Are you waiting for someone to choose you?

Are you holding back because you think you aren’t ready?

Are you waiting until you have enough experience or go back to school?

Are you worried you’ll get it wrong?

I hear these fears all the time from women. They want to do something that makes a difference in the world and they get stuck because the little voice in their head telling stories about why now isn’t the right time, they aren’t the right person and they stay stuck in the loop of inaction.

This week on the podcast I am sharing a very special interview with someone who didn’t wait to be picked - Liz Minnella.

I first was introduced to Liz when she hosted the Women Wednesdays calls during the Harris campaign. I knew she was someone I could learn from so I started following her on Instagram. Needless to say I am a fan and wanted to know more about how she got her start.

So I asked her to be a guest on the podcast and it confirmed she has a lot to teach us about how to use what we have to move our values and issues forward today.

Liz Minnella is a mom, fundraiser and Instagram demfluencer. She gained an audience on Instagram following the Fourth of July shooting in Highland Park by posting short actionable steps for fellow activists to take to advance gun violence prevention legislation and she helped lead the grassroots push to pass the IL Assault Weapons Ban.

During the 2024 election cycle, she hit her stride organizing and activating everyday people to use their power and influence to make change. She founded Chicago Women for Harris and co-organized and MCd White Women: Answer the call, which broke Zoom with over 200,000 viewers.

She served as the Finance Co-chair of Women for Harris and raised tens of millions of dollars for the Harris campaign. She held weekly Women Wednesdays for Harris Zoom calls and organized door knocking trips across the battleground states.

Her work was featured in a front-page article in the New York Times and on CNN in the days following the election. She recently founded Connect Forward, an organization dedicated to funding and facilitating a new media ecosystem for liberal voices. She is also the host of Demfluenced, a podcast focused on the intersection of social media and politics.

In other words, Liz didn’t wait to be picked. She doesn’t have any special training. She doesn’t have a background in the field. She has an Instagram account and a passion for gun safety. In our interview she shared with me how she got her start and her plan to change how Democrats use social media to create change.

Transcript:

[00:00:00] I am so glad y'all are here. 'cause I reached out to a stranger on the internet and was like, girl, we need to talk. Hi, Liz. Can you please tell everyone who you are and what is it that you do in the world? Yes, absolutely. My name is Liz Menella. I started to become a influencer, which is a, a term that refers to political influencers, people who talk about politics online, primarily Instagram.

[00:00:28] I started doing that in 2022. I'm also a gun violence prevention advocate. I'm a political fundraiser, and I've recently started an initiative to try to. Fund and facilitate the new media ecosystem to compete with what they have on the right. So I think we, if we want to get out of this hellscape, we find ourselves in, we need to resource creators and liberal voices and try to help them reach as many [00:01:00] people as possible and get those people to start voting in their own self-interest.

[00:01:04] So I've always been sort of peripheral, peripherally involved in politics. I always voted and would go and attend organization meetings and things like that, but it really wasn't until kind of this trifecta of the valdi shooting happening, I, there was a a parade shooting a few minutes from my hometown, and in between those two row fell that I just felt like.

[00:01:30] I need to get off the sidelines. I need to make this my life's work, and I need to do it in a way that hasn't been done before. And how can I use my unique gifts and talents in a, in a way that no one else does to contribute, to hopefully moving us forward towards kind of swinging this pendulum back.

[00:01:51] I love all of that, but I wanna clarify something because I think some people are like, yeah, but how did you, how did you get that? Did somebody send you an invitation? [00:02:00] Did you find a job description on LinkedIn? Like, how did you become the dem influencer and start this conversation? Yes. So this is a big thing that I like to tell people is.

[00:02:13] No one is coming to ask you to do this work, and no one is coming to tell you how to do this work or grade you on how you're doing. And I think that people are really afraid to fail or to not do it perfectly. But I think just really staying true to yourself and your own authenticity in your own vision and, and is super important in, in being successful.

[00:02:36] The way I got started was I had always used social media as a tool to let people know how I thought. And felt. I've never been shy about sharing my opinion. I always grew up talking politics at the dinner table. Family parties were very politically charged. We used to agree with each other more, but like many families, that has changed.

[00:02:58] And I was never told [00:03:00] by my parents not to talk about that. I was always told to f form an opinion and let people know. To back that up with facts and resources, cite your source was a common phrase at my dinner, dinner table growing up. So it was something that was always just a part of my life, but not in like a really formalized sense.

[00:03:21] I did look to work in politics. I was a communication and political science major and minor in college, and then I looked to work on the hill after college. Which was when everybody was going to work for the Obama administration. It was very competitive. It was a time where idealism and a Harvard degree was the, was the currency to get a job there.

[00:03:44] I was getting some offers to do like unpaid internships or things with stipends, and also I was interviewing in the middle of the summer in DC It was so swampy and so hot, and then I took a job doing development for an art museum in [00:04:00] the Hamptons, and for probably a decade of my career, I, I regretted taking this like kind of easier sier job and like slogging it out in DC being someone's unpaid intern.

[00:04:12] I always had this calling that I wanted to go back to politics, but I didn't quite know how and then I kind of realized that I didn't need to have the resume and the rules that I. Traditionally had worked. I really saw that politics was changing and that authentic voices that have lived experiences and mostly know how to connect with people and make them feel, seen, say things that they were thinking and say it how they were thinking it, that that is sort of the new era of politics and that having a background of I worked on campaigns, or I worked in this Senate office would actually have maybe been a detriment that I think I show up online more authentically because my background is more similar to the average voter.

[00:04:57] So I was really armed with that. [00:05:00] And as I said, that kind of turning point the night of Valdi, I was writing messages. And posting things about how upset I was and what I wanted the, the type of action I wanted to see my 400 followers take in order for this to just not be another news cycle. And I tagged my senator.

[00:05:21] I was living in New Jersey at the time, so I tagged my senators. One is now indicted and not in the Senate anymore. Menendez or sorry, convicted. It was like, yeah, a couple weeks ago. And then sucking up to Donald Trump in the meantime. Trying to get a pardon, but the other is Cory Booker, who is just one of the foremost leaders in the Democratic Party, one of the most incredible people.

[00:05:42] And I tweeted this really sassy or Instagram. Wrote and added him this very sassy, like you were one of the most powerful people in the Senate. You are not doing shit. You, I don't wanna hear anything except I'm bringing the background bill to the floor for a vote, a [00:06:00] background checks bill to the floor for a vote, even if it fails.

[00:06:03] Like show true leadership, all this stuff. And so that was the night of Valdi and he himself wrote back and to the DM and was like kind of like, Hey listen White Lady, you are upset about gun violence. For, for the first time. And whether, and I, he said it nicer than that, but it, there was a big element of truth to that, right?

[00:06:26] That this is a systemic problem that affects black and brown communities. He talked about having constituents and people that he knows in his life, watching people be shot, having the problem of gun violence, rja communities and people like me only paying attention one time every couple of years, and then wanting an assault weapons ban or background check bill to just make us feel better.

[00:06:47] And he was like, that ain't it. Like you wanna get in this fight, get in and, you know, demand more from me, but don't be surprised when I demand more from you. Yeah, so that [00:07:00] really is like my origin story. I was like, well, if Cory Booker told me to like, get in a fight and is giving me permission to just use whatever I had at the time I had, I had 400 followers. So I just started working with, in existing influencers like Emily and your phone, we were pushing really hard to get the bipartisan background or bipartisan saver communities Bill.

[00:07:21] Passed we were working with more vocational influencers, tagging them in key states like South Carolina and Texas. And so I really felt like I was part of something Then that bill passed and that was so exciting. We saw how you really can use social media as a tool to pass a single piece of legislation.

[00:07:40] And then I kind of took that same framework after the Highland Park shooting and was like, we can do this in Illinois. I just wa we can use influencers, we can use people who have never talked about politics before. But I made a video and said like, send this to anyone in Illinois who has a following.

[00:07:56] And it went really viral and then it kind of earned me a seat at the [00:08:00] table of the people who were working to pass the assault weapons ban. And then, you know, I just had to just kind of like keep leveling up and proving myself I dunno what I'll do next, but Okay. And, and so I am one of those people. I actually did work on the hill.

[00:08:16] Okay. I worked at the Congressional Caucus for Women's Issues. Oh. I worked at the speaker's office in California. I worked in the political arm of Planned Parenthood. I worked for Senator Ron Wyden. Mm-hmm. And Congressman Sam Farr. Like I did my IT for a decade. Yeah. But it was before the internet. And do you know what I found?

[00:08:36] It was so hard to get regular people engaged. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Because people were like, wait, what? I'm already busy. What are you talking about? How could I possibly have anything to add to this? Mm-hmm. Coupled with the, oh, that's for other people. Oh, rich lobbyists get [00:09:00] everything that they want. And I'm like, I literally stand on a street with my boss, Senator Ron Wyden, when I was working with him, heard this thing called sidewalk office hours sitting.

[00:09:10] US Senator would stand in front of a bookstore in Portland, Oregon. Wow. And he's six four. And a staffer would stand with him with the clipboard and he calls, people walk by, Hey Senator, why? He's like, Hey, you wanna talk? And they would talk and people would share their stories. Wow. And if they had a problem that we could solve in any way, we took note, we sent it to staff, we followed up.

[00:09:36] And if we were like, oh, that's a state issue, we still got their name, their number, their thing. And then we were like, let us, let us find the person in the state who you should call to help you with this. This sounds like a, like a fairytale. I can't imagine anyone. It was, it was both a fairytale and a nightmare.

[00:09:56] And I was like, are you making us more work? 'cause I was working [00:10:00] in, I was working in the campaign office at the time and I was like, sir, we have fundraising calls to make. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Can we do that? He's like, no, no. Meet with the people. And I was like. He is creating more work, but it's making people's lives better.

[00:10:13] It's going to them. He's making people's lives. He was accessible and speaking out the problem. My sister's a public health official and talks about this a lot, that public health should come to you and I believe good government and civil service should come to you. We shouldn't be waiting if they don't to break.

[00:10:28] Yeah. Right. And if, if your person, if your people aren't coming to you, if they're not having a town hall. Before we started recording this, I was telling Liz how a thousand people, a thousand questions were asked in a town hall for our local congresswoman, a thousand questions. Now, within three minutes, I was like, oh my God, she needs to be primary and she needs to retire and we need a new person.

[00:10:57] But at least a thousand people [00:11:00] are engaged now. So that tide is turning, people are feeling it, and part of it is because we carry the goddamn computers around all day long and we, we connect with people online. Yeah. What I love about your story, Liz, is that I love that Corey Booker called you out. Yes.

[00:11:21] Part of the reason why Cory Booker's doing that is because he is a Gen Xer. Yeah. He's my age. He knows how to use his phone. He knows what a DM is. Yes. Right. He's responsive because he is like, you can call me out. Yeah. And also, I can't do this. Right. It's like I can't do this by myself. Yeah, that's true.

[00:11:45] And it sounded so foreign when you said, oh, he stood in front of a bookstore. Like, I'm like, I can't imagine having that access. But I mean, answering a DM is kind of the like modern day version of that, of having that like. Person to person access. He saw my pain, he saw my [00:12:00] problem and he gave me a way to solve it.

[00:12:02] And, and he didn't say this was gonna be easy. He didn't say he did. What he said was, it is a giant problem. Yes. I can't solve it by myself. If I'd been able to solve it by myself, I would have, I would have already. Yeah. I need citizens Yes. To be engaged. Yeah, I see. And go get people in other states to help me pass this bill.

[00:12:25] Like that's what I need. Exactly. And, and they're regular people. I don't wanna bring a bill to the floor that's gonna fail. I think I see a window right now that I can bring a gun bill to the floor that's gonna pass. And he was right and it did. And was it everything was a perfect, no. Politics is all about compromise.

[00:12:42] But I mean, he taught me. So that's my favorite part besides Republicans, just as a general compromise sucks so mad. However, however, something. In the direction that you want is better than either nothing or a [00:13:00] rollback of what you have? Yes. A big thing we would say. So I started, I founded Chicago Women for Biden in.

[00:13:07] March of 23, 24, sorry. And you know, there was always a big uphill battle with getting people excited about that candidate from like March until August. I mean, even back, I feel like I, I started raising and participating in the campaign in like the summer of 23. And I would talk about it online a lot.

[00:13:26] And I would constantly hear like, I'm not excited about this candidate. He's too centrist, he's not getting enough done, he's too old, blah, blah, blah. And I would always use the metaphor of a candidate is not a marriage. You don't have to like every single thing about the person, they are a bus and you get on the one going the direction you want to go or train.

[00:13:46] 'cause Biden loved trains. I almost said RAP, he's not dead. And in some ways he's so yeah, that, and that seemed to resonate with people and seemed to get people somewhat mildly. [00:14:00] Excited about the prospect of him, but then the debate was really just a, a, not you know, it was one of the worst days ever.

[00:14:11] I watched it. Next I was on, I was on vacation and I had, I watched it on silent and I put the covers over my head and my husband came in the room and he's like, oh my God, are you watching the debate with the covers over your head? And I was like. I'm scared. Yeah. And what it was, this is hurting my feelings.

[00:14:30] Yeah. What, what's interesting about being involved, involved in the campaign through fundraising, and this is something I actually, when I have the opportunity to talk to the Democratic establishment, I would like to see some changes. But the understanding with fundraising is, as a raiser or a donor, you're very much like kind of like an ATM and you give the money and you don't really give feedback and you don't have.

[00:14:51] Control, or even like, you don't even have a, of course you don't have control, you don't even have a mechanism to provide feedback. There's, you could go to the [00:15:00] head of the National Finance Committee, you could go to the probably even the, the chair of the DNC themselves and say, I think you should tell the campaign this, or I think you should do things differently.

[00:15:11] And there just, there just is not a feedback loop for donors. And like if you didn't go to like the Harvard Kennedy School of whatever, and as I said before, you know, work on a million things and, and now you own a political consulting firm no one's listening to you. So, and I would sit in donor meetings where people would say very, very, very high end donors would say the exact things that we ended up needing to do.

[00:15:34] But more on that later, this was, I was sitting watching the debate with some donors and they were like, you gotta do something. This is terrible. This, we cannot have this. Biden has to drop out. And I was like, I, I am not sure I agree. I did, but I, but I ca like, I don't have any power or even anybody that I could say [00:16:00] that to.

[00:16:00] Like, if we want that, it's going to have to be like a bigger, like groundswell. Like we're gonna have to use social media. We're going to have to put pressure on our elected officials to then put pressure on the Biden administration. Like we can't just make a call, even if you're the biggest donor ever.

[00:16:16] And then in that time I did between the debate and him dropping out, I did a fundraiser and Shannon Wats was our featured surrogate, our special guest, and it was like the best and worst day of my life because I've admired her for so long. She flew in from California to Chicago to do this event, and I was so excited to meet her and get to be on a panel with her and ask her questions.

[00:16:39] But at the same time, I walked into that room and everyone was like. I can't believe we're here raising money for Biden. Like he can't be the candidate. What's gonna happen? He's gonna drop out, right? Where's the money gonna go? Is he gonna be Harris? I'm like, I dunno the answer to any of these questions. I wish I did and I wish things were structured differently.

[00:16:54] But yeah, that was a real dark time in July. I also got Covid in there [00:17:00] July to early August was pretty rough. And then even without getting Covid or being a direct fundraiser, I'll just let you know from the outside perspective, that was a pretty rough time for all of us because everybody who watched the debate was like,

[00:17:16] we're living an unprecedented, I don't want either one. Mm-hmm. You know what I want Joe to do? I want Joe to retire and have a great life because he was a wonderful public servant. Yeah, yeah. Again, somebody who's spent his entire life making the world better incrementally. Yeah. And do you know what? As much as everybody wants to come in there.

[00:17:36] Come in there, come, come to the table and like just start knocking shit off. It doesn't fucking work like that. Mm-hmm. And by the way, right this second, we're living through, thank God it doesn't work like that. Yeah. 'cause if it work like that, when our people are in charge, it would work like that when their people are in charge.

[00:17:55] Yeah. And everybody's got their underwear in a bunch right now, because they're like, it sucks [00:18:00] every Yeah. Yes, you're right. It does. We're a slow, we're, we're on an ocean liner and it takes a while to turn it around, although they seem to be able to move a little faster. Well, I think the 50 years of deep, deep under the radar changing every legislature changing, going through the federal judgeships, I think they've always been playing a long, invisible game.

[00:18:28] Yeah. And, we're out here complaining because we don't like somebody's outfit or we don't mm-hmm. There's just something about her I don't like. Oh yeah. Her haircut uhhuh. Right. And it's like, I need everyone to stop looking for a perfection. Mm-hmm. And go to a city council fucking meeting. Mm-hmm.

[00:18:49] I have found, and I don't know if this is for you, everybody who was like, well, I'm not gonna vote for Harris because she X, y, z has literally never done anything besides vote. And I don't [00:19:00] even, I'm not even convinced those people actually vote. So I'm like, Hey, I have an idea, unless I'm seeing you, that literally any public fucking meeting or in the office of any public official shut.

[00:19:17] Yeah. The fuck. Yeah. And then how about the people who vote for a third party and out also just like going through a catalog in my hat of like all the, I know that. We're doing like protest, vote for Harris. No, I don't see them do anything other than like, bitch. And well, don't worry because in three, three years they'll be like, we need to get rid of the, the electoral college.

[00:19:40] Yeah, exactly. Well, that's such a novel idea. What you please tell me. Can you please tell me the process for changing the US Constitution? Right. It's funny, I'm a hundred percent certain you don't know what that is. Right. Also, do you have a copy of the Constitution? Yes. He asked, have you ever read the Constitution?

[00:19:58] Yeah. These are all rhetorical [00:20:00] questions. It is a perfect fucking circle between the people who are bitching and doing nothing but causing fucking chaos. Yeah, with their ignorance. Yeah. And the whole third party thing, I had a friend who was very like, I'm gonna vote. Third party. Third party, and we would go back and forth and talk about Harris over and over if you really believed in the validity of that party and the core values of that third party if you really are a libertarian or is that what Jill Stein, was she libertarian or was she No, she's Green party.

[00:20:29] Green party. Like I don't even fucking know. Right. I don't even know. Four policy points of the Green Party. Tell me what they stand for. What are their core values? And by the way, have you done anything, Jill Stein, have you done anything to start small with that party, to build it from the ground up to run people in state with the run people at, at, even for Congress, anything?

[00:20:52] Have you done one thing except pop your head up every four years and ruin things for everybody and just give people this out. It's such an [00:21:00] out, it's such an off ramp. It's the, it's this hubris of, I, I really did a a big deep dive into really try and understand this voter because they were truly the spoilers in this election.

[00:21:11] They always are. But had. Had they, had they not been, had they voted for Harris, we, we could have pulled this out. And I also think there were a lot of people who just stayed home too. Voter turnout was much lower much lower than Biden. And so I think there were people who realized that they weren't gonna vote for a third party, but just didn't vote at all.

[00:21:30] And to those people, I really wanna say, like, are, are you happy now? Like, and, and what, and do you still feel that you are above it all? I think there's this idea that I, that both parties are corrupt. That politics is kind of just like this back and forth and nothing ever really gets done. No progress gets pushed forward yet.

[00:21:55] These are the same people who wake up. Brush their teeth with clean [00:22:00] water that was pushed by a Democrat. Go downstairs and make eggs. That isn't poisoned because federal regulations were pushed by a Democrat. Go outside and take, send their kids to public school. And they're like, all these things go to their job.

[00:22:13] That if they're laid off from, they have unemployment insurance, like these are all democratic policies that they benefit from, yet they're going to turn their nose up and say, no. Both parties are the same. They decidedly aren't. They absolutely aren't. And to say that you're above politics or that you know, it's, it is that your protest vote matters is truly like those people are worse than Republicans.

[00:22:36] At least the Republicans stand for something. They're horribly misguided. I think they're truly evil people who don't give a shit about anyone but themselves. And also people will say, when I say stuff like that, you shouldn't say that about people. That's not nice. That's not, that's dividing us. Fuck that.

[00:22:53] It's, you know, do you know what's dividing us? We need to dividing us Republicans are taking our shit. Yeah. Do you know how long they've been doing [00:23:00] it? My literal entire life. Yeah. Yeah. I was three years old during Watergate. Yeah. I'm, my entire life calling people selfish for voting, for selfish policies is, is fact.

[00:23:12] I'm not the problem. They are the problem for being selfish. So I think that we need to call a thing, a thing, but I will say with Republicans, like at least they stand for something. Like they believe this, A lot of them, it's very religiously motivated and a lot of them just truly believe. I was listening to a Ben Shapiro podcast and he kept talking about race Marxism, which is.

[00:23:37] Racial equity and how race Marxism is bad. Like at the end of the day, these people just, they, they just believe that white people are a superior race and they want them to be treated like that. Like that is a core value. That is how they govern white supremacy, baked right in from the, from the jump. And it's like, you know, it is evil and wrong and they are a Nazi, let's call it same thing, but like [00:24:00] they have a per perspective and they're fighting for it.

[00:24:02] These assholes in the middle that throw up their hands and say both sides are the same. When one side is literal Nazis I actually think they are just as dangerous if not more than the misguided Nazis and the like 10 children that they've bred to vote like them. It's funny I was obviously after, right after the election, I was like, wow, ah, this is, I was one of those assholes that was really hopeful we could pull out like the election.

[00:24:32] Yeah, I was too.

[00:24:34] Do you have a lifetime? Sorry. I was, I was in, by the way, all of those people need a fucking raise and jobs and to be on the payroll of the, the Democratic Party. Hello. Rapid response response team. We all have a skillset and before we started recording, I was telling you my skillset is bringing people who are like, I want things to be different.

[00:24:59] Like, oh, well I'm [00:25:00] gonna talk about gun violence on Instagram. Mm-hmm. And my thing is, I'm like, literally ask me anything about policy. Maybe not the details of a particular policy. 'cause I likely will not know that. Mm-hmm. But I will know how a policy, like something goes from an idea. Mm-hmm. To the president's desk to be signed.

[00:25:26] Mm-hmm. Like I understand that part. Yeah, I understand. Where each of us has a role in that part. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Because when, when there is legislation of

[00:25:41] Bill an idea, real people can tell the story of why particular piece of legislation would make difference in their life because people forget that their legislators are literally human beings [00:26:00] doing a job. Mm-hmm. And if you tell a compelling enough story to an elected official, they'll be like, oh shit.

[00:26:09] Yeah, I hadn't thought of it like that. So a lot of people right now might be like. We have wanted gun, gun safety laws for 50 years in this country. Why hasn't it happened? Not even when Dems had all changed? Yeah, that's a great question. That is an excellent question. But who should we be talking to about that question, Liz?

[00:26:32] Should we be talking to each other about that, or should we make an appointment with our elected official to say, we all want this? Why isn't it happening? Yeah, I, well, I think it's a little bit of both, because I think had, mom's demand had the strength and the presence that they amassed in the 10 years following Sandy Hook.

[00:26:56] Like if they had started, Shannon was born [00:27:00] 10 years earlier and she had started a Columbine and she had, and she had. Been able to build and have the Bloomberg funding and, and the, but then also a big, huge part of Mom's Demand being successful. And she'll say this is the, that Facebook that like interconnected people and she, she started with Facebook posts, so perhaps she wouldn't have been able to build, you mean regular people talking to regular people about things that matter?

[00:27:27] Yeah. And then enough people get together and they're like, shit, yeah, we can talk to each other till we're blue in the face, but until we turn and talk to the people who have the power and authority to make change, right. Nothing's gonna happen. But I, I believe that if we had had the obu, when was it that we had the, the, it was like Obama's first term, so like 2009.

[00:27:50] If, if, let's say that like federal de trifecta, if we had had that in. You know, after, after let's say six or [00:28:00] eight years after Mom's Demand started I think we would have all of the federal gun violence prevention. I think that there just wasn't, like, I looked at somebody like Kristen Gillibrand.

[00:28:10] She used to have an a rating from the NRA. She voted, voted against gun bills. She did as all, all through her career. She talked about being a responsible gun owner, and she just, and she will be the first person to say it. She was wrong. She had a incorrect perspective informed by her upbringing and that everything changed when the assault weapons band expired, when there was marketing and money poured into fear and racism in order to sell guns, in order to sell high powered weapons.

[00:28:43] She saw that change and she changed her mind. And a big part of her changing her mind was that women in red t-shirts showed up to her office day in and day out. So we need to have the conversation. So the answer is both. We need to have the conversations with each other in order to form a [00:29:00] cohesive, powerful collective.

[00:29:02] And with then we need to take that to our elected officials, both Democrats and Republicans on all issues. We need to push the Democrats. I, I really saw that take place this last week, and it's giving me a lot of hope. I actually feel much better now than I did like four or five days into Trump's presidency.

[00:29:21] We're quick. So we are, we are recording this mid-February, and I also, it's just like LA the end of last week, the beginning of this week where there's starting to be a shift. There's a shift. Democrats are starting to fight back. Democrats are starting to. Show up places Democrats are starting to disrupt.

[00:29:42] They're using on their social media because I told them. Right, but they're posting on their social media and pushing back. Yes, the Democrats. So everybody make sure you're following the Democrats and they have started doing, they better do it today, as I'm calling telling on a podcast. Okay, this is for February 12th.

[00:29:58] I don't see one for February [00:30:00] 13th, I'm gonna make a call. Yeah, it's the what we did today. What we did today. So what Democrat, I'm thinking we're, so what Democrats did today, and they're listing four or five things, and this was something that influencers people, that talk politics online, have really been pushing the Democratic establishment tell us every single day.

[00:30:19] They're like, we need to make content every day. Yes. Every single day. And you need to tell us what you have done for us today, what we can do and what, but more importantly, what you did. We will take care of telling people what they can do and how to get involved and how to be civically engaged. But tell us what you did.

[00:30:36] You're elected, you're paid, you have all this power, what did you do with it? And we want, we wanna see receipts that you're actually doing your job. Yes. So that we are not screaming into the void. Yes. And by the way, that's what Republicans do and Democrats are in power. They block everything. And we had a congresswoman from Arizona join a call.

[00:30:56] Two nights ago, and she said the vibe, the, [00:31:00] their call to action for everyone is to stop stall and sue. And we're just gonna do that over and over. And I've just, I've seen a lot of leadership and it has come from the ground up. It has been a grassroots thing that we have been telling them. I've been watching creators and voices on new media, large and small in their podcasts, in their substack, in their Instagram posts.

[00:31:24] Say, what are Democrats doing? Calling them out. People like Shannon, people like Emily Amick, people like Aaron Carne people people like Liz, people like Tammy. 'cause I don't know about you, but when they announced the new, the new DNC or the new Democrats leader Ken. And he made this video that I was like, was this from 1998?

[00:31:45] Like, no sir. No. Oh no, I didn't see that. I was like, no. He was just like, hi, I'm Ken. No, no, not meeting the moment there, Ken. We're gonna need, I know, I actually, who needs a media training? Ken? And I believe that would be you, like call [00:32:00] your buddy Tim Walls. Yeah. Because guess what he's doing right now? He's trolling the shit outta Elon Musk.

[00:32:06] Yes. Yes. I, y'all were both from Minnesota. Nice. He's one liners. Troll it out. I was in a meeting with Ken where he said he cares about three things. Winning, winning, and winning. And I was like. Let's go Ken. I, I, I liked that. That makes me think he's a fighter and honestly, that is his job. Like that is his job, is to make sure Democrats win.

[00:32:27] I think people put too much on DNC in their mind. They like have to fix everything and no, that's what the lawmakers are there for. The lawmakers are there to make your life better. The DNC and the campaign are to make sure they win. So if you wanna, if you, I, I like campaigns and winning way more than like policy and governing.

[00:32:46] Just as like you gotta, yeah, you gotta know where like your gift is, what your, get an influencer on our call who talked about identifying your big gift and like, I like to win. So, and I feel like Ken does too. So I think he is the [00:33:00] guy. I don't think there are other people who have led this party that have other political aspirations or they themselves have run for political office.

[00:33:10] I don't think we need that. I think we need somebody with a skillset of. One being a person that can get everybody together and rowing in the same direction. So Ken was the chair of the chairs, so he was the head of all the state party chairs. So he knows them all. He knows the ins and outs, the politics, the politics and the people minutia, like dealing with personalities and egos of politics is like so beyond exhausting and is a huge part of being effective and like a good party.

[00:33:47] And it seems like he has that on lock. Like everybody really likes him. He won by an overwhelming margin and he did it because he's like everybody's butt. So all the state party chairs like him, he cares about winning. [00:34:00] He's been really like, reached out to me. I missed the call, but we have a call scheduled to follow up.

[00:34:05] I've heard from other people that he's reached out. Like he gave, we were on a meeting, he put his cell phone in the chat like. He wants to hear from people. He wants to win and he wants to take us forward. And I, I like people that are not, I feel that there have been other, sometimes leaders in the party that are like, focused on themselves how they look.

[00:34:27] They don't wanna like ruffle too many feathers. They wanna come out of this and they're thinking what they're gonna do after. Like, I don't get that vibe from him. I get the vibe of like, we're gonna win. Okay. What I then, since I have your ear and you have Ken's ear, do you remember around, say, the first week of August when I, the Kamala HQ came online and the entire internet shit their pants mm-hmm.

[00:34:56] And was like, this is what we fucking want. Yes. We want people. [00:35:00] To call it out. Use pop culture references, use trending audio. I wanna see that energy. Yes, me. And sell that. Yes. To other people. There was a, we were just talking about the Jack Schlosberg interview with Jen Psaki and he said, Democrats need to be risk takers, not only because those risks are gonna pay off, and that's what Kamala HQ was.

[00:35:27] It was, it was risk taking behavior. It moved fast. It had not too many approvals and it didn't have, like, if you take anything to like a 10 person consensus, somebody's gonna have an issue with it because that's just human nature. Also, somebody's just gonna like, try to stand out and make a name for themselves is the one that's like, I don't think we should do that.

[00:35:48] Like just do it. Move fast and break shit. And, and not only will that then yield, high risk, high reward. But the act of risk taking [00:36:00] itself is something that Jack called out as very appealing to this young man demographic that we're trying to win, that that type of behavior. They like the fact that Republicans are cowboys.

[00:36:10] They think it's cool, and they think that it yields results well, it yields authoritarianism. But they, but just the idea of like, no, we're gonna get shit done. People like that. It's, it's very Gretchen Whitmer, she says it all the time, GSD, like, get shit done. People want people that are going to put themselves on the line, not be so cautious, not be so slow moving, not be this like ocean liner turning.

[00:36:38] And I think Jack really hit the nail on the head right there. And then I hope that the Democrats take that into account and I think that it can really, I, I really think that if we play the next two years, right? And we really go at it as hard as we possibly can. We're mean, we're risky and we go hard and we don't [00:37:00] think about what if we fail or what are the, what are the possible implications to me in my career?

[00:37:05] If we literally all get on the same page and we're like, okay, if we keep being. So beta about this. We are going to live in a fascist oligarchy. Like that is so real. I just was told by a political science professor that we are now reclassified as we are not a democracy right now. When you look at the policy and you look at the people in power, we are being di dis disqualified as a democracy.

[00:37:34] So, but all we have to do is be Robert Garcia from California. Yes. He's like, he's a dick. Right, right. He wa he was just like, literally, today we're again recording this mid February he called Elon Musk a dick. It was so Rick, and now it's all over the media. They're like, well, is that really effective?

[00:37:54] And do you know what his response was? Well, he is a dick. He is a dick. And then, you know what happened? Then he talked about [00:38:00] all the shit he's breaking. Yeah. And you know how it's so funny, Robert Garcia doesn't represent me, but I know his name. You know, else doesn't represent me. AOC, and yet he can command hundreds of thousands of views on an Instagram post.

[00:38:17] Mm-hmm. Instagram Live, explaining the process. Yeah. Yeah. Then she can go to the floor and do congressional, speak to her colleagues there. Mm-hmm. And then she can go to YouTube and do this other thing. The dumbs need media training. Yeah. We also just need to be, yes. And we also just need to be putting into office really effective communicators.

[00:38:44] I'm sorry. At that level, you aren't doing the nitty gritty. You hire a good team, you whatever. Like you just need to be an effective communicator. Someone that people want to follow, and someone who can explain to people what's happening and [00:39:00] get their buy-in. Like, and by the way, you have to be under the age of 80 to do that.

[00:39:06] I'm sorry, I don't care if that's ageism. One thing we have to do, I was on a call last night and they were like, we need to be less woke. I'm like, I hate that sentiment, but there's an element of truth to it. Ageism, when we're talking about and rebranding, running our government, people that can't even, rebranding, rebranding, rebranding.

[00:39:24] Are you ready? It goes like this. I want people 75 and up who enjoy their retirement. Yes. Please. You've done your service. Yes, you have left a legacy. Go do what it is that you've always wanted to do in your retirement. Yes, no one should have to work into their eighties. No one, no. Why? They wanna, like, we have a couple people that are in power around here that I'm like, that have like 10 or 15 years [00:40:00] on my mom and I'm like, mom, would you wanna be flying back and forth to DC every couple of days and like having this punishing schedule?

[00:40:07] She's like, no, I wanna sleep. She's like, I didn't wanna do that when I was 40 and I wanna enjoy my grandchildren and I wanna take a Viking River cruise. Like, please jankowski, if you're listening to this, go take a Viking River cruise. You have been one of the most effective leaders. You turn this whole area blue.

[00:40:27] I love you and have looked up to you my entire life. You are a legend. It is time to retire, right? We love you. Thank you. Thank you for your service. Pass the torch. And in doing so, you could continue your legacy as a leader because you knew when it was time to step down and you could have, you could also continue your legacy as a leader by developing, I don't know, a fellowship Yeah.

[00:40:53] Where you're mentoring young women who are going to run for office or who want to be [00:41:00] communications professionals or whatever. Yeah. One of the things I think that we need to really focus on is the new media and the new media. For anyone who's wondering is what you see on the internet. It's, it's influencers, it's independent journalists.

[00:41:13] And the reason why this is important, especially in this moment, is A, it's not going away. B, that is where a vast majority of people get their information. Mm-hmm. C. It Democrat. The internet has democratized everything. That's how you have 80-year-old people who have been in office for 40, 50 years is because no one saw them.

[00:41:39] And no one knew what they were doing. No one even knew their name. Their name. They were kind of familiar 'cause you'd seen on your ballot before. But let me tell you, when you see an 80-year-old in a committee meeting and they're representing you and you're like, wait a second, what happened here? Look, look.

[00:41:59] And [00:42:00] it's only because we have this new way, it's all about transparency. Mm-hmm. And sunshine. And the reason why is because we all have these devices and we, they can be used for good. They can be used for evil. Yeah. Right. So you're using yours to galvanize people around issues. To help them help themselves.

[00:42:24] Right. I'm using my platform to remind people, I don't know who said it, but I'm gonna, I'm gonna say it again. You don't have to do everything, but everybody has to do something. Something. Yeah. Yeah. Right. And so my something is I gather people and go, it represents you. Mm-hmm. And nine times outta 10 people are like, I don't fucking know.

[00:42:46] I'm like, let's look it up. Right. I heard that 80. Write those phone numbers in our, in our book. Yeah. I heard that 80% of people dunno who their state legislature is. Right? Like that's a lot. Or, or that there's a, or that there's a difference between, right. [00:43:00] Oh my God, I Washington, I post a lot about Illinois College Illinois legislation that our state representatives and state senators need to pass.

[00:43:07] And in the comments, inevitably more people tag our Illinois senators. And I have to like, I literally should like send 'em a fruit basket and be like, I try, I try to say that Tammy Duckworth has nothing to do with passing this bill. I'm sure she would love it, but she has nothing to do with it. So she just come out and say, I support that.

[00:43:28] Yeah. But I'm not gonna be building people to be aware and have more transparency. And this is why I'm really happy to see how many local creators we have, because they really are filling the void of local journalism and having that transparency and putting the face, the 8-year-old face out there, or the video of the person having a medical episode.

[00:43:47] Like we need that. And then we also. I need to sort of have a come to Jesus as a party about the way that we do things. The most conservative thing about the Democratic party is how we [00:44:00] prioritize seniority in the appointments and the access that our lawmakers get. So if you look at if you just Google kind of what happened with a OC running for, I, it was a house oversight committee.

[00:44:12] And she was definitely the best person for the job, but was just inched out and, and voted out basically in favor of somebody who had more seniority. And so we, we it's it's the ring kissing. Yeah. We're the ring kissing has to stop. Stop, yeah. Prioritizing. It's like if you are not up to the job on your own merit, get the fuck out of the way.

[00:44:34] I know you've been here for a long time. It's gonna be how long you've been here for. It should be how much you do. And so, and then that also plays into something interesting 'cause it's like, okay, let's say you're. You're a congressman Congress and you look and you say, okay, I wanna have this job for the next 20 years.

[00:44:48] But I see that in the Democratic party. If I'm going to get more power and I'm going to get more money, it's about how long I've been here. So lemme not introduce bold [00:45:00] legislation, let me not shake things up because that could potentially, like, I maybe would lose my seat or maybe I would, you know, like lose my seat and maybe I could come back and get it.

[00:45:12] But I would lose that seniority. Like they really are constantly prioritizing, playing it safe and being there for a long time. And we need the exact opposite. And voters need the exact opposite. Like I, I tell people in Illinois all the time, like, what voters want to see is you being bold, progressive, and, and passing laws that make people's lives better.

[00:45:34] They're so worried about spending political capital or doing something that could potentially piss one side off, and it's like you're losing your base. What I wanna do is wear a t-shirt to every public me meeting that says, what have you done for me lately? Yeah. I, and I will say like, so I'm in my early fifties, just kidding.

[00:45:54] I'm apparently in my mid fifties. I'm gonna be 55 next month. I'm whatever. Still early. Yeah. I, I, [00:46:00] you know, I'm solidly Gen X, let's put it that way. And every time I go to a public meeting, I bring the average age down so far that the person, the elected official, can't stop looking at me. 'cause they're like, what?

[00:46:14] They're basically looking at me like, what are you fucking doing here? Like, you don't have your ARC card yet? Why are you here? And I'm like, oh, I'm curious. Yeah, you guys, we just have to show up to the meetings. Yeah. They're boring. They're ridiculous. They're filled with people. They're the exact people who took up class time to ask personal questions of professors in college that you were like, for fuck's sake, Jan, go to office hours.

[00:46:40] They're doing that here too. Yeah. But if you go to a few meetings, suddenly when you're on Instagram and you're like, I got a new follower, and it turns out it's the mayor of your town. Yeah. Because they recognize you. Yeah. As that one young person who asked the one intelligent [00:47:00] question that was, we're just, it's about building relationships with both sides, right?

[00:47:06] Both sides. Meaning the electeds. Yes. Their staff, which by the way, especially if you live in a capital town like I do, the electeds and their staff, they're on the basketball team with your kids. They're neighbors. Yeah. Yeah. They're on the swim team with your kid. They're your neighbors. Yeah. They're somebody neighbors.

[00:47:28] Right. Go to the places where they are and talk to them. Yeah. Because they're just other grownups. Yeah. And then talk to your friends and say, do you wanna go have margaritas at the silly meeting? I'm not saying that you should bring a margarita in a water bottle. I'm also saying you don't. I don't know.

[00:47:50] Can you do that? Yeah. I don't know. Yeah. Margaritas after. Or margaritas before. The point is, is make politic away fun. Right. Get away from your family [00:48:00] for an evening. Yeah. Have a margarita and make some eye contact with the person who represents you so you can be like, I don't like that answer. Yeah. And or that answer sounds great.

[00:48:12] What do you need from me to make that happen? Right. And to tie it into your whole theme of self care, like. That is self-care getting involved in this and meeting these people and making this your personality? It to me is one, it's where I found, so I was, I was living in New Jersey. We decided to move back to the area that I grew up in.

[00:48:32] I have like, you know, some friends from high school and my siblings and stuff, but I really grew my community and the people who are my village and who are whose kids are my babysitters and who I'm gonna ask to like be my cat when we're away. Like those people that like true village that came from politics and advocacy for me and I, and it can for other people because you will find.

[00:48:54] People that are like you, that are so like-minded and give to others like you [00:49:00] and want the same things for the world and their children like you. There's nothing like a friendship where your values align. It's, it's truly like nothing I've ever experienced in female friendship in my entire life. And you become deeper and more like inextricably linked with these people.

[00:49:17] And it keeps me going, like it is the biggest form of self care. I can't imagine burning out or checking out because I'm, I'm in it arm in arm with my best friends and the things that we do, and we do make it fun. We go to like the local place and have a glass of wine and talk about our stuff. I'll never forget my, one of my mentors that got me into.

[00:49:38] Fundraising. She's, her name's Virginia McGregor. She's the DNC treasurer. She, one time said to me, we were talking about something and I was like, should we have wine there? And she goes, you know, for some people it's as much about the glass of wine as anything else. And it's like, honestly, I literally would do like anything for a glass of wine.

[00:49:54] So yeah, if you, if you asked me to come somewhere and told me you were giving me a glass of wine, like 99% chance I'm [00:50:00] coming. And I think that, that we are craving that now more than ever. I think post pandemic and in this digital age where everybody works from home, which I think is great. I think it's just given our lives like so much more flexibility.

[00:50:12] But we do miss that element of community. We need to be something outside of moms and our day jobs. We need to find people that are like us and. Together and it is what then on a broader level, I think that is actually what's gonna get Democrats to win. I think facilitating this new media ecosystem as a means to an end of getting people together in their community.

[00:50:37] I saw a TikTok where the guy was like, Democrats just need to do like church dinners in every city in America and just be getting people together. Just give 'em a meal, get 'em out of their house, get 'em talking. They're, they will find, they have so much more in common, they will find, they have so much more in common with the democratic lawmakers.

[00:50:54] Like it's why progressive policies win on ballots and then [00:51:00] the Democrats lose because they don't realize what the Democrats wanna do. Like it. It really is as simple as that. Like PE people are busy. I don't necessarily just think it's an education level. I, I really don't think people know the policy.

[00:51:15] That the Democrat on their ballot wants to enact. I think that we've just really, it's, it's just come down to brand. The Republicans have done a great job of NFL pickup truck, cowboy boots brand, and so that's, you know, that's who you are. And so that's what your brand aligns with. That is just the things you buy and the way you vote.

[00:51:36] And they truly don't realize that they're voting against their own self-interest. And I think that the more we can just break people out of that and, and talk to someone, talk to someone, like to circle it back like on a street corner and say, this is what I wanna do. I, I do just wanna make your lives, your life better.

[00:51:52] I want to pass policies that for centuries have worked to improve the collective and individual good. [00:52:00] Of every citizen. And I think we just gotta break it down to that. Like it isn't, we gotta push past people saying, Democrats are woke, we gotta push past that. We're wasteful in government spending.

[00:52:11] They've been able to define us and we haven't been able to define ourselves. And I think being able to talk about what our core values are and just message it over and over again and package it in different ways and reach people where they are, that's the key. And I, I'm very hopeful that we can do that.

[00:52:31] I'm very hopeful we can do it because there is new media to say, I'm gonna be new media, I'm gonna go to a city council meeting. And the new media is, I come back and I go. This is what happened. This is who was there, this is who said, fuck you. That good idea. I don't wanna do it. This is who was like, I'm really excited about that new idea.

[00:52:58] And this is me [00:53:00] saying, if you want this new idea, you want this thing to help you come and talk to these people. Yeah. It's kind of like friend matchmaking. Yeah. Right. That's, it comes down to relationships. We need to talk about quote politics without it being weird. Yeah. And how we do that is we talk about our values, right?

[00:53:22] What matters to us, but we talk about who's standing in the fucking way, Republicans. Mm-hmm. And we talk about. Our vision. We could do all of the things that we want. I'm not gonna keep coming back to childcare. Universal tk paid family leave. Yeah. Reproductive healthcare. All we could have that if we have enough Democrats in office.

[00:53:47] Yeah. We could have gun safety. If we had all Democrats, guess what? We would have no fucking guns. Yeah. Of the assault variety. Yes, correct. Crazy. [00:54:00] Crazy. Imagine that. Crazy. Because it comes down to we, we have abdicated our own power. Mm-hmm. By being like, I just don't know enough. Enough. And I want everyone to know no one with their golden finger said, Liz.

[00:54:18] Yeah. You are anointed to talk about these issues in this way. Only no one said Tammy, you have been chosen. To talk about these issues in this way. We both were like, the house is on fire. I am hot. Yeah. And you fucking people get a bucket. Yes. Yeah. And you're like, I can go. I can go get, and if you don't have a, if you don't have a blue bucket, you can bring a Slurpee cup.

[00:54:46] Yeah. But can you join us? What would you do if you saw a house on fire? Would you run away? Would you say that fire looks big, I'm not gonna be able to put it out? Or would you go just try to do something? You would, and the house is on fire and [00:55:00] you have, you just have to try to do something and it will help.

[00:55:03] It will help in any, any tool that you use. Like you got flour, throw it on the fire. Yeah, you got water. Throw it on the fire. Everyone come help. Like, and that's what we as communicators are. We are the people that are saying everyone come help. And I think that what Republicans want is for us to disengage and to fight with each other and to argue about how we should put the fire out and fight and, and, and fight and tell each other that isn't a good idea.

[00:55:32] And not only is no one gonna ask you to come help, but people will tell you not to. So I have a friend who she help me out a lot on the Chicago woman for Harris. She's our event lead. She's recently started posting more on politics on her Instagram. She's formerly an event planner and she's gotten a lot of pushback from friends, family, people who are kind of like, you're kind of talking a lot.

[00:55:56] You're kind of saying a lot of things. Oh. [00:56:00] Kind of like that vibe. And I'm like, that means you're doing it right. Like not only is no one gonna ask you, people are gonna make you feel kind of weird about it. And maybe people are even gonna tell you to stop. Like we, when we started, doing the kind of due diligence on Connect Forward.

[00:56:16] We were like, yeah, we wanna, you know, take on the Republican establishment and stop Trump. And we met with a lawyer that was like, that's not a good idea. Like, have you seen the retribution that he is vowed to enact? And that again, made, I was like, well, if that's true, then we really need to do this. If, if this is really the case, that people are really this fearful, that forming an organization to encourage civic engagement in the hope that we elect more people that are representative of the needs and wants of everyday Americans, not billionaires and corporations, then I wouldn't even necessarily call that de like a, a democratic policy that it's just people being representative [00:57:00] of their constituents and not of.

[00:57:02] Corporations. So I think that that makes me feel like all the more reason. If that's, if that's a radical idea that's going to get you in trouble, then like then we really are on page one of a very, very good read of a history book. So like, let's start writing. Well, it's funny that you say that the, the, the weeks between the election and say last week when, when things kind of, when people started waking up I was thinking, wow have none of you guys been in a fight before?

[00:57:38] Because yeah, the last, I, last time I was in a fight when people started coming after me. I know that there are several responses. There is fight. Mm-hmm. There is flight, there is freeze, there is fawn, but is everybody. Not doing the fight. 'cause I'm ready to fight. Yeah. And I'm gonna need [00:58:00] some other people.

[00:58:01] Yeah. Or fighting. I, I, I love fighting. I from a young age, I grew up fighting with my brother. We now have a great relationship and I say all the time, like, I appreciate you making me a combative person. You have to, I feel like people who have brothers, especially older brothers Yes. Are fighters. Yes.

[00:58:20] Yes. Because some motherfucker held your forehead while you were swinging and they talk shit to you when you were little way too many times. And then you're like, oh, I know this feeling. Yeah. I'm gonna wait till his arm gets tired. I'm gonna kick him and falls. And my brother was like an elite, elite psychological torturer when, when I was two he pushed me and my dad like, instilled the fear of God in him and was like, you can never physically.

[00:58:45] Harm this child. You are a boy. You are two years older. You stay away from her. But so he, because I think if we were brothers we could have like, you know, like wrestled and, and you know, do the things that kids do, like worked it out. [00:59:00] Instead, he was like, no, I just have to use my brain power to torture her.

[00:59:05] And he was very good at it. And then I would hit him. So then I would get in trouble and I'm like, no, you don't even know what he said. I'm four. I don't even understand it, but like, it was masterful. So it made me great at like fighting at knowing what to say in the moment and knowing how to rile people up and piss people off.

[00:59:25] And I really, I thank him for that and I'm.

[00:59:32] The campaign cycle we had we were taking people to all the different swing states and for one of the trips we were joined by a New York Times journalist, and she was kind of asking me about my background and I was talking about. The things that my mom taught me, the things that my dad taught me, the things I learned from my sister.

[00:59:50] And then I like went in, I went into this about my brother and she wasn't really like paying attention or writing things down. When I was talking about the rest of my family, started talking about my brother and she's like, [01:00:00] writing, writing, writing. I did not make it into the piece, but afterwards, after the interview, I left the restaurant.

[01:00:05] I called my brother and it was like, I don't know what she's gonna put in there. I've been talking to this lady for like two days. It could be anything, but like, I went off on a tangent and she was really writing a lot down about you, and he was like, I, I kind of love that. But it'll come out like, you know, my mom taught me how to be kind.

[01:00:19] My sister's my biggest fan. My dad taught me to always tell the truth. My brother, my brother taught me how to be an asshole. And he did. And I'm thankful for that. Well, and it's funny because I look back and I'm, as I'm thinking, like one of the things my brother taught me is I don't have to be afraid of men.

[01:00:38] Mm-hmm. Right? Yeah. And so. I don't have to seek their approval. Yeah. I don't, yeah, it's like you're just a big old, dumb dumb like everybody else, right? It's like I never thought of it like that, but that is so accurate that from like a young age, I truly, truly never sought the approval of men. [01:01:00] And it would piss 8-year-old boys off that.

[01:01:03] I was like, I don't care if you think I'm cool or pretty. Fuck you. You're an asshole. And I do think that came from like, they're just like my brother. Like they're not Ew, gross like patriarchy. What you mean Bill? He leads that. No, we're not doing patriarchy. Don't subscribe to that channel. Yeah. And I do think that makes a difference.

[01:01:25] Now if everybody, if you're still listening, you're like, okay, you two just had a moment. We did. Yeah. So what, the moment that the action is this get in community with people. Mm-hmm. Get off your fucking phone. Mm-hmm. Get into community with people. Figure out what you care about. You don't have to care about everything at the same time.

[01:01:48] Right. I promise you that as a recipe for inaction. Yes. Take one or two things. Get connected to the organizations who are already doing the work. You'll notice that [01:02:00] Liz did not take on gun safety by herself. Liz was like, who's already doing the work? Let me tap in with them. Let me find out what they've already done.

[01:02:14] Let me find out where I can be effective. Let me find out where I can use my gifts. We all have them. Yes. Right. I wanna tell you, there's more to civic engagement than talking to people about politics on the internet. Mm-hmm. Or helping people vote, or helping people understand how a bill becomes a law.

[01:02:35] There's more than policy. There's also. Literally feeding the people who are doing the work. Yeah. Emily, you're there Is civic engagement throwing Throwing a $20 bill? Yeah. Right. Throwing a $20 bill at the people who are doing the work so they can buy pizza for the office. Mm-hmm. That's also civic engagement.

[01:02:55] Yeah. Sitting in a meeting, if you're gonna sit in front of Netflix [01:03:00] and crochet a blanket for somebody, replace Netflix with sitting in the city council chamber. Yeah. Yeah. It, you don't have to be intimidated. Find a friend, find maybe a bossy friend who will be like, oh, you know, you should do this. Yeah.

[01:03:19] Find a group. Right. Connect with Liz. Connect with me and we'll help plug you in where you will have your skillset honored. We're not gonna make you do things that are out of your skillset. Right. We're going to be like, we need bodies to show up to say yes to this, or we need letters to say yes to this, or we need checks in this amount to this.

[01:03:49] Mm-hmm. Right. There's so many ways and people get intimidated. They're like, I don't know enough. I don't know. You have connections with people who do know more. You don't have [01:04:00] to know everything in order to take action. If you had one thing to tell people about how they can be, be involved in changing the world to be a better place without burning themselves out, what would that piece of advice be?

[01:04:21] I think. Meditate on the idea of what your big gift is. Think back to, I was reading Ina Garten's biography and she often talks about think back to what you succeeded at as a little kid and what really lit you up. What types of things do you love to do? And to really think about like the things that is going, the ways that your brain is going to be the most turned on and sustainably engaged I think is the way that you are going to be able to affect change and not burn yourself out because you're gonna find the stuff that you really love.

[01:04:57] Like I really do love [01:05:00] connecting with people. I really do love getting to talk in front of people. I like to be a leader, and when I do that, it really fuels me. And there are times where this has felt, especially after the election. Was down bad and getting back into this kind of cadence of having Zoom calls and meetings and engaging new people and seeing people do like, take ideas and turn them into reality for the first time.

[01:05:30] Like, that really lights me up. So find the things that light you up. If it stops lighting you up, change it up. Do something different. Like there are, you know, this has been a now almost kind of like three year journey for me since I got involved more heavily in the activism space. And there are things that I've decided I really liked and things that like, that didn't really mesh as well.

[01:05:53] And I'm. Something different. But so finding the things that really light your brain up. And I think the way [01:06:00] to do that is to look at throughout your life, what has, what has consistently been things that you've received positive feedback on and have also made you really happy. And then as we just keep saying, like doing it in a community, I know that making friends can be scary for some people.

[01:06:16] But it's, it's a muscle that we have to, like, if you already are feeling like, Ugh, I'm bad at making friends in my thirties or my forties, like. You're not gonna get any better. So like, it's, it's only gonna get, it's only gonna get, sorry. You're not gonna get any better by staying home and not actually talking to people.

[01:06:34] Yes, exactly. Like, if you just like, wait for yourself for that to change. Like it won't, like, you know, you gotta, you gotta like put yourself out there and if you're waiting for your new bestie to knock on your door right, you're gonna be waiting for a long time. Kind of like if you're waiting for somebody to invite you into civic engagement.

[01:06:51] Yeah. You are also going to, your hair will be gray. Right. And I also think, just don't overthink it. Like I literally. Up until like a [01:07:00] couple months ago, did not really think about like a plan for any of this. Like what My Instagram plan, it was just like I said yes to opportunities when they came up, I did the things that I liked and that were fun and that I was good at.

[01:07:14] But I think like feeling like you need to make a plan and have an idea and a journey. My friend that does this in Wisconsin, motherhood for Good, she would often have a lot of conversations with like mentors being like, so what am I, like, what is this? What are my goals? And it was kind of just like, do, like keep doing you.

[01:07:31] You're doing a great job. People are listening to you, you're making a difference. You're passing bills, you're getting judges elected, you're running, you know, you're getting people involved in Senate and US Senate campaigns. Just like keep going. And the, and the, and the framework will present itself. So don't feel like you have to plan.

[01:07:49] Just get out there, connect with people. Your voice matters. Your opinion matters. We need you. Go get a bucket. The house is on fire. A buck at the house is on fire. I feel like [01:08:00] that should be the name of this episode. Yeah. It's like get a container of some sort. Yeah. Anything fire retardant of your choice.

[01:08:08] We will take it all. Yeah. Because we're, we're, we're in, I always liken democracy and civic engagement and politics as a group project. Mm-hmm. And whenever I say that, everybody, everybody knows that feeling of being the person who's like, God damn it, I hate group projects 'cause I do all the work. I'm like, yes, but unless you're doing all the work right this second, you're the asshole that's not doing any of the work.

[01:08:36] Yeah. So let's all stop being the asshole on the sidelines. Right. Exactly. Like we, we all could just do a little bit. That's right. Do a little bit. So Liz, where can people connect with you and learn from you?

[01:08:52] You can find me on Instagram. I am Liza Manila, so Li Liz a Manila, a two Ns, two Ls on [01:09:00] Instagram. I also started an initiative to fund and facilitate a new media ecosystem on the left, and that is called Connect Forward. So you can follow us at Connect Forward pack or visit connect forward pack.com to donate or find out more about what we're doing.

[01:09:16] And then you can also email me. My website is my name liz menella.com and I'd love to connect. I feel like I had so many amazing mentors who gave me opportunities and guidance all throughout this journey, and I wanna pay that forward to other people. It's definitely how we're going to build this network and compete with what they have on the left is by helping each other.

[01:09:36] So if I can do that in any way, please, please reach out. Thank you for spending this time with me. I'm so glad we got to connect. I loved spending all my Wednesdays on the Wednesdays women Wednesday calls with you during the fall and the summer this past year. Thank you. I look forward to making the Democrats [01:10:00] sexy and responsive and powerful people that we wanna rally around.

[01:10:07] Be cool. We're gonna be cool to make Democrats cool. Exactly. Fun and sexy and power. All the, all the adjectives you think of when you think of government, right? Yeah. But the thing is though, and I'm gonna say it again, people felt that Yeah. During the campaign. Yeah. That's why I felt like a fever dream because I was like, oh my God, are we actually doing the thing?

[01:10:32] Right? If we created that kind of momentum. During around governance. Yeah. And around. Imagine the midterms. My heart be still. Yeah, yeah, yeah. My heart. Be still. Liz. Thank you for spending this time with me. Everybody. Me, go fo Liz. Go learn all of the things. Go find your friends. Go find the people that are gonna help you make the world a better place.

[01:10:59] [01:11:00] One tiny action at a time. And until next week, remember that you matter too.