After standing by while big-time corporate bankers crashed the economy and tax cuts for the wealthy failed to create the jobs we were promised, conservatives are trying to shift the economic blame on to working Minnesotans. This panel will cover the conservative plan to blame teachers, public defenders, and working Minnesotans for conservative mistakes, and how we can fight back.

Some of the most interesting stories in Minnesota are most thoroughly covered in venues like IndyMedia and Fight Back News (Jimmy Johns organizing; indigenous activism; FBI raids, Wikileaks,etc). While these online publications are representative of the radical left, the information and contacts in under-represented communities are invaluable for the more daring progressive blogger. How can more mainstream social media activists work with workers in the more radical media?

Creating a successful online advertising campaign requires thinking like an online marketer. During this session, you will learn how to answer the question “what is online marketing?” You will put yourself in the shoes of a newly hired online marketer, walking through tactics, strategy, and learn about integration of online and traditional marketing. You will leave with a basic understanding of online advertising services in search engines and social media channels, including Google, Facebook, BlogAds, and more.

House Minority Leader Rep. Paul Thissen and Sen. John Marty will join us for a conversation about the upcoming legislative session and how we can work together to fight for progressive causes. Moderated by Alliance for a Better Minnesota's Denise Cardinal.

Data and online tools are a big part of progressive organizing and could be key in how we build support for progressive causes given the current political environment. This training session will provide successful strategies you can use to engage and mobilize people.

This is for grassroots organizers and leaders to practice their recruitment and leadership development skills- around storytelling, agitation, and strong asks. We'll review the what one-to-ones are, create a sample one-to-one drive plan and then actually practice.

With a Democratic Governor and Republican majorities in the Minnesota State legislature, the landscape for connecting with voters has changed. By clearly identifying not only your organization's message, but also considering your audience, your goals and the best venues for this message you can find success in the new year. This panel will focus on the necessary steps to creating a positive message and help you identify the challenges and opportunities that await progressives in the new year.

Many of Minnesota’s progressive organizations have begun to focus more of their energy online, but is that energy successful getting them connecting to bloggers and the online community? Are active bloggers finding ways to connect their readers with the existing progressive infrastructure? This panel will look at what has worked, what needs working on, and where we go from the 2010 Elections in growing our movement online.

Safe Schools. Marriage Equality. Comprehensive Sex-Ed. Building our Base for LGBT Equality with our coalition partners will be critical in Minnesota's new environmental climate. Fighting a Constitutional Amendment limiting marriage in the state is just one issue we might face this session. Can we hold the line and move forward toward LGBT equality? Redefining our wins, shifting our strategies and fewer allies in the legislature will not limit our long-term success in helping LGBTQ Minnesotans live fully inspired lives free of discrimination.Join us in a discussion of tools and tactics in base building for LGBT Equality in this new political landscape.

Sarah Palin once tweeted that feminism was “hijacked by a cackle of rads” who dared question her commitment to women's rights. Palin has successfully exploited rifts in the feminist movement to her and her party's advantage. Feminists appear fragmented in their response, rather than a united force for broad-based (pun intended) social change. This panel will lead a brainstorming session on how Minnesota feminists can unify their messages in an increasingly hostile political landscape. Groups such as the Minnesota Family Council. Minnesota Majority, and even the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce are itching to roll back the hard-fought civil rights gains of the last twenty years. It's going to take some strong and sustained cackling to stop them.

This workshop is an overview of some of the ways organizations can test emails and actions for their ongoing efficacy, using MoveOn tests as a case study. Though testing doesn't replace instinct and innovation, some basic stats analysis and systems can dramatically improve the power of your list.

In 2011, for the first time there will be an anti-choice majority in both the House and the Senate. With so many legislators touting their connections to conservative and anti-abortion action groups, we can expect to see multiple roadblocks thrown up to stop access to contraception, abortion, and even sex education. From challenging Doe v Gomez to proposing conscience clauses, this panel will discuss moves we can expect to see this legislative session and what can be done to to counter the attack on reproductive health.

What is our story? Instead of complaining about how we don't have a message, participate in this workshop session as we discuss, share and develop ways to tell our story of fairness, opportunity and community.

One of the most emotional economic and human rights issues facing progressive activists and all policy makers is immigration. Common wisdom says this issue is a win for extremists on the right, but common wisdom is wrong. Learn about field-tested messaging on immigrants and immigration policy from two organizers who've been crafting persuasive messages about CIR.

What is the difference between mobile websites, mobile apps and mobile platforms? When is each most effective? Should your organization develop an iPhone app, or plan for Android and other devices as well? In this session, we will address these questions and explore how mobile applications can help reduce costs and boost effectiveness of advocacy efforts. Mobile apps can improve internal collaboration and be a way to reach your target audience with information they want when they need it - making them more connected and feeling a part of your organization. We will wrap the session with a look at some current successful advocacy apps.