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Faith, Hope and Justice in 2008

Dear PowerPAC friends and supporters,

This is the moment we have been waiting for.

For the last eight months, I have been working on a new campaign called Vote Hope, supporting Barack Obama's historic campaign for President of the United States. Obama's campaign is both riding and propelling the kind of positive movement for social change that this country hasn't seen in nearly 40 years. I'm writing today to ask you, supporters of this movement in California, to join me in this effort. I believe that if we give our all over the next two and a half months, we can not only help Barack win the Democratic nomination, but we can also solidify a multi-racial movement for justice and hope that will truly signal a new era in this nation.

Vote Hope, is working deeply in communities that have been historic levers for social change -- African Americans, Latinos and students -- and our goal is to emerge after the primary on Feb. 5, 2008, as a network that is larger and stronger than ever before.

Join this network for hope and change now!

PowerPAC.org and Vote Hope are partners in this long-term effort, and we will continue to keep you updated about the movement-building work that is creating real progressive change in this state.

You can read my entire Call to Action on our website, or continued below.

Thank you again, for your support and activism throughout the years, and for all that you do.

In Solidarity and Hope,
Steve Phillips

Hope for a Better Future

Historically, California has led the nation in championing the causes of justice, equality, and fairness for all. The early 20th century Progressive Era in this state brought about the 8 hour workday, minimum wage, women's suffrage, and universal free education. In the 1950s and 1960s, California made a massive and effective commitment to building the best public higher education system in the world. And today, California is leading the way in addressing climate change and taking bold steps to preserve the beauty of our environment for future generations.

Despite these periods of progress, many Californians of conscience have withdrawn from national politics as right-wing ideologues seized control of the government, betrayed our national values, and shamelessly manipulated the body politic. And, yet, while often feeling helpless and frustrated in the face of the overwhelming world events, we continued to harbor hope that one day we would again have the opportunity to return to the task of building a beloved community that transcends barriers of race, ideology, and identity and brings people together in a common quest for a better world. That time has now come.

Barack Obama's call for national unity and his challenge to demonstrate the audacity of hope has galvanized the nation. More people, from more walks of life, have stepped forward to support Barack Obama than have ever supported any Presidential primary candidate in the history of the United States. The movement that has sprung into action has the potential to both elect Obama President, and change the course of the country.

But the Obama campaign cannot do it alone, especially in California. Because of the historical strategic significance of Iowa and New Hampshire (now joined by Nevada and South Carolina), the Obama campaign has publicly indicated that it is devoting nearly all of its time, resources and attention to the critical battles in the first four states. It is simply cost-prohibitive to wage a meticulous, grassroots campaign in the largest, most expensive state in the nation.

Recognizing this dilemma, several veteran political leaders, activists, and organizers came together to create a vehicle that can both help Obama win the California primary and also advance our collective hopes and dreams in the months and years after February 5, 2008. It is a daunting task, but victory is indeed attainable if we keep the faith and keep working hard in the coming period.

Faith – The Evidence of Things Not Seen

Many people mistakenly believe that the fastest growing regions of the state – the Inland Empire, Orange County, and San Diego – are conservative enclaves. What few yet see is that a quiet demographic revolution is transforming the character and composition of those very same regions. San Bernardino, Riverside, and Orange County are now all "majority minority" counties. It is possible to build a new, transformative political coalition in those areas, and the Obama candidacy is just the kind of catalytic force necessary to bring such a coalition into existence.

The Vote Hope network sees the short and long-term potential of a new California coalition of conscience and hope. We have been hard at work the past several months laying the groundwork for making the most of this historic moment. We invite you to join us, as we can use your time and energy, reputation, relationships, and resources.

All of us at Vote Hope are dedicating ourselves to this cause because we have faith and hope that a new day is dawning in America. Together, we can build a movement that can make the kind of profound changes that will make our children and grandchildren proud of the work we started in 2007 and 2008.

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