A Video Introduction

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"While there is a lower class, I am in it. 

While there is a criminal element, I am of it. 

While there is a soul in prison, I am not free." --Eugene V. Debs--

Thanks so much for stepping up to be a Delegate at our upcoming Congressional District 1 Convention, especially at a challenging time for all of us as we confront the coronavirus crisis. By representing your local community as a delegate, you are keeping the vital wheels of democracy rolling, and you embody the spirit of Bernie's campaign - "Not me. Us."

I'm writing today to ask for your support and your vote and for the honor of representing you as a National Delegate for Bernie Sanders at this summer's Democratic National Convention (DNC). I've already pledged to Bernie to support him and promote our progressive agenda in every phase of the DNC, and I make the same pledge to you now.  

I'm sure you've heard (spoiler alert if you haven't!) that Bernie suspended his campaign Wednesday.  As heartbroken as we are about this development in his campaign, I want to draw your attention to a very important part of his speech making the announcement:

"I will stay on the ballot in all remaining states and continue to gather delegates," Bernie said. "While Vice President Biden will be the nominee, we must continue working to assemble as many delegates as possible at the Democratic convention, where we will be able to exert significant influence over the party platform and other functions....Please stay in this fight with me. Let us go forward together, as our goal continues."

Please use your vitally important vote at our Congressional District 1 Convention to send Bernie Sanders delegates to the National Convention.  We need to send delegates who will be the face of Bernie's movement; who will advocate for critically important issues in our platform, rules, and procedures; and who have the energy, the fortitude, and the integrity to represent Bernie in an honest and respectful manner. Bernie's 2016 efforts in these areas changed the landscape for Democrats in a good way, and we need to keep building momentum for a movement that transcends any one campaign. This is "Not me. Us." at its essence. 

I'm encouraged to see so many great candidates making their case for how they can best represent Colorado Democrats, unite the party, and get Bernie visionary policies into the Democratic Party Platform. I'm confident that we have a deep enough bench in our Party to ensure that anyone we elect to represent us at the DNC will succeed in achieving those goals. We need to remember that the most important work will come not during the convention, but before and after Milwaukee. We can't forget the vital role we'll all play in defeating Donald Trump and working with Bernie to end this dark period in American history. 

I've followed Bernie's career for decades, and I've supported him at every step of the way. Now, more than ever, Bernie has shown himself to be ahead of the curve when it comes to policy, with his 2016 campaign platform becoming the standard blueprint for Democratic candidates in 2020. His vision on subjects like Medicare for All, paid family leave, enhanced financial support for everyone in our country, and food and housing safeguards are setting the standard for our response to the current global crisis. 

As Bernie said last week, "In this unprecedented moment in our history it is easy to feel like we are alone, and that everyone must fend for themselves. But that would be a mistake and a terrible tragedy. Now, more than any other moment in our lives, we must remember that we are all in this together - that when one of us gets sick, many more may get sick. And when my neighbor loses their job, I may lose my job as well." Eugene Debs couldn't have said it better. 

I'm proud to say that Bernie and I share the same ideals and values, and when I ran for the Colorado State Legislature in 2014, my platform was nearly identical to Bernie's subsequent 2016 platform in his revolutionary run for president. I joined Our Revolution Metro Denver in the wake of Bernie's 2016 campaign, and I have since been elected as part of ORMD's leaderhship Council. In my work to support Bernie, the candidates he endorses, and the policy initiatives he supports, I've built strong relationships with a wide variety of groups including Working Families Party, Democratic Socialists of America, Progressive Democrats of America, The League of Women Voters, Common Cause, COPIRG, Represent Us, Move to Amend, Indivisible and many more. I've even worked across party lines to gain widespread support for common sense issues benefitting working people.

I also have a long track record of leadership within the Democratic Party, serving as The Democratic Party of Denver Secretary (one of four countywide elected officers), House District 2B Captain, a longstanding Precinct Committee Person in House District 2 and House District 3, and the Communications Director and Campaign Manager for Senator Irene Aguilar. I'm proud of my successful record of standing up to the Party when it has gone astray from its values. 

I'm especially proud of my communications legacy as Denver Dems Secretary, sending out a weekly newsletter - an even 100 over my two years -- highlighting Democratic Party values and a full weekly rundown of opportunities to put our values into action.  You can expect that same level of commitment and communication from me throughout the National Convention, with daily updates -- including videos from non-televised events - - on developments, speakers, and caucuses.  

As a 2012 Obama National Delegate, I sent 100 videos back to Colorado, capturing things like the Women's Caucus, The African American Caucus, The LGBTQ+ Caucus, The Veterans Caucus, The Native American Caucus, The Disability Caucus, The Hispanic Caucus, and the daily Colorado breakfast meetings with special guests galore.

• I'm committed to taking on the corporations and special interests that are trying to buy our elections and our elected officials.  I've helped lead the effort to get big money out of politics through my work with CleanSlateNow Action, passing Denver's "Democracy for the People" measure (2E) in 2018 to ban corporations from contributing to campaigns, require disclosure of dark money, lower contribution limits, and provide 9-to-1 publicly matched funds for contributions up to $50 to candidates who turn down special interest and PAC money and only accept campaign contributions from individuals.  We've also been working on similar efforts in Lakewood (passed) and Aurora (ongoing) and statewide for School Board (passed) and State Legislator (ongoing) campaigns.   I also managed the campaign to put the fate of any future Olympics in Denver in the hands of the people, winning an unprecedented victory over huge corporate interests in the "Let Denver Vote" campaign requiring our approval before the City of Denver can spend a penny pursuing or hosting the Olympics.

• I have been a strong voice in addressing Climate Change, building on a lifetime of environmental advocacy and bringing an urgent call to action to communities across Colorado as a Climate Reality Leader personally trained by Al Gore to give and adapt his presentation to educate and engage our communities.  I've worked with other community groups to host forums and candidate debates on Climate Change to ensure we elect leaders who share this priority, and I led the effort to protect the open space conservation easement on the Park Hill Golf Club land.  

• I've worked for over a decade to bring universal healthcare to our country and our state, and I joined the leadership team for ColoradoCare (Amendment 69), a statewide campaign to bring Medicare for All to Colorado.  We lost the initial campaign, but with Bernie by our side - along with other national endorsers we recruited like Gloria Steinem, Noam Chomsky, and Michael Moore-- we helped spark a national movement that continues to gain momentum.

• I've worked to protect our neighborhood schools and fight the corporate reform movement, to ensure equal access to quality education at all levels, and to stand up for teachers, their right to earn a good living wage, and their right to organize.  

• I've been a voice for LGBTQ+ rights, for comprehensive immigration reform and a path to citizenship for all undocumented immigrants, for gun safety legislation, for putting an end to massive income inequality, for raising the minimum wage, and for working for a humane solution to the crisis of thousands of Coloradans living without homes, working on the leadership team for Denver's Right to Survive initiative in 2019. 

In short, I've tried to stand up for working families and the 99%, and to be a voice for the most vulnerable members of our community whose voices are too often tuned out.  Nobody has stood taller than Bernie on all of these issues, and I'm proud to be part of his movement and to continue working on his priorities in 2020.  Over the past six years, I've campaigned for Bernie, the candidates he has supported, and the policies he endorses, volunteering to knock doors, make calls, send texts, and host watch parties and other events for Bernie while organizing for candidates and policies he has endorsed.  

Beyond politics, I have a background as a journalist, an educator at the college, high school, and junior high school levels, and a wilderness instructor working primarily with at-risk youth.  I've brought much of what I've learned in those fields to the table as a grassroots political activist, and I'm eager to put my extensive experience to work for you as a Bernie Sanders National Delegate.  

In the wake of Bernie's suspension of his campaign, it's especially important that we send delegates to the National Convention who can advance our progressive agenda while uniting the Party behind the Democratic nominee.  We need to maintain a delicate balance, harnessing the unprecedented enthusiasm Bernie generates as we work to propel our movement and our shared values and policies while campaigning in an ethical and respectful manner that ultimately makes the Democratic Party more inclusive and more united then ever.  This has always been my practice -- helping to heal and unite the Party was a focus of mine after both the 2008 and 2016 Democratic primaries -- , and it's never been more important.

I ask you to please do me the honor of voting for me as a National Delegate. I pledge to use all my experience and skills on your behalf at the Democratic National Convention, to bring the strengths we've developed in Colorado to the convention, to bring home and share with you the wisdom and insight of so many other delegates and leaders from around the country, and to carry your support for Bernie to every stage of the DNC. I can't wait to take this leg of the Bernie Journey with you - we can do this!

In solidarity,

Owen