Hi friends, welcome to my first Substack post! Here I’ll be giving updates about organizing, political musings, random life anecdotes (hence the name!), and of course, music.
Since this is my first newsletter, I have it sorted into sections beyond the general rambling. I have articles I’m reading, what I’m listening to this week, and ways I’m fighting for a better world right now.
2020 has not been what I expected, which is true for literally everyone.
I’m writing this in the midst of what should have been the most vibrant campaign season of my life. I’ve spent the last 2-4 years thinking about what 2020 would be like personally and politically. I thought there would be an epic Bernie campaign (kind of true there for a minute), that I would spend most weekends on the doors talking to voters (that obviously isn’t really happening), and that I’d be blooming into my gorgeous Saturn Return (very true, at least there’s that!). Like most people, I had tickets, flights, all kinds of plans, I was ready for this year to go by quickly in the best way possible. Instead, I am spending my late 20s begging people to make calls from their home via Zoom during a global pandemic.
One thing happening this year that’s really frustrating is typical campaign volunteers don’t want to make calls, but they love textbanking. I don’t want this to come off as ungrateful for everyone who has showed up for campaigns I’ve been a part of. Let me be clear: Campaign volunteers are angels. Campaigns do not win without an army of dedicated suburban moms who bring dinner and cookies, people under 25, lesbians, retirees, and the do-gooders. They’re the ones you can count on to make the calls and do the difficult, unsexy voter contact work. But campaigning is currently hellish. There’s no buzz of the dingy campaign office or fresh pizza boxes or neatly piled clipboards. There’s no beloved phone call thermometers representing the thousands of calls made. There’s no laughter or joy or connection or flashy candidate who can give you a big hug for all of those calls you made. You’re stuck inside. You hopefully have decent internet and a functioning computer. The various phonebanking systems range from fine to bad, with older volunteers who didn’t grow up online struggling to understand Zoom and the phonebanking systems without a helpful organizer over their shoulder. Maybe one out of every 20 people will pick up (or 10% on a really good day). You basically turn your home into your own little miserable call center for the campaign of your choice and pray that voters are kind.
Textbanking has grown popular in the last few cycles, for good reason. It’s easy, efficient, it works to turn out young people to vote, people don’t pick up their phones even for their own family, and everyone is just too tired to make calls. So volunteers will press that little “Enter” button for you like their life depends on it. However I fear that the drive for textbanking is a symptom of a larger problem of alienation. I’m not one to fearmonger over technology for the sake of it, but I do see a genuine lack of sincerity compared to making calls or talking in-person. I’m afraid that this is rooted in a fear to connect with our neighbors and that the increasing popularity of this tactic will not bring us closer together. I think it normalizes the idea that asking each other to vote or show up is inconvenient or a burden or even a violation.
We have to be okay with being uncomfortable, asking each other to participate in civic life and show up or join in struggle together.
I also didn’t start this year thinking - I’m looking forward to having a crisis about my life path, enrolling in a community college chemistry class and dreaming of a time where I’ll be distributing STI tests. While I had been debating on working my way to be a campaign manager for socialist candidates, I realized that I wanted a more stable life with health insurance and a somewhat predictable schedule. I’ve had a feeling in my gut for a while that I don’t want to work in politics or non-profits forever, and knew a lot of DSA comrades going into nursing (and of course, there’s my mom, who’s been a nurse for decades). It feels deranged that I’m doing a class on top of working this election cycle full time. But with the lack of social events, commuting or traveling for work, it’s also the perfect time for me to take on this class. And weirdly, I’ve enjoyed it. There’s something great about balancing an equation or calculating the molarity of a solution. Like somewhere out in the world, there’s right and wrong answers.
Lastly, I never expected to be co-chair of one of the largest socialist organizations in the country. I’m not going to lie, co-chairing East Bay DSA has been one of the most challenging experiences of my life. I have quickly realized both what I’m capable of doing and also how much I have left to learn. I never expected to be able to chair a meeting of 250 people with Robert’s Rules of Order, and at the same time I realized that I need to do a bit of my own political development. I need to spend more significantly more time studying and digging deeper into theory and history. I guess it’s always an ongoing journey with learning but I am often in awe of how much there is to learn about organized struggle and how others think about the world.
On a personal note, I am just really looking forward to this cycle being over with.
Don’t get me wrong, I am energized. I’m pissed off and ready to tackle big things. Unlike any other election cycle or literally any other point in my human existence, I am taking care of myself. I can do a 10 mile hike and mostly feel fine after. I’m eating 90% vegan and staying hydrated. I drink coffee to feel that little bit of buzz to write, but not like an absurd amount of coffee that makes me shake. For the most part, I’m sleeping 7 hours or more a night. Most days I can wake up at 6:30 am, walk 2 hours, work a 9 hour day, go straight into 4 straight hours of DSA calls, emails, fiddling in various personal and organizing documents, studying chemistry, or socializing, and then tuck myself in at 10:30 pm and feel satisfied with my day. The joys of being an extrovert, really.
At the same time, I feel exhausted deep in my bones. I want nothing more than to sleep in til 8 am, do a late hot yoga class, go to brunch (sorry), feel the hot pavement of a perfect summer day, to do shots with my friends at a karaoke bar, and sit by a campfire. I want nothing more than to do nothing. And not having some of the typical social outlets means that I take care of my physical body but not my soul and spirit (can’t believe I typed out those corny words, but it’s true!).
Luckily I booked a house with a pool in LA over Thanksgiving week as a treat for myself, my closest friends, and my brother, who I have not seen in 2 years. I will be burying my phone and no one is allowed to bug me for 3 days.
Articles I’m reading:
Yet another article about how likely a new stimulus check is coming. I want my free money!
About #EndSARS protests in Nigeria - something I haven’t seen a lot about on social media besides from my friends who are first generation Nigerians.
Patricia Arce was the mayor in Bolivia who was brutally attacked and assaulted by right wing militia. She won her Senate race last week with the Movement for Socialism (MAS) party. Knowing this and reading her full story will definitely make you cry (content warning for sexual assault and general violence).
What I’m listening to:
This playlist I made my dear co-worker, Laura
The new Machine Gun Kelly album and this confusing music video
The new PUP album, This Place Sucks Ass
The new The Wonder Years track, Brakeless, based off their first album, The Upsides
I started listening to Run the Jewels this week and honestly they are amazing.
Ways I’m fighting for a better world right now:
I made calls for Dean Preston for Supervisor in San Francisco last week which was easy and fun.
I’m going to make calls for Prop 15 in California, which will take money from big businesses and give it to our pathetic state budget.
I’m leading phonebanks at my job at NARAL Pro-Choice California, via a “Virtual Campaign Office” through Election Day, where I will be tethered to my computer and a dialer (for a worthy cause).
Running Spoke textbanks to recruit people to some events for Carroll Fife for City Council in Oakland and other big campaigns by East Bay DSA. You should go knock doors if you can, it’s super fun.
Thanks for reading the first edition of this newsletter. I am honored that so many people subscribed. I’ll send out a post-election reflection in the next week.
Solidarity,
Allie