The Progress Iowa Birthday Party!
And our Friday Office Lounge Zoom Link...
I went to the Progress Iowa Birthday Party Tuesday night at Raygun in the East Village. I get up at 3:00 a.m. most days, so making the hour-long drive after a day’s work to Des Moines isn’t on my list of favorite things to do. Especially in my old truck that lost its new truck smell over 20 years ago. I’ve always enjoyed Progress Iowa events, though, and greatly appreciate the work they do, so I went. I’m glad I did.
I got to see some old friends and maybe begin to make some new ones. Maybe the best part was hearing the powerful young voices that spoke.
Executive Director Matt Sinovic welcomed us and filled us in on some of the work Progress Iowa has accomplished over the 11 years the organization has been in business. It’s an amazing record--they built an online community of 100,000, generating 1,100 stories in the press and over 400 letters to the editor. Matt told us that Progress Iowa is organizing a project to train leaders locally and teamed up with more than fifty organizations to deliver winning messages that got people elected. He also shared that they published a message guide based on a year’s worth of their polling and research – Winning the Message War: A Handbook for Iowa Progressives.
If you think that’s impressive and can afford it, click here and then click on the big red button on the upper right to help Progress Iowa continue its important work with a donation.
As an aside, I was happy to meet Ivy Beckenholdt, and thank her for the work she does in putting out the valuable “High Five” Progress Iowa Newsletter. If I don’t find the time to find the political highlights (and lowlights) of the day, she does it for me. And us. Thanks. And kudos also for the great work of Amy Adams, Partnerships Director.
I don’t remember the order of speakers, but House Democratic Leader Jennifer Konfrst and Senate Democratic Leader Zach Wahls gave powerful speeches that were inspirational--not just highlighting how awful this year’s Republican efforts are but also sharing the Democratic path to a more hopeful future.
After all these years, I’m still the naughty boy at the back of the classroom, whispering when I shouldn’t be, and it was no different Tuesday night. When Jennifer Konfrst said something like, “We begin with a disadvantage, they lie, and we don’t,” I turned to my friend Katy Siddall, Messaging Director with Progress Iowa, and whispered, “‘THEY LIE, WE DON’T,’ is a Raygun t-shirt.” Katy nodded and whispered back, “with Konfrst’s face on it.” When Zach Wahls said, “Iowa is worth fighting for!” I turned to Katy again and whispered, “‘IOWA IS WORTH FIGHTING FOR!’” is a Raygun t-shirt.” Katy whispered back, “with Zach’s face on it.”
Heck, maybe I’ll get my first tattoo. A Raygun tattoo!
But to me, the best part of the evening was the presentations by Iowa WTF teens Waverly Zhao, Nico Dacre, and Jemma Bullock, who also read a statement from David Lee.
My apologies if I missed the names of any other speakers.
These kids are bright, passionate, and remarkable, and I suspect everyone in the 80 or so people in the audience found them inspirational. These kids are so much better than I was at their age. Better than most of us were. And are.
There was elder wisdom at Raygun Tuesday night. From older people who have been around awhile, who are willing to step up and elevate young people, to let them listen, learn, and lead. That’s how society should work. Elders share wisdom and elevate the youth. And learning is a two-way street; elders teach the youth, and we learn from them. Both of our worlds are expanded, and we are better for it when we learn from each other.
Many Republicans don’t work that way--especially those in legislative bodies. They want the worldviews of their youth--and of all of us--to be perfectly aligned with theirs, if not narrower. Sure, they elevate their youth, but only if their worldview is as small and wizened as their own. And Republicans in charge use their power to try to make us all conform. And we need to continue to challenge this to make the world bigger and better for all of us.
I think it was Jemma who briefly apologized for going on a little long. She doesn’t realize that what she and the others had to say was a magnificent chorus, and we hung on every word.
And Republicans want to control every aspect of these kids’ lives--from what they can say, what they can learn in school, and what they can do with their bodies. WTF?
Republicans even want to control their pronouns.
Of course, I was early to the event. But, like a tired old dog on a hot day, I always know where to find some shade and a drink. I saw someone walk into the Locust Tap, just down the street from Raygun, and I followed them in. I’d never been there before, but a friendly crowd welcomed me, and we had a fine time; they even got a story or two out of me. It was early, and everyone seemed newly arrived and sober. One 20-something woman was celebrating and offered to buy a round for her friends and me (if I were a 20-something again, I would be celebrating EVERYTHING!) The drink was called something like a “Sloppy Wanda?” and was two ounces of vodka in a 1.5-ounce shot glass, served on a napkin. I said thanks but no thanks, and they looked at me like it was a wise decision.
One young woman was trans. And everyone there loved on her just like they did everyone else, and I was lucky enough that just a bit of that affection splashed on me before I got up to go.
“Bye!” they said, “nice to meet you!”
“Bye!” I replied, “You too!” I said, walking out, wondering how the Iowa Republicans working up the street at the Capitol could possibly find so much hate in their hearts when there is so much to love to be found in our big, beautiful world.
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