2009 Candidates for Steering Committee

Audrey Clement: candidate for Secretary

I’ve been a Green Party member since March, 2005. During that time I’ve served as: GPUS delegate and alternate; co-chair of the Committee on Bylaws, Rules, Policies and Procedures (BRRP); and member of the Ecoaction Committee. As co-chair of BRPP, I facilitated the adoption of a permanent set of rules governing the GPUS Presidential Nominating Convention; a process for conducting STV elections for the Steering Committee; and the amendment of BRPP rules to expedite BRPP Committee business. As a member of the Ecoaction Committee, I have fully supported its efforts to articulate a comprehensive national energy policy to combat global warming and end the nation’s dependence on foreign oil.

My most significant contribution to the national Green Party consisted in an eight month campaign to get the GPUS presidential candidate on the ballot in the state of Virginia in 2008. Together with other dedicated volunteers, I petitioned throughout the state of Virginia, acquiring more than 6,400 signatures of the 10,000 needed. The remainder were acquired by paid petitioners whose efforts were made possible by a timely assist from the GPUS Ballot Access Committee and the state Green Party ballot access coordinator. This arduous campaign afforded me an excellent opportunity to meet the voters and gauge their views on key issues. The upshot was a Virginia ballot line for the GPUS presidential candidate in November, 2008 for the first time in eight years.

If elected GPUS Secretary, my main objective will be to carry out the day to day functions of party secretary, including: the timely publication of updates to party documents, the dissemination of Steering Committee minutes, and the recognition of proposals offered for National Committee consideration by member states, caucuses and committees.

I identify with the party’s dual commitment to environmental preservation and social justice and believe I am qualified for the position of GPUS Secretary because of my prior service to the party and my educational credentials, which include a Ph.D. in Political Science from Temple University in 1993, with an emphasis on American public opinion and voting behavior.

Audrey Clement
GPVA

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As you know, I am running for GPUS Secretary. My candidate statement is available at:

In addition to the qualifications listed there, I want to add that for the past three years I’ve been the note taker for the vast majority of quarterly business meetings convened by the Green Party of Virginia (GPVA). The minutes which I drafted for GPVA are available at: http://www.vagreenparty.org/minutes/

As you can see, I’ve produced a comprehensive set of minutes detailing the progress of GPVA in organizing petition drives, running candidates and signing on to progressive causes. The skills I’ve acquired as GPVA co-chair and note taker translate directly to the duties of GPUS Secretary, and attest to my ability to perform them competently.

While the job of GPUS Secretary is largely administrative, the office carries with it considerable influence. If elected to that office, I plan to use my influence to promote Green Party candidates. In particular I want to help elect the first Green Party member to Congress, as I’m convinced that with the election of just one Green to that high office, the federal government will once more become accountable to the American people.

Audrey Clement
Co-chair, BRPP
GPVA Alternate


Holly Hart: candidate for Secretary

I am running for secretary of the GPUS, and hope I will receive your vote. I was elected to this position in 2005 and re-elected in 2007. I had initially expected to find one or more new recruits to run for the position this year, but heading into this year’s annual meeting with no nominees, and having gotten a number of requests to run again, I began to consider seeking another term. At the meeting, several more people to asked me to run, and so I agreed – also, with the idea to find more interested people to learn more about the position, possibly help out with various tasks and then think of running, possibly mid-term. Then, at the meeting, three people expressed interest. One is now running for co-chair, the others did not wish to run right away. This reinforced the idea that it would be worthwhile to educate more people who have an interest in this type of position, to ensure smooth continued working of the various secretarial tasks.

I am running because I have enjoyed the type of work involved. As a person with a temporary-but-long-term-disability affecting mobility, this has been something I am able to do for th party.

Things which I believe make me a good candidate for this position include a familiarity with the make-up of the GPUS and its various policy documents, helpful for responding to inquiries; ablity to help steer newcomers to helpful information and resources. I am able to be online, in general, at least once a day. I have also been willing to stay up late on nights before the deadline of a controversial vote, because I know there will *always* be at least one delegate uinable to figure out their login or password. (And yes, I help them, even if I suspect they don’t agree with how I’d vote.)

When I was first elected, I was given a rundown of work by the outgoing secretary. Since that time, a number of new policies and practices have been put in place that involve the secretary. Various tasks include setting up Steering Committee conference calls and taking notes; working with the voting page team and listserv manager with changes in states/caucus delegations; assisting with responses to requests for information; assisting with web content review and working with the operations director and web manager where needed. Newer tasks have included overseeing calls for nominations, information and timelines for elections to various committees, and other administrative type tasks.

My recent work:

– Created list and calendar of secretarial duties;

– Completed (for now) a much-needed update of the GNC delegate manual, and maintain as needed;

– Updated and edited a Welcome/Information Message that goes to all new delegates and alternates, and an Info-sheet about the Voting Page;

– Updating bylaws and operating rules: completed a review of bylaws updates going back to around 2005, marked that had not yet been inserted into the bylaws document on the web page, and have had the byalws and operating rules documents updated;

– Initiated improved process for states and caucuses to report updates in their delegations, and have helped bring the voting page directory up to date for delegates, alternates and observers.

– A similar update for state/caucus members of GPUS standing committees is currently in progress; this had stopped being updated since before I became secretary, but recently, there has been interest in bringing this part of the directory up to date, as well.

– Respond to various inquiries about the Green Party; various correspondence, including help with school projects, requests from publishers for screen shots of our website or portions of our platform; requests for information from new delegates.

I have consistently attended Steering Committee conference calls. I have also been an advocate for open meetings and have encourage members to observe calls. I have strived to provide meeting notes that are clear, informative, accurate and transparent. The calls are now also recorded, and I can save and archive them (in a rather primitive program; I am hoping to find something better). I have usually been prompt in responding to inquiries and requests. I believe I have beem able to working well with people with a wide range of interests, styles and positions, and have tried to follow accurately and fairly the policies and directives of the National Committee.
In response to some of the questions that have been raised to current SC candidates:

I believe development of effective state and local parties is the key to creating a Green US. The national body has some excellent resources, both people and materials, to offer to aid in this development. As secretary, I would hope to do what I can to facilitate the GPUS in furthering the development of effective local and state Green Parties.

Critical to this is the aspect of ballot access. The Green Party fills a niche that no other progressive/”green” NGO can, that of an electoral organization, some of whose affiliates are official political parties in theri respective states. In order to be effective and successful, we must run candidates, and they must be able to get on the ballot (duh!) . Since I became involved with the Green Party in the late 1990’s, I have been involved in ballot access policy and work of some kind: either petitioning for a ballot line, coordinating a ballot line petition drive, managing ballot filing paperwork, researching ballot status legislation and working in my own state for improved access and benefits for third parties. Most recently, I was part of a Green/Libertarian effort that successfully won an out-of-court settlement to gain party name designation for third parties on voter registration forms (a benefit in my state); and am currently involved in a litigation effort between Wisconsin and Iowa Green Parties and the City of Davenport over the right to petition in public areas.

I first became interested in the Green Party in the late 1990’s, and became involved in organizing and campaigns with my local chapter. Please see below for more bio information, and please contact me if you have any questions or comments.

Holly Hart
(319) 337-7341
hhart11@gmail.com
Background
– Petitioner for Iowans for Nader in 1996.

– Coordinator of the ballot petition drive in Iowa for the Nader campaign in 2000, and one of two statewide coordinators for the 2000 Nader campaign in Iowa. Coordinated statewide ballot petitioning efforts for 2004 Cobb/LaMarche and 2008 McKinney/Clemente campaigns, and participated in numerous other statewide and local ballot petition drives.

– Oversaw ballot filing paperwork for two Presidential campaigns: Cobb/LaMarche in 2004; McKinney/Clement in 2008.

– Part of the volunteer state coordinators for McKinney/Clemente, 2008.

– Interim campaign manager for David Cobb, spring/summer of 2004. Ballot access/filing coordinator and part of the Q&A response team for the Cobb/LaMarche Campaign, 2004.

– Volunteer coordinator (an initial coordinator, then one of many!) for the Ohio recount in 2004, some work with the New Mexico recount, as well.

– Served on IA Secretary of State’s Voting/HAVA Task Force, 2001

– Co-chair of the GPUS Platform Committee from 2002-2005; also a member of Media, Ballot Access and BRPP Committees; have participated with the Annual Meeting Committee

– Served as interim delegate to the GNC from Iowa, 2003.

– Served as delegate fof the GNC from the national women’s caucus from 2004-2006.

Local/State Experience

– Leafletting, tabling, petitioning, envelope-stuffing, event planning, media (press releases and appearances on Public Access TV, radio), letter-writing, grabbing the mic. at public hearing sessions at city council meeting

– Founding member of the Iowa City/Johnson County Green party (1997), and served on the coordinating committee and as recording secretary.

– Founding member of the Iowa Green Party (1997, 2000), and have served as co-chair and secretary.

Electoral Activity

– IAGP candidate for lt Gov in 2002. Our slate was endorsed by the statewide Latino weekly “El Communicador.”

– Treasurer for several campaigns (Lovetinksy for Statehouse, 2002; Barth for Governor, 2006; 3 non-partisan city council races).

– Member of Electing Progressive Women.

– 2006, included as one of the panelists on a program featuring women in electoral politics, presented by the University of Iowa Women’s Resource and Action Center.

Other Political/Civic Activity

– Sought and gained bi (sic)-partisan legislative support for an expanded ballot status option bill in 2001-2003

– 2006-07 – consultant in a related Green/Libertarian lawsuit successfully settled out of court.

– 1996-2007; member of boards of directors for Extend the Dream Foundation, Emergency Housing Project (Shelter House), Citizens for Public Power (municipal utility initiative); and Musick’s Feast advisory board; member of SEIU organizing committee on campus.

Currently – Serving on the Iowa City Housing and Community Development Commission (2005-present).

Member of Iowans for Voting Integrity; People for Justice in Palestine; local Single-Payer Action; Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement; Iowans for Peace; UI Anti-war Committee


David Strand

Hello all, I appreciate you taking a moment to read my bio/goals as a candidate for SC.

I am excited about the opportunity to serve on the SC after attending the Durham convention. The energy and will to move forward on so many important fronts was palpable and I look forward to serving our party.

I was first introduced and became interested in the Green Party in the late 80’s through student activist networks such as CAUSE(Campus Activists United for Society and Environment) . At my first Green Party event, I felt engaged to think about things in ways and in depths I had rarely seen in political or activist organizations. It was clear that the Green Party was “out in front” on issues of ecology and peace and sustainability but also on issues of human(and nonhuman) rights, social and economic justice, democratic reform and ecofeminist thought. “Out in Front” on these issues is where I wanted(and want) to be politically!

As the Lavender Green delegate, much of my background is in glbt rights activistism though my interests and experience is broader. I have participated in numerous campaigns and organizing efforts over the years including the statewide campaign office and Target Center rally for Nader/LaDuke in Minneapolis in 2000, the coordinated campaign committee in Minneapolis in 2001 which was a breakthrough year during which I helped coordinate Freeman Wicklund’s school board campaign as well as supported coordinated campaign efforts. I’ve sat on candidate screening committees for local and statewide candidates. I currently am politics co-chair of the Green Party of MN and treasurer of the MN 3rd Congressional District Green Party. As such I worked with other state CC members and candidates on coordinating spending of public campaign financing funds within legal and ethical constraints to support our three state legislative candidates in 2008 including Farheen Hakeem’s race for state legislature.

On the SC, I am 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 asian/pacific islander caucus.

I also am interested in making sure the Green Party is “out in front” on issues of people coming out of prison, in prison, etc. This year alone an estimated 700,000 people will leave prison here in the U.S. Our federal(and often state and local policies) are horrendously punitive. For example, ex-offenders are not eligible for food stamps paid for with federal funds under the welfare “reform” bills passed in 1995. Food is a basic human right and I believe we Greens want to say “LET THEM EAT!”.

We have fantastic opportunities across the country yet this fall and clearly next year in elections for federal, state and local offices. I really want to see us do more to help candidates with messaging, policy papers, and unified campaign outlines and resources with options for local inflection on issues on the ground.

We need to do more to support, acknowledge, and celebrate the accomplishments of our elected officials !

Of course ballot access is a key issue we as a national party can work on and I think we need to have a plan starting now to establish the groundwork for ballot lines for 2012 by working on ballot access between now and then through upcoming elections.

Re apportionment of the NC and of Presidential nomination delegates are other items we will need to begin to tackle for 2012 and hopefully we will have the debate settled far earlier than we have the last two election cycles.

I have experience responding to and working via email, phone calls and teleconferences through various groups including groups planning marches on washington, nonprofit boards, etc.

I have experience with executive functions including drafting budgets, fundraising, volunteer organizing, approving employment contracts, hiring, approving contracts for office services, space, and event space, and event planning.

Professionally, I worked for a number of years in the investment securities industry- most recently in postclose settelment of third party administrated mutual funds. I’ve also worked for a natural foods coop, in theater, dance, film, and music, as a pharmacy tech, for a national real estate assessment scheduling service, university student admissions, with “at-risk” youth, glbtiqts youth, political canvasser, workplace diversity educator, reviewer, writer, etc. Currently I humbly work as a proud union member of the UFCW in a deli at a local grocer.

I have 240 or so undergradaute credits from two institutions but not bachelor’s degree.

I’ve served on nonprofit boards, founded local and statewide nonprofits, founded and worked in local and statewide coalitions, served on publicly appointed human rights boards,

Thank you for reading!

We have many fine people running and thank you for considering my candidacy for SC!

David Strand Lavender Greens Delegate

P.S. My mother is currently in the hospital with pneumonia and will likey be discharged later today (Sunday). Saturday I had a state party board meeting and an organizing meeting for the March on Washington for LGBT Equality in October. When I first returned from Durham, my brother and sister-in- law where here from England to visit for two days after which my mom went into the hospital and my boss left work due to an injury so I was called in to work extra hours. All to say, please pardon the tardiness of this bio relative to the discussion period.

Please email me with any questions! Unfortunately due to working and carng for my mom after the hospital today I will not be available today by phone. I will gladly call you if you email me your number and best times to reach you!


Farheen Hakeem

My name is Farheen Hakeem. I have participated in the Green Party since 2002, knocking doors for a Green Party endorsed Gubernatorial candidate. In 2004, I was a campaign manager for a congressional candidate that received about 6% of the vote (approx. 18,000). I ran for Mayor of Minneapolis in 2005, being the only Green endorsed candidate ever in the race. As I had stated at the ANM, there were 12 candidates, and I was the only woman, where I came in 3rd. The following year, I ran for Hennepin County Commissioner where I earned 30% of casted votes (approx. 17,000). During which a documentary was filmed about the campaign which received a Student Emmy Award. In 2007, I was elected as a GPUS delegate and I was one of the founding members of Minnesotans for McKinney. I quit the group however to run for State Representative where I earned 30% of the vote, while the Democrat received 60% and the Republican was only 10%. Currently, I am a campaign manager for Jeanine Estime (www.jeanineestime.org) Green Party endorsed candidate for City Council I have recruited 2 out of the 5 candidates for city elections this year, both of which are people of color and one of which is a woman.

I have experience already being on a national board participating in the North American Student Cooperative Organization (www.nasco.coop) for 2 years. So I am able to attend conference calls and check lots of e-mail. I also have been on boards of many non-profits here in Minnesota, and have volunteered for special projects for the Green Party.

Farheen’s Vision for the Green Party

I see the Green Party as a vehicle for a broader social justice movement where the 10-Key values become a reality for all of us here in the US. I would like to see more non-traditional candidates, such as young people, people of color, and women, to participate in the electoral process and see the Green Party as an avenue to do this. I am constantly being recruited by the Democrats to run with them, but I know that lack of cooperation with working with other social justice movements, and the absence of the Key value of decentralization is enough to know that I don’t belong there.

The Green Party is the place where everyone can feel like they belong, not matter how different we are. We come together because we share the same set of values, and we work together to make our country a more holistic and sustainable place. Every person has a place here, and every person has skills that can be utilized to bring the Green Party vision into full function.

For more information about me, please refer to my website www.farheenhakeem.org, or drop a line at hijabicycle@gmail.com.


Jason Nabewaniec
585-413-3478 (home)
Jason@GP.org
J_Nabs@hotmail.com

Jason Nabewaniec (b. October 6, 1977; Rochester, New York) is an American Green politician and is one of the seven current (as of 2007) co-Chairs of the Green Party of the United States.
He grew up in Jamesville, New York just outside of Syracuse, New York, where he attended Jamesville-DeWitt High School.
Jason attended the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) graduating with a BS in Civil Engineering Technology in 2001. Jason played defense on RIT’s Lacrosse team, and specialized in jumps and sprints on both RIT’s indoor and outdoor Track and Field Teams.

In 2003 Jason married Misty.

Jason was catapulted into political activism after having spent several years working for the Monroe County Water Authority. Having witnessed the massive corruption that plagued the local public authority, Jason decided to fight the leaders of the political parties that were using Government services for personal profit.

In 2002 Jason met Green Party Congressional Candidate Rachel Treichler, and made his commitment to building the Green Party.
Jason spent several years working on party building and local campaigns with the Green Party of Monroe County.

Jason currently lives in Rochester, New York. He is working as a design engineer in the public sector and finishing his Master’s thesis in Environmental, Health and Safety Management at Rochester Institute of Technology.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jason_Nabewaniec

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Co-Chair of the Green Party of the United States
Green National Committee member since 2004, representing the Green Party of New York State (western New York region)
Merchandise Committee, Green Party of the United States
Former Chair of the Green Party of Monroe County (http://www.GPoMC.org)
Former Chair of the Green Party of Genesee County (http://gpgcny.50megs.com/)

Served on several additional Green Party committees at both the state and national level.


Jennifer Sullivan
Candidate for GPUS Steering Committee Co-Chair

Read three quick paragraphs to find out some of what I do when I’m not rushing to give a quick speech to the Greens in Durham with 5 minutes before I have to leave to catch my flight (after a double espresso from an indy coffee shop)…

PARAGRAPH 1 of 3 (about me)
I moved to Florida in 1995 and in 1996 I registered as Green, started the Hernando County Green Party which is still around today. Currently we are running a campaign to Get Solar in the Sunshine State in conjunction with www.getoffthegrid.com. We have joined in the intervention against the proposed Levy County Nuclear plant. These issues all tie in together. We have an IRV petition circulating. We regularly show eye opening educational movies for the public. We also have various products that we sell to fund raise and to raise issue awareness.

PARAGRAPH 2 of 3 (about me)
I also am the Regional Coordinator for the SW quarter of the state for the Florida Green Party and a delegate to national. Currently, I’m working in my region to revive the Clearwater (Pinellas), Tampa(Hillsbourough) and St. Petersburg (Pinellas) Greens. I make regular trips to the area to speak at events and participate in actions, meetings, and in coalition efforts with other groups such as the Uhuru’s and St. Pete for Peace.

PARAGRAPH 3 of 3 (about me)
I have lobbied in both houses of congress in D.C. for SUWA (Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance) and Sierra Club and served on the ExCom for the Nature Coast Sierra Club. I have represented the Sierra Club appearing on TV news and doing interviews with potential congressional candidates for them. (I was more in the David Brower camp than the Carl Pope camp in my vision for for the Sierra Club so I have not been an member lately). I am on the Gulf Coast Alliance currently. I was appointed to serve on the Hernando County Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) for Transportation where I continue to push for more rail and more bike lanes.

THE IMPORTANT THING…
As a candidate, I would like to see our party GET OUT THERE!
EXPOSURE EXPOSURE EXPOSURE!
Less chat, less in fighting and more energy and effort into ACTION!
We NEED to be VISABLE at this time.
Let’s seize this time and frame the debate OUR WAY for a change.
A RESULT is worth a 1000 words (but I’m writing this anyway as a way to re-frame what we are experiencing in this country).

I suggest that the Twin Powers of Politics ARE NOT WINNING.
They’ve NOT ENDED the wars in Iraq and Afganistan or the “drug wars” at the borders of Mexico and in Columbia.
They’ve LOST their “war on poverty”.
Their plan to “leave no child behind” has left more children behind than ever before.
They’ve LOST U.S. jobs but FILL prisons!
They’ve put up solar panels on the White House and took them down.
They’ve killed the electric car.
They STOLE the citizen’s money and used it to bail out the (supposedly) top economic companies while allowing citizens to LOSE their very homes in foreclosure!
Meanwhile they FAIL to retrieve the fair share from wealthy tax evaders that off shore bank and use every trick they can to NOT help their fellow Americans.
They FAIL to support small business and cave in to mega monopolies (like Walmart).
They FAILED to get FEMA to function during the Katrina disaster and have NOT yet done right by New Orleans residents to this day.
They FIGHT on the side of health care middlemen (again) instead of their constituents. FAILING to give the voters the plan they wanted which is just the human right of access to good health!
After much to do (about nothing) they blather about “defending marriage”. How about staying OUT of private marriages and defend the people?!
They CAN’T even seem to keep the basics like food and water clean and safe!
They invested most of the economy into the “defense” budget and when we needed it most on 911… NORAD FAILED!
They FAILED, repeatedly, to put limits and standards on corporate operations.
We can only ask: What HAVE they done right over the last 200 years?

So as Wall Street fiddles away all of their money (stolen from the public) on executive perks… the citizens of the United States LOSE their jobs, homes and way of life.

For 2 centuries their policies have been tried and (as all can plainly see) they are ending up as FAILURES! It’s TIME we try something completely different. Something that works for a “change for the better not worse”!

We need to urge people to REGISTER GREEN, VOTE GREEN, RUN GREEN and GIVE TO GREENS!
(Greens refuse corporate bribery money so we CAN SERVE the PEOPLE not the corporate masters of wars, waste and deceit.)

ONE LAST COMMENT (about me)
I’ve been involved with sales and marketing, so I keep coming up with ideas to this end. Last night indy film makers shot an interview with me on partisanship politics which will be released at the next Sarasota film festival. I’ve also helped produce local radio shows. Whatever we decide for the SC… I URGE EVERYONE who is in a leadership capacity for the Greens to STAND STRONG in SOLIDARITY, keep a cool sense of humor and bravely take on The Twin Powers of Political FAILURE.

Finally, it looks like we will have a candidate for US Congress in my Region in 2010. A veteran running against a pro war incumbent (who I believe did NOT serve)

Respectfully,
Jennifer Sullivan
Florida


Les Evenchick

Our planet is in crisis and not only are vast numbers of humans suffering, but so are our animal and plant kingdom brothers and sisters.

The air is polluted, the water is polluted and now with genetic crop modifications so is our food supply.

Our politicians are more concerned with lining their pockets or not rocking the boat.

Ths sytem that allows this calls itself the capitalist system.

A system where private profits are put above the needs of its human and non human inhabitants.

We know adequate resources exist to sustain even our current large world population if only equitably distributed.

Past alternative systems and idea for alternatives have failed.

Being green to me means have a view of a future where what is decided is done from the bottom up in the interests of the vast majority while protecting individual rights and the rights of other living things.

The 4 pillars of the original green movement best express the principles that a future society should operate from.

ECOLOGY, also referred to ecological wisdom, means we should consider all the interrelations of nature in our problem solving and governoing efforts.

The reality is that everything in the universe is interrelated. Its just a matter of what is important in the solution of a particular problem.

SOCIAL JUSTICE means we what fairness in realtions between govt and people and between individuals as well.

GRASSROOTS DEMOCRACY means not just that the ordinary person participates in decisions but that they either make the decisions themselves or through removaable representatives (Recall).

And NON-Violence which was originally NO WAR, means all disputes should be settled if at all possible by peaceful means. Personal self defense in certain cases is legitimate as is intervention to prevent imminent violence against others.

But all matters should be approach from a perspective that violence is bad.

To sucessfully change our current system we need an organization or organizations that are based on the above 4 principles that advocates and organizes to eliminate as best as possible the injustices existing today.

These Parties must reflect the principles one advocates.

The only national Party that is close to reflecting the outlook and principles referred to is the Green Party of the United States.

But serious problems exist in our Party.

Rank and file members have little connection with the national Party and have little involvement in decision making.

A section of our membership views GRASSROOTS DEMOCRACY as only meaning that the grassroots get to participate but do not have actual control.

Another section is only interested in Ecological matters and not in social justice issues.

And some other think the Party belongs to them personally because they were among the founders.

BUt my view is that the Party is defined by the 4 pillars and the 10 KV which include the 4 pillars in principle if not using the exact words.

Those who advocate that anyone who calls themselves a green should be accepted as members are making a serious mistake in my opinion.

In the intermediate term we need to integate activism on specific issues with electoral action.

Separation leads to a lack of green educated candidates and protests unconnected to changing the system.

In the shorter term we need to focus on a few congressional races with candidates who are proven greens.

Celebrity candidates tend to reflect their own non green or partially green agendas.

We need to raise funds to finance field organizers who can help organize local greens as help is needed.

We also need a dues system from states, possibly with a state having dues proportional to its members organized as locals (not registration based).

Apportionment of delegates needs to be based on numbers of greens organized in locals rather than on registration which is not available in many, if not most states.

The reality is that little is being done to organise Green Party locals and their numbers have declined sharply in recent years.

Without a large base of activists the national Party cannot survive as a viable Party.

Green can be the future but it is not guaranteed.

IF YOU AGREE WITH MY GENERAL PERSDPECTIVE THEN PLEASE SUPPORT MY CANDIDACY

Questions and comments are welcome on either NC list or privately.

Les Evenchick, Delegate from Louisiana
New Orleans
piratefish@yahoo.com
Short Biography of Les Evenchick

Born: 1941 New York City

First job: selling newspapers on a street corner in Los Angeles, CA at age 11

First politics: Elected President of high school Hunting and Fishing Club in Baltimore 1955

First activity: Co-organized school assembly on Conservation

Summer 1955 – decided I wanted to be an Ecologist after reading “Big Dam Foolishness”

Joined Students for A Democratic Society, Young Socialist Alliance, and SWP in early 60’s. Quit latter 2 in late 60’s

Graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1966 with dual majors of Philosophy and Electrical Engineering.

Active in organizing anti-Vietnam war demonstartions throughout the 60’d and early 70’s

Founding member of Los Angeles County Peace and Freedom Party in 1968 County Council member.

Organized 3 chapters of the Workers League in Southern, CA in early 70’s

First contact with green Party in Munich, Germany in 1980

Was independent political activist from 1972 to 2000 when I joined the Green Party of Louisiana

Ran for times for public office:
1991: Destin, FL City Council 20% vote running as an independent environmentalist/social justice advocate.
2001: New Orleans School Board 3.44% vote – as green
2003 Louisiana state rep 11.4% as independent green
2005 New Orleans City Council 1% as independent green
All campaigns were very low budget.

Elected delegate to the GPUS in 2008 at state convention.

Organized and co organized many meetings and demonstrations against various wars and for various social justice issues over the years.

Professionally, I was a high tech computer systems and software person for about 1/2 my working life interspersed with various laboring jobs.

Currently I work part time as a doorman/host at a Blues Music Club in New Orleans

I have multiple medical problems that are currently under control.

I will be happy to answer any questions and expand on details of political interests and activities as requested.


Mike Feinstein

Application for Co-Chair,
Green Party of the United States
Name – Mike Feinstein
City – Santa Monica
County – Los Angeles
Watershed – Santa Monica Bay
Bioregion – South Coast
State – California
State of Mind – California
Phone – (310) 392-8450
Email – mfeinstein@feinstein.org
Web site – www.feinstein.org

1) Please list any prior or current positions, related experience, and/or personal and professional skills within the Green Party that you have that apply to this position.

I have been active on every level of the Green Party since November 1988, from my neighborhood to the global, and I remain so today. The list below gives a flavor of the range of activities that I have been involved in.

– On the local level, I have been active since November 1988, when I joined the Westside Greens. Soon afterwards, my efforts in organizing the well attended Westside Green public forums of 1989-1990, helped springboard the Westside Greens from obscurity to public visibility and effect. I also represented the Westside Greens at national Green meetings in June 1989 (Eugene, OR), March 1990 (San Diego), September 1990 (Estes Park, CO) and August 1991 (Elkins, WV).

I remained active with the Westside Greens through 2004, when I then helped co-found a specific Santa Monica-focused local, the Santa Monica Greens, and remain active with the Santa Monica Greens today.

– On the county level, I was the first Southern California regional Green office coordinator, from 1989-1991 and took care of the Los Angeles county mail and phone for about seven out of ten years between 1989 and 1999.

I was a co-founder of the Green Party Organizing Committee for Los Angeles County in 1990. After the Green Party of California gained ballot status in January 1992, I was elected to the first Green County Council in Los Angeles County (GPLAC) in June 1992 and then re-elected every term through 2002, when I took at two-year hiatus, only to return in 2004 and remain active through the present. In November 2004 I was also elected GPLAC Co-coordinator, which I served as til the end of my term in 2006.

Between 1989 and 1995, I was part of the Green Radio Collective which co-hosted a radio program on Pacific station KPFK, 90.FM Los Angeles called Green Perspectives.

– On the state level, I am one of the Green Party of California’s principle co-founders, having played a major role in the founding meetings and succesful ballot drive. I first registered Green on January 5th, 1990 when the ballot drive to start the Green Party of California (GPCA) began; I co-organized and co-facilitated the party’s founding meeting and afterwards gathered over 1,000 Green registrations myself.

Since then, I have served on a variety of GPCA committee and working groups, including Campaigns & Candidates, Goals & Strategies, By-Laws, Electoral Reform and International. I also served on the state Coordinating Committee for six years, from 1995-2001 and returned in 2006, for a term that ended in March 2008. In September of 2006, I was also elected as Co-Coordinator of the Coordinating Committee, based upon the following platform. I also served on both of the GPCA’s special State Party Restructuring Committees (1992-1993, 1999-2000).

From 1994-1998, I was the GPCA’s State Clearinghouse Coordinator, handling all of the mail, calls and email. I served as a correspondent for the GPCA’s first state newsletter (Green Consensus) in the early to mid 1990s and since 2003, have written for the GPCA’s current state newsletter (Green Focus).

I organized and hosted the GPCA’s first state General Assembly after its founding (March 1990 @ LA City College) and three subsequent strategic retreats (Santa Monica, 2001; Sonoma County, 2007; Los Angeles, 2009). I authored the successful proposal for the GPCA to join the national Green Party (November 1999) after an earlier effort by others failed. I have also documented our GPCA state party history and along with Hank Chapot (Oakland), maintain the largest physical archive of GPUS documents, going back to 1986. I am also am engaged in the long-term process of scanning and posting the archive on-line.

– On the national level, I have been active since 1989. At my first national meeting, Green Gathering ’89 (Eugene, OR) I was appointed coordinator of the national Green energy policy for the SPAKA (Strategic Policy Approaches in Key Areas) and faciliated the important and unifying closing strategic discussion session at Green Gathering ’89.

I was a founding member of the national Green Party Organizing Committee (San Diego, February 1990). I attended the founding meeting of the Association of State Green Parties (Virginia, November 1996), which was a key stepping stone towards the formation the current national Green Party of the United States. I have also been an invited featured plenary speaker at the founding of state Green Parties in Minnesota (1994) and Texas (1999), as well as in Chicago for the Campus Green Network (2001).

In 1990, I was on the national Green Gathering ’90 organizing committee (Estes Park, CO) and in 1992, a member of the Green Gathering ’92 Media Committee (Minneapolis, MN).

In 1996, I was co-coordinator (with Lynne Serpe) of the 1996 Green Gathering and first ever Green Presidential Nomination Convention (UCLA, Los Angeles). and have posted an entire video record of the convention on YouTube.

In 2000, I was a member of the ASGP/Green Party National Convention Media Committee (Denver, CO), a plenary speaker on national TV and arranged for the entire convention to be professionally videotaped and ultimately placed on YouTube. I am also responsible for the 2004 Convention being placed on YouTube, as well as the January 2008 Green Presidential debate (San Francisco).

In 2001 I co-organized (with Stacy Malkan), the press conference to announce GPUS Founding and application to FEC for Nat’l Committee Status, July 2001 (Santa Monica, CA), arranged for all the national media to attend and was one of four speakers in this video of the press conference that was broadcast on C-SPAN. Overall, I’ve attended 18 of the 21 annual national Green meeting in the U.S. since 1989.

In November 1995, I co-negotiated the deal (with Greg Jan and Rob Hager) for Ralph Nader to appear on the GPCA March 1996 presidential primary ballot, a major step in Nader becoming the Green Party’s first ever presidential candidate that year.

I organized both national Green officeholders conferences in the U.S. (1998 and 2003, both in Santa Monica), as well as the first-ever gathering of Green candidates in the U.S. (Green Parties of the West, 1993, also in Santa Monica; see videos and pictures here). I was also a founding member of the national Green Officeholders Network.

In the early 1990s, I was a correspondent for national Green publications Green Synthesis and Green Letter. I was the founding and managing editor of the current national Green Party newsletter Green Pages from 1997-2001, from 2003-2007 edited the Elections Section and continue today as the Sections Editor for International Green Party news.

In 1999-2000, I negotiated 90% of what became to be known as the `Boston Agreement’, which led the way to consolidating different factions in the national Green movement into what became the Green Party of the United States. I simultaneously served for several years on the national Transition Committee, which established the structure on how state Green Parties are represented on the national level within the GPUS’ founding structure.

I almost singlehandedly maintained the national candidate and officeholder for U.S. Greens from 1994-2002, then slowly transitioned it over to the GPUS Coordinated Campaign Commitee. Where no such complication existed, I have documented the party’s definitive election history back to 1985. Today I am an member of the GPUS Bylaws Commttee and International Committee, served on the 2008 time-limited Credentials Committee and am an advisor to the Media, Coordinated Campaigns and Annual National Meeting Committees.

– On the international level, I was a founding member of the U.S. Green International Working Group in June 1989 and have been active on the international Green level ever since.

I’ve attended more international Green meetings than any other U.S. Green, representing both the Green Party of California and the U.S. Greens at international Green meetings on numerous occasions. In the early 1990s, I played an integral role in establishing the credibility of U.S. Greens in the international Green community, visiting and corresponding with numerous European Greens in particular.

My first role as a formal U.S. Green representative overseas was June 1990 at the European Green Coordination meeting in Brussels. In 2001, I was one of three U.S. Green delegates to the Global Green meeting in Canberra, Australia, where I cast one of three U.S. Green votes in favor of the first Global Green Charter.In 2008 I was a GPUS delegate to the Second Global Green Congress, held in Sao Paolo, Brazil.

In 1991, I was part of the organizing committee for the first CANAMEX meeting (Greens from Canada, U.S. and Mexico) and was active in the founding of its successor, the Federation of the Green Parties of the Americas. I attended Federation meetings as an observer that coincided with the founding of the Green Party in the Dominican Republic (December 2002) and Nicaragua (November 2003); and attended as a GPUS Delegate in Venezuela (November 2007).

In February 2005 I attended the founding meeting of the Asia-Pacific Green Network in Kyoto, Japan, was a plenary speaker and also invited to be the only non-AGPN member on a three-member committee to design and conduct the APGN’s first leadership elections.

I’ve written a 674-page book on European Greens (Sixteen Weeks with European Greens: Interviews, Impressions, Platforms and Personalities).

I currently serve as a member of the GPUS International Committee, and most recently I was a keynote international speaker on Canadian national television at the August 2006 Green Party of Canada national convention (Ottawa, Ontario), documented in these videos (one, two, three). I’ve also been a plenary speaker at the 1990 Swedish Green Party Congress (Jonköping, Sweden), 1996 European Green Congress (Vienna, Austria), the Second Meeting of European Green Local Councillors (December 2003, Vienna), the annual meeting of the Green Party of British Columbia (October 2007) and the February 2009 Green Party of Canada bi-annual national meeting (Nova Scotia).

– On the global level, I have been active since 1990, when I put forward the first written proposal regarding global Green cooperation and coordination, which I presented in Bonn, West Germany at the meeting of the European Green Coordination in 1990.

I was part of the international effort to organize the first Global Green meeting, held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. I was an advisor to the first Global Green Steering Committee (1992-1994), including in my role creating the first Global Green Calendar, writing for the first Global Green newsletter and helping co-create and coordinate the first international Green email lists in the early 1990s.

In December 2007, I was part of the Global Green delegation to the UN Climate Change negotiations in Bali and did these video reports from there. My library of Green Party videos on YouTube page is the largest in the world, approaching 300 and counting.

I am also the founding webmaster for the Global Greens website (Berlin, May 2002) and remain in that position today. I am also a member of the Global Greens History Working Group and am writing a comprehensive global history section of Green Parties around the world all the way back to 1972.

From 2006-2008 I was part of the twenty-member Global Green planning committee for the May 2008 Global Greens Congress and edited and posted these videos of the entire Congress.

2) Please list any prior or current positions, related experience, and/or personal and professional skills outside of the Green Party that you have, that apply to this position.

Municipal
City Council, Santa Monica, 1996-2004
elected in 1996 and 2000
Mayor, Santa Monica, 2000-2002
chosen by a unanimous vote of his colleagues

Regional
Regional Comprehensive Plan Task Force,
Southern California Association of Governments, 2004-2008
Growth Visioning Subcommittee/Southern California Compass,
Southern California Association of Governments, 2001-2004
Intergrated Policy Plan Task Force,
Southern California Association of Governments, 2009-
Energy & Environment Committee,
Southern California Association of Governments, 1997-2004
Westside Council of Governments
Santa Monica representative as Mayor, 2000-2002

State
Housing Committee,
California League of Cities, 2001-2002

National
U.S. Conference of Mayors, 2002
Central Cities Committee,
National League of Cities, 2002-2004

International
ICLEI (International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives)
Santa Monica representative, including presentations in Johannesburg, South Africa
(World Summit on Sustainable Development, 2002) and Athens (ICLEI Global Congress, 2003).


Nick Mellis

My vision for the GPUS is to start being more aggressive in regards to dealing with the national media (not mainstream, but corporate). To end the contemplating the navel syndrome sometimes rooted in our party and help move the party to more action oriented in your face (using non violence) when it comes to getting attention from the corporate media. To help with problem people within the party who seem hell bent on obstructing, delaying or sabotaging the national party. No more hand holding or passing off problem people in a passive way (ever again). To help recharge our standing committees with new people and go on a national recruitment drive to gather more volunteer activist’s who are tired of the over thinking that sometimes takes place in our party and who demand action from our national party (whom I love dearly!). I will dedicate the rest of my living days towards building a Green Party in Lawrencevile, NJ, Mercer County, NJ, the State of New Jersey , The United States of America and Planet Earth. When the Multi -nationals and their enslaved Representatives in Congress give us an inch we take five miles!
Resume link:
http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AdqGWANuPUPmZGR2c3dnazRfMGd0azczMmY5&hl=en

In service *forever*
Nick Mellis
New Jersey