NPI celebrates five year anniversary
Five years ago, after eighteen months of fighting Tim Eyman through Permanent Defense, I came to an important, yet frustrating, realization.
It was August 22nd, 2003 - a sleepy, peaceful summer day.
Despite having won an important victory several weeks before, when Tim Eyman's Initiative 807 failed to qualify for the ballot, I was feeling restless and disheartened. Eyman's attempt to paralyze the Legislature had been thwarted, but so much else seemed to be going downhill. The Bush administration was wreaking havoc on America's health, tearing into our nation's common wealth with a wrecking ball (to borrow a metaphor from Thomas Frank).
Washington's Democratic governor, Gary Locke, had just collaborated with one of the state's most anti-government Republicans to put together a shortsighted, ineffective budget that failed to address the needs of the Evergreen State.
The Democrats had lost control of the United States Senate to the Republicans only nine months before during the 2002 midterm elections.
The Building Industry of Washington was in the midst of revving up a campaign of deception to trick voters into repealing new ergonomics rules (Initiative 841).
And of course, Tim Eyman was promising he'd be back in 2004 with an initiative that would gut local public services like police and fire protection to the bone.
Everywhere I looked, it seemed the right wing had the upper hand.
As I reflected on this sad state of affairs, I wondered what progressives like myself could do to break the right wing's stranglehold on our democracy. Holding our ground against the other side whenever possible was important, I concluded, but focusing all of our energy on defense would mean that at best, we'd only keep the right wing from winning and carrying out their sinister agenda.
We needed to be able to go on offense to truly have a positive impact we wanted on our country. To do that, we'd have to be able to clearly articulate what we stood for, not merely what we were fighting against.
We'd have to be able to refine and hone our ideas so that our vision would stick when we pitched it - whether to a coworker during an elevator ride, to friend at a baseball game, to a live audience on television or radio, to hundreds of thousands of readers in a newspaper op-ed, or in any other conceivable setting.
We needed infrastructure. Idea factories for progressive thought.
Out of this realization, from very humble beginnings, the Northwest Progressive Institute was born on that quiet summer day.
It was like a spark igniting a tiny but fiercely persistent flame.
What was I doing, deciding right then and there I was going to build a think tank? I didn't have any management experience. I didn't have a college degree in hand (I was only heading into my junior year in high school). And I had no understanding of corporate or nonprofit law at the time, either.
But like most entrepreneurs, what I did have was the determination to learn and see an idea to fruition. Since what I wanted - an innovative progressive strategy center that could provide research and resources to activists - didn't exist, I took Mahatma Gandhi's advice: "We must be the change we wish to see in the world."
I brought my idea online, setting up a web page that provided a more detailed blueprint of what I envisioned. After some thought, I settled on a name that reflected what I hoped would represent what I wanted to create.
I knew what I was doing was mostly unprecedented. I didn't have the experience and wisdom of someone like John Podesta, or the resources of his Center for American Progress (which was launched that same summer). I had no angel investors, no business plan, no equipment, no team, no budget, and no guidance that first day. In fact it's more than fair to say I had almost nothing.
But I'm one of those people who believes it's possible to make something out of almost nothing. I've stuck with this challenge for five years now, repeatedly refusing to give up or burn out. Why? Because empathy is ingrained into every fiber of my being. I care about improving the human condition - leaving the world a better place than I found it. It's my moral responsibility to do what I can to raise the quality of life for as many people as I can.
That's why I'm a progressive, why I'm an entrepreneur, and why I am a Democrat.
I've devoted a substantial part of my life to building NPI. But I'm not the only one who has invested my time, talent, and treasure. I'm blessed to be surrounded by an incredible team of people who believe in NPI as much as I do.
They're a constant source of strength for me... and this organization would simply not be where it is today without their efforts.
Today, I thank them and cherish their involvement. And I also thank those of you who are reading this post for your support. You've helped make the Northwest Progressive Institute successful and influential. Words just don't do justice to the appreciation I have for all your encouragement.
As we turn the page and head into our sixth year, I'd like to take a look back at some of our favorite moments - a sampling of the events that have shaped the Northwest Progressive Intitute into what it is today. Without further ado, here's a countdown of what could be our top ten favorite moments.
10. Forum on Improving Networking & Media Strategies with Lisa Brown (February 12th, 2007) Part of the second annual NWroots Conference held in Olympia, Washington, this event brought together legislators and activists to talk about the potential of new tools like blogs and wikis. Participating legislators included Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown, Representative Ross Hunter, Representative Maralyn Chase, Representive Zack Hudgins, and Senator Eric Oemig.
9. Defeating Initiative 892 (November 2nd, 2004) Although the 2004 elections were largely disappointing, the overwhelming defeat of Tim Eyman's nefarious gambling measure was a huge victory that NPI's Permanent Defense helped make a reality. In addition to distributing yard signs and literature, Permanent Defense published extensive anti-892 resources that ended up being accessed by tens of thousands of Washington voters throughout the fall of 2004.
8. Senator Cantwell guest posts for the NPI Advocate (August 3rd, 2006) Responding to her opponent Mike McGavick and Republican leaders' pressure on Democratic senators to support what became known as the ill-fated minimum wage trifecta bill, Senator Maria Cantwell authored a guest post for the NPI Advocate (then known as the Official Blog) announcing her intent to oppose the bill, which she accurately termed a "cynical Republican ploy". The post made it to the front page of Google News, drawing tens of thousands of readers from across the U.S.
7. Al Gore at Netroots Nation (July 19th, 2008) In a surprise appearance that electrified the convention, America's leading statesman came to Austin to thank and honor the the tireless work of the countless champions of people powered politics that make up the netroots community. To quote from Gore's remarks, "You will tell your grandchildren about the first two meetings of Netroots Nation...an effort that was historic to retain the integrity of American democracy".
6. Launch of Pacific NW Portal (January 31st, 2005) Since its inception at the beginning of 2005, the Portal has been one of the most popular destinations for local progressives. While we often advertise it as the white pages for the regional netroots community, the Portal isn't just a gateway to blogs. It serves as a comprehensive resource for news, politics, and opinion in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and Alaska. Frequent improvements through the first half of 2005, culminating in "True Blue" in July 2005, greatly enhanced the Portal's reliability and usability, making the site more helpful to activists.
5. YearlyKos Presidential Leadership Forum (August 4th, 2007) Featuring all of the 2008 Democratic presidential candidates except for Joe Biden, the forum was a refreshing break from the many staged debates that were poorly produced by traditional media outlets. Audience participation was welcomed and encouraged, with Dr. Jeffrey Feldman facilitating questions directly from YearlyKos attendees. The forum was hailed as perhaps the most open and intriguing exchange between the candidates during the entire election cycle.
4. Chris Gregoire declared the winner of the 2004 gubernatorial election (December 23rd, 2004) In the closest statewide race in Washington's history, Chris Gregoire became the governor-elect of the Evergreen State, triumphing after an exhaustive manual recount showed her with a one hundred and twenty nine vote lead. (This later became a one hundred and thirty three vote lead following an unsuccessful election challenge by Dino Rossi, when Judge John Bridges disqualified the votes of four felons who declared under oath they voted for Rossi or Ruth Bennett, the Libertarian candidate).
3. Fighting Initiative 912: Viaduct Hazard Demonstration (October 26th, 2005) In the final days before the November 2005 general election, NPI's Washington Defense project, which had already raised several thousand dollars to fight I-912 (a repeal of the Legislature's increase in the fuel tax), organized a media event intended to highlight the dangers of not replacing damaged structures such as the Alaskan Way Viaduct. The event, held at the 1st Avenue South onramp to the viaduct, featured a large sign which read: Warning! Entering I-912 Disaster Area - To Fix This Roadway, Vote NO 912 - as well as Washington Defense's signature orange diamond signs declaring "Safety First - NO 912" The event was one of the first ten stories on KIRO Television's five o'clock broadcast. It was also covered by KCPQ Television and KIRO 710 Newsradio.
2. The Blue Wave: Election Night 2006 (November 7th, 2006) NPI provided continuous live coverage of the 2006 midterm elections, which were nothing less than a titanic victory for Democrats and a resounding rejection of Republicans and right wing ideology across the country. Senator Maria Cantwell was reelected, right wing initiatives were overwhelingly defeated, and Democrats added heavily to their majorities in the state Legislature. In just seventy two hours - spanning Election Day, before, and after - NPI broke all of its preexisting traffic records.
1. Spring Fundraising Gala (May 16th, 2008) Our first-ever fundraiser, held at the Redmond Town Center Marriott was, to put it mildly, a smashing success. Turnout surpassed our expectations, our guest speakers (Mike West, Chip Hanauer, Major General Paul Eaton (Ret.), and Darcy Burner) were fantastic, the music provided by Don Mock was wonderful, and the many supporters who came were incredibly generous. We'll never forget that night. But we will do it again - the Spring Fundraising Gala is now an annual tradition.
Here's to a great sixth year!
It was August 22nd, 2003 - a sleepy, peaceful summer day.
Despite having won an important victory several weeks before, when Tim Eyman's Initiative 807 failed to qualify for the ballot, I was feeling restless and disheartened. Eyman's attempt to paralyze the Legislature had been thwarted, but so much else seemed to be going downhill. The Bush administration was wreaking havoc on America's health, tearing into our nation's common wealth with a wrecking ball (to borrow a metaphor from Thomas Frank).
Washington's Democratic governor, Gary Locke, had just collaborated with one of the state's most anti-government Republicans to put together a shortsighted, ineffective budget that failed to address the needs of the Evergreen State.
The Democrats had lost control of the United States Senate to the Republicans only nine months before during the 2002 midterm elections.
The Building Industry of Washington was in the midst of revving up a campaign of deception to trick voters into repealing new ergonomics rules (Initiative 841).
And of course, Tim Eyman was promising he'd be back in 2004 with an initiative that would gut local public services like police and fire protection to the bone.
Everywhere I looked, it seemed the right wing had the upper hand.
As I reflected on this sad state of affairs, I wondered what progressives like myself could do to break the right wing's stranglehold on our democracy. Holding our ground against the other side whenever possible was important, I concluded, but focusing all of our energy on defense would mean that at best, we'd only keep the right wing from winning and carrying out their sinister agenda.
We needed to be able to go on offense to truly have a positive impact we wanted on our country. To do that, we'd have to be able to clearly articulate what we stood for, not merely what we were fighting against.
We'd have to be able to refine and hone our ideas so that our vision would stick when we pitched it - whether to a coworker during an elevator ride, to friend at a baseball game, to a live audience on television or radio, to hundreds of thousands of readers in a newspaper op-ed, or in any other conceivable setting.
We needed infrastructure. Idea factories for progressive thought.
Out of this realization, from very humble beginnings, the Northwest Progressive Institute was born on that quiet summer day.
It was like a spark igniting a tiny but fiercely persistent flame.
What was I doing, deciding right then and there I was going to build a think tank? I didn't have any management experience. I didn't have a college degree in hand (I was only heading into my junior year in high school). And I had no understanding of corporate or nonprofit law at the time, either.
But like most entrepreneurs, what I did have was the determination to learn and see an idea to fruition. Since what I wanted - an innovative progressive strategy center that could provide research and resources to activists - didn't exist, I took Mahatma Gandhi's advice: "We must be the change we wish to see in the world."
I brought my idea online, setting up a web page that provided a more detailed blueprint of what I envisioned. After some thought, I settled on a name that reflected what I hoped would represent what I wanted to create.
I knew what I was doing was mostly unprecedented. I didn't have the experience and wisdom of someone like John Podesta, or the resources of his Center for American Progress (which was launched that same summer). I had no angel investors, no business plan, no equipment, no team, no budget, and no guidance that first day. In fact it's more than fair to say I had almost nothing.
But I'm one of those people who believes it's possible to make something out of almost nothing. I've stuck with this challenge for five years now, repeatedly refusing to give up or burn out. Why? Because empathy is ingrained into every fiber of my being. I care about improving the human condition - leaving the world a better place than I found it. It's my moral responsibility to do what I can to raise the quality of life for as many people as I can.
That's why I'm a progressive, why I'm an entrepreneur, and why I am a Democrat.
I've devoted a substantial part of my life to building NPI. But I'm not the only one who has invested my time, talent, and treasure. I'm blessed to be surrounded by an incredible team of people who believe in NPI as much as I do.
They're a constant source of strength for me... and this organization would simply not be where it is today without their efforts.
Today, I thank them and cherish their involvement. And I also thank those of you who are reading this post for your support. You've helped make the Northwest Progressive Institute successful and influential. Words just don't do justice to the appreciation I have for all your encouragement.
As we turn the page and head into our sixth year, I'd like to take a look back at some of our favorite moments - a sampling of the events that have shaped the Northwest Progressive Intitute into what it is today. Without further ado, here's a countdown of what could be our top ten favorite moments.
10. Forum on Improving Networking & Media Strategies with Lisa Brown (February 12th, 2007) Part of the second annual NWroots Conference held in Olympia, Washington, this event brought together legislators and activists to talk about the potential of new tools like blogs and wikis. Participating legislators included Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown, Representative Ross Hunter, Representative Maralyn Chase, Representive Zack Hudgins, and Senator Eric Oemig.
9. Defeating Initiative 892 (November 2nd, 2004) Although the 2004 elections were largely disappointing, the overwhelming defeat of Tim Eyman's nefarious gambling measure was a huge victory that NPI's Permanent Defense helped make a reality. In addition to distributing yard signs and literature, Permanent Defense published extensive anti-892 resources that ended up being accessed by tens of thousands of Washington voters throughout the fall of 2004.
8. Senator Cantwell guest posts for the NPI Advocate (August 3rd, 2006) Responding to her opponent Mike McGavick and Republican leaders' pressure on Democratic senators to support what became known as the ill-fated minimum wage trifecta bill, Senator Maria Cantwell authored a guest post for the NPI Advocate (then known as the Official Blog) announcing her intent to oppose the bill, which she accurately termed a "cynical Republican ploy". The post made it to the front page of Google News, drawing tens of thousands of readers from across the U.S.
7. Al Gore at Netroots Nation (July 19th, 2008) In a surprise appearance that electrified the convention, America's leading statesman came to Austin to thank and honor the the tireless work of the countless champions of people powered politics that make up the netroots community. To quote from Gore's remarks, "You will tell your grandchildren about the first two meetings of Netroots Nation...an effort that was historic to retain the integrity of American democracy".
6. Launch of Pacific NW Portal (January 31st, 2005) Since its inception at the beginning of 2005, the Portal has been one of the most popular destinations for local progressives. While we often advertise it as the white pages for the regional netroots community, the Portal isn't just a gateway to blogs. It serves as a comprehensive resource for news, politics, and opinion in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and Alaska. Frequent improvements through the first half of 2005, culminating in "True Blue" in July 2005, greatly enhanced the Portal's reliability and usability, making the site more helpful to activists.
5. YearlyKos Presidential Leadership Forum (August 4th, 2007) Featuring all of the 2008 Democratic presidential candidates except for Joe Biden, the forum was a refreshing break from the many staged debates that were poorly produced by traditional media outlets. Audience participation was welcomed and encouraged, with Dr. Jeffrey Feldman facilitating questions directly from YearlyKos attendees. The forum was hailed as perhaps the most open and intriguing exchange between the candidates during the entire election cycle.
4. Chris Gregoire declared the winner of the 2004 gubernatorial election (December 23rd, 2004) In the closest statewide race in Washington's history, Chris Gregoire became the governor-elect of the Evergreen State, triumphing after an exhaustive manual recount showed her with a one hundred and twenty nine vote lead. (This later became a one hundred and thirty three vote lead following an unsuccessful election challenge by Dino Rossi, when Judge John Bridges disqualified the votes of four felons who declared under oath they voted for Rossi or Ruth Bennett, the Libertarian candidate).
3. Fighting Initiative 912: Viaduct Hazard Demonstration (October 26th, 2005) In the final days before the November 2005 general election, NPI's Washington Defense project, which had already raised several thousand dollars to fight I-912 (a repeal of the Legislature's increase in the fuel tax), organized a media event intended to highlight the dangers of not replacing damaged structures such as the Alaskan Way Viaduct. The event, held at the 1st Avenue South onramp to the viaduct, featured a large sign which read: Warning! Entering I-912 Disaster Area - To Fix This Roadway, Vote NO 912 - as well as Washington Defense's signature orange diamond signs declaring "Safety First - NO 912" The event was one of the first ten stories on KIRO Television's five o'clock broadcast. It was also covered by KCPQ Television and KIRO 710 Newsradio.
2. The Blue Wave: Election Night 2006 (November 7th, 2006) NPI provided continuous live coverage of the 2006 midterm elections, which were nothing less than a titanic victory for Democrats and a resounding rejection of Republicans and right wing ideology across the country. Senator Maria Cantwell was reelected, right wing initiatives were overwhelingly defeated, and Democrats added heavily to their majorities in the state Legislature. In just seventy two hours - spanning Election Day, before, and after - NPI broke all of its preexisting traffic records.
1. Spring Fundraising Gala (May 16th, 2008) Our first-ever fundraiser, held at the Redmond Town Center Marriott was, to put it mildly, a smashing success. Turnout surpassed our expectations, our guest speakers (Mike West, Chip Hanauer, Major General Paul Eaton (Ret.), and Darcy Burner) were fantastic, the music provided by Don Mock was wonderful, and the many supporters who came were incredibly generous. We'll never forget that night. But we will do it again - the Spring Fundraising Gala is now an annual tradition.
Here's to a great sixth year!
# Posted by Andrew : 5:41 PM
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