Kickin Ass in Massachusetts

Our College Democrats chapter has been working with our parent organization, the College Democrats of Massachusetts, and the Amherst Town Democratic Committee to organize a Massachusetts-specific policy-oriented Student Activist Conference to be held at the University of Massachusetts Amherst on November 12th.

The purpose of this convention is to give over 200 students from 36 College Democrats chapters from across the Commonwealth the policy information they need to be effective grassroots activists. The programming at this conference has been designed to help College Activists as they interface with the general public in the cities and towns of Massachusetts to answer the fundamental question of why people should vote Democrat.

This policy-oriented conference will complement the Campaign Corps training workshop for College Dems held at Clark University in late October. While primarily a pregressive college student convention, there is a limited amount of space here at UMass in November for non-college community activists to participate and contribute.

Expert panelists in two plenary sessions and several smaller workshops will discuss the issues of tax policy, jobs and the economy, education, and healthcare - all with a Massachusetts-specific slant. The Democratic candidates for governor will be on hand to deliver some remarks and recruit volunteers, and progressive organizations will provide supplemental informational workshops while building their own mailing lists. Thus, channels will be provided for student attendees to take the information they learn at the conference and turn around and apply it in the field.

At least half of Massachusetts College Democrats have not grown up in this state, and so we are arranging a "Massachusetts Politics 101" discussion session. This will give grassroots activists the information about local and statewide political dynamics that they need to be effective as they operate within the Commonwealth. For those students who will go on to work in other states, a Massachusetts Politics panel discussion will serve as an illustrative case study in how strengthening Our Party starts with tenacious involvement in local and state-level politics - from the grassroots up.

Massachusetts is one of the most influential states in the Union, in that the outcomes of local and state-wide campaigns and ballot initiatives have immediate and lasting effects on the nation's political landscape. Come and learn about the fights that need to be taken up and won in Massachusetts.

College Democrats from across this state are prepared to offer their insight and energy, their time and their shoe leather to help build a lasting Democratic majority. I really hope you can make it to our convocation of Massachusetts' next generation of political talent.

-Chris, UDems Presidente (christopher.coletta (at) student.umass.edu)