January 13, 2006
IN THE MIX FOR '06
PLUS! Goodbye and good luck, Kaytee...
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C2EA: Turning a corner |
There's lots of early organizing going on as the Campaign to End AIDS swings into its second year—and transitions from a caravan-based organizing structure to a state-based one. First of all, early results of a survey, distributed to the C2EA community over the holidays to help prioritize goals for 2006, strongly suggest that the centerpiece of this year's 2006 activism will be a special campaign targeting 2006 mid-term senatorial elections in these key states (listed with incumbents, all Republican):
- Arizona (Jon Kyl)
- Indiana (Richard Lugar)
- Maine (Olympia Snowe)
- Mississippi (Trent Lott)
- Missouri (Jim Talent)
- Montana (Conrad Burns)
- Nevada (John Ensign)
- Ohio (Mike DeWine)
- Pennsylvania (Rick Santorum)
- Rhode Island (Lincoln Chafee)
- Tennessee (open election—Bill Frist is retiring)
- Texas (Kay Bailey Hutchinson)
Other survey options that ranked high include a cluster of C2EA advocacy days at as many state capitols as possible (to be held within a set six-week period), a special women-focused initiative, and another Youth Action Institute.
On the financial front, C2EA organizers are also reaching out to about one- to two-dozen major funders to see if C2EA can build on a recent grant from the Public Welfare Foundation and develop further resources.
Meanwhile, great statewide organizing is going on all over the country! A recent statewide conference call in South Carolina netted 12 people and led to both nominations for state offices and plans for an in-person statewide mini-summit on January 27 and 28 that will teach advocacy basics like media training and community outreach to a handful of eager newcomers.
Similar organizing is underway in North Carolina, not to mention Utah, whose recent statewide call boasted participation from every part of the state and led to office nominations. Other states whose structures are percolating into place include Iowa, Arkansas and Texas.
Of course, credit must be given to new Housing Works national field organizer Larry Bryant, who has been visiting many of these states and helping them put the first pieces in place. And while we're at it, let's give props to key Florida organizer Michael Rajner and D.C. organizer Michael Pickering (who notes that candidates for the upcoming D.C. mayoral race include city councilman Adrian Fenty, who spoke at C2EA's Anacostia Park rally in November. Hmmm...).
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RIEK: On to Philly... |
Speaking of Bryant, he and HW federal advocacy director Robert Cordero have been working on a "getting started" kit to make the process easier for other states to come into the C2EA mix. Bryant is also in Mississippi this week to help local C2EA organizers (and new HW staffers) Robin Webb and Shannon Reaze host their first statewide C2EA meeting at the new offices of their group AIDS Action in Mississippi (AAIM).
Finally, HW bids a sad good-bye to D.C. office staffer and young activist dynamo Kaytee Riek, without whom C2EA's 2005 activities and events would not have been possible. Riek leaves HW January 28 to move to activism-rich Philly and continue her organizing work there, but we hope she'll stay an integral part of C2EA as it goes forward. Much thanks goes out to Riek for all her hard work from HW and the broader C2EA community.