September 16, 2021.
WORLDS SAVED: 1
PROGRESSIVES WE’VE HELPED REGISTER: 2,940,883
TOTAL VOTERS REACHED OUT TO: 15,789,879
DAYS UNTIL 2022 MIDTERM ELECTION: 418
FIRST-ROUND
WE DID IT. Bullet dodged. Republicans spanked. Trump trumped. Senate majority protected.
THANK YOU for saving California, and America, from this disastrous recall – and banishing Larry Elder back to AM radio! About 25 minutes after the closing of polls – first-round knockout, baby!
Our Field Team 6 database includes 100,000+ unregistered likely Democrats in CA, but it was your volunteer hours and donor dollars that allowed us to send them 500,000 emails – 43,000 texts – thousands of more postcards, and tens of millions of impressions on social media – all with crystal-clear messaging to register and Vote No on the Recall!
This massive victory was NOT a given. It happened because YOU stepped up. So tonight, have a drink! If you don’t drink, eat! If you don’t eat, consider starting. It’s delicious.
HERE’S TO YOU, the human victory engine, for being the best part of Field Team 6! Let’s keep registering Democrats and saving the world – one conversation at a time, one election at a time!
Next up? Wisconsin, Texas, and some key midterm swing states with big-city mayoral races in November 2021!
KNOCKOUT!
BIG NEWS
BEHOLD, THE MIGHTY POWER OF OP-EDS BY FIELD TEAM 6ERS!We’re psyched to throw a spotlight on two Field Team 6ers who recently published powerful Op-Eds. Valerie Morishige wrote an incredibly informative piece for knock-la.com about how people can help battle unjust gerrymandering in Los Angeles. It’s the ultimate how-to guide, with deets on all the public meetings you can attend, tips on what you can do to productively participate, and fascinating history of gerrymandering in LA. Our volunteer shout-out of the week, Daniel Golombek, co-wrote an Op-Ed for marylandmatters.com in support of the For the People Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. It’s a passionate defense of true democratic behavior. If you’re inspired to get the word out about an issue important to you, Valerie is holding her hotly-in-demand workshop on how to write Op-Eds and get ’em published (see below). With these articles being seen by thousands, Valerie’s workshop is the real deal. Sign up now – her first two workshops sold out right away!
PARTNER SHOUT-OUT
SURFIN’ THE WAVES OF DEMOCRACY: We’re gettin’ the word out about our incredibly rad partner, Women for American Values and Ethics (WAVE).
They have committed to sending 5,000 “let’s get you registered” postcards to each of the following California swing districts: CA-39, CA-45, CA-48, and CA-49! We’ll do the math… 20k!
WAVE is a diverse, nonpartisan organization that engages, educates, and empowers its members and the community to advocate for positive, progressive change in America. With chapters in Southern California and Arizona, WAVE boasts almost 2,000 activists. Six Working Action Groups advocate for Environment, Government Integrity, Gun Safety, Migrant Rights, Social Justice, and Voter Mobilization.
Field Team 6 is proud to partner with WAVE to activate voter engagement in Orange County. For more information on this dynamic organization, please visit wave4all.org.
EVENTS
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 16:BYOP TEXTING BOOTCAMP – WIGet ready to BYOP – Bring Your Own Phone (*plan) – to a whole new, groundbreaking kind of text bank! We’re bootcamping TODAY,Thursday, September 16 at 4p PT. Our game-changing goal is to ramp up textbanking without having to raise money for expensive texting software. We’ll train you how to text from your computer, using your data plan. Once trained, you can do this on your own time, whenever you like, as much as you like!
This week we’re shifting our attention from the handily defeated California Recall (AMEN!) to another state where Republicans are up to their dirty tricks: Wisconsin.
Inspired by the farcical Arizona “fraudit,” the GOP has launched a similar effort in the Badger State. Sure, it’s already been exposed on Maddow and elsewhere as another corrupt clown show whose only aim is to undermine democracy because Republicans can’t handle losing… but they’re doing it anyway. So we’re doing our thing, too, by texting likely progressive voters in Wisconsin to let ’em know what’s up and make sure they punish the GOP at the polls. The time to build an unstoppable Blue Wave is… right now!
This is no-frills textbanking, so if you’re at all tech-challenged, you may be excused. If you have an ActionID and software to text from your computer, you’re exactly who we need. Click HERE to sign up!
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22:SOCIAL MEDIA STORM
Every Wednesday we hit the web to raise awareness for Field Team 6’s efforts to register Democrats and save the world.
This week, we hit absolutely mind-boggling numbers as we went into overdrive to defeat the twisted GOP recall in California: we generated over 30 million impressions just on Twitter! Even more on Facebook and Instagram! That is a truly epic achievement.
Our storms are making a difference – and the more who join, the bigger the difference!
Our next efforts will be around the filibuster, passing the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act…, plus supporting our registration programs in Wisconsin, Texas, and some key midterm swing states with big city mayoral races in November 2021!
Storm any time on your own or join our upcoming storm on Wednesday, September 22 at 11a PT on Zoom for some socializing and training to develop mad storming skillz! RSVP HERE. No idea what we’re talking about? Show up and learn! Our very own Deb Verla is literally a training professional and will make it fun and easy.
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22:WEEKLY POSTCARD PARTY
Have you ever wanted to write voter registration postcards in a group from the comfort of your kitchen table? Then our weekly postcarding parties are right up your alley! Join Postcarding Queen Laurie Mendik at our upcoming virtual shindig this Wednesday, September 22 from 2-3p PT.
She’ll get you trained up and ready to write. RSVP HERE! If you’d like to order some of our incredible Shepard Fairey-designed cards, click HERE. And if you can’t contain your postcarding enthusiasm until Wednesday, feel free to get started any time right HERE!
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 25:OVERCOMING ACTIVIST FATIGUE
Are you experiencing activist fatigue? You’re not alone!
Join Field Team 6 multi-hyphenate Czar (Postcarding, Mobilize, Zoom, Newsletter) Sharon Lord Greenspan, on Saturday, September 25 from 5-6pm PT as she shares strategies for remaining positive and active through the political adversity and general chaos we face every day.
This meeting of like-minded folks will leave you feeling refreshed, regenerated, and with the tools you need to get back to full strength… so you can get back out there, and kick some a$$ from a place of joy! RSVP right HERE
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28:BLUE CHEESE
For Field Team 6, National Voter Registration Day is a High Holy Day. So this year, we’re celebrating it with one of the patron saints of the Resistance – Chair of the Wisconsin Democratic Party Ben Wikler – who flipped Wisconsin back to blue in 2020, restoring the Blue Wall and vanquishing the Fast Food Fascist to his skull-shaped castle in Mar-a-Lago.
Join us as we reveal game-changing updates on our progress – hear from Ben Wikler how he and his army of volunteers saved the world (by 20,682 votes!!) – celebrate with surprise WI guests – and launch our campaign to register hordes of new Democrats in Wisconsin!
All proceeds fuel our Democratic registration efforts in Wisconsin, where we *must* defeat Trump lackey Ron Johnson (R), re-elect Governor Tony Evers (D), and re-elect Representative Ron Kind (WI-03)! Sign up now HERE – this is sure to sell out fast!
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 2:WOMEN’S MARCH
Get your marching shoes on and join us as we #MarchForReproductiveRights.
We’re taking to the streets on Saturday, October 2 in response to Texas’ draconian six-week abortion ban, which allows individuals to sue abortion providers and patients. We’re marching in every single state ahead of the Supreme Court reconvening on October 4.
To find details on the march nearest you, click HERE.
Field Team 6 is joining the Women’s March and more than 90 other organizations, in calling on women and feminists nationwide to rise up in defense of reproductive rights.
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 3:BALLOTS OVER BROADWAY 3
Join us for a magical evening under the stars featuring Broadway musical performances by your favorite stars of stage and screen—this time in person!
Hosted by Chris Mann and featuring musical director Doug Peck and an all-star lineup from Broadway and Hollywood, you won’t want to miss it. Plus there’s an open bar, light dinner and desserts, and an opportunity to help save democracy! What’s not to love?
All proceeds benefit Field Team 6 and DemocraShe (a wonderful organization founded by former FT6 Outreach Director, Sarah Jakle).
As this is an in-person event, please bring proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test from within the previous 48 hours. (The event is outdoors and masked.) For tickets or to donate please click HERE.
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 14:OP-EDS FOR ORDINARY PEOPLE
Join published op-ed writer and voting rights advocate Valerie Morishige on Thursday, October 14 at 6p PT for a hands-on workshop on writing an op-ed as an “ordinary person.” The goals for the workshop are to increase your motivation, abilities, and get published!
We will discuss why an op-ed is a powerful tool for change, how to choose a target, positioning yourself as an “expert,” crafting your argument, and the nitty gritty of submitting your final product. You can RSVP right HERE.
Since this is a hands-on workshop, please come prepared with an issue you would like to write about. The goal is to be co-creators and co-conspirators in this space; therefore, sign-ups will be capped at 20 people and the session will not be recorded. Thank you!
This is the third Op-Ed workshop Valerie has led for us and each one has been chock full of learnin’ and a whole lot of fun. Plus… see our Big News section (above) for some real world success stories of getting our public opinion shaping Op-Eds in front of loads of readers.
VOLUNTEER OPS
REGISTER VOTERS IN PERSON!Join us for in-person voter registration drives in Orange County!
TRAIN TO LEAD IN-PERSON VOTER DRIVESOur Zoom trainings give you all the skills to lead in-person voter drives!We have trainings for AZ, CA, FL, GA, NC, PA, TX, and WI – with NV coming soon!
PHONEBANKINGJoin Field Team 6 and our partners as we call likely Dems inCA-25, GA,NC-08, PA, and TX and get them registered to vote!Just added: phone bank to register Dems in FL!
PHONE BANK IN SUPPORT OF FILIBUSTER REFORMAND VOTING RIGHTS LEGISLATION To give us all the freedom to vote, we must reform the filibuster and pass the For the People Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. Call voters in AZ and WV!
POSTCARDINGRegister Dems via postcard in the most flippable districts,write with friends in the OC at our in-person postcarding partiesor virtually at our weekly Wednesday postcarding parties!Right now, we’ve got campaigns inAZ, CA, CO, FL, NC, PA and TX!
SOCIAL STORMINGBuild progressive awareness and help #RegisterDemocratsfrom the comfort of your social media accounts! Find camaraderie, tips, and tricks on our weekly Wednesday Zooms!
TEXTBANKINGJoin texting efforts to register likely Dems in swing states like AZ and TX!Including our new BYOP text bank!
Click VOLUNTEER OPS below to get details and sign up!
VOLUNTEER SHOUT-OUT: DANNY GOLOMBEK
This week we’re shouting out Danny, a talented Field Team 6 volunteer (and Op-Ed writer, see Big News above) who knows far more than he’d like about fighting the horrifying oppression of an authoritarian regime.
Danny’s been on an amazing journey, growing up in a fascist Argentina, coming to the U.S. to study astronomy, working for the Hubble Space Telescope program for almost 30 years, then becoming a psephologist who analyzes elections and voting trends for Democratic campaigns and organizations. A truly inspiring story.“We grew up in Argentina during a brutal dictatorship – 30,000 disappeared (among them Raquel, who grew up next door), horrifying repression (there was a police station inside the building of the school of exact sciences where I did my undergrad), censorship (better not be reading the “wrong” book when traveling if you were stopped at a checkpoint!).”
Danny is dedicated to helping the Democrats fight the GOP’s attempts at voter suppression because he grew up without freedom. “We know what is fascism and terror and lack of civil liberties and not being able to vote and not having your government accountable (and hyperinflation and poverty), so we do whatever we can to prevent it from happening here.”
In addition to his professional accomplishments, such as becoming Chief of Staff in the Hubble Director’s Office and serving as a Visiting Scientist at NASA Headquarters, Danny is extremely proud of his daughter Celia, who’s an activist herself, helping mutual aid societies and the progressive wing of the Democratic Party.For Field Team 6, Danny has taken on a range of responsibilities, from helping translate Voterizer.org, our voter registration site, into Spanish, to helping organize and digitize the registration forms in 22 states.
In his spare time, he enjoys the music of Astor Piazzolla and his collection of robots.
Danny says he came to America for grad school with his wife and one-year old daughter and “decided to stay because, among other things, who would not want to live in a country whose goal is the pursuit of happiness (yes, yes, we know it’s not the happy ha ha ha kind of thing, but still…)?”
Danny, we’re glad you’re here, and thank you with all our heart for your passionate work to uphold the democratic ideals of this country.
FIELD TEAM 6 NEEDS YOU
Be like Danny! We’re looking for people with a little time and almost any skill to share. Find our current needs HERE.
BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE!
DEMOCRACY-SAVING GOOD TIMES!
ur second Drinks for Democracy was a huge success – and the most fun you’re legally allowed to have on Zoom – thanks to CA Senator Henry Stern, the magic of father-daughter celebrity hosts Jeff & Zoe Perry, chair of our Advisory Board and Human Angel Don Foster, the behind-the-scenes help of Gab Taraboulsy, Master Mixologist Alex Saggiomo, our own resident genius and Round Table Steering Committee Member Patti Crane, Media Team Hero Jeff Sielaff, unflappable Janet Ho on the Events Team… and most importantly, every one of you at the event, for making everything we do possible!
Click here to sign up for this newsletter.
