Organizing for Santa Barbara

As of a week ago I am an intern for Organizing for America.  Stylishly called a Fall Fellow, my job, and the job of several thousand other people, is to represent the president at the local level (some sort of undefined locality which could be California’s 23rd congressional district, or Santa Barbara County, or Santa Barbara city, or Santa Barbara and unincorporated surroundings of the city).

It’s a job that’s both harder and not as hard as it sounds, and both more important and not quite as important as it sounds (don’t let my bosses read that).  Let me clarify: it is a job that takes a lot of effort, and, as with all political jobs, it is not 9 to 5 (and 15 hours a week actually means a lot more), but a job that’s doable, even for introverts – and on that count, I am guilty as charged.  I have a major advantage stepping into this job, despite only being in Santa Barbara for a few months, because I already jumped feet first into the Democratic Party, making the kind of connections needed to build an organization (that is, to organize) from scratch.  Whatever accomplishments are made, I thank my fellow interns.

To return to what I’ve said, this job is not as important as it sounds.  I represent (in an informal, intern-y, kind of way) the president on the local level.  But I’m just reaching out to people who already want to be involved, and asking you to become involved.  I’m asking that you, me, and us work to create a better world.  Although it’s mightily important that we stay involved in the process that is our country and world, and that it my job to reach out and ask you to become (or stay) involved, my belief is that you already want a better world.  It’s my task to discuss with you how we create a better world, it’s our task to make sure we get there.  This job is not as important as it sounds, because it’s about us NOT me, and this job is more important that it sounds because we want the world to go forward, not backward.

Why is it not as important as it sounds?  Because it’s not all about me; it’s about us.

That said, what exactly is it that Organizing for America does?  In order to support the president, OFA is organizing communities now.  We’re calling lists of people who’ve supported moving our country forward before (by supporting a president who is not regressive, and who knows he can’t do everything alone; by supporting health care; by supporting education) so that we can continue moving forward.  But don’t wait and find out if you’re on somebody’s list. Offer to volunteer now, and then contact your local OFA team (facebook?  twitter?) and keep at it.  So, we’re contacting past and present supporters, working to build a future permanent, non-apathetic, base.  Then we meet with each other and keep the ball moving.  We register voters, make calls (there’s something nice about hearing a person on the other end thank you for what you’re doing), drive to other states, and encourage our representatives to support common-sense causes.

And if you’re in the Santa Barbara area leave a response to this message with a way to contact you, and join us making progress.