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PAM KEELEY
 PAM KEELEY  LGBT CANDIDATE for DELEGATE AT-LARGE, DNC | |||
 I'm a nurse at Swedish Hospital, where I work with patients who have kidney disease, organ transplants, and dialysis. As a political activist, I started one of the first Gay Liberation groups (Springfield, Illinois), helped found the first American feminist credit union (Denver, Colorado), and worked with the Lesbian Mother's National Defense Fund (Seattle). As a volunteer with humanitarian groups, including the American Red Cross, I've served as a nurse in disaster settings from a refugee camp in Cambodia to a Katrina shelter outside New Orleans. “Thank you for your clear focus on the cost of healthcare and how understaffed our healthcare facilities are. Your email is a wonderful reminder of the need to talk about the healthcare crises this way. After all, no matter how wonderful insurance plans are, if we don't take care of our nurses, technicians, hospital staff, and all other direct care providers, we haven't addressed the breadth of the problem. Having served on the "front lines" for a very long time, and having undoubtedly witnessed many colleagues leave the profession, you know all too well the challenges of reforming the Healthcare industry. I agree, having you on our team - to shape our discussions on this issue alone not to mention the many others we might address - would be a plus. ” From Richard E. Mitchell, Legal Counsel to Governor Chris Gregoire And National Obama Delegate, 8th CD | I'm proven. Obama Lead Volunteers to be called by top Obama staff and organizers in the state. Home: Seattle, Washington 7th Congressional District, 37th Legislative District Career: Registered Nurse for 36 years, Professional Artist Endorsed by SEIU Healthcare 1199NW - the leading national union for nurses and healthcare workers, and the leading union for Obama - SEIU 1199 continues to provide essential support for Obama and representation in our delegation to the DNC would be a sound choice! Katrina wasn't just a natural disaster, it was also one of the many man-made moral catastrophes America has suffered under the Bush administration. Senator Obama embodies the sea change in leadership we desperately need at this turning point in our nation's and the world's history. The next president will inherit a Herculean load of challenges: war, environmental jeopardy, failing economy, compromised educational system, health care crisis, broken foreign relations... We need a president who is brilliant, fresh, energized, imaginative, and bold - a president who can heal our divisions and lead us into a stronger future with hope and strength. BARACK OBAMA IS THAT ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME LEADER!
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DELEGATE AT-LARGE CANDIDATE'S STATEMENT: PAM KEELEY In what ways have you been instrumental in getting Obama nominated so far? In anticipation of the caucuses, I gathered information on my own and watched what was happening in other states. Before official campaign materials were available from OFA, I made up and printed my own Obama flyers for distribution in my precinct, then got online, determined my boundaries, and set out canvassing. One side of my homemade flyer provided information with precinct caucus specifics and the other included an explanation of how caucuses and the overall election process work, emphasizing the importance of caucus participation in Washington state. When OFA delivered materials and I became an Obama Precinct Captain, I went door to door, canvassing my entire precinct once again. I phoned everyone in my precinct and, because our caucus location was moved, I went to the "wrong" address on caucus day to put up signs directing people to the correct location. In 2004 a total of 200 voters turned out for our entire caucus; this time, for my precinct alone, there were 127 voters - the highest of our location - and all but a handful for Obama. On caucus day I ran my precinct, helped manage the overflowing crowd so voters didn't leave, and enlisted my partner to register new voters. I've served as Peter Masundire's (37th LD Coordinator) assistant - making hundreds of phone calls to voters in my precinct and the 37th LD. When I noticed a discrepancy for the location of a caucus in another area of the 37th (printed in the 37th newsletter), I phoned this in and helped with calls to inform voters. I held phone banks, became an expert with VoteBuilder to turn out the vote and get folks to their LD caucuses in Seattle and across the state. I helped set up OFA events and was responsible for seating the (many) handicapped guests at the Obama rally. I've recruited OFA volunteers from Washington, New Mexico, Montana, Colorado, and Texas. I recruited an Obama Precinct Captain in Montana and coached her for over a month on what to do and how to turn out the vote. I've attended many voter registration events and never go anywhere without registration forms - they are in my locker at work, my messenger bag, and my car. I've passed out buttons and yard signs. I'm helping a young neighbor become an Obama Fellow and will provide volunteer housing for the campaign. In short, I'm a 24/7 ambassador for Obama. Peter Masundire and Sameer Ranade/OFA will vouch for my consistent work as a lead volunteer. What do you plan to do going forward to ensure Obama gets elected? I'm part of the Neighborhood Leader voter registration drive and, in concert with my PCO (Michael Wolfe), will ensure that everyone from our precinct is not only registered, but has a way to get to the polls (if not voting absentee). I've asked to adopt the neighboring precinct which has no PCO (and no takers) and will do the same for it. Although the 37th LD has the highest number of registered Democrats in the state, it also has the lowest voter turnout. I will do everything possible to turn this around. In the fall I'm taking a leave from my job so I can work full-time with SEIU 1199NW on the Obama campaign. I will work on voter education, registration, and turn out. Through canvassing, phone-calling, and public events I will work to inform people - including Clinton supporters - about the strengths, plans and goals of Barack Obama. I've signed up to be part of Pride for Obama and will work to turn out LGBT votes in the months ahead. I'm planning an art auction/fundraiser for the Obama campaign and will participate in other fundraising events as well. What unique contribution have you made as a delegate that would make the delegation stronger because of your participation in it? In what way have you -- to quote the delegate selection guidance provided by the campaign -- "challenged the status quo and pushed for excellence" rather than"continuing to embrace and accept 'politics as usual'"? My willingness to be part of a team and look at the bigger picture - to learn, to lead, give a hand to others when needed, and contribute to the overall cohesion of our delegation - will be an asset. My entire life has challenged the status quo - in 1972 I stepped out of the closet into a lifetime of activism and humanitarian work. I started one of the first Gay Liberation groups in the United States, was part of Illinois Gays for Legislative Action, helped found Colorado First Feminist Credit Union, and worked with Lesbian Mothers' National Defense Fund to help women who were losing custody of their children based solely on their sexual preference. As a volunteer with humanitarian groups, including Catholic Relief Services and the American Red Cross, I've nursed in disaster settings from a refugee camp in Cambodia to a shelter outside New Orleans after Katrina. I would be honored to be selected as a female delegate, but would be especially proud to be one of the recognized LGBT members of our delegation. Gay activism involves not only organized, group efforts, but unique personal choices, made over and over in the course of one's daily life, on whether to disclose your full identity, whether to challenge the status quo or not. Being "out" for over three decades - as a neighbor, a nurse, an artist, an educator, a sister and daughter - is activism at its most grass roots and intimate level. Barack Obama is not afraid of the word gay and repeatedly includes gays/LGBTs as part of the American family when addressing audiences; his LGBT platform is strong. Friday's (6/6) conference call from the OFA National Campaign is pressing for strong LGBT community support for Obama and, as a pioneer of the gay and feminist movements, I can help, including with bridge-building efforts to Clinton supporters . After a lifetime of putting my beliefs and my being on the line, it would be an honor to stand with the Washington delegation for Barack Obama and the promise of a truly inclusive American society. How do you plan to use what you experience and learn in Denver leading up to the general election? I will return thoroughly energized and with new contacts and organizing tools for advancing Obama's campaign. Local and national networking will be essential for the GE and being an active, fully engaged participant at Denver will facilitate this! |
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Latest page update: made by pamkeeley@mac.com
, Jun 7 2008, 1:08 PM EDT
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Edited by pamkeeley@mac.com
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| Started By | Thread Subject | Replies | Last Post | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ClaudineG | Obama nursing US to health | 1 | May 31 2008, 4:43 PM EDT by pamkeeley@mac.com | |
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Thread started: May 26 2008, 6:51 PM EDT
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Given the grave problems President Obama will inherit, what appeals to you as a nurse and an artist about him?
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