A Way to Win When "All Politics Is Local"

By: Dianne
Published On: 7/16/2007 3:00:18 PM

Earlier I provided a comment on Lowell's diary asking us what we are reading this summer.  My comment got off topic and I suggested that possibly the DPVA could "honcho" a community outreach by encouraging committees to "adopt" a school and help children learn to read. 

No sooner than I'd finished my comment, I opened my e-mail and one of the items was from an organization called Democrats Work.  I haven't heard of them before but assume they got my name off some Dem list.  (This organization's concept sounds like something worthwhile and very similar to what Lowell and company have put together in DEMPAC.  Maybe even the concept could be incorporated into DEMPAC.)

Here's an excerpt from their frontpage (I've added emphasis)


About Democrats Work

The mission of Democrats Work is to mobilize grassroots Democrats to perform community service projects . . . as Democrats. DW connects Democratic volunteers with visible, tangible service projects in their communities ? cleaning up parks, painting schools, building houses, sponsoring soccer tournaments, helping at church bake sales. With DW, for the first time, Democrats have a sustainable infrastructure to keep our volunteers and supporters visible and active during the "off season."

To achieve its mission, DW partners with Democratic and progressive organizations ? including local clubs, state and county parties, and local chapters of national organizations, campaigns and elected officials ? to get their members and supporters to volunteer for local service projects as part of a Democrat-branded ?Work Crew.? DW provides the tools to help Democrats organize successful service events in their communities and the logistical support to increase the visibility of those efforts.

All DW activities advance four main goals:

Make tangible contributions to increase the visibility of Democrats at the local level. We want to show our neighbors that Democrats get things done, making improvements that people can point to and say: "The Democrats did that for this community." We associate Democrats with service so when there is a need in the community, people will say, ?Call the Democrats, they always have people who can help.?

Engage the grassroots during non-election time to keep folks active and involved. Instead of asking people to get involved every two or four years, we tap into that energy year-round and ?keep the band together.?

Reach out to people who might not otherwise get involved in purely ?political? activities, but share our values. Not everyone wants to hand out campaign literature or phone bank or even wants to work for a particular candidate, but they are willing to paint a school or clean up a park with their friends.

Build a unified stable of motivated and easily mobilized volunteers who can help candidates win elections.

In the short term, DW seeks to foster the civic participation of Democrats in their communities. In the long term, DW aims to transform our nation?s politics: instead of money, we offer work; instead of message, we offer action. In the end, DW envisions a new type of politics: a politics of service.

Couldn't we do this in Virginia..... 


Comments



I love the idea (Hugo Estrada - 7/16/2007 5:56:20 PM)
And it is literally community building. It is even poetic that way. :)


Another Dem education-value idea (soccerdem - 7/17/2007 1:28:33 PM)
A committee friend and I collected over 800 children's books (mostly used) and presented them to an elementary school that needed some "help" in the reading area.  The books were sorted and distributed among the classrooms where the kids could read them during "independent reading" time or could take them home to read, without penalty for forgetting to bring them back! 


Jason Carter and DW spoke at our meeting (sndeak - 7/19/2007 8:15:36 AM)
In Gwinnett County GA a few months ago.

Here is the video..Sory about the angle, there wasn't a lot of room for the tripod.



A great video, thanks (soccerdem - 7/19/2007 10:18:32 AM)
He said: 
First and foremost, Democrats feel they are part of a community and that we define our community very broadly.

He went on to the concept of bringing Democrats (especially younger folks) into community service and demonstrating what political activism really is and how it contributes positively to the communities in which we all live.



We must be part of a community if we say that we fight for the common citizen (Hugo Estrada - 7/19/2007 12:44:57 PM)
If the Democratic Party is going to be the party that fights for the middle class, it must build community ties with common people, and be ready to accept the input from them.

For us to make the vision of Jim Webb into a reality, we must make common citizens realize the power that they already have. Our system has given too much power to money, but that is only because common citizens grant money so much power.

If the common citizen organizes, then it doesn't matter how strong the status quo is, our government must hear the voice of the people.

I like the concept of community service because it shows to citizens that the Democratic Party is more than just asking for your money and your time. I know that campaigns are working against the clock, but it still gives some people the idea that the party is out there just to exploit them when they are needed and ignored other times. Hopefully community work can project another face to the general population.



I woke up this morning thinking about your reading aloud program (Hugo Estrada - 7/19/2007 1:01:06 PM)
And combine with a book drive and free book giveaway, it sounds like a beautiful simple program that can be given at schools, community centers, libraries, and even bookstores.


Yes, it was quite simple (soccerdem - 7/19/2007 10:06:45 PM)
We went to the county libraries and explained what we wanted to do for this particular school that was not doing very well academically.  The librarians were fantastic and saved the children's discard books for us.  We also asked committee members to donate children's books they no longer were using, we bought children's books at yard sales, and even asked Democratic candidates to donate books! 

This year this school became fully accredited, which made the project even sweeter. 

Having the kids read aloud to you gives them confidence, makes them better readers, and is just plain fun for the reader and for the listener. 

The idea of working in a school can be expanded to mentoring, helping the teachers with their work, or just asking what they might need that they don't have the money for!