OJ Semans, Bret Healy, and Lewis Cohen will join us at 7:30 pm Eastern time this evening to talk about the plans FOUR DIRECTIONS has for 2022.
OJ is the founder and co-Executive Director of Four Directions, along with his wife Barb. Bret Healy is the COO for Four Directions. Lewis Cohen is the Finance Director.
OJ was recently featured in the New Republic as one of Democracy’s Heroes, featuring six people who are fighting back against the assault on voting rights.
Please join us for the Q & A tonight at 7:30 pm Eastern – these meetings with Four Directions are always interesting and well received!
They will talk about their plans for Georgia, Arizona, Wisconsin and Michigan. Don’t forget to bring your questions!
OJ, Bret and Lewis will also join us for a ZOOM conversation on Thursday evening at 7:30 pm Eastern time. If you would like to attend the zoom, please send email to WaterGirl.
Lewis Cohen at Four Directions
Good evening, Balloon Juice community – and happy new year to all!
Bret Healy
This is Bret Healy. I have logged on.
SiubhanDuinne
It will be good to welcome our Four Directions friends again!
WaterGirl
I see that Bret and Lewis are already here. Yay!
SiubhanDuinne
@Lewis Cohen at Four Directions:
Hello, Lewis! HNY to you and yours!
Lewis Cohen at Four Directions
@WaterGirl: Hello everyone!
Lewis Cohen at Four Directions
@WaterGirl: We’re here!
WaterGirl
@Bret Healy: Hi Bret! I approved your first comment, so now every comment you write going forward will show up for everyone right away.
Lewis Cohen at Four Directions
@SiubhanDuinne: Hello and happy new year! Thanks for being here this evening.
OJ
Good evening this is OJ I’ve been trying to make sure I found the right place I hope I have
WaterGirl
@Lewis Cohen at Four Directions: Is OJ parking the van somewhere? :-)
SiubhanDuinne
@Lewis Cohen at Four Directions:
I’ve been looking forward to it. Eager to learn more about your plans for 2022.
Lewis Cohen at Four Directions
@WaterGirl: One would think so! :)
Baud
Congratulations to you.
Bret Healy
Thank you Water Girl. Glad to join tonight’s conversation. And thank you to the Balloon Juice Community for your support of our work.
Lewis Cohen at Four Directions
@SiubhanDuinne: We’ve been looking forward as well. Big plans for a big year!
OJ
I still don’t know if I have this right Please let me know
WaterGirl
@OJ: Hi OJ. Welcome!
Looks like the gang’s all here.
Lewis Cohen at Four Directions
@WaterGirl: The 4D trifecta is in the house.
Tenar Arha
@Bret Healy:
@Lewis Cohen at Four Directions:
Very excited to see you all again. I’ve not much in terms of specific questions. I suppose I’m here just to listen about how last year’s fundraisers, & the current one are going etc.
ETA @OJ: & Good evening to you too!
WaterGirl
@Bret Healy: Bret, since a number of folks have “met” OJ and Lewis before, would you like to tell us a bit about what you do?
Lewis Cohen at Four Directions
@Tenar Arha: Glad you’re here, Tenar.
OJ
Great still working on smoke signals this latest technology kind of messes me up lol
Lewis Cohen at Four Directions
@OJ: It’s right, OJ!
SiubhanDuinne
I’ve lived in Georgia for 35+ years, lived in Michigan for 9 years before that. One of my brothers lives in Arizona, the other in Wisconsin. So I have personal interest in all four target states :-)
WaterGirl
@Lewis Cohen at Four Directions: In fact, if you like, all 3 of you could start talking about your plans for 2022, each from your own perspective.
SiubhanDuinne
@OJ:
LOL
MazeDancer
We have been hoping that we might have helped raise enough money – and certainly we hope to do more – that you might have been able to hire some organizers. Or are planning to do so.
Is that so? And, if so, what will they do?
Lewis Cohen at Four Directions
@SiubhanDuinne: All 4 states? That’s somewhat unusual.
Almost Retired
Maybe I am getting ahead of the program, but I am generally curious about the native American community in Michigan – how large is it, geographical distribution, percent of eligible voters registered, historical turnout etc. .
WaterGirl
@OJ: hahaha
We will try to learn the art of smoke signals so e can meet you halfway.
Lewis Cohen at Four Directions
@WaterGirl: HaHa.
SiubhanDuinne
@Lewis Cohen at Four Directions:
Yup. Curious coincidence.
OJ
WaterGirl
@Almost Retired: You’re not getting ahead of things at all, particularly since you have a conflict for the Thursday zoom.
I’m sure they will be happy to tell us about Michigan.
Bret Healy
@WaterGirl: Thank you. I have been working with Barb and OJ from the beginning. I am the political operator, if you will – having come out of candidate and Democratic Party politics from 1995-2002, mostly working for then Senator Tim Johnson from SD. I help with the strategy, and the nuts and bolts – and move into the various geo-locations when we are actively running programs. And, I usually get to threaten the law suits against state and county officials.
Lewis Cohen at Four Directions
@WaterGirl: We have been raising money for our “core four” states of Arizona, Georgia, Wisconsin and Nevada – with much help from the BJ community. Now we’d like to make serious financial inroads into financing Michigan operations so we can have a comprehensive 5 state approach as we get into 2022.
Lewis Cohen at Four Directions
@WaterGirl: Of course!
Lewis Cohen at Four Directions
@SiubhanDuinne: Indeed!
SiubhanDuinne
@Lewis Cohen at Four Directions:
Is there any news yet about matching money for Michigan donations? And how does 4D envision using the money raised for that state?
banditqueen
hello Four Directions-thank you for being here this evening–
What are the most significant barriers to voting in Michigan? Is there a lot of focus on non-presidential elections?
SiubhanDuinne
@Bret Healy:
Dream job!
Bret Healy
@MazeDancer: Base plans involve first engaging Tribal leaders and analyzing Native voter access. The communities we are working with have great challenges – the early investments help set the table – but fair monthly pay for a single organizer is roughly $6,000 plus expenses. We are at the very front end of what will eventually be needed.
Lewis Cohen at Four Directions
@SiubhanDuinne: I have been working on securing the matching funds for the expected $25k Balloon Juice Michigan raise. As of now, as I told WaterGirl earlier, it looks like we will be able to announce on Thursday at least a 1.5 x match – with the other piece being activey worked on.
MazeDancer
@Bret Healy: Thanks. Good to have that number. Will be useful for fund-raising.
SiubhanDuinne
@Lewis Cohen at Four Directions:
Excellent, thanks. Didn’t mean to bogart your Thursday announcement!
WaterGirl
@SiubhanDuinne: There may be some news, but we are not at the full double-match yet. I’ll let Lewis share what he knows at this point.
Lewis Cohen at Four Directions
@SiubhanDuinne: No worries – it’s pertinent to today’s conversation.
Bret Healy
@banditqueen: The main challenges are the lack of private resources for tribal members – and the unequal distribution of public resources when it comes to elections. And, of course, the apathy of election officials who simply do not provide the same level of service to Native Americans – whether or not they are aware of their actions.
SiubhanDuinne
@WaterGirl:
@Lewis Cohen at Four Directions:
?
Lewis Cohen at Four Directions
@WaterGirl: We have time to secure the remainder of the piece – highly confident it can get done.
WaterGirl
@SiubhanDuinne: Two Balloon Juice angels have already come forward to help get us started once we actively start the Michigan fundraising on Jan 15th.
Lewis Cohen at Four Directions
@Lewis Cohen at Four Directions: Our donors are also highly confident that, based upon the Balloon Juce excellent fundraising track record in 2021, at least $25k for Michigan can be raised. which will motivate them to complete the 2x portion of the raise.
banditqueen
@Bret Healy: if these are the baseline barriers (which are horrible already), do you see things getting worse given the aggressive anti-voting measures underway this year?
Lewis Cohen at Four Directions
@WaterGirl: Outstanding!!
MazeDancer
@Lewis Cohen at Four Directions: Good to hear. Matching is motivating, at least it is at Balloon-Juice.
SiubhanDuinne
@WaterGirl:
Terrific!
Lewis Cohen at Four Directions
@MazeDancer: I can see that, as it should be.
WaterGirl
@Bret Healy: You guys had numbers for Arizona and Wisconsin… numbers of native people, numbers of people who weren’t registered, etc.
Is it fair to say that since FOUR DIRECTIONS hasn’t been active in Michigan before, that you are starting from a different place in Michigan. More to learn about the tribes? Just starting to make connections? Or are you further along than that, and I just don’t realize it?
Bret Healy
@Almost Retired: We have worked with closely the Midwest Alliance of Sovereign tribes in 2019-2020 with our first ever Presidential Candidate Forums in Iowa n August 2019 and in Las Vegas in 2020. We plan on replicating this approach at the state level, again working with tribal leaders.
This makes the candidates more responsive to tribal issues and brings media attention to bear. We also plan to use these events as a training forum for tribal members to participate in the election process at several levels: 1) working as election workers for the state and local officials – a friendly face at the election site; 2) core Four Directions voter registration and get-out-the-vote training; and 3) Four Directions voter protection programs – making sure election officials are doing their job – and making sure no one is interefering with the election processes.
Bret Healy
@banditqueen: The unfortunate short answer is yes. Too many simply do not believe that is all that important for Native people to have equal access to the ballot box.
Lewis Cohen at Four Directions
@WaterGirl: I will say this: funds raised at this stage of the electoral cycle – with some 9 1/2 months until the midterms – go a lot farther and are more meaningful than money raised 1 – 3 months out. In actuality, money raised in January of an election year can be considered its own double match if you will due to the advantageous timing of the raise. So, thank you all again for doing this!!
Lewis Cohen at Four Directions
@Bret Healy: Which is precisely why we have to get into the state as early as possible and begin the organizing process. Time is on our side now and should not be squandered.
Bret Healy
@WaterGirl: We have worked extensively with Tribal leaders from Michigan Tribes – but this cycle, with a nudge from our good friends in the Ballon Juice community, will be our first fully engaged effort.
We will go through the same process – full analysis of geography, ballot access, and evaluation of local election officials – figure out the best engagement strategies – then train, train, train, – and find the necessary resources.
MazeDancer
@Lewis Cohen at Four Directions:
Ooh, excellent point. Pretty sure WaterGirl will be using that during fundraising.
Be like give now, get quadruple matched.
Lewis Cohen at Four Directions
@Bret Healy: A necessary nudge that will help us kick-start operations in somewhat of a new terrain.
SiubhanDuinne
@Lewis Cohen at Four Directions:
That’s a really interesting point. Certainly it would be much easier to leverage your funds and do strategic planning early in the year with a nice cushion or commitment. Thanks for pointing that out. So obvious, but I hadn’t thought of it.
Lewis Cohen at Four Directions
@MazeDancer: Thank you. It’s a good point which happens to be spot on and accurate. Money is good – time plus money is that much better and effective!
WaterGirl
@Bret Healy: Glad to hear that! A lot of us have ties to Michigan, plus it’s such an important state. With this being an election year for governor, we have to help keep Gretchen Whitmer as gov.
Plus, I understand there are a couple of other critical races in Michigan this year.
WaterGirl
@Lewis Cohen at Four Directions: @Bret Healy:
Yeah, we are not exactly wallflowers here at Balloon Juice. :-)
Lewis Cohen at Four Directions
@SiubhanDuinne: My pleasure. People often overlook that key point. They scramble to give and raise money with 30 – 90 days until an election, overlooking the fact that they no longer have time on their side. Our most effetive campaigns have been launched with time to spare. Out of necessity, however, we put together a good get-out-the-vote operation in Georgia in November, 2020 – January, 2021 – because no one had the heads up that a double Senate runoff would be taking place. If we could do that in less than 60 days with no funds raised and little time, imagine what we could do with funds raised in advance and time not being a pressing issue.
MomSense
@Lewis Cohen at Four Directions:
Happy and healthy new year to you!
banditqueen
@Bret Healy: Thanks! It’s a big deal this year–getting out the vote and then protecting it from state legislatures that will attempt to find any way at all to negate any result they don’t like.
Lewis Cohen at Four Directions
@WaterGirl: Definitely a crucial state in 2022.
Lewis Cohen at Four Directions
@MomSense: And to you, as well!
Bret Healy
@WaterGirl: Great point on the importance of races for Governor and other state officials – Indian Country spends too much time having to fight wrong-headed efforts by state officials who do not recognize the actual history of the United States.
H.E.Wolf
Cante waste nape ciyuzapelo to OJ, Bret & Lewis – so glad that you’re again visiting the blog, and thank you for telling us about the operations side of things. It’s really interesting to hear about the nuts & bolts of your GOTV process.
skerry
@Lewis Cohen at Four Directions: Early donation makes sense so I have thrown some in the pot.
Omnes Omnibus
Hello, 4D people! Are you looking forward to beating Ron Johnson?
WaterGirl
@Lewis Cohen at Four Directions: MomSense is the person who was the catalyst for the whole Balloon Juice angel thing.
In a post one night she said she had $100 and was willing to match 10 people who donated $10 each to Voces de la Frontera. Shortly after that Mousebumples stepped forward with a BJ angel match for Voces, and everything after that is history.
Living history, I hope, as people continue to come forward with BJ angel matches.
Sure Lurkalot
So appreciative of Four Directions efforts to give power to these disenfranchised voices and putting our donations to excellent use. Thank you.
Lewis Cohen at Four Directions
@H.E.Wolf: Our pleasure, H. E. – thank you for joining us this evening.
Bret Healy
@Omnes Omnibus: That will be up to Native voters. That said – have not heard that he is a friend to Indian Country.
WaterGirl
Are you still here, OJ? We have been gabbing away so you haven’t been able to get a word in edgewise, as they say.
Would you like to fill us in on your big event last July and how things are going on that front?
Lewis Cohen at Four Directions
@skerry: Thank you. Early fundraising is a very important and under-rated concept.
MomSense
@WaterGirl:
I was wondering if we wanted to reach out to Little Green Footballs and LGM to see if they would like to join in our fundraising shenanigans. There’s a lot of crossover between the sites and it could increase our donations.
We could make it a friendly competition or just a team effort.
Bret Healy
@H.E.Wolf: We appreciate your interest – and support. Barb and OJ – and all of our team cannot do the work without the support of like-minded folks willing to part with some of your hard-earned money.
Lewis Cohen at Four Directions
@Sure Lurkalot: Thank you for the kind words. Native voices need to be heard loud and clear, which is a key point that has always motivated our intense work ethic. We know it’s important – and no on else is doing it. So we are, and will continue to do so.
WaterGirl
@skerry: Four Directions is making sure that the (hopefully) double-match they are arranging will match everything in the thermometer, starting from when it went up in early December.
So no BJ angel matches until our official Jan 15 start, but whatever is donated through the thermometer will get whatever match they are able to secure for us. (Hopefully, double!)
MomSense
@Omnes Omnibus:
I was a little surprised he decided to run. The rumors were that he wouldn’t seek re-election.
Lewis Cohen at Four Directions
@Bret Healy: Amen to that!
H.E.Wolf
I’m thrilled to have a glimpse of what the 4D field organizer(s) will be doing. I volunteer locally with a GOTV organization, and the field organizers are inspiring in their dedication and seemingly boundless energy. I feel more hopeful about the future whenever I interact with them.
Omnes Omnibus
@Bret Healy: Fair enough.
Betty
No questions. I want to say how grateful I am for your important work especially now when the fight for voting rights has become so critical.
Lewis Cohen at Four Directions
@H.E.Wolf: Thank you for volunteering.
WaterGirl
@Lewis Cohen at Four Directions: While I was looking for an image to put with tonight’s post, I stumbled across images that appear to be from lots of organizations that are working with the native vote – I saw some Wisconsin Native Vote images and various other groups.
When I saw them I wondered if the various organizations working for the native vote ever work together. Or did I come away with the wrong impression after my image search?
H.E.Wolf
Well said. What an honor for Balloon Juice to be part of this effort.
Lewis Cohen at Four Directions
@Betty: Thank you, Betty! In a word, it has never been this important. Our democracy is literally on the line and hanging by a thread – which needs to be reinforced. Everyone has to do their part!
WaterGirl
@MomSense: I wondered if that was an indication that they didn’t think they had anyone decent to run if Ron Johnson did not. Which was kind of reassuring because my first thought was that they would run him but had a plan for him to back out close to the election and sub in someone else who couldn’t make it through a whole campaign.
Lewis Cohen at Four Directions
@H.E.Wolf: It is our honor to work with such a great and supportive community of friends and kindred spirits.
Bret Healy
@Omnes Omnibus: However, if Native voters vote in Wisconsin similarly to Native voters in Minnesota (and elsewhere) – it is likely that it will be a 9 to 1 vote against Senator Ron Johnson.
Lewis Cohen at Four Directions
@WaterGirl: There is some degree of cooperation amongst organizations, depending upon the particular state involved.
Lewis Cohen at Four Directions
@WaterGirl: Time will tell. It would clearly be to our advantage if Johnson decided to bow out for any reason.
WaterGirl
@Bret Healy: Is it fair to assume that your work is to identify unregistered eligible voters, register them and get them to the polls? But that you don’t promote particular candidates or political parties?
Bret Healy
@WaterGirl: The Obstacle at Every Turn Report was the result of the Native American Voting Rights Coalition – Four Directions is a founding member of that organization – Also, NARF is a partner of ours in much of the work that we have done – especially over the last 6 years.
Lewis Cohen at Four Directions
@MomSense: We can only control one thing, the effective of our field organizing. We let everything else be decided by others and it is out of our control.
WaterGirl
@Bret Healy: Oh, excellent!
There was also a group whose design was always a red background and a feather – their images were everywhere, but I have no idea who they were or what they do.
Bret Healy
@WaterGirl: Our job is to remove the obstacles to the ballot box – but candidates usually do a pretty good job of letting Native voters know where they stand – hence the often 9 to 1 ratios for the Native-preferred candidate – in recent decades, that has almost always been the Democratic candidate for office
Lewis Cohen at Four Directions
@WaterGirl: Indeed – all Michigan money raised so far is retroactive – as far as matches are concerned.
MomSense
@Lewis Cohen at Four Directions:
Wise words.
Oliver J. Semans
I think I am back my apologizes. I was a lot better the last time
H.E.Wolf
Looks as if that might be NARF (the Native American Rights Fund, of which the Native American Voting Rights Commission is a part.
https://www.narf.org/cases/voting-rights/
Lewis Cohen at Four Directions
@MomSense: Thank you. The truth and wisdom are often intertwined and connected.
WaterGirl
Bret and Lewis and OJ, we so appreciate your giving us your time on both platforms – for the folks who prefer the written word and the folks who prefer the zooms. If you can stay another 15 minutes or so to answer questions, we can let you get back to your regularly-scheduled evenings by 9 pm Eastern.
H.E.Wolf
And it already shows up in the thermometer! You just brought BJ that much closer to the goal. :)
Lewis Cohen at Four Directions
@WaterGirl: Native voters decide freely for themselves who they will vote for with no outside interference or persuasion. That’s the Americn way – freedom of choice at the ballot box.
WaterGirl
@Oliver J. Semans: OJ, you made me laugh out loud!
Because of our zooms with you, I always picture you in your van now, so I was imagining that you got your hundredth phone call of the day. I assumed that’s why you had been so quiet tonight.
Lewis Cohen at Four Directions
@H.E.Wolf: Thank you!!
Oliver J. Semans
As everybody know the key to any election is voter turnout and if your messaging does not relate to the voter there will not be a turnout. The messaging so far does not relate to voters, but we have aways found what people want and that is why everywhere we have operated has had the highest voter turnout
Bret Healy
@WaterGirl: Happy to stay on through 9 eastern!
Lewis Cohen at Four Directions
@WaterGirl: My pleasure!
WaterGirl
@H.E.Wolf: I was on a mission to find an image and didn’t have time to follow up with research. :-)
That so clearly was an image that belonged to another organization that I didn’t think I should use it. Yet I used another related image, as it turns out. ?♀️
Oliver J. Semans
I disagree with Lewis is a small degree, Native vote their mind. but it is the messaging that guides their mind LOL
WaterGirl
@Lewis Cohen at Four Directions: That used to be the America way, at least. Hopefully we can overcome the current craziness and then it will be again.
Lewis Cohen at Four Directions
@Oliver J. Semans: Effective messaging is 100% essential.
WaterGirl
Does anyone else have and questions for our guests? Or comments that you would like to make while they are still here?
SiubhanDuinne
@WaterGirl:
Hear, hear! There’s a lot to undo and make right, but I have no doubt we can do it.
Lewis Cohen at Four Directions
@WaterGirl: Hopefully, indeed! We must overcome the current craziness for our democracy to flourish, if not survive.
SiubhanDuinne
Many thanks to all of you for being so generous with your time and plans. Look forward to seeing you on Thursday’s Zoom.
Lewis Cohen at Four Directions
@SiubhanDuinne: Hear, hear – you bet we can do it if we work together!
WaterGirl
It looks like things are winding down, so we can let you go a big before 9pm, if you like. Perhaps one of you can check on this thread in the morning and answer any questions that come in after you head out?
Many people come to the threads late, and if they know that someone will check back in, I would bet that there will be questions.
Lewis Cohen at Four Directions
@SiubhanDuinne: Our pleasure – thank you for joining this evening. See you on Thursday – looking forward. have a good night.
SiubhanDuinne
@Lewis Cohen at Four Directions:
I’m feeling very optimistic and inspired!
Lewis Cohen at Four Directions
@WaterGirl: I’ll happily volunteer for that pleasant task. Nothing I love more than talking voting rights with the BJ community.
H.E.Wolf
Amen. And following the lead of Native and POC communities seems like a good place to start.
Bret Healy
@WaterGirl: Thank you again. We will make sure we check back in to the thread tomorrow and answer any additional questions. And we look forward to Thursday evening!
Lewis Cohen at Four Directions
@SiubhanDuinne: I’m glad! Optimism opens the doors to great things on the other side – whereas pessimism and being downcast assures nothing of any importance will change. We can do this!!
H.E.Wolf
Thank you to WaterGirl for organizing this Q&A post!
WaterGirl
@Lewis Cohen at Four Directions: That’s great! I appreciate that.
OJ, Bret, and Lewis – thank you again for coming, for being generous with your time and for answering so many questions.
We look forward to see you all at the zoom on Thursday evening at 7:30!
WaterGirl
@H.E.Wolf: Yes, it does!
Lewis Cohen at Four Directions
@H.E.Wolf: Absolutely – thank you WaterGirl!!
WaterGirl
@Lewis Cohen at Four Directions: You are most welcome!
Goodnight, John Boy! :-)
*for anyone who doesn’t know, that was a reference to The Waltons.
Lewis Cohen at Four Directions
@WaterGirl: You are more than welcome! I know generosity is contagious when dealing with the great folks at Balloon Juice. See you all on Thursday evening – stay safe, everyone!
Oliver J. Semans
My granddaughter was born on January 10th, 2022, the day of the insurgency, so now Four Directions has another family member to carry on the fight, Híŋháŋni Wa (Morning Snow) was born so for every action we have a reaction
Lewis Cohen at Four Directions
@WaterGirl: I’m more than old enough to have gotten the reference!
Lewis Cohen at Four Directions
@Oliver J. Semans: Congratulations, OJ and Barb!!!!!
WaterGirl
@Oliver J. Semans: Wow, that’s wonderful news, OJ.
Thank you for sharing it with us.
H.E.Wolf
@Oliver J. Semans: Congratulations on the new grand-daughter! Maybe the MI fundraiser can be considered to be partly in her honor…. [ETA: because she’s a future voter, and we’re doing this for the next generations anyway!]
Lewis Cohen at Four Directions
@Lewis Cohen at Four Directions:
@WaterGirl: It is indeed! Good night all.
MomSense
@Oliver J. Semans:
?????
Tenar Arha
@Oliver J. Semans: wonderful news, my congratulations!
Mousebumples
@WaterGirl: my State Rep Mike Gallagher has been rumored to be a likely candidate to replace RonJon whenever he retires. (or hopefully loses!) Marine vet, and he had an op ed post 1/6 last year about how he and his staff were trapped in his office. I definitely viewed it as an “appeal to independents” oped, personally.
Thank you to 4D for all your efforts. As a Wisconsinite, I appreciate your help both in my state and across the country
And edited to add – congratulations on the new grandbaby, OJ!
Lewis Cohen at Four Directions
@Mousebumples: You are more than welcome – thank you for the kind words.
Omnes Omnibus
@Lewis Cohen at Four Directions:
@Lewis Cohen at Four Directions:
Rotating tag nominees.
SiubhanDuinne
@Oliver J. Semans:
What lovely news! And what a beautiful name!?❤️