Jim Takes on California...

Written by: Holly Webster on May 17, 2006 5:09 PM EDT

Linked to groups: DFA Trust

DFA Chair Jim Dean and Finance Director Dina Wolkoff are on a whirlwind tour of the west coast this week (Howard Dean's "Sleepless Summer Tour" was invoked fondly -more or less--during scheduling sessions). Over the next four days, Jim and Dina will be hosting meet & greet events in Pasadena, San Francisco, Portola Valley and Seattle. These events are a great way for Jim & Dina to catch up with DFA members across the country - and since the stories they bring back are always inspiring, we've decided to share a few with the blog. We'll be posting "Notes from the Road" throughout the week.

Patrick Briggs, a DFA Leader from Glendale, CA, sent us the following journal from the Pasadena event last night:

"Jay Krieger and Jacqueline Samols were gracious hosts. The evening started off with people gradually arriving and talking about what we've all been up to in our respective efforts to make a difference in our communities. From precinct walking and phone-banking to working for Democratic Party campaigns and running for office - there was a lot of discussion of local California politics. In gatherings like this, we quickly realize that we're not alone in our political activism. It's inspiring, actually, to see how many different ways people find their niche for making a difference.

Following Jim's opening remarks, a spirited question and answer about DFA and its relationship with the establishment Democratic Party (inside-the-beltway) ensued. Some policy questions about the Iraq war and Democratic Party leaders not taking the grassroots activists for granted came next. It was pointed out at the end that, while policy is important, we shouldn't forget DFA is a vehicle for getting real progressive candidates to run. It is also a vehicle that gives the experienced and inexperienced alike the chance to build skills and networks within our community - making the grassroots in Southern California into a cadre of battle-tested activists that keep getting better at what we do!

We raised money too! It must be a good sign -- with so much talk, energy and enthusiasm, I forgot it was a fundraiser."

We've seen DFA's grassroots activists win elections and secure victory on important local ballot initiatives. As Patrick notes, DFA provides a resource for budding activists to hone their skills, and for veterans to find other "battle-tested activists."

Thanks to all of you for making this work possible - whether through financial support, community activism, or election-year campaigning. Thank you for all that you do!

***Stay tuned for pictures from the events.

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