My name's Amy, and I'm a stay-at-home-mom in NE Ohio. I've been reading Daily Kos for a few years now but this is my first diary. I hope I'm doing this right.
In the summer and fall of 2008, my two kids were small and my husband was traveling out of state for work 5-6 days a week. I wanted badly to be involved in OFA but with the exception of some phone banking and last-minute GOTV I couldn't manage it. I cried when Ohio turned blue in 2008, and I promised myself that in four years, when my kids were older and in school full-time, I would be more involved.
In August I was contacted by our amazing local field organizer, who drove all the way here from L.A. to work in Lorain County, west of Cleveland. My husband and I started canvassing on weekends, bringing our two kids along (they're great at holding all that slippery campaign lit!), and sometimes the FO and I would canvass on weekdays while the kids were in school. Lorain County is generally Democratic, but I live in an eastern suburb that is heavily Republican and makes canvassing challenging.
It was all the more challenging for me, as I've always been very shy, so much so that up until a few years ago I didn't even like calling to order a pizza. I was terribly nervous my first time canvassing, but I kept asking myself these questions: if President Obama wasn't re-elected, and I hadn't done everything I could to help, how I was I going to live with myself? How was I going to explain to my kids that I hadn't stood up for something I believed in so strongly? That, and the thought of a Romney presidency was enough to scare the pants off me and, as my mom would say, light a fire under my butt.
After a few weeks my FO asked me if I'd like to be the canvassing coordinator for our city, and later asked me to head up the canvassing efforts for GOTV. And then last week he asked if I'd like to introduce Vice President Biden when he came to Lorain High School on October 22. I was thrilled. And terrified, and excited. In the end I introduced Ashley Biden, who introduced her dad, and I was introduced by the oh-so-exuberant Governor Ted Strickland, who is sorely missed here in Ohio. (Thank you to my husband for the photos).
(I couldn't embed the video, but you can view it here: http://www.morningjournal.com/...)
Like canvassing, speaking in front of 1,300 people is something I never imagined I would do, or could do (not without throwing up, anyway). This election has made me put on my big girl panties and do things I didn't think I was capable of doing. I hope that maybe someone who hasn't yet gotten involved with OFA will read this and be inspired to get out and knock on some doors, because that's what it's going to take, especially here in Ohio. My FO tells me that we have the voters to win Ohio for President Obama, what we need is to make sure that all of those voters get to the polls. Donations are great, but what we really need is volunteers hitting the streets and getting out the vote.
If you can get to Ohio to help, please do. You can go to https://dashboard.barackobama.com/ and search by zip code for whatever city you're interested in working in/near. We would love to have you!