A letter to the Dean campaign

[yesthattom]

Subject: Report from the Montclair, NJ Dean Meetup

I hate to be a downer, but the Montclair, NJ meeting this week wasn't too thrilling. It was my first meetup, and I expected it to be very different.

It was successful on some level... they did have about 45 people, and generated over 90 letters (and the location and food was excellent). However, the organizer was focused on assembly-lining us through the process of getting all our letters written. There was no encouragement to socialize. By the time the letters were written, people were leaving. Next time I think I'll go to the one in New Brunswick, NJ instead.

What really got me pumped about the meetups was seeing the NYC meetup video on HowardDean.tv: the way he built excitement and community by encouraging everyone to get to know each other. (it was electric to hear him say (from memory) "The best way to learn about Dean is to talk to the people around you. They're the experts.").

I was very impressed at the excellent job the Dean campaign does to make sure each meetup is prepared. The kits were excellent. Here's what I'd add to to training/instruction given to the local organizers:

1. Remember that people may attend because they want Dean to win, but they keep coming back because they socialize and make friends. The power of this movement will be the communities that form at these meetups, not the just the letters they generate. Make sure there is space to let this happen. If this isn't your forte, find someone else to be social chair and M.C. for the event.
2. Begin with an ice breaker. If there are less than 15 people, have everyone say their name, where they are from, and if this is their first Meetup. If there are more than 15, have them do a similar exchange with the 4 people nearest to them. This builds community.
3. Share the power. Don't centralize. If a lot of people show up from a distant county, encourage them to start their own meetup. Don't hog the grass roots.

I look forward to Howard Dean winning, and I want to be a part of that. Hopefully things in my area will improve.

Thank you for listening,

(signature)

Comments

[kimuchi.livejournal.com]

I was underwhelmed by the local Meet Up, too, for similar reasons. I tried to get involved in the local Dean-support activities but quit in frustration not long after -- it was frustrating that the core people at the same time took on tasks they didn't want or weren't good at, and discouraged the help I wanted to give in favor of things _I_ don't want to do and am not good at (like public speaking -- make me speak to strangers without preparation and I won't come back. Let me make you glossy signs for your Farmer's Market table, however...) I've been meaning to try San Francisco but I keep missing it.