The Party I Almost Missed

Show Up Anyway

A few Saturdays ago, I crashed a party.

I was supposed to go to the Great Balloon Race with my 13-year old, who had been looking forward to this St. Louis tradition for weeks. It’s a massive hot air balloon race across the city; people come in from all over the country to race and to watch. It’s gorgeous and fun and festive and all the things you’d want for a beautiful fall day.

But on that Saturday afternoon – just a few hours before the race was to begin – a big rainstorm moved in.

I was working at my desk at the time, and looked out the window to see sheets of rain – like someone was literally throwing buckets of water off of our roof.

That’s not good, I thought.

It turns out that people who race hot air balloons don’t prefer to do so in torrential rainstorms, or in excessively muddy fields. I can’t say as I blame them.

And so, for just the third time since 1973, the Great Balloon Race was officially cancelled. My son was devastated; I was disappointed.

But then I realized I had a party to go to.

That Saturday was a pretty busy day in Missouri politics, with a number of big events. The state party was having its signature shindig not far from me. But the Lincoln County Democrats were hosting a fundraiser about an hour away; my friend and colleague Jess Piper was to be speaking.

While Jess and I talk regularly, we do not often get the chance to see one another face-to-face. So I had an idea.

The event started at 5pm. Could I make it?

I looked at the clock. 2:47. I had just enough time to make my son something to eat, clean myself up, change, and drive to the venue.

So that’s exactly what I did.

As I drove from the city, to the suburbs, through small towns, and then along country roads, I thought back over the last 8 years. It was back in 2017 when I was criss-crossing the state launching what would become Blue Missouri (and Every State Blue), attending dinners and meetings and events and speaking to anyone who would listen about the need to run and support Democratic nominees everywhere. I spoke in church basements and union halls, big county events and tiny house parties. I could give my talk in my sleep.

I probably still could.

It was all about Democratic bedrock values, which are based in people and community. It was about the incredible untapped power of the collective – of our many hands making for light work, of our ability to lift one another up, of our need to dream about what’s possible when we all work in concert. When we all sing in unison.

When I got to the union hall, I pulled into a parking space far enough away from the front door that I could change from flip flops to heels without being seen. I also needed to dab my eyes a bit; that trip down memory lane had gotten me a little misty.

It had been a long time since I’d gone to an event – a number of health issues (both my family’s and mine, which is a long story that I’ll tell another time) kept me from doing in person events for a few years. So attending the event felt both like a homecoming and a jumping off.

But from the second I walked through the door, it was as if I’d never left.

Warm welcomes; kind introductions; appetizers and drinks and handshakes and laughter. Community and commiseration and camaraderie.

I sat with a congressional candidate who is as earnest as they come; he’s an architect with such a passion for better understanding his community that he’s researching the 1980’s farm crisis so he can see how it applies to present day. I sat with a state representative who represents an urban district but who came out to speak at this rural fundraiser because she wanted to make sure Democrats across the state know they’re valued and needed and appreciated.

I sat across from my friend Fred Wellman – Army veteran, podcast host, former ED of the Lincoln Project, congressional candidate, and all-around delightful human. His personal motto, “I am not done yet” (which is tattooed on his forearm) inspired the whole room. His booming laughter carried from one end of the hall to the other; I could barely get a word in or grab a photo with him, so many people wanted to bend his ear.

And of course, my dear friend and colleague Jess Piper, who you probably know from her writing at The View From Rural Missouri. Person after person came up to chat with Jess and tell her they follow her – that her message resonates with them because they see themselves in her. She brings both warmth and fire – and she brought the crowd to its feet.

It was a darn delightful evening, from start to finish.

With speeches over, hearts buoyed, and hugs distributed, we headed out. I was sad to go, but glad I went.

For someone who builds and supports communities of people, you’d be surprised at how solitary my work can be. And rattling around in your own brain can put you in a rut. So being together with other people was more than just an energy boost. It was a reminder of why I do this work and why I care so much about making sure that people feel seen.

Friend, I’m the Executive Director of an organization that crowdfunds for underfunded Democrats, but there’s a reason that I don’t describe myself as a fundraiser. It’s because my mission is to support the people who want to support the people who are holding other people accountable. Yes, part of my job involves fundraising – but this isn’t about dollars and cents.

It’s about who we are. And who we want to be. And how we make that dream reality.

I believe we can only make it happen in community – in community with one another.

And that’s why I wanted to tell you this story of a little country fundraiser.

Because I want you to know that you’re not alone in this.

This weekend, people across the country will be taking to the streets, showing up and speaking out. In big cities and small towns, in red states and blue states. Some will be marching for the first time. Some will be veterans of decades of organizing.

All of them will be part of something bigger than themselves.

So whether you’re marching in city streets, organizing in a union hall in rural Missouri, making calls from your kitchen table, or rattling around in your own head wondering if any of this matters – you’re not alone. There are people doing this work with you. For you. Alongside you.

And you, friend, are working alongside them.

That Saturday night, as I looked around a rural Missouri union hall packed to capacity with folks who smiled and nodded and laughed and clapped each other on the back – I was reminded of why this matters. When we come together, when we hold real space in real time, when we see and hear and support each other, we remember what – and who – we’re fighting for. We remember that while the road is long, the company is fantastic.

So find your people. Show up when you can – at a protest, at a local meeting, at a fundraiser an hour away, at a phone bank, at a town hall. Let yourself be lifted up when you need it. Do the lifting when you’re able.

A few weeks ago, I crashed a party because a balloon race got cancelled and was reminded that sometimes our best moments come from showing up anyway – rain or shine, cancelled plans or not, whether we’re tired or energized, whether we think we have anything to offer, or whether we’re running on empty.

We show up. We do the work. We take care of each other.

See you out there.

Let’s get to work.

Actions for the Week of October 14, 2025

Friend, things may be heavy – but you can lighten that load by doing something small – a “small deed” – to bring about the world that you want to see. In doing so we tell the world, the universe, our leaders – and most importantly, ourselves – that we will not go quietly into that good night.

I call it Action Therapy.

That’s why in each Tuesday post I share a few “small things” – usually a Small Thing to Read, a Small Event to Attend, and a Small Call to Make or Action to Take. My intention here is to give you actions you can tuck into your week with ease – and know that you’re doing something today to make tomorrow better.

Join me in doing so. It matters.

Small (Well, Actually BIG) Event to Attend: NO KINGS

This Saturday, October 18, is the next No Kings series of rallies. Find a rally local to you here: https://www.nokings.org/

In advance, consider attending a No Kings deescalation training, such as the one hosted by the ACLU tomorrow, October 15 at 7pm eastern. Register for their training Protest Safety, Know Your Rights and De-Escalation Training here: https://act.aclu.org/a/no-kings-kyr-eng2

And set your calendar for the “what’s next” No Kings call which will happen one week from today (October 21) from 8-9pm eastern. Register for that here: https://www.mobilize.us/nokings/event/858246/

Small Event to Attend #2: How to Hone Your Media Literacy in an Age of Misinformation and Disinformation

Every day the news gets crazier—but with AI, rampant misinformation, and newsroom spin, it can be hard to discern what’s real from what isn’t. That’s why Blue Tennessee is so thrilled to welcome Susan Bordson to its monthly Blue Tennessee meeting this Thursday October 16 at 6:30 CT/7:30 ET to help us decipher it all!

Susan is a communications expert with decades of experience across news, corporate, and nonprofit sectors. From her work at CBS and HBO Asia to her consulting for mission-driven organizations, Susan has seen firsthand how messages are shaped and how misinformation spreads.

She is passionate about news and media literacy skills, and is also highly concerned about the prevalence of misinformation and disinformation in our news and information ecosystems, and the ways it is ultimately impacting the quality of our public governance. Register here.

Small Call to Make: We See Through You (to GOP Senators/Congresspeople)

Republicans continue to try to blame the shutdown on Democrats, even though that’s an obvious lie. If you have a GOP Senator (or two) or a a GOP Congressperson, give them a call this week to tell them that you’re blaming THEM for the shutdown.

Indivisible created a great script for this. Check out this and other shutdown related resources at https://indivisible.org/campaign/stop-trump-shutdown:

Hi, my name is [ YOUR NAME ], and I’m a constituent from [ YOUR CITY ].

I’m calling about the Trump Shutdown and how it will hurt businesses, workers, and families like mine.

Republicans control all of government, but it’s clear they’re more focused on partisan games than on real problems people need solved – like rising healthcare costs. Republicans need to cut the BS and get back to the negotiating table.

I’ll be watching how Senator [ NAME ] speaks and votes until this shutdown ends!

Small Thing to Read: Indivisible’s Shutdown Resource Page

Indivisible has created a truly wonderful shutdown resources page – complete with talking points and “where are we now” information. It’s got what you need to know, why it matters, what happens during a shutdown, and how it will end. It’s brief and packed with super useful info. A great resource to bookmark and share! Find it here: https://indivisible.org/campaign/stop-trump-shutdown

Thanks for reading, friend – I’m glad to see you here! You’re making a difference, I promise.

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