Steering Committee Member, 2009 – present
Committee Portfolios:
Diversity, Eco-Action, Platform, House
David Strand was first introduced and became interested in the Green Party in the late 1980’s through student activist networks such as CAUSE (Campus Activists United for Society and Environment). At his first Green Party event, he felt engaged to think about things in ways and in depths he had rarely seen in political or activist organizations. It was clear for Strand that the Green Party was “out in front” on issues of ecology and peace and sustainability but also on issues of human (and other species’) rights, social and economic justice, democratic reform and eco-feminist thought. “Out in Front” on these issues is where he wanted (and wants) to be politically!
He first joined the Green Party of Minnesota and has participated in numerous campaigns and organizing efforts over the years, including the Ralph Nader/Winona LaDuke presidential campaign statewide office and Target Center Super Rally in Minneapolis in 2000, and the Minneapolis coordinated campaign committee in 2001 (which saw two Greens elected to the city council). Currently Strand is politics co-chair of the state party and treasurer of the 3rd Congressional District party, where he has worked with other Greens to coordinate spending of public campaign financing funds the party has received to support our local Green state legislative candidates in 2008 including fellow GPUS Steering Committee member Farheen Hakeem’s 2008 race for state legislature.
Nationally, Strand was a founding member of the Lavender Green Caucus and has served as either a delegate or alternate from the Caucus to the Green National Committee since 2005.
Professionally, Strand worked for a number of years in the investment securities industry, most recently in post-close settlement of third party administrated mutual funds. He’s also worked for a natural foods coop, in theater, dance, film, and music, as a pharmacy tech, and for a national real estate assessment scheduling service, university student admissions with “at-risk” and glbtiqts youth. He’s also spent time as a political canvasser, workplace diversity educator, reviewer and writer. Currently he serves as proud union member of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union in a deli at a local grocery story.
Strand has served on nonprofit boards, founded local and statewide nonprofits, founded and worked in local and statewide coalitions, served on publicly appointed human rights boards.
On the Steering Committee Strand is interested on working with the Diversity Committee to aide further development of identity caucuses, including the forming disability caucus, a Native American/American Indian caucus and an Asia/Pacific Islander caucus.
Strand’s priorities for the Green Party include helping candidates in with messaging, policy papers, unified campaign outlines and resources with options for local inflection on issues on the ground. At the same time, he is focusing on laying the groundwork for ballot access in 2012 for the Green presidential nominee, as well as stimulating the party’s 2012 strategy debate far in advance.
He is also am interested in making sure the Green Party is “out in front” on issues of people coming out of prison, citing an estimated 700,000 people will leave prison in the U.S. into an environment of often punitive federal, state and local laws that deny them opportunity and promote recidivism.