I've got a couple hours before my flights and find myself sitting in a coffeshop with a view of Chicago's imposing Harold Washington Library. Anyone who's been here will know what I mean when I say imposing...now, that's an investment in civic infrastructure...an example of what a great city with dedicated citizens can do when it puts its mind to something.
Maybe there's a point there for all of us...
We did something special together at YearlyKos Chicago. We built something powerful...albeit not an edifice of steel and stone. We made an investment in people and in leadership.
The Chicago Voices Grant Program brought 17 of us from all over this nation. Now, these activists and bloggers came from Los Angeles and New Orleans, Philadelphia and rural Alabama, from Tallahassee, Florida and the Gulf Coast of Mississippi, from South Dakota and Atlanta, Georgia. And, in turn, whether it was to New York City, Detroit, Michigan or Portland, Oregon, this amazing and diverse team of Grant participants have now taken their experiences, friendships and insights won at Yearlykos and returned home.
We did this together.
Almost 100 of you contributed to this cause. On behalf of all those who collaborated on this effort, including my grant partners Vicki Cosgrove and Howie Klein, and my convention partners Fabooj and Martha Gamez, I cannot thank all of you enough.
In the upcoming days, there will be more chances to share, and for you to read and reflect upon, the thoughts, observations and experiences of the Chicago 17. Today, as I leave Chicago, however, I have one simple observation.
I would like to convey how deeply impressive I found the insights, poise and determination of each of these 17 grantees. I would also like to share how humbled and privileged I feel to have made so many new friends. To all of the Chicago Voices, and to those who helped along the way, I cannot ring this point strongly enough.
These 17 activists represent the strength of what we can do when we work together. Their voices, their insights, their passion and dedication, represent a powerful force...stronger even than the stone, bricks and steel of the Harold Washington Library...and that is the force that we tap into when we work as one, when we collaborate, when we invest in each other.
That's something I'll be thinking about as I ride the El out to Midway and make my way back home.