Growing our Netroots Nation

From electing candidates to fact-checking the traditional media and everything in between, people-powered politics will only become more influential as the Netroots community continues to diversify and grow.
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The face of progressive politics is changing. Thanks in large part to the fact that growing online communities, activism, organization, and communication are in the hands of the American people more than ever before. From electing candidates to fact-checking the traditional media and everything in between, people-powered politics will only become more influential as our Netroots community continues to diversify and grow.

Our organization's new name--Netroots Nation--reflects that shift. After two tremendously successful YearlyKos Conventions, creating and hosting the preeminent online progressive conference will stay central to our mission. But as we enter a new era in politics, we aim to do much more. In the coming weeks, we'll be talking more about our plans to further amplify progressive voices and brainstorming - with your help - ways we can give progressive activists the tools they need to hold elected leaders of all stripes accountable and ultimately see a new progressive agenda enacted.

The possibilities are endless. Enable local bloggers with new resources? Find new ways for activists to organize themselves? Provide a platform for new progressive culture? Recruit fresh minority voices to the public debate?

It won't be easy.

So to start the mission, we've added some great people to our team.

We are pleased to announce the hiring of Colin Bishopp as director of development and political outreach, Raven Brooks as director of finance and operations, and Josh Orton as director of political affairs and communications.

Most recently, Colin served as Christine Jennings' campaign manager in Florida's 13th Congressional District during the recount and legal challenge that followed the 2006 general election. He began his political career in 2001 working as a full-time volunteer in the district office of current Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. He has also worked as a field director, finance director and campaign manager for political campaigns across the country. Colin earned his masters degree at the University of Chicago and his bachelor's degree at the University of California, Berkeley.

Raven got his start in politics by co-founding and leading BuyBlue.org, a revolutionary website that encouraged consumers to "vote with their wallets" by gaining crucial information about the internal ethics and political giving practices of popular companies. He currently serves on the advisory board of the The Blue Fund and has a background in software development and design, management, business consulting, and project management.

Josh has worked in and around online politics most of his career. Most recently, he was deputy director of new media for the Obama presidential campaign. Previously, he was the online and Nevada press secretary for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, executive producer of Air America Radio's The Majority Report with Sam Seder and Janeane Garofalo, and communications director for Gwen Moore's (WI-04) campaign in 2004. Josh graduated from the University of Wisconsin, Madison.

We're confident that their talents will help us--the Netroots--become the new face of progressive politics.


Stay tuned for announcements regarding the date and location of Netroots Nation 2008. And as always, visit netrootsnation.org for updates or to send us your suggestions.

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