Mendocino Coast (region)

Progressive (values)

Action (direct action, as defined by the Midwest Academy)

Network (of people and organizations)

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We want all our local elected leadership to hold progressive values. Period. Those values will then inform every of the hundreds of decisions they will make throughout their four-year term. To reach that goal, we need sustained progressive power and movement-building. To get that, we take a multi-issue platform approach, drawing from platforms like that of the CA Progressive Alliance (https://californiaprogressivealliance.org/) and indigenous-led Red Nation (https://therednation.org/).

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The core of the effort is a program of regular digital mini-campaigns, where our local elected officials are asked to take a stand on a timely progressive issue by signing a pledge (to take concrete action) or answering a questionnaire.

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The premise is simple: By focusing this energy on our closest, local elected officials, we accomplish a host of things at the same time:

1. We increase local resident engagement with often-ignored local elected officials, who are generally able to stay under the radar. (Do you know all your most local elected officials names? Their values? Are they progressive? Right-wing?)

2. We get THEM to take action on our behalf in support of the issue, which is more powerful at the higher levels of government than individuals sending letters, emails, calls individually. This is not to say that individual comments aren't helpful, but when we organize and get our local elected officials to act on our behalf, that gets noticed.

3. We learn who is on our side and not. This information is critical to have on record for future elections.

4. We organically cultivate future candidates, where we are in a position to vet them, help get them elected, and support them once they are elected.

5. We fill the pipeline to higher office with progressives. Think Mendocino Supervisor Dan Gjerde, who started on the Fort Bragg City Council, and note that current Council member Lindy Peters tried to go that route.

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In short: We leverage progressive issues at the local level to build sustained, ongoing progressive power - power which can be directed towards future issues between elections and getting progressives elected during elections.

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From the grassroots, MCPAN pushes progressive leadership from the local on up the ladder.