15 Conversations: What I Learned in Wolfeboro

I’m on a tour of 15 communities in 16 days, and as part of my travels, I’m documenting what I’ve learned in those communities for my blog. Here’s what I learned in Wolfeboro this weekend.

Emily James, Chair of the Tuftonboro Dems, shares what she learned leading grassroots organizers for Bobbi Boudman's special election campaign.

I came up to Wolfeboro this weekend to meet with some of my volunteer leaders in Carroll and Belknap County. We gathered at the Wolfeboro Public LIbrary to pay tribute to the grassroots effort here that resulted in a 56% voter turnout and a huge flip for the District 7 State Rep seat. We met with some of the organizers for Bobbi Boudman’s huge win and discussed takeaways for our campaign and successful political organizing in general. One of the clear lessons that I learned was the importance of offering voters a wide variety of opportunities to engage, not just during election season, but year-round. We need to be present and listening across the communities we seek to serve, and we need to respond to the needs of the people in our communities.

Emily James, chair of the Tuftonboro Democratic Committee, talked about the long term efforts to involve volunteers. The Saturday morning visibility events at Pickering Corner have proceeded rain or shine for over a year. I’ve been fortunate to attend them in the summer, winter, and now the spring, as well! The turnout is regularly 100-200 folks with 1200 showing up for the last No Kings Day. Blair Moffett’s Civil Discourse group meets twice a month and offers a welcoming space to connect with people from across the political spectrum. I enjoyed the spirited and wide ranging conversation I had with them last July! The Democrats in Wolfeboro and Tuftonboro also coordinate postcard writing and canvassing year round. A long haul effort that finally paid off with a huge win. 

Kayla and Jon Hewitt joined us by phone to describe how they led a social media effort to expose the Free State Project. This really opened people’s eyes and contributed to the huge voter turnout. Kayla and Jon bravely persevered through personal attacks and threats. Their Instagram and Tiktok posts attracted thousands of views and amplified the message. They were able to combine fact-based research with a light-hearted and humorous vibe necessary for successful social media.

Brooks explains what inspired him to be a peace activist.

New Hampshire’s primary is one of the latest in the country. That means that candidates have an incredibly short period of time to campaign in the general election, and the organizations they build in the primary are essential to a successful general election campaign.

If we have learned anything over the last ten years, it is that money can’t win elections alone, and that we can’t leave our organizing until October. We need to be on the ground, in the communities from the very beginning, and our campaigns need to reflect the strengths and passions of the people we seek to serve.

After our meeting, we headed down to Pickering Corner to join residents and activists for their weekly protest. It was inspiring to stand, talk, and chant with the people who turned out on a beautiful day to make their voice heard for peace, justice, and democracy.

I spoke with Brooks from Veterans for Peace about the moment he realized he needed to become an activist for peace. It was when he was attacked in the streets in Germany by an Iranian man who held him responsible for the deaths of his friends and family in Iran during the CIA orchestrate coup against Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh. In that moment, Brooks realized how war and violence breeds more conflict and resentment between the people of the world. We can’t bomb and kill our way to peace and justice.

I was also really excited to meet so many artists contributing their talents to the protest and using the beautiful things they create to foster connection and build community. Karen, a former animator for Disney, is making t-shirts inspired by pro-democracy activists, and a score of lakes region theater artists like Lucy and Bobbi’s husband, Christian, use their talents to bring members of the community together to celebrate the joyful spirit that connects us all.

On March 28th, I’ll be in Conway for the No Kings Protest, and yes, I’m angry, frustrated, and scared about the direction our country is heading, but the most important feeling I will bring on Saturday is joy. I will rejoice in the connections we forge along the line, as we work together to build a future with more justice, more peace, and more freedom for everyone.