Democracy for America Announces Coast-to-Coast Training Schedule

Released On: January 15, 2008

DFA will train thousands of activists prior to 2008 election

Burlington, VT - Democracy for America, our nation's largest progressive political action organization, today, released the complete 2008 schedule for the DFA Training Academy. The DFA Training Academy is the biggest and most comprehensive series of grassroots campaign seminars taking place in the 2008 election cycle. With a mission to focus, network, and train grassroots activists in the skills and strategies for winning campaigns for progressive candidates, the DFA Training Academy has trained over 13,000 people since 2004. Throughout 2008 thousands of activists, candidates, and campaign professionals across the country will participate in the two-day training programs that cover topics ranging from fundraising to field programs to communications.

"I give thanks to Democracy for America for helping my campaign demonstrate that grassroots and netroots organizing works, no matter the political odds," said United States Representative Jerry McNerney (D - CA11), who defeated longtime incumbent Richard Pombo in 2006. "The DFA Training Academy provided in-district training to staff and volunteers that was crucial to our victory." The DFA Training Academy will hold trainings all over the country; including in a number of targeted congressional districts where Democracy for America-endorsed candidates are on the ballot.

The DFA Training Academy will start in February in Seattle, WA where Democrat Darcy Burner is running against the regressive, conservative Republican Dave Reichert. The DFA Training Academy will also be held in Texas - Dallas - where Democrat Rick Noriega is challenging the deeply unpopular reactionary Republican John Cornyn.

"Democracy for America is committed to transforming our country and government and rebuilding the Democratic Party from the bottom up," said Jim Dean, Chair of DFA. "The DFA Training Academy is at the core of our work and it is why the culture of activism will always beat the culture of incumbency."

Trainers for the DFA Training Academy include leading campaign professionals like Kendra-Sue Derby, who was the senior consultant on John Tester's successful Senate campaign in Montana, Jay Parmley, the Democratic Party's liason to the Mississippi Democratic Party and former Chairman of the Oklahoma Democratic Party, and the political staff of ActBlue, the online fundraising site that has raised over $35 million for progressive candidates since 2004.

"We put on an intensive program that gets folks ready to run for office, run campaigns, and run for positions of leadership in the Democratic Party," said Matt Blizek, Democracy for America's Training Director."

The DFA Training Academy prepares progressive activists with the necessary skills for winning elections."

• 2008 DFA Training Academy Schedule
• Feb 23-24:Seattle, WA
• March 1-2: East Bay, CA
• March 8-9: Birmingham, AL
• March 15-16: Dallas, TX
• March 29-30: Oklahoma City, OK
• April 5-6: San Diego, CA
• April 12-13: Charleston, SC
• April 26-27: Somerville, NJ
• May 3-4: Rochester, NY
• May 10-11: Cincinnati, OH
• May 17-18: Missoula, MT
• May 30-June 1: Pittsburgh, PA
• June 7-8: Lansing, MI
• June 14-15: Kansas City, MO
• June 21-22: Albuquerque, NM
• July 12-13: Miami, FL
• July 19-20: Austin, TX (Netroots Nation)
• July 26-27: Milwaukee, WI
• August 27-31: Denver, CO (DNC Convention)