At the 2011 Caucus, Wellstone Action led dozens of rural community organizers through a workshop on shifting the status quo of local elections. Wellstone Action engaged us around choosing the values we want to see in candidates, then actively recruiting community members who live by those values to run. Wellstone Action shared stories of their candidate forums where they sat candidates down with community members to discuss their stories and candidates had to share what they heard to the entire crowd, risking having their microphone cut if they started a stump speech. They also discussed how they create issue environments during the election and how they enfranchise entire immigrant communities as new voters rather than pandering to the fickle swing-voters.
Wellstone Action will be back in Oregon for 2 ½ days for Camp Wellstone on June 29-July 1!
We are excited to send a rural delegation to Camp Wellstone, which will be held at Lewis & Clark College in Portland! This training, based on the late Senator Paul Wellstone’s model, is an incredible opportunity for rural organizers to learn new skills and obtain new tools to bring back home to their communities!
Camp Wellstone is divided into three tracks:
– Citizen Activist: Learn how to win on issues and build community power! Sessions include: grassroots organizing, advocacy and lobbying, strategic planning and power mapping, and volunteer coordination.
– Working on a Campaign: Learn how to run successful electoral campaigns! Sessions include: campaign plan and budget, canvassing, GOTV, fundraising, and online organizing.
– Being a Candidate: Learn the skills needed to run for office! Sessions include: base building, paid and earned media, targeting, field, and fundraising.
Not sure what track is for you? Check out this list of workshops, trainings, and resources for each track!
The cost to attend is based on a sliding-scale, pay-what-you-can fee from $50-200. We can coordinate community housing for you if requested. If the fees would prevent you from attending, please contact ROP and we will work out a fundraising strategy. We want every community organizer interested in joining the ROP delegation to attend and take these valuable tools home with them!
Are you ready to join the rural delegation to Camp Wellstone? Register here by June 15th and send me an email at jessica@rop.org or give me a call at 503-543-8417 to let ROP know that you will be there!
See you there!
Jessica