The Marathon Begins: Reflections from the True Blue NY Grassroots Summit
When we think back to the movements which shattered the status quo, we tend to remember the large-scale events, the moments when the political winds finally shifted. For instance, discussions of the civil rights movement hearken back to the lunch counter boycotts and marches in Washington. In the struggle for gay rights, we remember the stonewall riots and the moment when the Supreme Court’s ruling legalized marriage nationwide. When we hear about the anti-war movement, we imagine draft cards burning and the cultural revolution of the early 1960s. For struggles which ended long ago, such as the eight hour workday and the end to child labor, many of us have forgotten these events completely, taking the victories for granted.
What we must always remember is that behind every landmark moment were the endless meetings in basements, union halls, and churches which made these victories possible. Every action, whether a march or phone call or even just a conversation, was one more step toward progress for those on the right side of history. The sacrifice and tireless organizing of a few dedicated activists who decided that they would no longer sit idly by, made possible the advances for millions of people. For the movement to transform New York State politics and end the Independent Democratic Conference (IDC), that moment was Saturday on the 15th floor of a building in the Flatiron district.
First, some background. The IDC are a group of eight turncoat New York State Senators, who after being elected as Democrats, split off into their own conference to create a power sharing agreement with Republicans. Since 2012, the Democrats have been robbed of their rightful majority in the Senate, and many New Yorkers have been misled into voting for Democrats who actually govern as Republicans. If you ask these traitors, they will say that they joined the IDC in order to cross the aisle and work with Republicans to pass progressive legislation. However, the bills left to die on the Senate floor tell a much different story.
GENDA, the DREAM Act, voting reforms, universal healthcare, reproductive rights. These are just a few of the bills which have passed the Assembly and would have already been signed into law if not for the IDC’s defections. To get a real look into why this “independent” conference actually exists, we have to follow the money. For instance, senators who join the IDC are granted more resources and staff members than if they remained Democrats. Recently, three of the members were caught accepting stipends from Republicans for being chairs of committees in which they are actually the second in command, and the IDC still insists that they’ve done nothing wrong.
This arrangement gives members the ability to increase their influence in state politics, as with the power sharing agreement their voice is equal to the much larger Republican conference and both hold majority control, despite the IDC being only eight members. They are pawns in a chess game which has been played in Albany for decades, and their very structure is a roadblock for progress on the state-level.
Saturday’s grassroots summit, organized by True Blue New York and NO IDC NY, was much more than any normal activist meeting. This event brought together the local grassroots from diverse neighborhoods across New York City, typically only linked by a metrocard swipe. In a day filled with speakers and workshops, we saw the foundations of a widespread grassroots movement to defeat the IDC and pass progressive legislation which benefits all New Yorkers.
The importance of the summit was represented in the attendees themselves. We weren’t a group of established politicos who formed our networks years ago and joined the summit to see old friends and take photo ops. The groups involved ranged from Love Trumps Hate Sunset Park to Indivisible Harlem, Rise and Resist to Rockland United. The room was filled with the grassroots whose seeds have already been planted, with the summit providing the water and light we need to bloom with the rest of our communities in spite of the harsh conditions in which we live.
We exchanged emails, phone numbers, and social media accounts laying the groundwork for coordinated actions through New York City and the rest of the Empire State. We also learned how to build our ranks to better represent the communities most at risk by the policies of Trump, Republicans, and the IDC. From escaping the white progressive bubble, to getting out the vote and raising money for candidates, to creative disruption and messaging, the afternoon workshops represented a whole toolbox of tactics. While it was decidedly hard to choose just one workshop, these breakout sessions helped us build even more focused networks.
While stressing the importance of Saturday’s convergence, we must remember that this is only the foundation upon which consistently bold actions must be taken. The impact of this summit lies in the strength of the skills honed and connections forged, and how we use these newly acquired tools to organize our districts against the IDC. We already have the facts on our side, but we will only win with effective outreach, messaging, fundraising, GOTV, and direct action.
This resurgence of activism and local organizing across the country, sparked in the wake of Donald Trump’s presidency won’t be defined simply by how we stop the policies of the 45th President and his cabinet. This movement, built upon already existing networks of resistance and solidarity, will only be successful if we transform politics on the local level. This is not a sprint, but a long marathon, and the path to systemic change begins in school board elections and city council meetings. If the energy from Saturday is any indication, our marathon is headed straight through the IDC.
