WomenConnect for Obama: A case study in the power of networks

Several of us had the opportunity to attend the Wednesday evening program lead by the Cleveland Heights initiative, WomenConnect for Obama. This was a community rally and demonstrates the power of social networks lit by passion and advocacy to build large numbers to scale quickly.

You can learn more about networks from the weblog Network Weaving.

Just 2 months ago, three friends decided they would organize a woman's network to support Obama in the upcoming election. Today, the network has over 500 members and is quickly growing. Some of the core group include: Joanne Lewis, Phyllis Brody, Joan Dowling, Marcia Bodzin and Nancy Cronin.

The meeting originally started at the Cleveland Heights Library but moved due to an electric outage to the Grace Lutheran Church on Cedar Road who generously opened their doors immediately. The meeting included a well stocked table of hand out materials, cookies and cider, and a table of crafted Obama pins created by a member artist. The Campaign for Change Field Organizer, Aaron Buchner for the Senator Obama Campaign attended, spoke and connected with participants.

The meeting began with a short performance "model" presented by two experienced group facilitators of how to engage in dialogue with family and friends. (Finish reading this article below videos.)

I've posted the video of the meeting below:

Opening of meeting and conversations, interview with Phyllis Brody

(Be patient. Let the player load to your page.)

Group Report Backs...an interesting overview of what the women who participated think.

Knowing how to keep the dialogue open and going is an important skill especially now with the deep divisions in public opinion that knows no boundaries when it comes to family, friends and colleagues. Several women told about "no talk" rules between themselves, their children and family members - purposely cut off from each other and most often imposed involuntarily. The women conveyed their strong feeling of sadness and isolation from their children and relatives in this time of needing to connect.

The following information below offers an excellent model for replication in any community:

The room divided into small groups of 8 to role play and address the following issues from the standpoint of Supporter and Objector.

1. Obama will raise my taxes
2. McCain and Palin will make us less dependent of foreign oil by drilling off-shore and in Alaska
3. Obama is willing to talk with our enemies
4. Obama has little executive experience
5. I can't vote for a black person
6. Obama is not in touch with everyday people
7. Obama's a Muslim
8. Obama voted against winning in Iraq

Every participant was given a list of suggestions from the Group Facilitators:

1. When group has assembled, quickly introduce yourselves. Indicate handouts of resource material. 
2. Recruit one volunteer to record notes of issues and responses in the group and one to report our for the group in debriefing (min pads and pens supplied).
3. Form pairs (maximum of four pairs will do the role plays.)
   1. #1 = The Objector
   2. #2 = The Defender
4. Facilitator offers "Objector" to pull unseen card selection from pack (listed above). The card has controversial comments about Obama to be the basis of the dialogue.
5. Facilitator:
   1. Manage  the time for each two-person dialogue -- a few minutes each. (There will be a half-hour for the entire activity.) Repeat process of inviting Objector in each pair to pull unseen card.
6. Plan to do three or four role-plays, as time permits.
7. Entire small group listens - and can participate in each dialogue.
8. Roving resource people will be available for questions and will signal you when it is time to end the role-play.
9. Each group will then return chairs to re-convene with others for debriefing.
10. Designated "reporter" from each small group will report in about group's key points during large debriefing.
11. The findings for each group will be inscribed on flip charts for further general discussion.

You can watch the meeting, learn from the small group conversations, understand how the network began with Phyllis Brody's interview, and listen to group report backs above. The next meeting for Women Connect for Obama is planned for Oct 22. For more information contact Phyllis Brody.

You can view more information about economic development from a woman's point of view on the Womens Enterprise Network on You Tube.