“Folks, I know some of you are mad at the Democratic Party. But I’ll repeat it until I’m blue in the face — WE are the party. Not just the elected officials in this organization. So I’m begging folks to take on leadership, get involved, and let’s shake this sh*t from the ground up, not the top down.”
Anderson Clayton, Chair,
North Carolina Democratic Party
Our state chair is exactly right. Our elected officeholders are not the only people who represent our party. Democrats are also the folks who registered with our party, voted our way on Election Day, and convinced family and friends to do the same.
Now, our members and allies are deeply concerned and want to take on a larger role to oppose a Republican Party that has capitulated to the will of its fascist cult leader. To those members and allies, we say join us as we battle for democracy.
Each day, our county party gets phone calls and emails from these people, encouraging us to keep up the good fight and asking how they can help. We’ve been busily responding, and we’re enormously heartened more Brunswick County voters are leaving the sidelines to join the fray. Trump’s administration — and his disciples in Raleigh — are in an all-out power-grabbing war against democracy, and we must mobilize to stand in their way. We’re fighting back, with rallies, billboards, social media, and other displays of anger and dissent. But we need more help, and that begins with you and those who share our views.
As a county party, it’s our job to build the base. That means getting more people involved at the precinct level, where it doesn’t get much “baser.” We need folks who want to help organize the party on the streets where they live, in their neighborhoods, and in their communities. We need folks who share our values to run for public office at local or county levels. And we need the support from the rest of us to help our candidates run successful campaigns.
Or, perhaps you have a special skill or talent we can use. If so, here’s a list of our needs and who’s available to answer your questions about them. Choose from the teams below, complete our website’s “Contact Us” form, and we will direct your form to the appropriate team leader(s):
Call Team — Help us expand the size of our precincts, along with our volunteer and newsletter subscriber base, by calling registered democrats and unaffiliated voters who share our values. Contact: Mike Rush.
Candidate Recruitment Team — Help us field Democratic candidates for this year’s municipals and next year’s midterms (including NC General Assembly, county commissioners, and district court judges). Contact: Shelley Allen.
Festivals/Events — Staff our tent/table at local festivals/events to promote our party, our candidates, and our democratic ideals. Most events take place between April and October. Contact: Mike Rush.
Fundraising Team — Our biggest fundraiser of the year is our annual golf tournament, and we have a wonderful committee to manage it. We also have a separate Fundraising Team for planning, organizing, and carrying out smaller, less intensive fundraising events. We need folks with some experience in this area! Contact: Maria Surprise.
Good Works Team -- Community service efforts.
Adopt-a-Highway initiative. Contact: Linda DiMattia.
Food/Supply drives for local charities. Contact: Shelley Allen.
HQ Grounds & Maintenance Crew -- Take a turn using our riding lawnmower on the HQ grounds a few times a year; help with building repairs/maintenance. Contact: Mark Allen.
Legislative Committee — Team members choose a local board (see below) and take turns attending monthly meetings, taking notes, and reporting back via email to their team members. Team leads pass along anything that needs the attention of the BCDP to the Communications Team.
Board of Commissioners Watch Team. Contact Lee Dixon.
Board of Education Watch Team. Contact Dale Todd.
Board of Elections/Voting Rights Watch Team. Contact Shelley Allen.
Partner/Community Outreach Team — Establish and maintain long-term relationships with the African American Faith and Hispanic communities, as well as with local environmental and anti-development groups within Brunswick County. Contact Mike Rush.
Rally Squad — Along with the BCDP officers and/or in partnership with neighboring county Democratic parties, help organize and promote issue-oriented rallies. Contact: Shelley Allen.
Social Media/“Next Door” Team — Join our keyboard warriors to get BCDP-relevant messages out, especially about local elected officials and the decisions they’re making that hurt our county and quality of life. Contact: Mike Maisel.
Social Media Meme Creation —Work with our Communications Team to create memes and
infographics about key issues we’re addressing (focus: how GOP lawmakers’ decisions negatively impact Brunswick County residents). Contact: Mike Maisel.
This is the time to rally to Democracy’s side. And the best way to get there is, as NCDP Chair Anderson Clayton has asserted, to “fight from the ground up, not the top down.”
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