Welcome to the third edition of Build Blue Digest. This is your weekly, central source for all things Build Blue Week. Every Wednesday, look forward to hearing about new speakers, campaign insights, and resources to get you prepared for the various events taking place throughout the week.
Let’s recap our Build Blue Week schedule – which is just under two weeks away! Spots are filling up fast so don’t wait to RSVP.
Monday, October 2, 1-2pm EST:
Down Ballot Up Ticket: How Democrats Win in 2024
RSVP here.
Tuesday, October 3, 1-2pm EST:
Cultivating Local Donors for Long-Term Change
RSVP here.
Wednesday, October 4, 1-2pm EST:
Coalition Building for Community Change
RSVP here.
Thursday, October 4, 1-2pm EST:
Messages that Connect: Local Issues and National Narratives
RSVP here.
Day three of Build Blue Week concerns Coalition Building for Community Change . Organizing is one of the most powerful tools at our disposal as a party. Building local coalitions is an essential part of rallying behind candidates and causes. Let’s dive deeper into why effective organizing is truly the best path forward.
At a foundational level, organizing and coalition-building require persuasion. Sometimes “persuasion” can feel like an icky word, like something the advertisers in Mad Men. But in reality, real persuasion on the ground is about empathy. Maurice Mitchell, National Director for the Working Families Party, puts it best:
“Organizing one-on-one is meeting people where they’re at. You’re at their door. You’re interrupting their life. And it requires a level of empathy, compassion, a level of curiosity; to be completely devoid of cynicism, I think, if you want to be an effective organizer. And you have to listen, you have to listen a lot.”
Organizers for elections in 2020 and 2021 in particular faced the unique challenge of COVID-19. Conversations were still critical, but going door-to-door or even hosting events was simply not feasible. While COVID-19 continues to affect communities, the lingering lessons from this era of canvassing are still relevant. Digital or Zoom-based events, for example, are still a great way to lower the barrier of entry for organizing, as people can log on from anywhere.
These takeaways are a starting point for the conversations and more happening during Coalition Building for Community Change, happening Wednesday, October 4 at 1pm ET.
In the New Speaker Spotlight section, we’ll highlight new speakers added to events this week!
Safanya Searcy is joining us for Coalition Building for Community Change! Currently, Safanya oversees SEIU’s National Member Political Programs. In this role, she partners with SEIU Local Unions on the implementation of the union’s national political strategy in an effort to build long-term, sustainable political programs that connect issues important to members to the political fights necessary to win on the issues.
Then, say hi to Emily Zahn of ActBlue, joining for Cultivating Donors for Long Term Change! A fierce advocate for abortion access, Emily serves as the Assistant Director of Movement, Issue, and Charitable Organizations. Emily is an experienced organizer who has worked in the political and reproductive rights fields for over ten years.
Relevant Resources will be your hub for learning guides to supplement the week’s events! Learning guides include guiding questions, links to other relevant coursework, and more.
Highlights include:
- Local Power Mapping Worksheet: This resource will help you visualize various influencers and leaders in your community that can support your organizing efforts.
- Strategic Planning & Goal Setting Course: This course walks you through the planning process that goes behind the scenes in growing your organizing or campaign.
Build Blue Week brings together a diverse and representative lineup of elected officials, top campaign experts, and leaders of Democratic organizations to provide tools and insight to further Democratic values in your community. Learn more about the events coming your way October 2nd through 5th.