I really made a difference yesterday!!

Yesterday, I went on a bus with a bunch of lesbians to Pennsylvania (a swing state) and helped change the world! I made new friends, connected with people who believe change can and will happen, and went door to door in an extremely poor neighborhood, helping Obama supporters know where to go to vote on Nov. 4th, and asking if anyone in their household needs a ride that day.

It was so energizing! It felt like the 60s! (And I wasn't even born then, but I always wished I was!!).

Honestly, I haven't been very politically active since Bush has been in office. But after hearing Michelle Obama speak Friday night, I was moved to tears. The apathy melted away, and I thought, "You know, things might really change for the good around here. Whether he wins or not, I want to be able to say I did my best to get him elected." After what happened to Kerry & Gore, we can't take the chance of just scraping by. We need to win by a large percentage so the polls can’t be tampered with!

So whether you live in the U.S., Canada, or Istanbul, you can help! You can make phone calls from home, visit a swing state this weekend (and they will connect you with free housing) or help in a wide variety of other ways. This is the most grassroots campaign in decades and it’s exhilarating.

If you are in NYC, email me and I can get you in touch with some local trips and organizations for this weekend. I'm thinking of organizing a phone calling party... not sure yet.. If you are outside of NYC, click the link below!

Really, yesterday was so empowering, uplifting and fun!

Love,

Athena

www.AthenaReich.com

This is the campaign headquarters in Germantown, Pennsylvania (the neighborhood we canvassed in)

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The most meaningful part of campaigning, for me, was the look in their eyes as they answered their doors. "What are these 2 white girls doing on my porch?", they seemed to sneer. And we would smile and say we are with the Obama campaign and their whole demeanor would shift. They became warm and grateful... pleased to see white folks working for the same goals and concerns that they have. It really made me feel that Obama would make some real change in this country by easing racial tension, and bringing people of all races & classes together. Numerous times, by the end of the conversation, we were sincerely thanked for the work we were doing to help get Obama into office. This is a picture of one of the houses we canvassed at.