As many of you know, Netroots Nation will be taking place in Philadelphia from July 11-13, 2019. That’s in about 6 weeks.
Also, as many of you know, I currently live in Philadelphia and have been here almost 10 years.
As far as my involvement in Pennsylvania politics, I’ve been registered to vote here since Spring 2010 (I stayed registered in NJ for my first months here in fall 2009, since I wanted to keep eligible to vote for then NJ Governor Jon Corzine on his re-election efforts. We all know how that turned out...). I vote in all primaries and general elections, including last week’s Philly primary elections. Mayor Kenney won the Democratic primary easily, and did a little soda tax trolling on Instagram.
As far as being involved in national politics and Daily Kos events previously here in Philly, I met some wonderful Kossacks back in August 2016 when the DNC Convention was in town. I had amazing soup dumplings at Dim Sum Garden (which, conveniently for Netroots Nation attendees, is one block away from the eastern edge of the Philadelphia Convention Center) with Chris Reeves, peregrine kate, Adam B, and several other Kossacks; and even got to speak with Elizabeth Warren for 5 seconds and got lucky that my one photo with her turned out pretty well.
Hanging with my friend Liz at the Massachusetts Victory Party at the 2016 DNC in Philadelphia
And I also helped organize the first (and as far as I know, still only...) Philly Kos meetup at Reading Terminal Market in November 2012. Here’s me with a Daily Kos sign to alert attendees.
I always have looked young for my age, and that is particularly true here when I was 25 years old, less than one month away from 26.
And yet, nearly four years later, I’m still not sure whether I will attend Netroots Nation, even when it will never get any easier or cheaper (no flight or hotel needed). It’s a confluence of several things:
- I’m away on vacation only two weeks prior, so not sure I want to use another two PTO days that soon after
- I don’t really think I’m the right audience, even as someone who is engaged in politics, but as a citizen rather than an activist or as a career
- Even at the deeply discounted locals price of $250 (plus some fees), I still am not sure I will get enough value from it, especially if I can only do parts of Thursday and Friday (see 1st bullet) and if I’m more there to “audit” the seminars, rather than fully integrate that information into activist/campaign action (see 2nd bullet)
However, there clearly will be some great panels and keynotes, as the list has finally been released. I am encouraged by how many local panels on Philadelphia politics and activism there are, and the full 2019 agenda is bolstered by the strength of people of color and women. This is the year to go for presidential candidates, as by this time 2020 we’ll know who our nominee will be. And I will meet new folks and reconnect with past ones.
A compromise solution for me could be to volunteer. This way I can feel like my attendance has a purpose. Though apparently I still have to register in order to be considered, so for this I’d be paying for a registration and then not having all free time! But, I think it would be worth it since it would be helping out.
This is the end of my musings, so use the comments as an open thread. Tell me your past Netroots Nations stories! Below is a TL;DR of what I want to know from local/traveler attendees.
TL;DR — Who will be attending Netroots Nations this year? Have any of you ever volunteered at Netroots Nations, if so, what is that like? Any Philly locals planning to attend? If no, will us locals still have an opportunity to hang out with any Kossacks outside of the convention center, like for lunch? What about the social events on Friday and Saturday night?
