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November 18, 2021
WORLDS SAVED: 1
DEMOCRATS WE'VE HELPED REGISTER: 3,150,092+
TOTAL VOTERS REACHED OUT TO: 16,352,510
DAYS UNTIL 2022 MIDTERM ELECTION: 355
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THE RIGHT WAY TO THINK ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON |
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It's good to have brilliant friends! Field Team 6 is thrilled to call Andrew Tobias one of them. Author of twelve books, entrepreneur, activist, and Treasurer of the Democratic National Committee from 1999-2017, he wrote a piece so perfect we need to kick off our newsletter with it.
Edited for length – find the original on Andrew's site here. (And shout-out to Resistance Hero Marty Perlmutter for introducing us!)
THE RIGHT WAY TO THINK ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON
Enough with the gloom and doom!
The stock market is at record highs. Unemployment is near record lows. Anyone who wants a job can get one. Wages are rising.
Taxes are about to go up on the wealthy — whose talent, hard work, good luck, and inheritance we should celebrate — to help pay for massive, long overdue investments to revitalize our infrastructure, including the electric grid and more-widely-available broadband, and to lower health care costs and the cost of raising kids.
And to confront the climate crisis.
And to get the economic pendulum, so long swinging toward the uber-wealthy, swinging back somewhat.
These are fantastic things.
We’ve ended our endless war in Afghanistan and evacuated 124,000 of those most at risk.
We’ve rejoined the Paris Accord and the community of nations, reestablished the dignity of the Presidency, reimposed ethical norms, restored the independence of the Justice Department, cut child poverty in half, vaccinated the majority of the country.
We’ve staved off autocracy, at least for now.
The mid-terms will be tough — but so was winning two Senate seats in Georgia. And we did. Will 88-year-old Chuck Grassley really be unbeatable in Iowa? I don’t think so. Could former Chief Justice Cheri Beasley flip North Carolina’s open Senate seat from red to blue? Absolutely. She lost her last statewide race by just 400 votes. Could Val Demings win in Florida? She is awesome. Could we pick up Senate seats in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin? And hold the blue seats we need to hold? You bet. We just have to get our butts in gear, fund massive organizing — now, early, while the organizing snowball has time to grow huge (thank you, as always) — and spread a positive message wherever we go, inspiring people to join us.
If they like weekends, remind them that it was unions that gave us weekends; the anti-union party that opposed them. If they like Medicare, remind them it was Democrats who delivered it; Ronald Reagan’s team that famously opposed it.
Social Security? Democrats delivered that. The Assault Weapons Ban? Democrats delivered it; Republicans refused to renew. The Violence Against Women Act? Same. A woman’s right to keep the government out of her most personal decisions? Democrats want abortion to be safe, legal, and rare. The other party is the party of back-alley abortions for women who can’t afford to travel.
If they have LGBT friends, relatives or co-workers, remind them it was Democrats who’ve so dramatically improved our lives; Republicans who fought us every step of the way.
The point is: Democrats have so much to run on. With more to come.
In ordinary times, the party in power gets killed in the mid-terms. These are not ordinary times.
Let’s emphasize the positive and get to work.
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INTRODUCING THE NATIONAL VOTER REGISTRATION ROUNDTABLE!
We're thrilled to announce the birth of a new group that is such a good idea, it seems crazy it didn't already exist! And we're so proud of our own Director of Operations Wayne Liebman for co-founding it with fellow Super-Organizers Emi Guereca and Will Baum!
The National Voter Registration Roundtable brings together national on-the-ground voter registration orgs to share ideas, strategies, and best practices. It includes organizations like Field Team 6, Women’s March Action, Activate America, Center for Common Ground, Sister District, They See Blue, Register Her, Southwest Voter Project, The Civics Center, and many others to eliminate duplicate effort, boost firepower, stretch dollars, fire up volunteers, and win elections.
One of its first projects: turning Voter Registration Day from a yearly into a monthly event.
For the first of these, the roundtable has designated January 6, 2022 the first National Voter Registration Day of Action. Groups all over the country will be synchronizing registration events to mark the anniversary of the insurrection by empowering democracy the grassroots way—registering new voters, and getting them fired up as heck. We'll have lots more information in the coming weeks... so stay tuned!
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OVERCOMING ACTIVIST FATIGUE:
AN ENERGETIC SUCCESS!
Our second Overcoming Activism Fatigue workshop was a huge success! Field Team 6 multi-hyphenate Czar (Postcarding, Mobilize, Zoom, Newsletter) Sharon Lord Greenspan and Field Team 6 super activist Cathy O'Krent discussed strategies for remaining positive and active through political adversity and the general chaos of life. Because it's crucial that we continue the work of strengthening our democracy with our full energy and without sacrificing the other parts of our lives that also bring us joy. If you missed it, find a recording HERE – and/or you can attend our next one in January – so you can recharge your batteries and fight the good fight from a place of joy.
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TODAY!!! — NOVEMBER 18:
BYOP TEXTING BOOTCAMP
Get ready to BYOP – Bring Your Own Phone (*plan)! We're bootcamping this very evening... Thursday, November 18 at 4p PT. 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!
We're texting Wisconsin in honor of our recent Blue Cheese event with Ben Wikler and the yeoman's work he's doing there in the fight against the GOP's naked anti-democracy shenanigans. Let's register new Wisconsin Democrats and get Democrats elected up and down the Badger State ballot! ...especially a new senator to replace Republican—and obvious Russian asset—Ron Johnson!
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 ready. RSVP!
(Please note: next week, Thursday November 25, BYOP is taking the day off for the holiday. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! And please know that we are immensely thankful for all of YOU!)
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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 24:
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.
Our next efforts will be around the must-pass #BuildBackBetter and #FreedomToVote acts, pushing positive "Democrats did this" messaging, as well as supporting our in-person voter drive trainings, phone banks, text banks and postcarding programs!
Storm any time on your own and after that, join our upcoming storm on Wednesday, November 24 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.
And, as always, you can find info/assets for our latest storm right HERE.
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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1:
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 virtual postcarding parties are right up your alley! We are taking next Wednesday off for Thanksgiving but we'd love to have you join Postcarding Queen Laurie Mendik at the next one: Wednesday, December 1 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 or James McMullan-designed cards then click HERE. And if you can't contain your postcarding enthusiasm until Wednesday, feel free to get started any time right HERE!
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SATURDAY, DECEMBER 4:
HOLIDAY JEOPARDY PARTY
Get your Ugly Sweater on and join us at an actual rip-roaring, in-person party (remember those?) on Saturday, December 4 at 7p PT in Northridge, CA. Contributions will support three female grassroots candidates running for office in California, and Field Team 6 too. Each candidate – and Field Team 6 Founder Jason Berlin – will host their own segment of Jeopardy. It's a multicultural holiday mixer with Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa performers, plus a White Elephant gift exchange, raffle prizes, and an upside down Christmas tree you can help decorate. So come eat some mind-blowing tacos with Field Team 6 friends and fellow volunteers, and pour out some spiked eggnog in honor of the late, great Alex Trebek. Get tickets or donate here.
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MONDAY, DECEMBER 6:
BLUE STAR RISING!
Texas Republicans have gone too far: attacking voting rights, women's rights... even the right to not get sick and die simply because a neighbor or a moronic governor don't believe in science.
Now Democrats across Texas are fired up and ready for a change. But it's going to take work to overcome all the anti-voter machinery. Join Field Team 6 for an in-depth update with Mike Collier, 2018 Democratic nominee (and current candidate) for Lieutenant Governor, and help support our campaign to register new Democrats in Texas.
The event is Monday, December 6 from 7-8p CST (please RSVP HERE) and it's free, but we’re asking for your help, too. Can you invite three friends to the event? Or make a $10 contribution to our Lone Star Fund to register Democrats in Texas? You can donate directly right HERE. Thank you so much!
(NOTE: The time listed above is Central, but just to be abundantly clear, this event will be taking place at 5p PT/7p CT/8p ET.)
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REGISTER VOTERS IN PERSON!
Join us for in-person voter reg drives in CA-08!
TRAIN TO LEAD IN-PERSON VOTER DRIVES
Our 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!
PHONE BANKING
Join Field Team 6 and our partners as we call likely Dems in
CA-25, NC-08, GA, AZ, PA, FL and TX and get them registered to vote!
PHONE BANK IN SUPPORT OF FILIBUSTER REFORM
AND VOTING RIGHTS LEGISLATION
To protect voting rights, we must reform the filibuster
and pass the Freedom to Vote Act.
Call voters in AZ and WV!
POSTCARDING
Register Dems via postcard in the most flippable districts,
write with friends in the OC at our in-person postcarding parties
or virtually at our weekly Wednesday postcarding parties!
We've got campaigns going in
AZ, CA, NC, PA, FL, WI, NY and TX!
Coming soon - we'll be writing to specific groups about how
the infrastructure package will improve their lives and communities.
SOCIAL STORMING
Build progressive awareness and help #RegisterDemocrats
from the comfort of your social media accounts!
Find camaraderie, tips, and tricks on our weekly Wednesday Zooms!
TEXTBANKING
Join our new BYOP textbank to register WI Dems!
Click VOLUNTEER OPS below to get details and sign up!
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VOLUNTEER SHOUT-OUT: CAROLYN HWANG |
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This week we’re shouting out Carolyn Hwang, a dedicated Field Team 6er and a longtime activist who’s been registering voters since high school. “I get a rush every time I help someone access our democracy!”
Protecting the sanctity of democratic freedom is the name of the game for Carolyn — whether that means fighting for Americans' voting rights as the GOP tries to block ballot access, or fighting for the rights of immigrants risking their lives to cross the border for a shot at a better life. She started as the Field Team 6 Hot Spot Hotshot and now coordinates Spanish Voterizer and translations as well.
“I've canvassed in both Spanish and Mandarin Chinese before. If you know another language, there's a huge need for your skills – no matter how rusty! I had to ask my mom how to say certain things in Chinese before canvassing – it was a great experience!”
Carolyn’s desire to make a positive impact on the world has shaped her professional career as well. She was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Peru, worked with a social impact investor, and now does digital health marketing.
She’s had many moving experiences while volunteering, like the time she was canvassing in Miami-Dade County in '08. “One elderly Cuban lady living alone cried when we told her why we were there. She said she had just prayed to Jesus to help her get to the polls so she could vote for Obama – she didn't have transportation, and we were coordinating rides. We all cried.”
When it’s time for a break, she’s a loyal University of Michigan Wolverines fan. And when she’s recharged, it’s back to work. For her, volunteering is “way healthier than watching cable news or doomscrolling on Twitter!”
Imagining a brighter future, she’s inspired by another experience she had in Florida. “So many people representing different countries, cultures, political backgrounds, socioeconomic status, and ages all came together respectfully, made a difference, and had a lot of fun doing it. I'd like to see that again one day.”
Carolyn, thanks to your unending dedication and infectious positivity, you’re making that brighter future happen right now. So we thank you for everything you do, and we're honored to work alongside you. Onwards!
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Be like Carolyn! We're looking for people with a little time and almost any skill to share.
But here's one that could come in particularly handy right about now: if you'd be game to call other friendly volunteers and let them know about opportunities that match their interests, join our Activist Telecom Team (or AT&T) HERE!
Find all of our current behind-the-scenes needs, or pleasantly surprise us HERE.
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WHERE'S THE BEST PLACE TO REGISTER DEMOCRATS NEAR ME?
Click on our new Hot Spots Map, and instantly find the closest and best high traffic areas – colleges, courthouses, and libraries! These are the places likely to yield the most Democrats per voter drive, making sure your precious volunteer hours are as effective as possible.
Our own genius super volunteer Caleb Rudow has built this amazing map for all 9 of our target states: AZ, CA, FL, GA, NC, NV, PA, TX, and WI. It’s fun, easy, and incredibly helpful. And you can find it right smack on the front page of FieldTeam6.org – within our Voter Drive in a Box. It’s part of the Hot Spots Directory, which also includes a spreadsheet of even more great places to register Democrats.
Nowhere else on the entire Internet can you find a map like this. We’re so grateful for Caleb, and so proud to offer this powerful tool to juice up volunteers’ voter drives nationwide!
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"4 MORE CARDS!
4 MORE CARDS!"
NEW MCMULLAN
POSTCARD DESIGNS
A few weeks ago James McMullan became the second world-famous artist to join our elite postcard creation team, stepping up alongside Shepard Fairey to harness the power of art to save democracy and the world.
Well, James was so inspired that he's already added four more designs featuring his amazing Democracy Donkey. These wonderful postcards illustrate—literally—what's at stake and who we're fighting for (or against)... and are a guaranteed voter registration inspiration!
Check out James' new designs HERE, and grab a series of his or Shepard's colorful creations to join our postcarding efforts in style!
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REGISTRATION T-SHIRTS,
POSTCARDS, AND OTHER
MERCH TO SAVE THE WORLD!
Feel like taking a stroll? Pull on this snazzy tee and get some exercise, clear your head, run an errand... and register voters as you go! On the front, the simple but all-important message in super cool shadow script: "REGISTER." On the back: a handy QR code that sends new voters to Voterizer.org for instant registration. You spin around, they snap away with their smartphone, and VOILA – a Democrat is born. Fast, fun and stylish! Click HERE to start shopping!
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Field Team 6
Paid for by Field Team 6. www.fieldteam6.org.
Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.
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