Friday, January 21, 2011

Progressive Summit in Pittsburgh

Civil rights activist Reverend Jesse Jackson will speak at the Pennsylvania Progressive Summit this weekend, along with several current and former elected officials.

Keystone Progress Executive Director Michael Morrill says Jackson is speaking both to honor Pennsylvania’s progressive movement and to encourage local progressives to do more. Morrill says that’s especially necessary after many conservative candidates routed their liberal challengers in both state and national elections last November.

Morrill says although those elections were disappointing to many progressives, they’re also a motivation to work harder for the progressive agenda. He says that means improving public education, reexamining the state budget, and supporting the civil rights of gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender individuals.

He says the summit will have 72 different workshops, not just on those issues but also on how to become an effective progressive campaigner. He says it’s a sort of “progressive training” track for would-be activists.

A Pennsylvania Progressive Awards Dinner will recognize leading activists, and progressive musicians will play at the Sheraton Station Square.

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