on August 22nd 1964 fannie lou hamer
addressed the democratic national
convention credentials subcommittee
fannie lou hamer a black daughter of
sharecroppers from montgomery county
mississippi who was a reproductive
rights advocate it came to be because
she went to the doctor one day to get a
routine checkup and walked out with a
hysterectomy against her will just the
facts fannie lou hamer is fight for
reproductive rights led her to join the
Student Nonviolent Coordinating
Committee or snick a civil rights group
because fannie lou hamer knew that she
could not fight for reproductive rights
she could not effectively address the
issues in her community if she didn’t
have any power at the ballot box fannie
lou hamer became a heralded civil rights
leader a voting rights leader and that’s
what led her to the stage at the
Democratic National Convention that
fateful August that day Fannie Lou Hamer
pushed through a room of white men to
the front of the credentials committee
meeting she sat down to advocate for the
Mississippi Freedom Party a party she
started because black people were not
allowed to be seated with the all-white
Mississippi delegation at the Democratic
convention and it was fannie lou hamer
who was demanding that the mississippi
freedom party be set with the all-white
Mississippi delegation because black
people too deserve rights because poor
people too needed a voice because women
deserved a seat at the table
well more than 15 years later folks not
just in the United States of America but
all across the globe women black people
brown people indigenous people the
lgbtq+ community are still fighting for
many of the things Fannie Lou Hamer said
at that table to fight for so when you
ask me how do we bridge the gap in
politics when it comes to women when it
comes to minorities well first we have
to realize that we really haven’t come
as far as we think we have if we really
want to bridge the gaps we’re gonna have
to change the system we’re gonna have to
understand that we need folks like
fannie lou hamer outside individuals who
are willing to press upon the system who
willing to march and push the crowds of
misogyny and racism and sexism who
willing to walk through the front of the
room while many people told her she did
not belong pull up a seat at the table
and demand what it is that we know to be
ours if we really want to bridge the
gaps we have to do some work power
concedes nothing without a demand ladies
and gentlemen talk concedes nothing
without a demand there’s no system in
power anywhere in this world that is
nobody’s saying come take my job nobody
is saying come make me do a little bit
more work today
no but change comes about because folks
that are willing to organize folks are
willing to strategize people that
believe in something better come
together and put pressure on the system
so the system can do nothing but acts
I so we need our politics today
regardless of what side of the political
aisle you sit on so if you ask me how
could women how can people of color
how can minorities make a difference
first we have to stop asking for
permission you know before I served as
the national press secretary for senator
Bernie Sanders presidential campaign I
worked at a trade organization a
consumer advocacy think tank in the
States and I was their press person I
hated it I knew nothing about trade
there’s a hardest thing I ever did every
day I went to work somebody reminded me
that I didn’t know as much as I thought
I knew that would work anyway and after
working the trade job for about six
months I realized that I came to
Washington DC because I wanted to work
in politics I worked 15 different
campaigns throughout my short collegiate
life I’m 29 years old
actually I turned 29 in December like
next week like Monday but I knew I
wanted to work in politics so in May of
2015 I said I went on interviews because
I came to Washington DC to work in
politics
y’all look good feeling good y’all
caught on any has to prep you don’t you
know I went on 27 interviews if there’s
a democratic entity in the city of
Washington DC I interviewed there and
they did not hire me they told me I
spoke so well I was so engaging
then I dressed so well every time I came
into the office then I was a joy to be
there but they were just gonna hire
somebody internally or they done found
somebody else for the position or they
didn’t think I was a good fit for the
three days after my 27 interview I’m
sitting in my office it’s a consumer
advocacy think team because I still had
a job because my mama told me don’t
I’m sitting in my office destruct
because I just I came to Washington DC
because I wanted to work in politics and
I get a phone call on my cell phone and
don’t you know it’s Jeff Weaver Bernie
Sanders then campaign manager cold call
he says hello I want to know if you want
to come work for us I’m Bernie Sanders
campaign manager and I say who I ended
up sitting down and having a
conversation with Jeff Weaver a couple
weeks later I have a conversation with
the communications director and then I
don’t hear anything so now I’ve been on
29 interviews and nobody has hired me I
am still working as a consumer advocacy
think-tank for trade and I came to DC to
work in politics that Thursday I’m
leading Hill tours for juvenile justice
group because I am a juvenile justice
advocate in my small spare time and I
get a cold call on my cell phone again
it’s a black number don’t you know
somebody from Bernie Sanders office
saying hello the senator would like to
meet with you today well I’ve been on 29
interviews and I was leading Hill
towards my juvenile justice group and I
said I would love to meet with the
senator but unfortunately I’m only
available until 4:00 p.m. today and I
will not be available again and talk to
the 745 y’all it was 2:30
that’s the Millennial in me
she says can’t you be flexible I said no
so if I cannot meet with the senator
today I’m sorry I will have to catch him
next time she hangs up the phone she
calls me back in five minutes she says
can you come now
I said actually I cannot race over to
senator Bernie Sanders office I go into
the meeting it’s just he and I were
about the economy and his stance on the
economy and the criticism the folks have
had of his campaign thus far but how he
is not effectively address race we
reconcile at the end of our conversation
we come to a point where we can both
agree Bernie Sanders says you know I
think I like you I said I think I like
you too sorry he said I think I want you
to work here I said well I think I would
like to work here too the Bernie Sanders
asked me something that not any of the
29 other interviews asked me he said do
you have an idea of what you’d like to
do I said yes sir I would like to be
your national press secretary I would
like to be your own in the record
spokesperson and I want to have a hand
in the messaging strategy just like we
discussed here Bernie turns his head
slightly and he says ah have you ever
done cable television before I say no
sir but I do believe I would be very
good at it
Bernie laughs just as you do and he says
okay someone’s gonna call you I’ve heard
that before so I’ll shoot all my shots
I said well sorry do I talk poins with
you before I go cuz you know economic
inequality he lasts he says someone will
call you that was a Thursday on Tuesday
I get a phone calls Jeff Weaver he says
kid Bernie likes you I love you we
started talking about a phone and a
laptop I said hold up Jeff what’s my job
title job Tyler’s are important for the
Millea was in the room he said national
I say got to say good if we really want
to change the state of our politics
wherever we are in the world women
particularly women of color people have
colored young people anyone who is not
of the majority we have to stop waiting
and asking for permission because the
fact of the matter is sometimes you can
be the best sometimes you will be the
smartest in the room sometimes you will
be the person that has done the most
work and the proverbial they still won’t
pick you because perhaps you don’t look
like what they were looking for because
your experience looks a little bit
different because you do not compact in
a way the folks were expecting you to
come but if we want to change the nature
of our politics if we want to change the
system we have to be willing to do some
things that haven’t been done before so
I’m gonna leave you with this a poem by
edgar guest it’s called the things that
haven’t been done before and images
christopher colombus which is
problematic for me because the only
christopher like to acknowledge is
Christopher Wallace look it up but it’s
it’s timely the things that haven’t been
done before by aggregates the things
that haven’t been done before those are
the things to try Columbus dreamed of an
unknown Shore at the rim of the
far-flung sky though his heart was bold
and his faith was strong as he ventured
two dangers knew he paid no heed to the
cheering throng of the fears of doubt
and crew many will follow the beaten
track with guideposts along the way that
lived in has lived for ages back with
the chart for every day someone has told
him it’s safe to go on the road they
have traveled or and all they ever
strive to know are the things that were
known before but few will strike out
without map our tribe we’re never a man
a woman has been from the beaten path
they draw apart to see what no man or
woman has seen their deeds they hunger
alone to do their bruised and battered
and sore they blazed the trail for many
who do nothing not done before but
things that hadn’t been done before the
tasks worth while today are you one of
the flock that follow are you one that
shall lead the way are you one of the
timid souls at Quail to jeers of a
shouting crew or did you whether you win
or fail strike out for a goal that’s new [Applause]
addressed the democratic national
convention credentials subcommittee
fannie lou hamer a black daughter of
sharecroppers from montgomery county
mississippi who was a reproductive
rights advocate it came to be because
she went to the doctor one day to get a
routine checkup and walked out with a
hysterectomy against her will just the
facts fannie lou hamer is fight for
reproductive rights led her to join the
Student Nonviolent Coordinating
Committee or snick a civil rights group
because fannie lou hamer knew that she
could not fight for reproductive rights
she could not effectively address the
issues in her community if she didn’t
have any power at the ballot box fannie
lou hamer became a heralded civil rights
leader a voting rights leader and that’s
what led her to the stage at the
Democratic National Convention that
fateful August that day Fannie Lou Hamer
pushed through a room of white men to
the front of the credentials committee
meeting she sat down to advocate for the
Mississippi Freedom Party a party she
started because black people were not
allowed to be seated with the all-white
Mississippi delegation at the Democratic
convention and it was fannie lou hamer
who was demanding that the mississippi
freedom party be set with the all-white
Mississippi delegation because black
people too deserve rights because poor
people too needed a voice because women
deserved a seat at the table
well more than 15 years later folks not
just in the United States of America but
all across the globe women black people
brown people indigenous people the
lgbtq+ community are still fighting for
many of the things Fannie Lou Hamer said
at that table to fight for so when you
ask me how do we bridge the gap in
politics when it comes to women when it
comes to minorities well first we have
to realize that we really haven’t come
as far as we think we have if we really
want to bridge the gaps we’re gonna have
to change the system we’re gonna have to
understand that we need folks like
fannie lou hamer outside individuals who
are willing to press upon the system who
willing to march and push the crowds of
misogyny and racism and sexism who
willing to walk through the front of the
room while many people told her she did
not belong pull up a seat at the table
and demand what it is that we know to be
ours if we really want to bridge the
gaps we have to do some work power
concedes nothing without a demand ladies
and gentlemen talk concedes nothing
without a demand there’s no system in
power anywhere in this world that is
nobody’s saying come take my job nobody
is saying come make me do a little bit
more work today
no but change comes about because folks
that are willing to organize folks are
willing to strategize people that
believe in something better come
together and put pressure on the system
so the system can do nothing but acts
I so we need our politics today
regardless of what side of the political
aisle you sit on so if you ask me how
could women how can people of color
how can minorities make a difference
first we have to stop asking for
permission you know before I served as
the national press secretary for senator
Bernie Sanders presidential campaign I
worked at a trade organization a
consumer advocacy think tank in the
States and I was their press person I
hated it I knew nothing about trade
there’s a hardest thing I ever did every
day I went to work somebody reminded me
that I didn’t know as much as I thought
I knew that would work anyway and after
working the trade job for about six
months I realized that I came to
Washington DC because I wanted to work
in politics I worked 15 different
campaigns throughout my short collegiate
life I’m 29 years old
actually I turned 29 in December like
next week like Monday but I knew I
wanted to work in politics so in May of
2015 I said I went on interviews because
I came to Washington DC to work in
politics
y’all look good feeling good y’all
caught on any has to prep you don’t you
know I went on 27 interviews if there’s
a democratic entity in the city of
Washington DC I interviewed there and
they did not hire me they told me I
spoke so well I was so engaging
then I dressed so well every time I came
into the office then I was a joy to be
there but they were just gonna hire
somebody internally or they done found
somebody else for the position or they
didn’t think I was a good fit for the
three days after my 27 interview I’m
sitting in my office it’s a consumer
advocacy think team because I still had
a job because my mama told me don’t
I’m sitting in my office destruct
because I just I came to Washington DC
because I wanted to work in politics and
I get a phone call on my cell phone and
don’t you know it’s Jeff Weaver Bernie
Sanders then campaign manager cold call
he says hello I want to know if you want
to come work for us I’m Bernie Sanders
campaign manager and I say who I ended
up sitting down and having a
conversation with Jeff Weaver a couple
weeks later I have a conversation with
the communications director and then I
don’t hear anything so now I’ve been on
29 interviews and nobody has hired me I
am still working as a consumer advocacy
think-tank for trade and I came to DC to
work in politics that Thursday I’m
leading Hill tours for juvenile justice
group because I am a juvenile justice
advocate in my small spare time and I
get a cold call on my cell phone again
it’s a black number don’t you know
somebody from Bernie Sanders office
saying hello the senator would like to
meet with you today well I’ve been on 29
interviews and I was leading Hill
towards my juvenile justice group and I
said I would love to meet with the
senator but unfortunately I’m only
available until 4:00 p.m. today and I
will not be available again and talk to
the 745 y’all it was 2:30
that’s the Millennial in me
she says can’t you be flexible I said no
so if I cannot meet with the senator
today I’m sorry I will have to catch him
next time she hangs up the phone she
calls me back in five minutes she says
can you come now
I said actually I cannot race over to
senator Bernie Sanders office I go into
the meeting it’s just he and I were
about the economy and his stance on the
economy and the criticism the folks have
had of his campaign thus far but how he
is not effectively address race we
reconcile at the end of our conversation
we come to a point where we can both
agree Bernie Sanders says you know I
think I like you I said I think I like
you too sorry he said I think I want you
to work here I said well I think I would
like to work here too the Bernie Sanders
asked me something that not any of the
29 other interviews asked me he said do
you have an idea of what you’d like to
do I said yes sir I would like to be
your national press secretary I would
like to be your own in the record
spokesperson and I want to have a hand
in the messaging strategy just like we
discussed here Bernie turns his head
slightly and he says ah have you ever
done cable television before I say no
sir but I do believe I would be very
good at it
Bernie laughs just as you do and he says
okay someone’s gonna call you I’ve heard
that before so I’ll shoot all my shots
I said well sorry do I talk poins with
you before I go cuz you know economic
inequality he lasts he says someone will
call you that was a Thursday on Tuesday
I get a phone calls Jeff Weaver he says
kid Bernie likes you I love you we
started talking about a phone and a
laptop I said hold up Jeff what’s my job
title job Tyler’s are important for the
Millea was in the room he said national
I say got to say good if we really want
to change the state of our politics
wherever we are in the world women
particularly women of color people have
colored young people anyone who is not
of the majority we have to stop waiting
and asking for permission because the
fact of the matter is sometimes you can
be the best sometimes you will be the
smartest in the room sometimes you will
be the person that has done the most
work and the proverbial they still won’t
pick you because perhaps you don’t look
like what they were looking for because
your experience looks a little bit
different because you do not compact in
a way the folks were expecting you to
come but if we want to change the nature
of our politics if we want to change the
system we have to be willing to do some
things that haven’t been done before so
I’m gonna leave you with this a poem by
edgar guest it’s called the things that
haven’t been done before and images
christopher colombus which is
problematic for me because the only
christopher like to acknowledge is
Christopher Wallace look it up but it’s
it’s timely the things that haven’t been
done before by aggregates the things
that haven’t been done before those are
the things to try Columbus dreamed of an
unknown Shore at the rim of the
far-flung sky though his heart was bold
and his faith was strong as he ventured
two dangers knew he paid no heed to the
cheering throng of the fears of doubt
and crew many will follow the beaten
track with guideposts along the way that
lived in has lived for ages back with
the chart for every day someone has told
him it’s safe to go on the road they
have traveled or and all they ever
strive to know are the things that were
known before but few will strike out
without map our tribe we’re never a man
a woman has been from the beaten path
they draw apart to see what no man or
woman has seen their deeds they hunger
alone to do their bruised and battered
and sore they blazed the trail for many
who do nothing not done before but
things that hadn’t been done before the
tasks worth while today are you one of
the flock that follow are you one that
shall lead the way are you one of the
timid souls at Quail to jeers of a
shouting crew or did you whether you win
or fail strike out for a goal that’s new [Applause]
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