Obama 2012 Archives - Amy Lynn Smith

Every Voice Counts

Posted on: May 17th, 2012 by Amy Lynn Smith 1 Comment

When you get the chance to learn about communication and citizen engagement from White House officials, those lessons tend to stick.

Two months after my visit to the White House for a White House Tweetup (#WHTweetup), what I learned has not only stayed firmly planted in my head. It’s blossomed in ways I hadn’t imagined it might.

Some of that is the perspective of time, I suppose, which I chatted about recently with my fellow Tweetup attendee, Joy Cook.

But I think it’s more than that. That’s because the most important thing I brought home was this ideal: Never underestimate the power of the American people to make change happen.

I wrote a blog post and Storify story about this, and the many other things I learned at the Tweetup, where our group met with Obama Administration officials.

The principle that every one of us can make a difference is something I’ve always believed in. But hearing it from senior White House officials made me more determined than ever to live by this philosophy. Every day.

I began by finding ways to communicate with even greater clarity and purpose about what’s at stake in the upcoming election. I look to the White House and the Obama 2012 campaign (for which I am a volunteer) for guidance in what to say and the best ways to say it. With every Tweet, Facebook status update or blog post I write about the President’s accomplishments and goals, I can educate and inform people on the facts. Equally important, I can share positive energy and optimism.

Personal interactions are no different. With every conversation I have about current issues or the President’s vision for the country, I can change someone’s mind. I realize I won’t influence everyone’s opinion, but at least I can give people points to think about as they evaluate the candidates. I’ve learned to be prepared for these conversations, because they often happen spontaneously while you’re chatting with a friend or handing money to a cashier.

It can be as simple as making sure people are registered to vote and urging them to cast their ballot. That can open the door to talking about where the candidates stand and their records. People often don’t know about the many benefits of healthcare reform (“Obamacare“), or they don’t see how Detroit has come back since the auto rescue. Sharing facts can open people’s eyes and, maybe, their minds.

When I make phone calls to recruit volunteers, if people are too busy to give much time I remind them that they can do their part just by having these kinds of conversations with their friends and neighbors. They’re usually eager to know where they can get more information, which may motivate them to become volunteers in the coming months.

No question, my faith in the power of the people is stronger than ever since my visit to the White House. And everything I learned that day has heightened my awareness of ways to put that power to good use. I’m always on the lookout for new ideas — and they’re not hard to find.

I’m motivated by the dedication of the people I met at the White House and the work they do every day to engage with citizens online and in person. I take inspiration from First Lady Michelle Obama, who speaks with volunteers on conference calls and reminds us how much she and the President value our efforts — and underscores their shared belief that each one of us can make a difference. Mrs. Obama’s passion for the importance of individual participation is so genuine it’s impossible not to want to do more.

It’s a passion she shares with President Obama, which is one of the reasons I hold him in such high esteem. He has always made me feel like my voice matters, that everyone’s voice counts. The President reinforced this ideal during the first Obama 2012 campaign rallies in early May, when he reminded all of us about the difference we can make in the future of our country. A future that still holds the promise of hope and change that’s all about helping every American lead the best life possible.

I’ve had few days as meaningful as the one I spent at the White House. I can only imagine how incredible it must be to work there. But you don’t have to work at the White House to make a difference in this country. You just have to use your talent and your voice to help bring about the change you believe in.

Relationships built to last

Posted on: February 14th, 2012 by Amy Lynn Smith No Comments

There’s more than one kind of relationship. And there’s more than one way to celebrate Valentine’s Day.

This year, I spent a couple hours of my Valentine’s Day at the Obama for America Oakland County, Mich., HQ in Pontiac, where I got to know a great group of OFA team members, volunteers and supporters.

It was an all-day open house, where anyone could stop in for a one-on-one conversation with an OFA organizer to learn more about getting involved. Dozens of people came by to get to know OFA — and every one of them left feeling fired up and ready to go.

It seemed like a lot of the folks there were already eager to get involved because they jumped right in. People signed up to host house parties. They made phone calls to other supporters right then and there. They signed up to join neighborhood teams or volunteer for various tasks. There’s truly a volunteer opportunity for everyone.

I love being at events like these, because there’s a buzz of energy that is unmistakable. It’s the power of positive thinking, of believing in the reason you’re there and what you’re there to do. Everyone who was there today is committed to President Obama’s re-election campaign, because they see he’s already leading our country in the right direction and want to give him four more years to keep working for the good of every American.

What’s even cooler? The fact that long after the one-on-one sessions were done, assignments were made and people were signed up to help, they stuck around. Because they just wanted to chat. They wanted to talk about President Obama’s accomplishments and their reasons for getting involved. They wanted to share their pride in our President and their faith in his leadership.

With energy and enthusiasm like that, there’s nothing this team can’t do.

We’re fired up and ready to go. And ready to win.

Tags: campaign, Michigan, Oakland County, Obama 2012, Obama for America, OFA, positive energy, President Obama, volunteers
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Women can do anything

Posted on: November 17th, 2011 by Amy Lynn Smith No Comments

It was a great gathering of women, a powerful reminder of how strong we are and how much we can do.

The Women for Obama initiative launched this week, and volunteers from Organizing for America (OFA) — the President’s grassroots team — met in Pontiac, Mich., to listen to a kick-off conference call with Michelle Obama. We made phone calls of our own, too, asking other women to take action and get involved.

The 20 women who gathered in Pontiac are already actively engaged in the 2012 campaign. Each one has a story about why she supports President Obama.

Betty, a retired public health nurse, is passionate about the preventive coverage provided by the Affordable Care Act (ACA). She knows first-hand how much healthcare reform is needed. “The healthiest babies are the ones who are planned,” she said, “and whose mothers can take good care of themselves during their entire pregnancy.”

The environment is important to Pam, who believes in the President’s position on clean energy. “I want to give him a second term so he can work more on that,” she said.

Glenda and Sylvia both admire the President and First Lady for their commitment to American families. They applaud Mrs. Obama’s leadership role in the Joining Forces and Let’s Move programs.

“My granddaughter’s school has put healthier food on the lunch menu and they do more exercise, so my granddaughter has lost weight and feels better about herself,” said Sylvia. “President and Mrs. Obama do so much to help the people of this country.”

That message was reinforced during the conference call, when a volunteer from Florida shared her story about why she got involved. “President Obama is a President of the people,” she said. “He’s fighting for us every day.”

Mrs. Obama thanked all the women listening in on the call for getting involved, reminding us that change happens one person at a time. She asked us to do whatever we can to help the President continue the work he’s doing and protect the progress he’s already made for women and their families.

Whether it’s working a phonebank, registering voters, hosting a house party to educate friends and family about the issues or just talking with people one-on-one, women have a vital role to play in the 2012 election. After all, we play a vital role in this country.

Mrs. Obama asked us to step up. Everyone who was in Pontiac for that call already has. But we’re women. We’ll step up even more. Because there’s no limit to what we can do.