It was a hot August day in Denver. The first night of the Convention was underway and it hit me that I had been working for 16 months for this moment. I was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention – this was big! Then Ted Kennedy arrived and inspired. It was a rare moment where a politician truly seemed to be speaking from his soul. His message was that he had been waiting much of his life to pass the torch that his family had taken up and held in their keeping since JFK. And now he had found someone worthy to carry on the vision of making America a better place for everyone. It seemed like nothing could follow that amazing speech. But within an hour Michelle Obama found her place at the podium. Her words spoke to me as a woman, as a mother, as an activitst and a believer in a progressive vision of government. We could all Be the Change. It was up to each of us to make the vision a reality. I was inspired like never before. But I didn’t have a clear view of how to get there from here – where do we go next?
That night the person sitting next to me was a city councilman. He too had been working for this moment, organizing for the Obama campaign in Albany, NY. We watched all of the speeches that night together and he spent alot of time on cynacism and a politics as usual rant. But after Michelle spoke things changed, something shifted. He turned to me and said “this is the first time that I thought I could be President”. And that is when I realized that he wasn’t the only one…there were hundreds, thousands of others like him out there. Young, politicially aware, progressive and ready to change the world. And that is when I knew I had to help them do just that.
The problem with politics is money. It corrupts the idealism and erodes the soul of those who would be public servents. We have to find a new way. So the idea for this blog was born as a way to introduce to the world, or at least those that bothered to read this, these new players. Maybe, just maybe we can share their idealism of vision and in turn they will be supported with the funds to run without the strings of special interests attached. Yes, I know, I know, this is a lofty goal - but you never know until you try, right? These words on a page are free and so they seem like the perfect place to start.
And about me…
This is basic…. My name is Diana and I work at a progressive political and social organization called Citizen Action of NY. Before taking the job as a Community Organizer (of which I am proud despite the disparaging remarks of the Sarah Palin’s of the world), I worked as an Event Planner and organized the Obama campaign activities, as a volunteer, in Buffalo, NY. (I have done many, many different things in my life but those seem like the most relevant to what I am writing in this blog – others may come up from time to time…please be prepared for an occasional surprise).
I live outside of Buffalo, NY with my husband and three wonderful (but when I am at the computer obnoxious) kids 
and one spastic kitten.
Cheers,
Diana
Great effort on the website Diana!
“a progressive vision of government.”
Lincoln was a progressive and Wilson made it a permanent governing philosophy. Progressivism has failed. So I’m puzzled about why we need to try even more progressivism.
What’s the vision?
Society can be organized by choice or force. Progressives want more government which is just a fancy word for organized force. Making people do things they don’t want to do. Is that the vision?
Nice, Diana!
I’d really like to see every elected in Buffalo at every level log in and state what they support for changing the deplorable state of the economy in our region…before the summer heats up and frustrated people become angry and restless… the rising tide of expectations will be unwieldy if we fail to act decisively and credibly.
Diana- We’re on different ends of the political spectrum….and I probably won’t agree with much (if any) of what you have to say..but I will always defend your right to say it! Should be fun….
Diana, I was drawn to your site because I deeply believe those words of Gaundi,”be the change you want to see in the world”. Strangely I find myself on the opposite end of the political spectrum. I find it perplexing that an intelligent woman would not see past the big goverment adgenda for the controling power grab that it is,at least in my mind. I suspect you don’t understand that freedom starts in our hearts and goverment can only nuture its growth or restrict its expression, it can never produce it. It’s like scientist w/ cells, they can do alot w/ cells but they can’t start life. God gave us inalienable rights, yet those elite who pull the strings of our political puppets give no thought of God nor violating what it means to be created in God’s image. I pray you will someday see through all this political smoke and reconize that most politicians in office today have something in common w/ satan, they most often come in the form of an “angel of light”. Yet they have no problem sitting themselves up in the place of honor that only God deserves. Our founding fathers understood what was a stake far better than we and they chose to limit the federal goverment in very defined ways. We as Americans would do well to understand their reasons and motives.
Sorry, but your placement of God in the center of your arguement about government accords it absolutely no credibility in my book. Please don’t pray for me, save your prayers for those that participate in your religious beliefs.