Before she ran for office and was elected State Senator, Jo Comerford was an accomplished organizer, first with the AFSC’s Western Massachusetts Program and later with the National Priorities Project and Move On. She shared some of what she’s learned about the connection between organizing and policy at the New Hampshire Program’s “Keep on Moving Forward” dinner in Concord, September 28.
The event also featured a great meal prepared by AFSC volunteers, recognition of Charlie Friou for the work he did with AFSC in Gaza in 1949, songs led by Jack Bopp, and the announcement of Arnie Alpert’s plan to retire from AFSC next June.
[Watch a video with photo highlights of the past year’s program activities.]
After an introduction by New Hampshire Senator Melanie Levesque, Senator Comerford expressed her admiration for the work of the New Hampshire Program, especially its engagement of local activists through its “State House Watch” project. “Thank you for your painstaking, jaw-dropping work for justice and peace. Thank you for pushing that arc of the moral universe -- which Dr. King told us would bend toward justice -- thank you for pushing it to bend a little more quickly, she said, before giving a set of sound recommendations based on her experience inside and outside government.
First, resist issue “silos,” she urged the crowd gathered in the sanctuary at the Unitarian Universalist Church. “We’re simply stronger if we’re together, moving complex, intersecting policies forward.”
[Read Jo Comerford’s remarks here.]
Next, hold lawmakers accountable. “In large measure,” she observed, “Americans have been divorced from our civic and community infrastructure. Budget cuts and testing have squeezed teaching about civics out of our curriculum. The business of life and the battle to make ends meet have left us with less and less time to engage. But engage we must.”
Third, she emphasized the importance of combating the outsized role of money in our political system.
Finally, she urged us to be bold in our proposals and our actions. “This is not the time for half measures or fear. This is a ‘leap and the net will appear’ moment. We’re facing big problems. Problems festering long before 2016. And big problems need big solutions.”
Prior to Comerford’s talk, Willie Colon presented Charlie Friou with a letter thanking him for his service in Gaza. The letter, also presented in the form of a video message from Ali Abdal Bari and Firas Ramlawi of the AFSC Gaza Program, said, “We heard of your commitment to working for justice and peace in Gaza over seventy years ago. Today you hold a special place as the only living person in the US to have personally witnessed this.” Charlie graciously accepted the recognition and spoke of the importance of ongoing work addressing conditions in Gaza.
[Watch a video of Ali Abdal reading the letter of appreciation for Charlie Friou.]
When Ginna Schonwald asked how many people in the room had been trained by Arnie Alpert to “bird dog” presidential candidates, hands went up from half of those present. Announcing Arnie’s plan to retire next June after 39 years with the NH Program, Ginna spoke of his talent for teaching others “how to find our power and our voice.”
“Luckily, AFSC-NH will have the very dedicated Maggie Fogarty to help us continue the work of making our state and nation more humane for all,” Ginna added, saying “Maggie will need the help of all of us, because this good work has always needed to be done in community.” She also announced the establishment of the Arnie Alpert Action Fund, a special fund to help the program through its transition and provide money for special projects, such as internships for young adults. Maggie described plans to launch a search for a new staff member to join her at the NH Program.
Before adjourning for dessert, the program concluded with Jack Bopp leading everyone singing “Keep on Moving Forward,” our theme song for the event. The staff and Support Committee thank everyone who attended, prepared food, set up and cleaned up, and donated funds.