For 25 years I have been proud to bring my
communications and marketing skills to grassroots change-making.
I have helped candidates and organizations find their voices,
and get their messages out.
I love this work.
Helped a little known candidate stand out
and get elected.
Deval Patrick
Together We Can
How do you define and differentiate an unknown, unconventional, African-American gubernatorial candidate? In Massachusetts of all places.
You check out the official political communications playbook and then you toss it out the window.
I am proud to have been a leading member of the communications team that did just that for Deval Patrick.
Patrick was full of ideas, compassion, and grit. Our communications team needed to create a unique platform from which to express these qualities. Deval was a master of words so our words had to be the right ones.
We eschewed the default red, white and blue political campaign color palette, and instead chose lime, orange, hot pink, and bright blue. Already Patrick’s campaign looked and felt different.
We next paired our stand-out imagery with powerful messaging that spoke to Patrick’s mission, vision, and values. It told his unique personal story, quoted Sam Cook songs, and directly addressed the people of the Commonwealth and their specific wants and needs.
For fun and exposure, we distributed small window signs in the subway during rush hour featuring cartoons suggesting creative places you could display your sign. They started to appear everywhere.
At fundraisers we enabled people to share their aspirations with interactive activities and inspirational quotes.
The brand narrative we developed was as clear, direct, and as human as our candidate.
Ultimately our work helped get him noticed, remembered, and, yes, elected.
Governor Deval Patrick.
Helped grow a grassroots fundraiser to 12,000 people and over $15M.
Giving Voice
to Force Multiplier
When I first heard Tom Hallock speak about Force Multiplier I smiled. Then I sprung to action and played a leadership role in raising more than $15M for the fledgling organization.
Here’s why:
The concept behind Force Multiplier was simple and one that spoke to people in the aftermath of the 2016 election. It gave them a way to focus their energy and make a difference. Force Multiplier would do the research, identify national candidates whose seats could be flipped with proper financial support, raise the money to give them a fighting chance, and work tirelessly to send more Democrats to Washington.
Here’s how:
My contribution was to create and co-chair a Community Building Committee and and the lead the Communications Committee. I also served as part of FM's leadership team. I have been able to share my expertise in grassroots organizing, message development, and soup to nuts branding.
I was responsible for creating a voice for Force Multiplier that was unique, memorable, and consistent. This was not always an easy feat when collaborating with a team of passionate Democrats, with many and varying ideas on how and what should be communicated.
In my capacity, I aligned the volunteers around a messaging platform, designed and maintained the website, directed an extensive mailing program, and created all outreach and events marketing materials. Tom and I developed the tagline "You X Me = Democracy" which perfectly sums up the collaborative spirit of the group.
Force Multiplier grew from a founding group of 10 to a community of over 12,000 donors nation-wide.The funds raised provided substantive support to voter empowerment groups in battleground states from coast to coast, and helped elect dozens of Democrats to the House and Senate.
I am proud of my contribution to Force Multiplier and am confident that our voice and influence will continue to grow, and that we will continue to fight the fight for years to come.
Interested in this extraordinary effort visit forcemultiplierus.org.
A video that I produced for FM.