June 24, 2007

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

For more information, contact:
Greg Conners, chair, HCDCC Communications and Education Committee,
gregor@hughes.net, 725-3400 or 733-5184, or Shane Brinton, 
822-3986 or 845-9372.

NEW TECHNIQUES FOR BUILDING GRASSROOTS POWER TO BECOME PART OF HCDCC
POLITICAL TRAINING BASED ON WELLSTONE ACTION SESSIONS ATTENDED 
BY TWO OF ITS MEMBERS


New strategies and techniques to elect Democratic Party candidates, build
"grassroots power" and encourage people to stay involved in the
political process after elections are over will become part of the Humboldt
County Democratic Central Committee's stepped up emphasis on
political training after two members attended the Wellstone Action sessions
in Sacramento recently.

HCDCC members Phillis Taborski and Shane Brinton attended the training
offered by Take Back Red California, an organization that works to
create grassroots progressive power in rural areas of California. The
training took place at the offices of the California Teachers Assn. on
June 16 and 17.

Nearly 100 progressive activists and community organizers from throughout
the state came together to work with trainers Erik Peterson
and Ryan Greenwood of the Minnesota-based nonprofit Wellstone Action.
Participants learned a number of effective strategies and techniques
to assist in base building, candidate recruitment, fundraising, voter
contact and other key aspects of political campaigns.

Brinton said he was impressed with the training and that he is eager to use
the information he gained to help encourage "progressive
people-oriented politics" in Humboldt County. "Wellstone Action uses the
organizing model of the late U.S. Sen. Paul Wellstone. He was a
progressive populist who practiced what he preached: a politics of
inclusion. That's what Wellstone Action is carrying forward with these
trainings. They focus on bringing more people -- youth, the poor, the
disenfranchised -- into public life and helping them to become
passionate about democracy."

Taborski, who serves as HCDCC treasurer, agreed: "It's a different way of
running campaigns. It's about helping citizens build grassroots power, so
that after an election is over, they will want to stay involved in the
political process. If we can do that, electing progressive and liberal
candidates will become a lot easier."

HCDCC has made political training a priority this year, with a portion of
its budget being set aside for activist development. Committee members,
potential Democratic candidates, campaign managers and Democratic volunteers
are encouraged by the HCDCC to participate in Camp Wellstone and similar
trainings.

The Wellstone Action training program will return to California for training
in Orange County on Dec. 7-9. Those who are interested in attending can find
details at www.wellstone.org.

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