diaries, please leave your comment in the ”Calling all Volunteers”thread.
Even if you can’t commit to a weekly spot due to your busy schedules, guest bloggers are always welcomed!
Please volunteer! Come share your story about why you support Kamala! YOUR VOICE MATTERS!
Upcoming schedule:
Saturday — November 30th — noweasels
Monday — December 2nd — DigitusImpudicus
Thursday—December 5th— Eccaba
Saturday—December 7th--thumbsupcecil
Monday—December 9th—
As we get closer to the first votes being cast the schedule is beginning to fill up. Let your voices be heard!
If you’re on Twitter, please follow@KamalaHarris and @SenKamalaHarris
(If you’re not on Twitter, bookmark to ersatz follow)
on Instagram: @kamalaharris
and facebook: KamalaHarris
Group Guidelines
The Kamala2020 community group has been created to positively support Senator Kamala Harris, and not to engage in negativity towards other Democrats running in the 2020 primaries.
All should be made to feel welcomed here. What’s not welcomed here is petty bickering over any of our preferred candidates, or personal attacks on fellow Democrats. We’re not responsible for the actions of others who may offend, insult or attempt to sow discord and disunity — that’s on them.
What we are responsible for are our own words and actions — that’s 100% on us.
I’d like to ask all group members, as well as those dropping by who support or are interested in Kamala’s bid for the nomination, that we not respond to negativity from other campaign’s supporters with even more negativity. Let’s do better than our best and respond with respect, humor or try to hold our peace. Recipes and cat pics work, too 😃
Doing no harm costs us nothing... pie-fights will cost us everything.