Pasadena DFA 2/07 to 10/08 - Looking Back So We Can Move Forward!

Written by: Patrick Briggs on Jan 29, 2009 1:46 PM EST

Linked to groups: DFA Pasadena, DFA-Link Organizers, California for Democracy, Glendale DFA, DFALA

To the Pasadena DFA membership:

It's important to look where we have been before deciding where to go next.  With that in mind, I've summarized most of, if not all, the links to past Pasadena DFA Events and DFA Link Blog Postings since the beginning of 2007.

Please take some time to click through some of the links and when you are finished, write a comment to this blog entry or email me at pbriggs@greeneggsandham.org .  We are going to need new leadership in 2009 and new ideas on how to organize our group.  

In the next several days, I will be posting one suggestion of my own (not officially endorsed by the steering committee), to help get the ball rolling.  I will have also sent out an email to the membership duplicating the information found in this DFA Link blog post.  

We cannot afford to let up in our civic activism after President Obama's great victory.  There is work to be done.  The national organization for Democracy for America has great online tools, infrastructure and a solid history of progressive activism to hang all of our hats on.  Pasadena DFA's steering committee needs NEW leadership and it needs the support of its membership.  Step up.

I look forward to your comments and will share them with the current Pasadena DFA Steering Committee over the next 3 weeks.  After which, if there is interest, we will hold a Visioning Meeting which will lead to a changed structure for group and changed leadership (probably to be held at the end of February).

Remember to click through the links below!

Best Regards,

Patrick Briggs,
Pasadena DFA Chapter Coordinator 

Read more

DFA National Endorses - Russ Warner - CA 26th Congressional District!

Written by: Patrick Briggs on Oct 23, 2008 3:31 AM EDT

Linked to groups: DFA Pasadena, Glendale DFA

I just got word today that DFA in National has endorsed Russ Warner here in the CA 26th Congressional District!!  You should be very proud because DFA only endorses candidates that it thinks reflect the values which we were founded upon - fiscally conservative, socially progressive, and all about grassroots organizing to elect candidates at all levels of government.

Read more

Pasadena DFA workin' on the weekends for Russ.

Written by: Patrick Briggs on Sep 23, 2008 11:42 PM EDT

Linked to groups: Glendale DFA, DFA Pasadena

I wanted to share a few pictures and words of thanks to some great volunteers from Pasadena DFA. 

This past weekend a few of us walked precincts in Walnut, CA.  Red territory in the San Gabriel Valley.  Here are a couple of us at our starting point in Claremont, CA - Claremont Democratic Club.

Thanks to Ann Bailey, Judy Hochenhauer, Ahmed Kassem, Linda Fidel, Mickey Weinberg, and Maddie Gavel!

We need the rest of you in Pasadena DFA to pitch in.  It's great that the folks from the steering committee are showing up, but as members of our group, we need you to show your support too!

This is what Pasadena is all about through election day, November 4th!

Read more

Pasadena DFA Supports Gold Line Extension at 6/26 LA Metro Board Meeting

Written by: Patrick Briggs on Jul 6, 2008 12:21 AM EDT

Linked to groups: DFA Pasadena

Continuing in the spirit of keeping you all informed about some late June work that Pasadena DFA was a part of, we had a big - though unsuccessful day - on June 26th at the MTA Board Meeting in downtown LA.

On Thursday, June 26th we rode the Gold Line and met at Union Station.  Details can be found here about the event.   At this critical meeting, a revised Long Range Transportation Plan was presented to the Metro Board for adoption which we had hoped would include amendments that would lead to securing funding towards construction and operation of the Foothill Extension for the Metro Gold Line.

It was make-it or break-it time for this year seeing constuction begin on the San Gabriel Valley's long-sought Gold Line Extension light rail project.  It did not pass despite having a room half-filled with San Gabriel Valley supporters.   It did not pass despite our CA Assemblyman, Anthony Portantino being there, nor the mayors of most every city on the proposed route.

Read more

Pasadena DFA at Sierra Madre 4th of July Parade

Written by: Patrick Briggs on Jul 5, 2008 1:16 PM EDT

Linked to groups: DFA Pasadena

Happy 4th of July weekend 2008!  Pasadena DFA gathered in Sierra Madre at the home of member, Ahmed Kassem.  He and our good friend Linda were kind enough to host us.

Read more

Pasadena DFA Takes a Stand for Light Rail

Written by: Patrick Briggs on Apr 13, 2008 5:52 PM EDT

Linked to groups: DFA Pasadena

Pasadena DFA had their Chapter meeting last week and used it as an opportunity to get behind a local issue. It's progressive, community-oriented, and will make a lot of people's lives in the San Gabriel Valley better - light rail.

Read more

Pasadena DFA - 5th Anniversary of the War Vigil

Written by: Patrick Briggs on Mar 20, 2008 5:21 PM EDT

Linked to groups: DFA Pasadena

Pasadena DFA worked with the national Moveon.org rallies to create an event to mark the 5th Year Anniversary of the Start of the Iraq War yesterday evening.  The event was successful beyond our expectations!

Almost all the Pasadena DFA Steering Committee members were present!  We attracted a few new members and some regulars.  Altogether, we had 120 plus Pasadena neighbors show up.  Some of those neighbors came from as far away as La Puente and downtown Los Angeles.

Hats off to Maddie Gavel-Briggs for doing a great job coordinating with the local press.  We got our main paper, the Pasadena Star News to run a story on our vigil front page!  We also got about a minute of TV coverage on channel 4 - KNBC!  Here's a link to the newspaper coverage (wish they had gotten our group's name right):

http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/ci_8632169

For a different approach to our rally, commuters saw a Burma-Shave style signage before even getting to our intersection.

More on the flip:

Read more

Pasadena DFA Endorses Russ Warner in the CA 26th Congressional District

Written by: Patrick Briggs on Mar 8, 2008 11:44 AM EST

Linked to groups: DFA Pasadena

Pasadena DFA isn't satisfied working just in its own CA 29th Congressional District. No, we want to help a neighboring and very red district go blue. The CA 26th Congressional District has been represented for too long by a 25 year Rupublican incumbent - David Dreier. This year will be his last year representing this district!

Pasadena DFA is endorsing Democrat, Russ Warner, for Congress in the CA 26th Congressional District!

Read more

Leadership and Inspiration from Jim Dean and Arshad Hasan!

Written by: Patrick Briggs on Feb 27, 2008 9:32 AM EST

Linked to groups: DFA Pasadena

The Pasadena DFA leadership got to meet with Jim Dean and Arshad Hasan yesterday evening. The last debate between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama was on when they arrived but that quickly faded into the background!

More below the fold: 

Read more

DFA Pasadena Fights for Universal Healthcare and against FISA telecom immunity

Written by: Patrick Briggs on Feb 13, 2008 4:17 AM EST

Linked to groups: DFA Pasadena

I wanted to write a brief post to say how incredibly proud I am to be a member of such a great group of DFA'ers in Pasadena. We got together for our monthly meeting a little later than the rest of you but we really got to work.

This is the tangible result of a night's work. 52 letters to our state, congressional and senatorial representatives on two subjects we feel very passionately about:

Shiela Kuehl's SB 840 - Universal Health Care

and

Fighting the Democratic Senate's failure to strip telecom immunity from the FISA bill today.

 We're also excited about taking on Republican Congressman, David Dreier ("FIRE DREIER") and supporting Russ Warner in the San Gabriel Valley. In fact, our next meeting will be held in the heart of the 26th Congressional District - Monrovia, CA and will be all about how we can tie ourselves into Russ' campaign.

We talked about DFA Nightschool and the upcoming DFA Training Academy in San Diego on April 5-6. We hope to send a sizable delegation from Los Angeles so we are really ready for Russ's campaign and can begin to find other candidates to help us take our country back.

This group wasn't done either. Several more from our meeting tonight will be at a house party for "Uncounted" on Wednesday evening. Our newest steering committee member, Patrick, is hosting.

In the wake of an incredible grassroots victory in Maryland's 4th Congressional District, and after such a great meeting of enthusiastic DFA'ers, I realize that hope and community are alive for us in Pasadena. We are proud to be a part of Democracy for America!