(Cross-Posted at MyDD.com)

I realized that none of my posts from a weekend spent at the Young Elected Officials Conference had really focused on any of the young elected officials that the conference revolves around (famous YouTube congressmen and documentary stars aside).

Yesterday I attended a session on being "Effective in the Minority," whose participants occasionally shared stories of tactics used by Republican Majorities in the states that would've been too much even for Tom Delay to get away with. While most of the talk focused on those in a legislative minority, often times there were instances of those on a city council or school board who as progressives are literally a minority of one. And that can be a very lonely place to be.

Though I obviously can't say from personal experience, it seems that the true value of the YEO conference is in showing these young elected officials that they're not alone in the world.

(Cross-Posted at MyDD.com)

Today at the Young Elected Officials Conference, I sat down (quite by coincidence) next to a young State Senator from Missouri who looked very familiar. It took me a moment to place him as Jeff Smith, the star of the recent award-winning documentary "Can Mr. Smith Get To Washington Anymore?"

The movie is about the 2004 primary in which Smith challenged Russ Carnahan, son of a former governor (father) and senator (mother), to the congressional seat that Dick Gephardt was vacating in what was described as a true "David vs. Goliath" battle.

I asked Smith, who is now a State Senator representing Jefferson City, Missouri about his journey after that election day loss in 2004 to where he was now. (again, as with yesterday, my transcription skills are a work in progress, so any errors are my own, with apologies)

(Cross-Posted at MyDD.com)

I'm spending my weekend at the Young Elected Officials Conference, a project of People for the American Way Foundation, which brings together over a hundred young elected progressive officials from all branches of local and state government and connects them. It's a vital step in what we often talk about, building the bench of future progressive leaders.

Tonight's opening session featured PFAW President Ralph Neas, Gerald McEntee the President of AFSCME, and the dinner keynote speaker was Congressman Tim Ryan (seen to right with YEO President and Tallahasse Commisioner Andrew Gillum)

(cross-posted at MyDD)

So tonight 60 or so young leaders from campuses across the country and I got to participate in an improv training session lead by Laughing Liberally (while Markos and others watched from the back) at the 2007 "Young People For" National Summit. It was great and in the midst of all of this, I was struck by the fact that just a few years ago none of this existed. Young People For, Laughing Liberally, DailyKos; these and other pillars of the progressive movements infrastructure are all relatively new.

Kevin Killer Clear Winner of FLLA Debate

Atlanta - Today FLLA candidate Kevin Killer emerged as the clear

winner from today's FLLA candidate debate forum.

Kevin, described by those who know him well as a quiet leader whose

record speaks for itself, distinguished himself during today's debate

with his thoughts on alternative energy policy with his signature "New

Buffalo" energy initiative, his emphasis on the importance of

education in America, and making an effort to invest in communities.

Throughout the debate Kevin Killer, who was chosen by the moderator to

speak first and shape the debate for all the candidates, was on the

forefront on a variety of issues from across the spectrum.

"I think that we all ascribe to values in one way or another, as YP4,

as progressives, as people overall...and it can intertwine your

progressive values," said Killer as he closed the debate.

Of particular interest was Killer's "New Buffalo" alternative energy

initiative.  The "New Buffalo" recalls the proud tradition and respect

to nature that the Native Americans had for the buffalo, which

crippled their community when it went extinct.  Today we face a

similar situation with a society built on fossil fuels that are soon

to be run out.  It's time for a "New Buffalo" alternative energy

proposals.

"Kevin showed beyond a doubt today that he is a strong leader by

example, guided by the values that resonate with us all," said

Campaign Manager Paul Kendrick.

###

Kevin, who has been profiled by such national press organizations at

the Wall Street Journal for his community organizing work in South

Dakota, was essential in the re-election of South Dakota Sen. Tim

Johnson, who narrowly won his 2002 re-elect by a mere 524 votes, all

of which came from the Native American community.

(Cross-posted at MyDD.com)

As Jerome and Markos highlight in "Crashing the Gate" there is a stark contrast exists in terms of how much more the right invests in young people versus the left. But since the 2004 Kerry loss, there has been a large investment in the growing young progressive movement, with an emphasis on next-generation infrastructure and leadership.

A great example of this is the Young People For program, of which I'm a 2006 fellow, which aims to invest in the next generation of leaders (though some rabble such as myself managed to slip through) and build a long-term national network for young progressives.

Right now I'm in Atlanta attending my third session of the Front Line Leadership Academy, which is a unique partnership between the Young People For fellowship program and the Young Elected Officials Network (which brings together and supports progressive elected leaders). FLLA is a program that takes a select group of YP4 fellows who are interested in a future in politics, either as a candidate or a campaign staffer, and has young elected officials and campaign professionals train them in campaign skills. It gives young elected officials and campaign staffers the chance to share their experiences and impart wisdom to up and coming progressives who are interested in politics and government.

I was reading YP4 Director Iara Peng's post at Alternet when I stumbled upon this comment:

There's nothing wrong with going after youth but if you're going to do so, don't focus too much on frivilous issues such as gays and
abortion. You're only taking them further for granted and may even be
sending them away as ripe GOP targets.

And it kind of fired me...as you can see in my reply.

I was reading YP4 Director Iara Peng's post at Alternet when I stumbled upon this comment:

There's nothing wrong with going after youth but if you're going to do so, don't focus too much on frivilous issues such as gays and
abortion. You're only taking them further for granted and may even be
sending them away as ripe GOP targets.

And it kind of fired me...as you can see in my reply.

...A 20-something male college student noted, ''It's like your grandparents knowing where they were when they heard Pearl Harbor got bombed, or your parents hearing of JFK's assassination. For my age group, this event is for us.''

This article, originally from the LA Times, caught my eye last week, "Teens are targeted as audience for WTC movie". It seems that while market testing the new Oliver Stone movie World Trade Center studio executives discovered that the movie received the strongest reaction from teenagers and young adults:

Teens, who were just kids when the Twin Towers fell, said in a focus group that the movie strongly resonated with them because the events it portrayed occurred during their lifetimes.

...So favorable has been teenagers' responses to the film, Rich says, that Paramount completely reworked its $35 million marketing campaign to also court the most faithful and frequent moviegoing demographic: young people.

...A 20-something male college student noted, ''It's like your grandparents knowing where they were when they heard Pearl Harbor got bombed, or your parents hearing of JFK's assassination. For my age group, this event is for us.''

This article, originally from the LA Times, caught my eye last week, "Teens are targeted as audience for WTC movie". It seems that while market testing the new Oliver Stone movie World Trade Center studio executives discovered that the movie received the strongest reaction from teenagers and young adults:

Teens, who were just kids when the Twin Towers fell, said in a focus group that the movie strongly resonated with them because the events it portrayed occurred during their lifetimes.

...So favorable has been teenagers' responses to the film, Rich says, that Paramount completely reworked its $35 million marketing campaign to also court the most faithful and frequent moviegoing demographic: young people.