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Angelica's Blog
What an extraordinary week in an already memorable year. Sunday--after a full day of work at the office--I was extremely fortunate to have the rare opportunity to watch Speaker Nancy Pelosi introduce Senator Barack Obama here in San Francisco. I was so proud of the San Francisco for Obama team, that turned out a crowd of 500 to show their support for Senator Obama in front of the Fairmont Hotel. On Tuesday, Filipinos for Obama had its first formal kick-off event. We turned out a crowd of more than 150 Filipino Americans to enlist their support in uniting pinoys behind Senator Obama. I was so proud to be there and get to speak to the crowd about our plans for empowering Filipino Americans to make a difference in this election. And then on Friday at work, my brother-in-law interrupted my day to put my 18-month-old nephew, Luke, on the phone, so I could hear him say "Obama!" in his adorable baby voice.
Needless to say, that call made my day. Like many of you, last night I was anxiously awaiting my text message from the Obama campaign--until CNN finally spoiled it for me. (I did finally get my text around midnight PST). Senator Joe Biden will be a terrific Vice President--not only will he be a great campaigner, but I actually think he and Senator Obama will govern well together. They are not in lockstep on every issue, which I think makes sense for the number two spot on the ticket. After another Saturday of working--I do have a non-Obama job--I stopped by our San Francisco Obama phonebank. And now I'm trying to pack for the week. Perhaps I'm being overly ambitious, but I hope to update you from the ground!! (Photo of Senator Obama courtesy of Dr. Mary Davidson)
Story courtesy of Dexter Ligot-Gordon of Filipinos for Obama. Cross-posted at Asian Americans for Obama. The Filipinos for Obama effort hit the streets this past Saturday to spread the message that Senator Obama is the candidate for the Filipino American Community. With a large contingent, the FFO campaign passed out "Filipinos for Obama" stickers and buttons, and energized the crowed chanting "YES WE CAN" at Pistahan, a jam-packed Filipino culture festival and parade in San Francisco. (More photos here.)  Read More » It's been a while since I've been able to blog. I've taken on more leadership in the San Francisco for Obama team as Volunteer Co-Coordinator, and I've also been helping to launch an effort to reach out to Filipino Americans around Obama. But I read this blog today by Noel Koch, a Vietnam Vet who served as Special Assistant to the President during the Nixon Administration, and I felt like sharing it. Because I really am disturbed by how Senator McCain is hell bent on mischaracterizing Senator Obama's principled and well-informed plan for ending the War in Iraq and bringing home our troops. The author talks about the parallels to Vietnam--another war perpetuated by a lie: "the worst lie of all, in repeated appeals to the grieving hearts of our fellow citizens, was that we could only redeem the lives of our fallen by 'winning' the war. Braced by that lie, we sacrificed more."
Read the full piece here. The campaign released a statement today recognizing the Filipinos celebrating June 12 as Philippine Independence Day and used the occasion as an opportunity to highlight the ongoing struggle for justice on behalf of Filipino WWII Veterans:
To read the full statement, visit the AAPI Home Page. And a permanent link to the story can be found here. I really hope the Filipino American community--numbering more than 4 million--will turn out strong for Barack this November.
WE DID IT! Our moment is now, and we're sending Barack Obama
A couple friends just pointed out to me that I'm featured on the Obama Headquarters blog. (Thanks Ramey and Jenna). Check out the post here. How thrilling . . . those who know me know I'm dead serious! I'm excited to represent for Obama and our great campaign tomorrow--got 24 volunteers who are signed up to come out on a very hot and sunny day. I think it's very important that we're participating in this commemoration of APA Heritage Month--it's also the same day that APIA Vote is hosting a historic presidential town hall forum at UC Irvine. Barack is scheduled to appear via satellite from the campaign trail in Oregon. Obama supporters will be representing there and co-hosting a Unity Party with Hillary supporters afterwards. You can catch the livestream of the event online. Last Saturday's Vote for Change event was a great time--I can't believe over 124 people came out on such a beautiful day to walk neighborhoods and register voters for Obama and for our future. Check out photos of the event here. We registered 273 voters--San Francisco is tough territory and I'm thinking we should also cast our net broader in the Bay Area for future events. I was doing more of the logistics and volunteer training, but I even got to register one voter when I went to pick up lunch in the Fillmore: I met a newly naturalized citizen--a young man from South Korea, who registered as a Democrat! Very exciting. Thanks to all of you who keep on giving to this movement for change. I was reminded yesterday what an important right that opportunity to vote and hold our elected officials accountable is: I spent the day in California's capital, Sacramento, joined by over 2,000 students, parents and community leaders who were rallying with the Campaign for Quality Education to protest education budget cuts. Our group made nearly 50 legislative visits with Democratic and Republican leadership, and I had the opportunity to participate in meetings with high school students from LA, Vallejo, and Fresno. These young men and women impressed me. There was Stephanie, who so eloquently explained why it's unacceptable for California to be 46 out of 50 in education spending. "We spend more per prisoner than we do per student" and that she didn't think she should have to go to a charter school to get a quality education. And Maria who asked the aide to a Republican senator point blank, "Can we count on you to oppose education budget cuts?" And there were also several young folks who have already turned 18, and told me that they voted last February ... for Obama. Our nation is in good hands if we keep investing in our youth. Let's get all eligible 18-year-olds registered for November! Obama for America Voter Registration Drive Saturday May 10
The Obama campaign is launching it's first GENERAL ELECTION EVENT: A National Voter Registration Drive. As a former community organizer, Senator Obama believes in giving voice to disenfranchised communities and in encouraging everyone to participate in the political process. New voters have made the difference in this election and they are a testament to everything Senator Obama stands for: A NEW DIRECTION IN POLITICS. By registering new voters, we will show the continued strength of our grassroots movement and the unity that movement has helped forge. On February 5th we proved San Francisco is Obama Country. We were a prolific volunteer force and now we need to be again. Our goal is to get 100 volunteers to register at least 10 people each. When: Three hour shifts 11:30-3pm or 2:30-6pm Where: Ella Hill Hutch Community Center 1050 McAllister San Francisco, CA (between Laguna and Webster) Following a short training session, we will send teams of volunteers to public events in selected neighborhoods. We'll be sending people to different parts of the city, so please let us know if you are able to bring a car. Also, please bring a clipboard and an Obama button if you have either. To RSVP for the 11:30am-3pm shift, visit: http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/4cz8 To RSVP for the 2:30-6pm shift, visit http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/4czy Or email sanfranciscoforobama@gmail.com. Thanks for your help, Edward Webster, Linda Leu, Angelica Jongco, Anhoni Patel, Benji Hunt, Liz Voigt UPDATED 5/4/08: We had over 50 volunteers come to our phonebank in San Francisco this weekend, making over 2,000 calls to Indiana and North Carolina. Thanks to everyone for their help! The bells were ringing pretty regularly, signalling that someone found a supporter. View photos from the weekend at my website. ORIGINAL POST: Come out to Make Calls to Indiana! Help to seal up the Nomination, your calls help. Please bring your cell phone and charger. Friends and snacks are welcome too.
Where: YOU CAN ALREADY MAKE CALLS FROM HOME AT Just a little break from the intensity of the campaign to share this little story with folks ...
My six-year-old nephew Nate asked my sister the other day, "Why can't kids vote?" She did her best to explain why voting was for adults. She told me Nate seemed disappointed. The reason? "I want to vote for Barack Obama," he explained. (That kid's always been brilliant.) Then he confided in my sister in hushed tones not to tell our mother, who is wholehearteldy pro-Obama, that his other grandmother is for McCain. With Nate campaigning for Barack though, I'm sure he can change his grandma's mind by November. Check out the first episode of "Volunteer Nation," a series "profiling people who sign up, show up, & get involved" by filmmakers Ben Hess and Dan Janos. The first episode focuses on volunteers for Super Tuesday in San Francisco--and profiles volunteers on both Democratic campaigns. For people who came by the San Francisco Obama office, you may recognize some familiar faces, including yours truly. Watch the video here and leave comments. As I'm writing this, folks should know that it's not too late to make calls to Pennsylvania. Just follow this link. I think I speak for many when I say that I'm so glad this six week stretch is over. Here in the Bay Area, last weekend we hosted some six volunteer phonebanks from Palo Alto, to Santa Rosa, San Mateo, to San Francisco, to Oakland--where Goapele and Martin Luther fired up the crowd at the Nation for Change Rally. I made my calls from SF Station in San Francisco on Saturday and Sunday. We had news crews coming by--fishing around for a story about all the "negativity" in the campaign. But if they were looking for someone to take the bait, our volunteers were not biting. We each stressed how Barack is running the most positive presidential campaign we've seen in our lifetimes--with the most voters, most states won, and most people engaged in his movement. From what I could tell, I was making most of my calls in the Pittsburgh area to predominantly white voters over 60. Some of the encounters that stand out the most: Maria, 66, who told me she was undecided but also kept repeating to me that she thought it was just "ridiculous" to call Barack elitist. He and Michelle seemed like regular people--after all, they just paid off their student loans. Ethel, 84, who's been a Barack supporter since she saw him speak at the 2004 DNC, and no thanks, she didn't need a ride to the polls. It's just half a block away, and she can walk there. Mr. Velazquez, 42, who asked me to call back in 30 minutes because he had to take care of his young diabetic daughter. Exactly 30 minutes later, I gave him a call, and he assured me that he and his wife were voting for Barack. He apologized that he couldn't volunteer, but he had his daughter to take care of. Mrs. Burgos, 56 -- I was calling for her husband, but when she picked up the phone, I ended up chatting with her instead. Now, she couldn't pronounce his name, but when I said I was volunteering for Barack--she was very emphatic that she and her husband were voting for 'that guy.' After repeating "Barack Obama" slowly and clearly some three times before getting off the phone, I rang the bell we keep for volunteers--twice for each supporter. Found out yesterday that the moment was captured on Channel 11 nightly news! VIEW PHOTOS FROM MY CAMPAIGN AND THE CD 12 ELECTION April 14, 2008 Hello all. In yesterday’s election, I came in 4th out of a total of 40 candidates. Unfortunately, not enough to get one of the 3 spots for Denver, but it was still a lot of fun and a great experience. Thank you so much to my supporters and volunteers, especially to Patrick Wong, who was so generous with his time and enthusiasm! Congratulations to the dedicated volunteers who will be representing CD 12 at the DNC! I’m proud of how we did and I feel like I fulfilled my purposes in running:
A place at Denver would have been icing on the cake. The real race goes on. The ultimate prize is to grow the grassroots and get more people active and inspired in taking back our country. Congratulations as well to the wonderful AAPI Obama supporters who won seats to the DNC yesterday: Jenn Pae (CD 9), Brian Wang (CD8), Roger Hu (CD14), Jay Chen (CD38)! Thanks, www.AngelicaForObama.com Through Barack's campaign I've seen how a vibrant grassroots can reenergize traditional party politics—but only if we remain active. That's why I'm running to be a pledged Obama delegate at the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in August. Please help me earn one of three spots for Obama delegates in California's 12th Congressional District (CD 12). The election is less than two weeks away on Sunday, April 13 at 2pm in So. San Francisco, at the UFCW Union Hall, 208 Miller Ave. I need your help to turn out as many voters as possible. There are at least 35 candidates in the race so far.
From California, and the Bay Area in particular, I believe we should send a delegation that reflects the diversity and richness of our state and Obama's new majority for change. Whether or not I'm selected as a delegate, I will continue to actively raise my voice as an Asian American activist to build our movement for the general election. But let's give it our best shot. As Barack said on Super Tuesday, and in the words of Hopi elders, "Change will not come if we wait for some other person or if we wait for some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for."
Read More » Barack Obama's one-page flier directed to Asian American Pacific Islander voters is now available for distribution in Tagalog. The flier can be downloaded in Tagalog, as well as English, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Korean at the Asian Americans for Obama Supporter Toolkit site. Many thanks to Melissa Borja for leading the translation efforts. Yesterday we got a glimpse of the kind of leadership that we can expect from Barack Obama as President. In treading one of the most perilous minefields in our national dialogue—race—Obama lifted up our discourse in a way that I didn't think was possible. I felt so proud to be an American and a supporter of his campaign.
With honesty and humility, he was able to speak to us—Black, White, Brown, and Asian—about the complex fears and resentments that animate and distort our politics. His words did not talk down, but instead dug deep to lift us up from the distractions that divide us in the face of our common challenges: "The fact is that the comments that have been made and the issues that have surfaced over the last few weeks reflect the complexities of race in this country that we've never really worked through – a part of our union that we have yet to perfect. And if we walk away now, if we simply retreat into our respective corners, we will never be able to come together and solve challenges like health care, or education, or the need to find good jobs for every American." Can't we all relate to the temptation to throw our hands up and say this conversation is too difficult, too painful? Obama does not let himself or us off the hook. Consistent with the themes of his campaign and life's work, he asks us to be part of the solution, to play our part in perfecting our imperfect union. In the words of Jesse Jackson, Obama turned "crisis" into "opportunity." Above all, he was honest and open. Imagine if we had had a president who spoke with such candor over the past 7 years. What might be different? As we commemorate the fifth anniversary of the war in Iraq, the death toll of American soldiers approaches 4,000, and Iraqi civilian casualties tops 400,000. And yet, we are no more secure than we were on September 12. In the wake of 9/11, George Bush faced a crisis that also posed a great opportunity. The world reached out to us in sympathy and solidarity. But he squandered that rare moment of global unity and goodwill. Now we have the choice to unequivocally break from the failed policies of our past—a war that has prevented us from aggressively pursuing a compassionate domestic agenda and a bankrupt politics that leaves us disillusioned and timid of vision. Obama is the candidate that can move us forward as one nation. A U.S. president once said, "If one candidate's trying to scare you and the other one's trying to get you to think, if one candidate's appealing to your fears and the other one's appealing to your hopes, you better vote for the person who wants you to think and hope." With his words in 2004, Bill Clinton delivered a most apt justification for an Obama presidency. We've missed critical opportunities in past elections. Not this time. So many times we've seen our United States of America fragmented and pitted against each other in a zero-sum game. We've seen distractions and sideshows come to dominate our politics. And we lose sight of the prize altogether. Not This Time. Please watch and/or read Barack's entire speech today. As Jesse Jackson said, Obama just turned a crisis into an opportunity. Last week, I wrote that the outrage about Geraldine Ferraro's comments (and then Rev. Wright) reminds us that we are missing the opportunity to have a critical and long overdue discussion about race. I respect that he used this moment to educate and explain--instead of making excuses and backing away. But I've been doubtful about whether we can really elevate our discourse to a place where we can talk about our divisions without hurting one another and having the whole unifying project collapse. Barack did just that--took stock of our differences, our prejudices, did not play them down or invalidate them, but he also let no one off the hook--even his own grandmother. He did not deny the complexity of these challenges. And at the same time, he is pulling and lifting us as a nation to rise above this turmoil and say, Not This Time. Thank you, Barack Obama. I'm so proud to be part of your campaign.
[Cross-posted at Asian Americans for Obama] "If Obama was a white man, he would not be in this position. And if he was a woman (of any color) he would not be in this position. He happens to be very lucky to be who he is. And the country is caught up in the concept." -- Rep. Geraldine Ferraro, March 7, 2008. Rep. Ferraro's comments--suggesting that Barack Obama's meteoric rise is due solely to the luck of his skin color--has no place in any Democratic campaign. No word about the superior management of his campaign. The grassroots army of volunteers his campaign has built from scratch. His strong judgment in opposing a foolish war that has taken nearly 4,000 American and a whopping 400-600,000 Iraqi lives. His record on ethics reform and transparency in government that he puts into practice. No recognition of the advantages that all U.S. presidents, the vast majority of our Congress--including Ferraro and her candidate of choice Senator Clinton, governors, state and local elected officials, have had as white folks in America. These are the tactics I expect from the Republicans in the fall, to reduce Obama's historic candidacy to the simple "concept" of his race--but not from the Democrats, and a woman who was a trailblazer in her own right as Mondale's runningmate in '84. Now she's demanding an apology from the Obama campaign. Has she no shame. I look at Rep. Ferraro as hopelessly out of touch and unaware of her privilege. Indeed, she made a nearly identical statement about Jesse Jackson in 1988. But I'm also afraid that she speaks for many others who hold their tongues, but nonetheless feel the same way. Maybe it's better to smoke out the ugliness and have it all out in the open where we're forced to wrestle with it. In seeking to cut Obama down, comments like hers remind us that we are missing our chance to have a critical dialogue about the enduring legacies of sexism and racism in our country. A chance that is nearly all but lost during this historic marathon election. Keith Olbermann gave a provocative but I think spot-on commentary last night--saying on mainstream media what I didn't think any anchorman would have the courage to say. I was blown away. As an AAPI community and Obama supporters, I hope we each will speak out against the kind of rhetoric that attempts to divide us--words that say it's okay to reduce anyone to a single characteristic of race or sex, and deny the rest. For any campaigns demanding that we stick to the "issues", I'd say race is a pretty big one that's not to be swept under the rug. By the way, if anyone missed it back in January, this reminds me of Gloria Steinem's NY Times op-ed pitting sexism against racism in early January with which I vehemently disagreed, and the way that Professor Melissa Harris Lacewell set the record straight in this debate on Democracy Now! I welcome your comments and thoughts. I'm still processing my whirlwind visit to Corpus Christi with other Bay Area volunteers, and hope to put together some more posts about it. In the meantime, here are my photo albums: Day 1 http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=12939&l=03dbb&id=555809428
Day 2 http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=13202&l=e9c63&id=555809428
Day 3 http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=13203&l=54d7e&id=555809428
Day 4 - Election Day http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=13198&l=d3990&id=555809428 I just came across this article about Aurora Austriaco, an attorney who is vying for a seat in Illinois' state assembly in Chicago, coincidentally in a district that includes Senator Clinton's home suburb of Park Ridge. I had first heard of Austriaco when I was watching this clip about Filipino Americans on Super Tuesday from The Filipino Channel. Austriaco spoke out in support of Barack. The Philippine News article notes that "Three years ago when she ran as a trustee of the Maine Township, Senator Barack Obama personally campaigned for her." Read full article here.
Content on blogs in My.BarackObama represents the opinions of community members and in no way should be interpreted as endorsed or approved by the campaign.
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