The Recession - A Live Lobby Session
This panel is not about the housing, labor and capital markets, but rather a selection of other issues that face voters and families that we feel should be added to the legislative agenda.
With that in mind, we will be holding a live lobby session, to address how local businesses, community organizations and households are scrambling to find the resources to meet their day-to-day needs.
We will be focusing on credit issues, community services, consumer advocacy (especially food products) and schools that could and should be added to a progressive economics agenda.
We will also ensure time for audience participation, because we aren't just passing out information. This is a competition for scarce legislative attention. That's right. We'll be deciding which of these action items - one of ours, perhaps one of yours - which should be placed on the next session agenda.
Chris has an MA in Political Science from the University of North Carolina and and an International Finance MBA from the University of South Carolina’s Moore School of International Business. He has worked in the finance sector for 15 years. He is also backup host for Virtually Speaking, an internet radio show featuring thought leaders active in the progressive community (including Mike Lux, Juan Cole and more). Chris writes on economics, personal finance and a wide range of other topics at DailyKos. He will be reporting on the credit issues facing consumers and small business owners.
Joel Silberman is a strategic communications consultant/trainer preparing electoral candidates and progressive leaders for public speaking and media appearances. A recipient of the Kos Media Fellowship during his tenure as Media/Message Strategist for Markos Moulitsas and DailyKos, Silberman’s other new media clients include: Jane Hamsher, Matt Stoller, Digby, Jerome Armstrong and Mike Lux. Institutional clients include: Democracia USA, People for the American Way, Media Matters, GLAAD, Young People For, The Young Elected Officials Network, Working Assets, National Women’s Law Center, and the Center for Progressive Leadership. An award-winning New York theatrical performer/director, Silberman brings show business savvy to progressive messaging.
Marcus worked in the Financial Services Industry as a financial advisor for small business and individual family clients for 9 years. Additionally, he oversees funding of several nonprofit organizations within the United Way, serves on the Mecklenburg County Soil and Water Conservation District Board, is a City Leader with Drinking Liberally, and a National Field Organizer with Living Liberally. Marcus was recently named Chief Financial Officer and Business Manager for Sustainable Communities Initiative, a start up nonprofit which works to redevelop, remodel, and build homes in lower and middle income neighborhoods using cost-effective green technologies.
Mary Kendrick holds an MAT in English Education from Boston University and a BA in English from Kalamazoo College. She has taught English-Language Arts, grades 7-12, for sixteen years at schools in Massachusetts, South Carolina, and North Carolina. She is currently the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program (IBMYP) Coordinator and Academic Facilitator for Davidson IB Middle School in Davidson, North Carolina. She has facilitated workshops for the UNC Charlotte Writing Project, Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools, and is an Assessment Moderator for the International Baccalaureate Organization.
Jill Richardson became interested in food policy when she spent a week working in a cardiac ICU and realized many of the patients could have prevented their illnesses by improving their eating habits. Since then, she's worked with the Netroots community to seek solutions to the problems in America's food system. Jill blogs at La Vida Locavore and the title of her first book is Recipe for America: Why Our Food System is Broken and What We Can Do To Fix It.
Brad Miller is serving his fourth term from North Carolina's thirteenth Congressional District. In 1992, Brad was elected to the North Carolina House of Representatives, where he served two years. He was elected to the North Carolina Senate in 1996, where he served six years. Miller is Chairman of the Science and Technology subcommittee on Oversight and Investigation, and serves on the Financial Services and Foreign Affairs Committees.
He attended UNC at Chapel Hill for his undergraduate studies. Brad also holds a masters degree from the London School of Economics and a law degree from Columbia University.
