Unfortunately, due to ongoing health issues, I wasn’t able to attend the Women’s Summit last weekend. Fortunately, the folks who put together the Women’s Summit don’t ever sleep (it seems), and are churning out content as we speak. For instance, see below for a summary of the event, as well as video of a panel with Simon Rosenberg (“president and founder of the progressive think tank NDN. A veteran of the 1992 Clinton War Room, Rosenberg is a leading political thinker and commentator”), Tom Bonier (“a veteran Democratic political strategist and TargetSmart’s Chief Executive Officer”) and Jessica Craven (author of Chop Wood Carry Water). Just to get a taste of the panel discussion, here are a few quotes from the speakers:
- Simon Rosenberg: “Here in the United States in recent years with Joe Biden’s great presidency, which has created some of the most extraordinary economic conditions that America’s ever seen, that golden age in this age of freedom is under threat in unprecedented ways. We are under threat from Iran, from Russia, from China, from MAGA here in the United States. And what this election really is about and the reason that all of you are here is because we know that on our watch we’re not going to let the kids and…our grandkids have less freedoms and rights than we did. And the kids and the grandkids of the United States and the people of the world are counting on us in this election to ensure that freedom once again prevails over dominion.” “…to be the most powerful advocate you can be is that you don’t need to read talking points, you don’t need to say things that you don’t necessarily understand. Pick an issue, a single issue that really motivates you, that gives you passion…and master that one issue. And make it clear that when you are talking to somebody and trying to bring them along for Joe Biden and the Democrats, you can say listen there’s so many things we could talk about, but let me tell you about why I am out fighting every day”
- Tom Bonier: “Especially after the Obama 2012 campaign, where we fell in love with the idea of data and microtargeting, it was as if the data could just go out and win elections. It can’t. It can’t. I wish it could. So you know, really, what it’s about is empowering activists and people on the ground and the campaigns to have the insight that they need to have more meaningful conversations. We know that the media landscape is so fragmented, and it’s meaningful conversations that actually change minds.”
- Rebecca Craven: [To so-called “double haters,” she approaches it as follows] “you don’t have to you don’t have to be in love with Joe Biden…so what I say to people is it’s so you hate both of them, and I hear you, the first thing I’m going to try to do is not try to talk them out of anything I hear that I hear that you’re disappointed in the choices but I do you love a supreme court tha is fair and not corrupted do you love uh autonomy and freedom for for people who have uteruses and do you love having access to contraception do you love being able to have elections where you get to choose your lawmaker you know do do you love being able to get the book you want at the library or do you love book bands like we can start to talk about that and if they’re like well no of course I don’t love book bands well then you gotta re then you do love if you don’t love Joe Biden you love the principles he stands for you love the principles that the Democrats stand for so get very clear he is a placeholder for principles that we either are going to protect and Save in this election or lose for 50 years.”
Great stuff, check it out!
ROWDY REFLECTIONS ON NETWORK NOVA’S 8TH WOMEN’S SUMMIT – IT’S UP TO US
By Katherine White, Network NOVA Program Director
This past weekend, hundreds of activists from Virginia and across the country, as far away as Hawaii, stormed Capital One Hall in Tysons, VA. Some wore pink capes, others their favorite political garb. All with the same intention: to save democracy.
The 8th Annual Women’s Summit was a success and timely, especially after the much anticipated debate.
Friday’s Postcard Palooza kicked off 2 days of programming with 5 themed stages and ended with Saturday evening’s Badass Broadway Bash.
Over 32 organizations & boutiques participated in the interactive & action oriented Networking Hall. Laughter and chatter abounded as old friends connected and new friends were made.
This event couldn’t have come at a more critical time as we are called to hold the line – AGAIN.
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After this empowering weekend, we returned home to commentary from the left and right about Biden dropping out of the Presidential race, lots of pearl clutching, and Dems in chaos.
At the Summit we heard from Rachel Bitecofer on how risky this idea is and not to shit on our own brand. Instead, let’s get busy telling voters what the MAGA cult has done and plans to do. No pussy footing around. Let’s use our best bad words for MAGA not Democrats!
Phyllis Randall reminded us that President Joe Biden had a bad night, Donald Trump is a bad person.
Jessica Craven, author of Chop Wood Carry Water, best advice: block the noise, and keep working on what matters.
We affirmed at the Summit, what matters is women’s rights, our freedom, reproductive justice and equality for all. This election is not about a person, it’s about our democracy and our freedoms. Summit speaker Maggie O’Neill, artist and founder of Vote for Your Daughter, made it even more simple – this election is about our daughters. Maggie’s vision is to center the conversation on the freedom and future of girls in the USA. Tell your friends you are voting for your daughter, your wife, your sister, your mother.
Historians, academics, and pundits alike are all weighing in on this election and what is at stake. Dahlia Lithwick, Senior Editor at Slate, warned in her latest article The Supreme Court Is Fully MAGA-Pilled. The Time for Action Is Now or Never: “Public outrage has somehow made the court more reckless. The time for wishful thinking about the power of shame, institutional legitimacy, and historical legacy is over. The time for action may well be now or never.”
The grassroots is all about action. We know that no one is going to save us, It’s Up to Us, you and me, together in community to fight like hell. We the PEOPLE, dissent!
Time to get bold and bolder, loud and louder, proud and prouder. Our democracy demands ACTION. We got this! In the powerful words of Poetess Tammarrah Addison at the Summit, she urged:
“To be Boujee, Bigger, Bolder, Beautiful, Brilliant, Brave, Badasses – We are standing up, speaking out, and punching back – Freedom demands bold moves – Come on get in the groove – Don’t give just enough because It’s Up to Us”
We must do more than just enough. History will document what we do in this time. Historian Heather Cox Richardson is sounding the alarm about Trump v. U.S. On July 1, 2024 after the Supreme Court immunity ruling, Heather called out the danger of this latest court decision passionately pleading: “DO NOT SURRENDER IN ADVANCE. Now is our American Revolution. Pick up your spirits and get into the fight.”.png)
The power of the Women’s Summit is coming together to build community. To have fun! To laugh and to cry. Don’t be distracted by the noise. Do volunteer for a congressional candidate, register voters, talk to friends and family about the danger of the Supreme Court ruling and Project 2025.
The media bubble can mess with your head and heart. Make sure you are not tuning in 24/7 to negative spin. Tune into what you learned at the Summit, surround yourself with positive yet badass people, and get busy doing the work.
Network NOVA’s motto is: “WHEN WE VOTE WE WIN.” On November 5, 2024, we will give more than enough. We will hold the Supreme Court accountable – we will VOTE.
Happy Fourth – Ain’t No Stopping us Now!
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Loudoun County Chair Phyllis Randall: “Joe Biden had a bad night, but let’s not confuse a bad night with a bad person. Let’s never do that. Joe Biden had a bad night; Donald Trump gave us four bad years and will give us four more bad years. Joe Biden had a bad night; Donald Trump gave us the Dobbs decision. Joe Biden had a bad night; Donald Trump gave us Betsy DeVos, who does not even believe in public education. Joe Biden had a bad night; Donald Trump called other countries ‘shithole countries. Joe Biden had a bad night; okay cool, Donald Trump said people from Charlottesville were ‘good people on both sides.’ Joe Biden had a bad night; Donald Trump is a bad person – let’s not confuse that. And if we give Donald Trump four more years, he has told us what he’s going to do with Project 2025. He’s told us already. He’s told us that your daughters are going to suffer. He’s told us that my sons are going to suffer. He’s told us he’ll roll back the Affordable Care Act. He’s told us…he will get more Supreme Court Justices which would take them through right through your children’s lives. Joe Biden had a bad night; Donald Trump is a bad human being – let’s not confuse the two. So anyone who believes that Joe Biden’s bad night should be disqualifying, stop and think about what happened during Donald Trump’s four years. One bad night, eight bad years – that’s the
difference, that is the difference. And Joe Biden needs one thing right now, he needs one thing – Joe Biden needs a crew. Joe Biden needs a crew. He needs people that are going to get out there, going to knock on doors for him, that’s going to phone call for him, that’s going to remind everybody about what January 6 really was. He needs people going to remind people that he took away your daughter’s right to control her own health care. He needs people who are going to be out there on the front lines every day, not talking about his bad night, talking about his good presidency for the past four years. Joe Biden had a bad night. Joe Biden had one bad night, but Joe Biden has had four good years
being president and he’s running against a monster of a human being. Let’s not confuse what we’re doing here. Let’s not confuse what we’re doing here. So I don’t want any more whining, complaining, moaning, groaning, ringing of hands, grabbing of the pearl necklace. I don’t want any of that. Let’s just say he had a bad night and move the hell on, move the hell on. You going to be his crew? I got a crew. I will lend Joe Biden my crew so that we can win…Donald Trump’s talking about he can win Virginia – that is not happening. Joe Biden had a bad night, but Joe Biden has a crew and we’re gonna put him and Kamala Harris back in office. That is what we’re going to do. Thank you everybody”
Political strategist Rachel Bitecofer: She really nails it here at the Women’s Summit on a bunch of stuff, including Youngkin’s cynical-but-effective use of “CRT”/”wedging race in public schools” in the 2021 governor’s race. Also, what Ds need to do to win power. Good stuff.
VP Kamala Harris: “I am deeply aware of how much is at stake at this very moment in particular for the women of our nation and the people of our our nation. In this moment, we each face a question – what kind of country do we want to live in? Do we want to live in a country of liberty, freedom and rule of law? Or a country of disorder, fear and hate? Each of us has the power to answer that question with our feet, with our voice and with our vote this election. We are counting on you. So please continue to energize, organize and mobilize. Please continue to fight for our most fundamental freedoms. And as we all know, when we fight, we win. Thank you all.”
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