So how appropriate that this is the 45th version of 2016’s Tuesday Truths and we’re on the cusp of electing our 45th POTUS? Of course, you should know who I’m supporting so I have one thing to say – VOTE!
Send me your selfies that you voted! Thanks for reading/sharing!
— Madalene
Photo credit via
Today’s Election Day so if you’ve got local elections, go vote!
We’re weeks away from the end of the year and people starting to make New Year’s resolutions. I believe that there’s always room for improvement so why wait until the end or start of the year to change habits or to throw something else into the mix? Evolution doesn’t wait for the calendar!
Thanks for reading/sharing and get your friends to subscribe!
— Madalene
Photo credit via
Over the weekend, I did a training for the Virginia Leadership Institute, a 501 c(3) dedicated to encouraging more African Americans to run for elected office. It was a great turnout and I really appreciate my colleagues giving their time and expertise. I love me some training! If you’re interested in getting a training organized, drop me a line or if you want to check out the training schedule for the progressive community, look into Democratic GAIN‘s calendar.
Let’s get to Tuesday Truths!
That’s a wrap! Thanks for reading/sharing and don’t forget to subscribe! Drop me your comments below!
— Madalene
Since we last Shared the Headlines, we finished the 1st quarter of the election year and we’re barreling through the 2nd. Spring has finally arrived to DC and with that everyone’s more than fair share of allergies. So while everyone is making fundraising calls and trying not to sneeze on one another, here are the headlines!
In the beginning of the year, my colleague, Alvina Yeh and I organized a training for AAPI elected officials and candidates. One of the sessions was on “Leadership”. Fortunately for all of us, former President William Jefferson Clinton recently shared his views on the subject. Words to live by!
The fine folks over at The Campaign Workshop did an awesome job organizing a list of questions/criteria that people should consider when making the decision to run for office. Thanks for sharing your knowledge – so practical and real!
Thanks @richardlui for the article on how Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are moving left. The Center for American Progress did a recent study where they identified the group (my group!) to be more progressive than ever, but don’t celebrate yet Democrats (still my group!) because the Pew Research Center recently published a report that out of all of the constituency groups, AAPIs have the lowest turnout rate. What does that mean? It means we (the political establishment/community) have a lot of work to do to communicate with this group (my group) in engagement.
Which leads me to how the young(er) generation is taking the initiative to train their colleagues within the AAPI community to learn the basics of digital strategy. Although the amazing folks of The Brain Trust met their goal of raising the funds that they needed for the training, they want to give SCHOLARSHIPS to the participants. So get on over there and put in a few bucks ($10 contributions add up – ask the folks who did the grassroots fundraising for the Obama campaign).
Gird your loins, Asian Heritage Month is around the corner (the entire month of May!) so we’ll have some fun posts on what’s happening with the numerous celebrations.
Happy Friday!
I hope everyone had a great holiday season! With the start of 2014, we’ve switched the “on” button for Election 2014. Every campaign season is different and as I’ve gotten older, I fondly remember some really great moments and the enthusiasm for being on the road.
These days as a consultant, I get to stay in the comforts of my home and that makes me (momentarily) forget that life in DC isn’t certainly life beyond the Beltway. I used to spend the last 6 weeks out on the road doing GOTV because I started doing professional politics in field. One of my favorite moments was when I worked in Pittsburgh as the Deputy GOTV Director. My office was located in one of the tallest buildings in downtown in a law firm. I had an office where 3 key volunteers helped me everyday to organize the GOTV activity for all of Pittsburgh. This little secluded oasis was away from the frenzy of the main headquarters office, which was always brimming with activity. At night, the space was used for phone banking so volunteers would do phone calls. The space was so chic that they used the space for surrogate phone banking so as we were getting closer to Election Day, surrogates would file in and make calls urging people to vote. So while sitting in my office on the phone dealing with what was a crisis at the time, the Pittsburgh Director walks in my office and tries to introduce me to actor, Martin Sheen aka President Bartlett of The West Wing. I’m awkwardly looking at the phone while I see mouths moving in introduction and hello’s and thanks for all that you do while trying to handle the person on the phone and saying hello to the fictional POTUS. Classic moment.
Let the fun begin! What are your favorite campaign moments?
Yesterday was Election Day 2013, and the kick-off to the 2016 presidential cycle (did you watch Governor Christie’s speech?) but as we begin to armchair QB the election, let’s take a look at the numbers. A poll commissioned by America’s Voice and People for the American Way and released by Latino Decisions shows that Latinos and Asian Americans broke heavily for Democratic candidates. To see more results, check out the entire breakdown from Governor to House of Delegates.
Do you think your elected officials in Congress look like you? Well, if you’re not Caucasian (technically I am since my father is of German ancestry but my Asian heritage is the immediate visual) than you’re in the minority. Check out Huffington Post’s article on the Diversity Gap.
If you want to bring change in the representation then you need to encourage your communities to participate in the electoral process. We can do this but we need to be present and be active. Politics matter and so does diversity.
We talked a little about the chaos that can be a political campaign. We also briefly touched on the resources that every campaign should have when it’s operating.
Any idea what they are??
As a fundraiser, it’s my job to organize the money that flows into the campaign as revenue. So you’ve got at least one resource!
$$
Photo credit: Pinterest
What are the others? Well, you need people aka volunteers to do the myriad of tasks that need to happen for you to accomplish all the things on your to-do list.
The most important resource left for last…just for pure dramatic affect…time!
Photo credit: Pinterest
Why is time the most important resource? It’s because you can never get it back and it’s finite. Elections are changing to where you have vote by mail, early vote etc so you don’t necessarily only have one election day but you do have a final day to vote. That final date is it. The most important piece of time is the candidate’s time. Using that resource wisely means wringing every minute to get $$ or to get votes. If you’re not accomplishing one of these 2 things then you’re wasting time.
You can always raise more money and you always recruit more volunteers but you can never get more time.
Hmmm…stop and ponder that one for a minute!
First Latina Chief of Staff in the US Senate Poised to Run for US Congressional Seat
73% of the congressional seat identifies as Hispanic or Latino. Can this be a pick-up for the DCCC? http://www.fresnobee.com/2013/09/29/3522510/congressional-hopeful-wants-to.html
Cordial Colleagues?
US Senator Ted Cruz doesn’t endorse his fellow state colleague, US Senator John Cornyn or his US Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) – WOW http://www.politico.com/story/2013/09/ted-cruz-john-cornyn-texas-senate-97492.html?hp=r13
More Women in Elected Office but Female Donors are Lagging
We’re sliding backwards in getting female donors to participate in funding campaigns. http://www.thedailybeast.com/witw/cheats/2013/09/27/in-campaigns-female-donors-lag.html
It’s Friday and we’re 3 days out from the end of the QTR so this is what we’re doing in overdrive!
Now back to the headlines!
Will we be seeing the famous pink tennis shoes on the campaign trail?
Looks like Texas State Senator Wendy Davis is going to announce her candidacy for Governor. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/26/wendy-davis-texas-governor_n_3997985.html
Mad Social Media Props to US Rep. Mark Takano and the 3-headed Monster
The first openly gay person of color to serve in the US Congress, Rep. Takano is bringing it with his mad skillz in social media. http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2013/09/rep-mark-takano-best-democrat-social-media-twitter-tumblr
How the Definition of a “Classic Family” Started a Pasta Boycott
The Chairman of Barilla pasta (the world’s leading pasta maker!) made a statement that he would only portray a “classic family” in their advertisements which resulted in gay activists advocating for a boycott. http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/sep/26/pasta-firm-barilla-boycott-gay