More than art
by Tom Richmond III—Michigan
It was my second day at my second real job in my life. The day was brisk, a foreshadow of work to come. After a knock and a ring, the door was opened by a middle-aged woman. The rap went well, and I had the pleasure of an audience with her son front row. As she was flipping through my clipboard, the son handed me a folded note, saying...
From scrap-booking to keeping jobs
by Chris Antonneau—Michigan
We were out canvassing in Royal Oak, MI the other night when I met this great older lady. I talked with her about the importance of correcting the problems with our health care system. She agreed we need change and need it soon...
Video: Organizing her neighbors
Ed Donaldson has an inspiring story about a member who was so motivated by our work that she came with him to canvass her whole neighborhood.
Video: Health care affects us all
Chris Antonneau speaks with a Marine family about health care. At first they're not sure the issue affects them, but Chris lets them know about the struggle for children's health care and it becomes clear -- the need for quality affordable health care for all affects all of us.
Video: Concerned about toxic toys
Chris Antonneau finds a new member who's concerned about toxic toys, and offers him a solution that can help keep his child.
Joining the fight for health care
by Jennifer Schlicht—Michigan
I knocked on a door in a city just outside Lansing, Michigan's capitol. As soon as I told the man who answered that we were working for more affordable health care, he invited me immediately into the house. He signed up as a member as soon as I gave him the pen, and introduced me to his wife, sitting on the couch...
Signing in the street
by Vanity Smith—Michigan
While our job is to sign people up by knocking on doors, I had a random encounter while between doors.
Jared and I were walking up the street when three guys in a car stopped us. The driver asked what we were out there doing, and I told him we were fighting for affordable health care. He said, "affordable health care?" and pulled over to the side of the road...
Too old to tool and die?
by Jared Ames—Michigan
I talked to a guy in Albion, MI today who was a tool and die worker. He worked for a temp service and wouldn't know which days he would or wouldn't work. He talked about discrimination—how he was facing age discrimination.
She once had it all
by Cara Alcantar—Michigan
I canvassed a woman who said she once had it all. She ran her own business, which she loved, she had a loving husband with a great job which provided the entire family with health care coverage, and two healthy kids. Then, a series of events happened that changed her life as she knew it...
A closed door re-opens
by Jeremy Askew—Michigan
I knocked on a door and the homeowner closed his door on me mid-rap. Somehow, Curtis (a fellow canvasser) ended up talking to the same guy. The guy calls for me by name: "Jeremy!" he yells, "Come back here a sec." When I get there, he says, "I'm sorry I wasn't listening earlier, I shouldn't have been so short with you." I tell him it was no big deal and he takes my clipboard and signs up as a member. He didn't pay any dues, but he showed a lot of decency and made me appreciate more of what I do.
Michiganders need better health care
by Chris Antonneau—Michigan
I am here in our office getting ready to interview another candidate for our canvassing positions when I recalled one of the gentlemen who became a member last night.
We had only been out on turf for maybe a half hour when I middle aged man answered his door and I told him about the work we are doing on health care...
Health care vs. a raise
by Jared Ames—Michigan
I talked to a woman tonight who was angry about how much her health care went up. She said she was actually making less money this year because her health care costs overtook the amount she got as a raise. In this time where costs are climbing, like gas prices, how is the average working person supposed to stay ahead? In most cases the working class isn't. It's another reason why we all need to demand that the government finds a way to control soaring costs!
The spirit of the American dream
by Curtis Neff—Michigan
Hello, America.
My name is Curtis and I am a field manager at the Ann Arbor office. We are canvassing currently in Southeast Michigan. We have discovered the American dream in the neighborhoods we pound everyday...
We can do it
by Jared Ames—Michigan
I canvassed a guy today who was really excited about our issues and said that he was enthused about how the people were coming together to change things in our country...
Outsourcing affects seniors, too
by Jared Ames—Michigan
I talked to a retired woman today who was initially very standoffish. Once I introduced the issue of keeping our jobs in America she opened up. She talked about all three of her children who had lost jobs due to outsourcing...
Why don’t we buy American anymore?
by Jared Ames—Michigan
I canvassed a guy last night who was in his 90s. He was excited about what we were doing and said the country should have focused on keeping our jobs here years ago...
Family values in Michigan
by Curtis Neff—Michigan
Hello America, my name is Curtis. I am an Iowan canvassing in Michigan. I am loving it! On my third day I got the family treatment. I was canvassing in Wayne, and I waved to a young lady through window as I walked up the steps...
Health care costs taking a toll
by Justin Geiger—Michigan
The night before Halloween I was out knocking in a mobile home community in Westland, MI. The woman who answered the door asked what I was doing. I told her I was recruiting members for Working America and making sure all people have health care...
Activist retirees
by Jennifer Schlicht—Michigan
On Halloween night, before the kids started out, I met a sweet older woman at a door. She helped out with a bit, and we started talking about progressive causes...
Activism is for all ages
by Chris Antonneau—Michigan
It was the night before Halloween and the street starting to get dark. We were having a pretty good night organizing and talking with people. One of our canvassers, Jennifer, was looking to get ahold of another concerned citizen...
The old man
by Bill St.Onge—Michigan
The streets were completely dark, but the rain had stopped. From where I stood next to the mailbox, I could see up the long flight of steps that disappeared into the trees atop the hill. There had to be sixty steps, and my legs were already aching from a long day of walking...
