Yay! I've been inspired to write a diary for the first time in ages!
What do you mean, Feedback?
Forgive me if this has already been done. I have seen so many wonderful diaries full of your photos and impressions of Yearly Kos 2007. And thank you all for them; they made the transition back to reality less painful. lol. (You can find my subversive little YKC 2007 recap, with some dishy comments, at here. But I haven't seen anything devoted exclusively to "lessons learned". So now that we've all had some time to recover and reflect upon our experiences last week, and while we still have so much fresh in our minds, I think it would be a good time to do a diary like this. I am still in so much awe of what was accomplished this year. But we are the Netroots: we can always find room for improvement! In that spirit, let's not take the attitude of "shoulda woulda coulda" but let's discuss what we should, can, and will do the next time around. Whether there is something that worked well and deserves to be repeated or an idea you have for a way to make future conventions even more successful, please use this diary to express your thoughts. And try to be constructive & realistic. I don't think the organizers had any control over the positively Arctic temperatures in the ballroom! ;)
Gratitude:
I want to preface my own feedback with a round of Thank You's. To Gina and the organizing staff, to Shanna and the army of volunteers, to Markos and his little blog that has evolved into a powerful voice (and shock! who does not have horns and a pointy tail!), to Kid Oakland and everyone involved in the grant project, to everyone who came to Chicago, and to those who could not come but who held down the fort here, DO NOT underestimate what you have accomplished. It really did feel as though we were living, creating history, at an important moment, with a group of people whose most powerful assets are dedication and perseverance, and each other. And the Internet. :)
How do I know it was a success? After the 2000 elections, after 9-11, after the start of the Iraq War, so many of us felt, knew, something was terribly wrong, that this should not, could not be happening in our country. Moreover, we felt silenced and powerless. Our government could be spying on us, and even if they weren't, even if we could shout our frustrations from the rooftops, no one would LISTEN TO US. We were just citizen nobodies. Now, 6 years later, numerous political candidates from around the nation, all but one of the democratic candidates for President, including the next leader of our country, and the very same media who have continually ignored us, marginalized us, called us names, all came to Chicago to LISTEN TO US. To acknowledge not just that we existed, but that we - citizen nobodies- also had power and influence. Not because they have given it to us, but because we have demanded it. It's a baby step for the future of America. It's one giant leap for democracy
Oh, and because my anti-war hippie turned neo-con step-father called Sunday night to congratulate us and tell me that it looked like we really had our act together, that he had more faith in our movement than he had in the one he was involved in in the 60's, and ended the call on a note of resignation that, yes, we are going to kick his ass.
Also, to the numerous Democracy For America folks I met, so many for the very first time, so many of whom I have known since it was Dean For America, a round of applause for your tireless dedication to making "taking back your country" a reality. To the St. Louis-Metro East kossack contingent: Represent! :) And lastly, to Jerome a Paris, for the opportunity to meet one of my best friends for the first time, for being so generous with your time and so patient with me, a million merci's.
Ok, My Feedback:
Keep it up:
1. The experience was a great motivator. I think this type of "work" can often feel thankless, and it is easy to burn out. It's important to get the pats on the back, to reward ourselves, to see that other people are doing it, to connect with them, to share stories of success and failure, to learn from them, to be reminded of how far you've come to give you the strength to keep going.
2. It's a pretty new movement. I remember there was a lot of paranoia and distrust early on. I feel like it is just now beginning to solidify into something more than frustrated activists trying to do everything on their own, often in competition with each other for money or volunteers or a place on the rec list. It now feels like, after a few years of trial and error, serious organizations a rising above the chaos, are maturing, and finding ways to work with each other. For too long each of us has been acting in our own limited spheres and horboring various animosities toward each other. That environmentalists & Teamsters, the MSM and bloggers, Texans and New Yorkers, could all sit down in the same room and begin, or continue, a dialogue about how to work together is amazing. What happened was that a conversation was begun in earnest between people who would not normally have the opportunity or maybe even desire to talk to each other.
3. Howard Dean.
4. The grant program. But expand it next year.
5. Netroots Candidates. But get more to come next year
6. Local caucuses, local blogging.
7. There were a lot of trainings, workshops, networking. We're all more knowledgeable today than we were a week ago!
8. And it was broadcast all over the country. We infiltrated the homes of neo-cons. Kudos on the press coverage!
Room for improvement:
1. Putting the "Roots" in the Netroots. Panels and round tables. 1) Time structure: I would like to have seen less time devoted to "experts talking at us" and more time devoted to having a conversation. It was often like reading a diary and having the comments turned off after 5 minutes. 2) Action items: Many of the panels, etc. did not have clear actionable items, something specific people can go home and do, even if it is as simple as signing a petition or making a phone call. Talking about issues is informative, but I know I am not the only one who is constantly thinking, "But what can I do about this issue?"
2. Putting the "Net" in the Netroots. Hat Tip to Maryb2004: More emphasis on blogging, and more specifically, writing. Mary pointed out to me that the one thing we all have in common (except for maybe the lurkers) is that we all communicate through writing. I'll just quote her, "...I have yet to walk out of a panel discussion and hear the audience talking about how excited they now are to write about what they just discussed. Or saying that they have ideas on how to write about the issue in a way that will move others to action."
3. Down Time. Between volunteering, catching up with old friends, sitting in keynotes, forums, panels, and running from building to building, I didn't feel like I had a chance to begin meeting people in earnest until Saturday night. Then everyone left the following day!
4. Finding Fellow Kossacks. Some of us figured out how to edit our badges to get our usernames on them, but it wasn't nec. obvious how to do that. Plus, they were on lanyards, so you had to walk around looking at everyone's navels. Badges with our usernames which we can pin on our shirts closer to eye level is a no-brainer. And a "meet the kossacks" evening sounds like a great idea too.
Ok, your turn. If you were God, Gina, Kossack volunteer extraordinaire, or just you and were running the show, what would/could you do the same or differently at future conventions?
~ Remember: anything we want to see happen we must make happen ourselves and not wait for someone else to do it.
~~ However, If we seem to be demanding too much from you, it's because we hold you to such a high standard. ;)
~~~ PLEASE RECOMMEND this diary so that everyone has the opportunity to contribute their ideas.
Thank you!!!!