Getting a Young Start in Organizing with Cooper Reed
This week, Benn talks with Cooper Reed, who got his start in political organizing as a 12-year-old volunteer on Obama's 2008 campaign and has since worked on countless issue and candidate campaigns across Maine. Now the Political and Organizing Director for the Maine Democratic Party, Cooper reflects on what drew him into organizing as a kid, the emotional highs and lows of winning and losing (including the 2009 marriage campaign loss), and how campaign "withdrawal" is real. He breaks down the persuasion triangle — active listening, personal story, and effective messaging — and explains why face-to-face conversation remains essential, especially in rural Maine, one of the most rural states in the country. The conversation also covers building coalitions without burning bridges, making organizing accessible to young people (transportation, local offices, community service hours), and lessons learned from tough losses, including the 2014 Senate campaign against Susan Collins. Cooper closes with advice for anyone considering taking the leap into organizing: start where you are, ask questions, and dream big.
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Benn Marine 0:09
Welcome to the Ocean of Organizing Podcast, where every Thursday we explore what it means to build community and create change. This week I'm sharing with you a conversation I had with Cooper Reid, who got his start in political organizing as a young person volunteering on Obama's 2008 campaign, and has worked on a myriad of issues and candidate campaigns. Currently, he is the political and organizing director of the main Democratic Party. He shares with us what it was like getting started as a young person, the impact that organizing has had on his life, the ups and downs of winning and losing, and so much more. So with that, let's dive on in. What what got you into organizing and and um what has kept you in the work?
Cooper Reed 1:05
Yeah. Uh so I guess, you know, for me, it you know, organizing really uh really started when I was in middle school. So I was, I think, uh 12 going on, 13, uh, and we had a class project uh centered around the 2008 presidential primary. Uh the primary hadn't happened yet, and we were asked to uh research all the candidates at that point in time and really determine uh for ourselves uh you know which candidate best aligned with our own uh personal uh political ideology. Uh and for me uh in 2008 that was uh Barack Obama, uh and I was thrilled about it. Uh I didn't uh grow up in a political family. Uh politics was never really something that was discussed at home. Uh and and honestly, I hadn't thought about it. It was um I had privilege to not have to think about that as a kid. Um and so, you know, I went home and I talked to my grandmother, and I told her how excited I was uh and all about this this candidate that I had been researching. Uh, and she let me know that there was an office in our town. Uh, and so she drove me there that same day. Uh and it was that day that I got signed up for my very first uh volunteer shift. Um and so I started volunteering in in 2008. Um I you know really loved it. I did everything from you know making hundreds of buttons at a time to uh going out and canvassing on my own, um, to taking a ferry out to the uh island community of Islesboro uh to canvas out there um and just spent you know countless hours, uh countless hours on the phone. You know, so I would come in sometimes before school, after school, every weekend. Uh it was just something I fell in love with. Uh and the people were pretty great too. So yeah, so I guess that's kind of how it how it started. Uh, and you know, from there, uh, you know, believe it or not, we had uh the marriage campaign in 2009 that just seemed to uh be the natural progression of my life at that point from 2008 to 2009. Um, you know, and then uh after so I guess in the 2009 campaign, uh, you know, I was living in Waldo County, my father uh lived in Hancock County, um, and so my my father, my lovely father, um uh had had the patience and the time to uh you know drive me from Belfast to Ellsworth to allow me to participate in uh two different counties uh in their organizing efforts uh to really utilize my time uh most effectively uh to take advantage of of literally any opportunity that I had uh to help out that year. Um unfortunately we we lost, of course, in 2009. It was uh one of the the more uh I would say it's probably one of the most emotional experiences that I've had as a young person, just the devastating loss of that all. Um and you know, for better or for worse, I think uh that really closed me off to folks who weren't part of this world.
Benn Marine 4:09
And when you say this world, do you mean like or like the like the organizing community world?
Cooper Reed 4:14
Yeah, I I guess I would say, you know, the the organizing community in Maine, uh, which is pretty darn small, uh, which, you know, for again for better or for worse, uh, you know, it really uh at that point became uh you know a family for me, uh a chosen family. And so um yeah, uh so I I I loved it. Um and then in 2010, uh I was 15, I think I had just turned 15 uh after that summer, um, and I got a worker's permit and began working for one of the uh Democratic counties uh here in Maine over in Hancock County uh and was organizing their uh their their county elections uh that year. Um so that was my very first paid uh paid campaign uh at 15. And uh, you know, I think for just about every year after that point, um, I was uh working and getting paid uh for a campaign, uh, which is just uh tremendous. And you know, I guess throughout you know, throughout high school and uh and my time in college, you know, I was working at a campaign at the same time. Uh and I found during high school anyway that made me feel a lot more productive, uh, which was great. You know, I found I was getting better grades, I was able to really be up on everything a little bit better, but my mind was more active on a campaign uh than it when it wasn't. Yeah. So I guess that was kind of just my life after that point.
Benn Marine 5:43
In those, in those times in between camp, like in between cycles, how what what did that look like for you? Like was that like did you feel like campaign withdrawal? Because I know for me sometimes when a campaign ends, there's this really weird like withdrawal that comes at like right afterwards for like a month. Um and I don't know, maybe that's just me, but I'm curious, what did your, especially where it was such an integral part of your life and at such a young age, how did you navigate those downtimes?
Cooper Reed 6:11
Yeah, that's that's a really great question. Um, I guess, you know, it's funny you use the word withdrawal because I absolutely uh 100% ambought into the idea that campaigns are highly addictive. Um and so, and and they're also really draining uh things on anyone's, you know, mental, emotional uh health, certainly. Um and so I I guess you know, for me, I I uh luckily I had something uh something to keep me busy, uh, whether that was high school or college at the time, more or less uh to do in in between, um, or would be working with some of my local organizations in the area like Glisten. Uh Glisten had a had a chapter uh rate in Ellsworth, and conveniently they would meet at my high school, um high school after school, uh, which and Glisten, of course, is the gay lesbian and straight education network. Um and so I really threw myself into, I guess, community, community organizing when there wasn't an electoral campaign going on, um, or would help with you know signature gathering efforts. There there was always something that seemed to be happening. Um but any any sort of downtime though, it certainly I I think I uh can commiserate with the feeling of uh of withdrawal, certainly, um until the next campaign started. Uh and and you know, and despite how tough or hard or or or miserable at times it might feel to be on a campaign and just so being so tired, you know, as soon as it's over, you feel that for a little bit. Um, at least for me, I I would feel it for just a just a small amount of time, and then immediately uh I think I would romanticize them all over again and want to go right back, uh, which is very interesting.
Benn Marine 7:57
Right. I think that adds that addictive uh quality, if you will, uh that you had mentioned. Um and so now your so your current position, you are the political and organizing director for the main dems, right? Correct? That is correct. Awesome. So now what is that what does that role look like now? So now it's less of a campaign to campaign, but now you're doing more like long-term strategy setting.
Cooper Reed 8:24
Is that yeah, that's uh that's that's pretty accurate. You know, I I came uh to work for the main dems in my latest iteration uh in gosh, I believe it was June of 2017. Uh and so at that point, you know, we had started pretty darn early preparing for the 2018 election. Um so some of that work, uh, which is very similar to the work I'm doing now, is is very much centered in relationship building and you know, focusing on on every every level of election. And so I know right now for me, um, you know, municipal municipal elections and county level elections are a really big deal. Um because we know that you know not only do local elected officials set uh really important policy for for their communities, um, but also what a what a wonderful uh pipeline to build to folks who who may later on you know run for statewide or or federal office. Um and so I you know I'm working with uh county committees and I'm working with uh resistance groups uh and and their leaders um and really you know really building our plan for 2020. And um you know it's it's kind of a weird, weird thing, I guess, uh, because there is so much work that we're currently doing um and a lot more work to come, uh, but to be able to have a little bit of a breather is kind of a weird space to be in, but uh, but gosh, it's it's also really nice. It's um unfamiliar territory, but uh but nice territory for sure.
Benn Marine 9:49
And and so now having experienced both candidate work and also issue campaigns, do you feel like the skills and strategies that you use work in both directions, or are there some things that you have found, wow, this particular thing works really well when I'm working on an issue. Maybe not so much when I'm working for a candidate or vice versa?
Cooper Reed 10:14
Yeah, that's that's a really great question, Ben. Um I would say, you know, I think I learned something different on every single campaign that I'm on. Uh, and I try to use best practices that I learn uh on on the next campaign. And so sometimes that can feel a little less uh like it, like it doesn't, uh it might not necessarily uh on the outset look like it would flow really well into the next next type of campaign if I'm going from issue to candidate campaign. But uh but I'm a strong believer though that we can take those best practices and really apply them to to any type of campaign. And so uh one thing in particular that I've found to be incredibly helpful uh is taking taking a uh an adequate amount of time to actually speak to voters uh about uh what what they're feeling, what they're thinking, and and really getting a temperature gauge of where folks are at to be able to determine really good messages and things that might really work well uh to work towards your to your uh your win number. Um and so, you know, for instance, if uh if I'm working for a candidate, let's say, or we're we're really advocating for this one candidate, um, and we can roughly, you know, our we're like 30,000 uh votes. We have got about 30,000 votes that we're really not sure about. I think taking the time to actually talk to folks and and feel feel them out and figure out what they care about so that we know what to talk about really will will better serve us in the long run, uh, rather than making assumptions about the communities that we're going into. And so um, you know, I that that certainly came from the 2012 uh marriage campaign for me, where there was about, I would say, at least a year um of just canvassing and then and taking part in active listening. Um and so active listening and and really utilizing um what we would refer to as the persuasion triangle uh has been really integral to the work that I've I've done just because it's um you know it's such a it's such a great practice uh that you can really use it for just about anything. And I think it's uh something maybe that's a little less used uh when we're talking about candidates or or uh you know any any one political party, but um but I think that that approach is a really good one, and I think it taught us some really great lessons. And so that's one of those things that I don't I don't want it to get swept under the rug. I want to keep keep using something that works and and taking our time uh and investing in in the best uh best methodology to get us where we need to be uh for long-term building.
Benn Marine 12:51
And and so for folks who maybe aren't familiar with that uh persuasion triangle, would you mind just talking us through that and kind of its applications?
Cooper Reed 13:00
Yeah. Um so gosh, I if I get this wrong, please correct me, but um uh from memory anyway, I uh believe it's a little uh something like this, a little bit like this. Uh one one third of the triangle uh has to do with active listening. Um and so that's you know more than just uh you know kind of half paying attention to someone, really trying to show them that you are you're listening as they're speaking and speaking speaking back to them and and kind of reaffirming that you you were indeed paying attention and and um and whatnot. Uh another piece of that is uh personal story, and so being able to actually really emotionally engage with someone about uh about a topic and and uh you know that's uh a bit of sharing, it's a bit of incorporating what this person is telling you uh and really having that authentic conversation. Um and we know so much that this is you know more than just uh an intellectual argument. Um when we're speaking to people, uh, we need to also appeal emotionally for that to be um effective in and changing uh changing behavior. Uh and maybe that behavior is voting uh voting for your candidate or for your issue. Um and then the third piece is just uh effective persuasive messaging. And so knowing knowing what someone really cares about, being able to talk about the thing that you're there to talk about in a way that uh appeals to that person uh is really important. Because if, you know, Ben, if I'm speaking to you and I know you you really love dogs, um, if if I'm telling you all about you know how I care about cats, you know, maybe that doesn't resonate for you. But if I'm to you know talk to you about uh our our shared love of dogs, uh, you know, maybe maybe that might be a little more engaging for you than than it would be if I were to leave that part out entirely. Um so that for me is kind of the persuasion triangle and is putting all those pieces together uh in in equal parts uh to really make make for an effective uh persuasive conversation that is also uh an authentic conversation. Um because ultimately people people know how to talk to one another. It doesn't need to be something that is ultimately so constructed, um, but being able to kind of bring these pieces in to allow for that organic, authentic conversation to happen um really, really certainly works.
Benn Marine 15:22
Yeah, I I would agree, and I I think it's really interesting. I heard um I heard recently on another oh gosh, I don't remember what I was listening to, but I I heard on another podcast where they were talking about listening skills and how so often you know we'll we might hear what somebody says literally and interpret it in a way that's not what the speaker had in mind. And they were talking about how and and it reminded me of like the the persuasion triangle and how it's so important to listen and ask questions and be that active listener like you're talking about and to ensure that we're really hearing folks. And I and I think that that skill set is also I think something that a lot I've heard a lot of folks asking about recently, especially in the wake of you know the Trump um uh administration is how to have constructive conversations with friends and family. And I feel like that model, that like triangle model, I think is I think very applicable um to a lot of those conversations too.
Cooper Reed 16:24
Yeah, absolutely. Um and one thing I would add too is that you know the real emphasis here, I think, with these uh persuasion conversations that utilize this this triangle method, um really they they work most effectively face to face. And that's really a big part of this because you know, active listening is not not simply the words that are coming out of someone's mouth, but it's also uh you know, a big part of that too is body language and being able to interpret body language and to be able to um to mirror really good body language that's uh that's open and and um yeah, I guess just mostly open to conversation. Um I just wanted to wanted to add that in. And and especially with in the technological age and where it's so hard to actually talk to someone over the phone. Um, you know, I I think we've we've gotta be able to use this, you know, low-tech face-to-face uh option to really get where we want to be. And that's that's very interesting uh in a in an ever developing technological age where we want to you know to seek uh technological alternatives to make our work faster and more effective, to have to kind of scale that back and to have really low-tech uh voter contact. It's really interesting to me.
Benn Marine 17:35
And yeah, and actually that brings up a great point, especially where you know you're you're looking at a map of Maine, which um for listeners who don't know, Maine's actually one of the most, if not the most, rural states in terms of population dispersion, right? Like we have more folks living in rural settings than any other state in the country, which I think presents a really unique uh challenge when it comes to trying to orchestrate those face-to-face conversations. And and I know you've done a lot of organizing in rural Maine and in other um parts of the country. I'm curious what are what are some of the ways that you've navigated that or found ways to be most efficient.
Cooper Reed 18:18
Yeah, I mean, I I guess you know, uh in in rural communities, you know, people uh people care deeply uh about the place that they live. Uh people live there with great intention, more or less. Um and so really trying to take those communities seriously and and uh involving local people uh in as much of the dismiss decision-making process as possible and getting local folks to really care and and get that local investment um is really key uh to making that to making that possible. And so that you know, that not only goes back to uh you know what what is effective messaging for this community, but it's also you know what uh what areas are are make you know for good driving turf versus uh perhaps there are some you know good uh some good walking turfs in there too, despite the the rural nature of the county. Um and and really just knowing knowing where you are uh and having a local awareness and and really utilizing that active listening skill prior to getting out on doors and and really um hearing folks about the best approaches to that work. Um But I you know I think really showing up, showing up in these communities really means a lot. Um so when you go out and knock on a door in in rural Maine, um, you know, we had volunteers this cycle who would say, you know, I knocked on the door, um, you know, maybe it was in Lubeck, uh, and and they heard that, you know, this was the first person who had ever come to their door. You know, in all these years of campaigns, this was the first time that we had gone out and we had knocked on this door. Uh that really means a lot. And so taking the time uh to invest in rural communities can really pay off in dividends, uh, especially given the high percentage of rural communities that we have. I think people really, really appreciate when you take the time to, you know, drive, drive down the really long dirt road uh, you know, to talk to somebody.
Benn Marine 20:08
Um I'm I'm curious, in your experiences with organizing, what have been some of the biggest lessons that you've learned?
Cooper Reed 20:18
You know, I guess uh, you know, part of this work uh really for uh in a way it really forced me to get uh you know, not to make a cliche, but to get organized with my life. And so, you know, my Google Calendar for me is uh is my version of my my own Bible, uh, where everything goes there, every you know, 15 to 30 minute increment of my life is is really played out in terms of my work to uh you know to really set myself uh toward the path of success. Um and just to make sure that I'm I'm accounting for every little piece. Um and and you know, I think how I talk to people now uh is is probably different than than it was as a preteen. Um I think probably learning how to speak to people um has has been a big, big life lesson um as a as a self-identified awkward person as well. Um, you know, having having to talk to a lot of people at a time in front of a group of people or or give you know give public speeches has also just really been a great uh life lesson opportunity for me and figuring out how to you know how to take myself uh myself seriously and to uh you know associate uh worth and value there, um, and to know that it's it's meaningful to to feel heard and also to hear others. Um and so, you know, I think uh I I've tried to apply just as just as many lessons, either intentionally or unintentionally, uh, to to my own life. Um But you know, I I think uh you know, listening, listening to others and and hearing what they really care about. Um And and internalizing that in a lot of ways, you know, and and um and hearing someone out um has been really really helpful. Uh and and in terms of my professional life, you know, I think uh you know learning to build relationships with um with allies and with um you know coalition partners and not you know learning the the value of not burning bridges, um Maine is a very small state and so uh it's it's helpful to have working relationships um that you can use in in future years because uh because you have to. And so being able to work together, I think, uh across this professional landscape uh has also been a great opportunity uh to learn. You know, I I I think you know, going to work for the main dams in in 2017 was really cathartic uh because um you know my my boss and my my current boss still uh was one of the very first people I I had ever worked for. Uh you know, Katie Mae Simpson is our executive director, and gosh, I I don't remember what what year now, but certainly I was uh either a preteen or a teenager at that point. But uh but I did an internship with Emerge Maine. And at the time, you know, Katie May was the executive director there. Uh and so just the this whole process of of Maine Maine and and and the organizing community here uh being so small has just been uh generally such a life learning experience for me.
Benn Marine 23:28
And so for folks that maybe are kind of just getting their feet wet or getting started in either coalition building or um building out some of those professional relationships, what advice would you give to them in terms of building those bridges and connections?
Cooper Reed 23:42
Yeah, um I you know I guess I would say, you know, don't don't be um caught up in being afraid to reach out and ask questions. Um you know, I've I've asked a lot of questions that that were probably very highly naive in my youth uh in first getting involved of of folks in in pretty high places at the time. And so I think you know, those folks uh being very patient with me in answering questions um really has has instilled uh this this attitude that you know we should, you know, we should really work with everybody and answer questions and and whatnot. So I would say, you know, reaching out to organizations that that kind of fit your own values and and places that you want to put your time and things that you're passionate about, and and to ask how to get involved, uh, because there is an unending amount of work uh in the Trump age. Yeah, and just that, you know, we folks will will be here to to work with you and to empower and uplift you, um, if that is what you're seeking at the time. Um and just to say, you know, also think really big. Um so if you you know you've got a big goal, um, it's uh it's okay to dream big, you know. We we often have to start uh you know step by step to get to that end place, but um, but I would say, you know, don't don't limit what your dreams are, you know. If if um if your dream is done Susan Collins in 2020, uh then I want to talk to you because we we can absolutely get there. Um, you know, I've seen uh organizers do really big things. Um, you know, even especially maybe especially when uh someone has counted organizing out or field out. Um you know, we're powerful humans. Uh we we build we build coalitions with uh with voters, with volunteers, and um you know we are we are the collection of of fish uh that will ultimately defeat the the large fish. So uh so dream big.
Benn Marine 25:52
Awesome. Do you have um some some examples that folks might enjoy? Oh gosh. Uh or your favorite, how about your favorite ones or your favorite, your favorite moments?
Cooper Reed 26:04
Yeah, gosh. Uh, you know, I I think actually something that um Ben, I might be remembering this wrong, but I think that you might have been there. Uh so please correct me if I'm wrong. But uh I remember in in college I uh was asked to go to Salt Lake City um to help organize the Republican caucuses out there with equality Utah. Um now they were attempting to find pro-equality candidates uh to run uh in a state where where everyone essentially is is a Republican um to try to to pass a non-discrimination ordinance. Um now that I'm saying this, I'm doubting myself. No, I was there. I was there, you're right. You're you're yeah, you're keep trucking, you got it. Sweet. Okay. The more I spoke, I was like, I don't know quite sure. Um uh but no, it was uh you know, it was fantastic, you know, because this was uh you know, about a week uh in a state that I had never been in before, uh working with uh with people uh like yourself who I greatly admire, uh who I who I view as uh uh you know theoretical organizing giants uh in in the world of um well in this world of organizing uh and being able to to talk to voters who uh you know thought a little bit differently than than I did and to try to do good in in in places where you know we might might not have uh made an attempt before. Um and so you know, really, really getting out of out of Maine, even for just a brief moment, uh, to try to experience what that world what that world was like. Um and you know, we had some pretty pretty weird things happen, you know, like uh like for instance, I was um I was the person asked to uh have the Google Voice number reroute to my phone uh for this um for this effort with uh with Mutons for Freedom. Uh and so I remember one day we were called by a you know evangelical Christian radio show uh that wanted to unmask us as a false as a false operation and and ruin the whole thing. Um and I remember as a as a you know young person, uh young, youngish, uh still young for main standards, but uh trying to trying to navigate that, I think, and and you know make make the best out of that experience um was just so much fun. Uh, you know, and we you know ultimately, you know, I think had some successes there. And and um and even though that was uh you know that was me dropping in essentially for a small amount of time with a bunch of other wonderful, wonderful folks, um getting getting to to you know uproot temporarily uh to work together uh was just so rewarding. Um and so you know, don't uh so I would say, you know, really don't count anything out. Um uh you know, another another experience, uh while we were unsuccessful, I would say in in 2014 I worked for uh now Senator uh Shenna Bellows, who was running, she's she's a state senator now, uh, but at the time she was running for the United States Senate against Susan Collins. Um so she was the Democratic nominee. And again, while we were unsuccessful, uh, with a very um, you know, at the time anyway, very popular candidate in Susan Collins, um, who's been there for a very long time in the United States Senate, um, you know, we walked across Maine uh in a span of three weeks from Arusta County to York County and did some really, really cool things and really connected with communities that um you know deeply in a way that uh that I really hadn't had the opportunity to before. Uh and you know, we got to say what we wanted to say and and uh you know in in large part because because this was such an uphill battle, uh, you know, I think we got to to speak with integrity without worrying about um as many of the repercussions as um other candidates might have needed to in that in that circumstance. So um that was one of those, you know, felt really felt really good about the entire experience because uh we were true to our values the whole time uh and and didn't compromise on that. Um so going up against uh going up against a political giant uh was a very very interesting experience, very rewarding, and and you know, you go through something like that and uh you know some might feel defeated after losing. But I think for me that was just one of those experiences where I thought, you know, we can really do anything, just about anything. Um because we know we know what needs to happen. You know, you so you might not win everything, but you certainly always learn something from it and learn how to do uh do something a little bit better the next time. So uh that is that is my personal uh personal white whale, if you will. Um that is the that's the fight I'm going for in the next couple of years.
Benn Marine 31:18
That's exciting. That's exciting work. Thinking about making sure that we're making organizing accessible to younger folks. What were some things that people did that made it easier for you to step into that through that doorway? And what are some things that you now in the position that you're in are thinking about in terms of ensuring that that accessibility continues or increases?
Cooper Reed 31:41
Yeah, gosh. Uh this is a really great question. Uh so I would say the the very uh first few years certainly where I was uh you know unable to drive myself had I the opportunity, you know, I really relied upon folks within uh the organizing world to help provide transportation. Um and so, you know, I would regularly receive uh rides from my local field organizer or the uh you know county committee chair to and from you know monthly meetings or phone banks or canvases or our parades uh where we'd be uh you know signing folks up to volunteer, doing some of that in-person volunteer recruitment. Um and and you know, I think we also had uh pretty local infrastructure as well. So there were, you know, at the time, you know, I lived uh in the Midcoast and sometimes in the Downeast area. Um and there there always happened to be an office uh in the in the town I was living in. I tended to live in the um uh the the town that was the service center town for the county. Uh and so knowing that, you know, at the time, uh for instance when I lived in Ellsworth, I could, as an abled-bodied person, able to walk down the street and and go to the office um or receive rides if it was something a little bit further away. Um, but I I think you know, having physical infrastructure and and increasing visibility, but it's you know really great visual cue for folks in the community that you are there and and you are a beacon. Um and so that's uh that's certainly something I've felt really I felt really strongly about, um, especially uh in in work uh in my uh the county I'm living in uh now uh as we've started a really small town um well uh I think what was at the time the first you know real small town uh Pride Festival in Maine. Um and so trying to really be visible and and always have some sort of um some sort of visibility and thinking about thinking about what might make it more possible for for other folks who might be underrepresented um to have to take up space in in your organization or in your campaign. Um and so you know if if there if there hadn't been folks who are willing to you know to give me to give me rides back and forth um as a kid, you know, uh would I have done it? I'm not not sure. Uh would I have been able to? Um these are these are things that I think about sometimes. Um so I think really thinking through how how to make that accessible and for that to really be a conversation is is so important. Um, you know, I I I hear a lot uh from and I think I've heard since since I've been involved, um, you know, that everyone in in this state, you know, as we're gosh, I don't know if we're still the oldest state in the nation. Uh we might be number two now. Um but everyone says, you know, we want we want young people to get involved. We want young people to come to to meetings, we want um we we just want a younger crowd, we want a younger uh median age than we currently than we currently have. Um and so I think you know, I think some of these questions about how uh you know how to get young people involved really need to center around that accessibility, um uh just as much uh as they need to center around uh content-wise, what what might make something uh exciting enough uh to inspire a young person um to get involved.
Benn Marine 35:18
Yeah, that makes sense. And and maybe you the other thing that comes to mind thinking about that is uh and I'm and I'm curious if if you've seen effective tools that work well for this in terms of doing like direct outreach to you know youth or or really I mean when we think about really engaging a community, making sure all um kind of parts of it are invited into the work and being really intentional in that outreach. Is that something that are there are there things within that realm that that you have found useful or uh places you tend to start when you're doing that kind of outreach?
Cooper Reed 35:57
Yeah, I mean that's a that's a great question. I think uh the first thing that comes to mind when you say that is, you know, uh one of the very first um one of the very first things that I did uh, you know, when I was in high school was um, you know, I hosted uh an event through one of the, I think, American uh American government teachers at my high school at the time. Uh but but hosted uh hosted a state senate candidate back in 2008 to come in and to speak to students and to you know try to try to inspire, try to try to answer questions and whatnot. And so I think um as much as as folks can kind of go into spaces um that are already accessible, like we were talking about uh relating to somebody emotionally and and having a personal conversation when it comes time to uh trying to trying to persuade somebody or trying to understand where someone's coming from, you know, I think the same model needs to be applied when it comes time to reaching out to to communities that might be a little bit different than you. So, you know, if uh if you're seeking out young people, uh go to places that are accessible for for young people. Um making making that decision to get involved as easy as humanly possible is so important, you know, whether that's inviting candidates in or you know, with uh most, if not all, of Maine uh now requires community service hours uh to graduate. And so, you know, speaking to to guidance counselors and and uh getting your organization to be on a you know approved list of places that folks can uh folks can volunteer uh to get their community service hours in. You know, things, things like that, you know, offering offering internships, such things that might benefit these communities um uh you know as much as possible. You know, I think is really a good place to certainly to start, um, rather than you know, let's say posting a flyer to come to a meeting, you know, at the at the library on you know on a Sunday afternoon or something. Um I think starting where people are, uh going where people are and and really starting from there is probably the best uh best bet.
Benn Marine 38:10
That's solid. Yeah. And so in terms of biggest challenges that you've faced as an organizer, what what have some of those challenges been and how did you overcome them? Or do you feel like you were able to overcome them?
Cooper Reed 38:22
Oh, oof. Uh so many challenges. Um I I think uh, you know, a personal challenge that I've had is you know, is is keeping my interest in things that are not campaigns while also doing campaigns. So, you know, I remember in in high school, you know, I would take my uh the time I was given for for lunch, uh, you know, and I would call, you know, call my senator, call my congressperson, um, and and trying to keep up on statuses of bills and and maybe make some recruitment calls uh between classes or whatnot. And so it, you know, certainly when there were other things that I needed to be paying attention to, it was definitely a big distraction. Uh and it made it a little hard to focus. Um, but I I guess I was very fortunate in that it it helped me remain more attentive. And and maybe that was because I was um, you know, very excited to get back to the thing I was doing when I wasn't in class. And you know, and I guess another thing too is just uh trying to, you know, trying to best utilize my time. And I think I I'd struggle with that a little bit, um, perhaps as we all do, but uh but trying to to make my time uh you know the most effective that I can be to do the most good uh in the time that I've got. Um so part of that I guess is is trying to really strictly adhere to my Google Calendar, trying to get in enough sleep. Um I know uh especially earlier on in my career, I would sacrifice sleep in order to do more work. Uh and that in the long run, uh does, or in the short run even, uh, is not that great uh for me or or for um or for the campaign that I'm working on. So trying to trying to also really account for sleep. Um, you know, I think I've I've uh had a slight addiction to Red Bull uh uh for the last you know however many years now. Um I you know, struggling, uh struggling to uh to drink coffee. Uh I don't like coffee, which is uh tragedy, really.
Benn Marine 40:28
Um you're in good company though. I'm right there with you. I can't do coffee. I'm so glad to hear that. Yeah, and I've tried, I've tried so hard, I just can't do it. Not my thing.
Cooper Reed 40:40
Yeah, no, I um this past year uh it was my challenge to uh try to persuade myself to like coffee, and it was an unsuccessful attempt. Uh so I'm I'm sticking with Red Bull as as of right now. So um so yeah, I I think you know, just trying to trying to remember to eat, trying to remember to to hydrate, trying to remember to sleep, um, just taking taking care of myself and also you know putting out the same amount of of work that I want and and need to uh in in higher stress times during campaigns. Um and being able to to not uh have a you know 24-7 uh level of of functioning when it's not necessary to also and just really learning how to slow down. I think I I I struggle a little bit with slowing down um and kind of taking taking that time uh and you know, and just uh prevent myself from going a mile a minute. Um so that's something I I currently still struggle with, I guess, is trying to trying to take time and not be on all the time. Um and and just uh I I guess it's like a quick, quick, funny story uh uh about that a little bit is that uh when I was getting married, you know, I remember the the campaign I was on, it was not uh I I could not take time off to get married. Um I think I took the day I got married off, uh the day before I was working, and the day after I was working. And I remember I was being fitted for a suit, and my my boss uh showed up at my suit fitting uh to give me campaign materials. And and that was just such a striking moment in my in my life to you know to experience that and and just uh you know, real moment of realization that time off is pretty sacred and and is necessary. So I think that was probably the tipping point in in at least recognizing for myself that that was important.
Benn Marine 42:29
Do you feel like now that it's easier to block off personal time?
Cooper Reed 42:33
And I mean, I you know, I I guess you know, there there are moments where I can absolutely block off personal time, and sometimes I am my own worst enemy with that. Um, so it's often my fault not blocking off more personal time. But uh, but yes, I I think it's become uh a little clearer and I've kind of been validated and you know, um, you know, uh at least in my my work environment, certainly we are always told to take uh take time for ourselves and to rest and to um you know really really optimize uh the time that you need to be your your best uh best best self uh in and outside of work. Um so I think just just uh allowing that to to sit in for me is is is rough, but uh but I think the the encouragement is really helpful.
Benn Marine 43:18
Any um any last pieces of advice that you would want to impart on folks?
Cooper Reed 43:24
Gosh, I guess you know the the hardest thing is is just taking taking the dive into it in into the organizing world. Um I I remember being a really uh shy and and scared uh young person and not really knowing how I could affect change or how I could could assist with with something so big as as politics, um, which in my mind uh didn't quite translate on the local level as as a child. You know, looking at looking at the presidential race, for instance, I didn't quite see how that translated uh with where I was and and what I wanted to to help with. But you know, I would say that there are folks um all over our state and all over the country and in every just about in every community uh somewhere, uh if not if not working online. There there are facets to to plug into to do really awesome work. So I you know, I guess I would just say, you know, it's uh it's it's worth taking the plunge and and finding what you need in that work and for that to be really fulfilling. Um and to start wherever you are. Uh, you know, we can do the most with what we have where we are. We we need you, we need you, fellow uh future organizers, and uh and we need this work to be really sustainable. Um so I would I would encourage folks to certainly give it a try, uh, even if it's not the thing that you've been dreaming of forever and always. Um you know, there are lots of people who make tremendous organizers uh from very diverse backgrounds, and so um I would say it's it's worth trying at least at least once and maybe stay for a lifetime.
Benn Marine 45:14
Team, thank you so much for tuning in this week. Please subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and leave a review. It helps folks find this podcast, which in turn helps us help more of you. So be sure to stop by the Ocean of Organizing site and let me know what you think at Oceanoforganizing dot com. Thank you. I appreciate you. Be well.
