Tom De Luca

My personal volunteering highlight:

I am proud to have been involved in a successful county-wide campaign with over 80,000 registered voters in a predominantly rural, conservative area. My candidate ran for office because a friend asked a simple question: why don't more people in our age group run for office? One year later, a 27-year old single mother from a modest background beat a two-term incumbent who spent over 25 years in various elected positions. No words can explain the sheer elation I felt on election night, knowing everything we had done amounted to something tangible. We changed things. That night I was transformed: anyone can be the person they've been waiting for. We are the ones with the power to make things happen. There is no such thing as "us vs. the government". We ARE the government.

More about my volunteering with DFA:

Time has been tight with my academic responsibilities, and I've prioritized my extracurricular time to only include those things that can help inspire others to take active roles in organizing progressives in our community. I spent the past several months organizing a DFA Campaign Academy in my city, which was held in May. The turnout was incredible, bringing over 80 people together from around the entire State (and even Illinois). I hope that everyone that came will be able to go home and experience the same elation I felt on election night thanks to the skills they learned.

More about my volunteering with progressive organizations:

N/A

More about my work on current campaigns and issues:

Not quite, but I've already been doing the footwork for campaigning in 2010. By establishing ourselves (Democracy for Tippecanoe) as a PAC, we have access to tremendous resources (like ActBlue) that will allow us to fundraise and organize more effectively for progressive campaigns next year. My goal is for our future candidates to be able to hit the ground running with resources in-hand.

What motivates me:

As part of my constantly evolving outlook, I believe the two most important things in life are, ironically, the two things never discussed in Freemasonic (and similar organizations') meetings: philosophy and politics. These are parallel to the Jesuit ideals of education drilled into me in high school: justice and excellence. In both cases, the prior represents a responsibility to understand what is right and just, and the latter is a means of making it happen. If we don't like what's going on around us, regardless of whether it's an antiquated municipal ordinance or disastrous national foreign policy decision, we have the power to change it. Once it's understood that government isn't an ambiguous, distant stranger, anything is possible.

How I try to motivate others:

This is one of those things I've been trying to figure out. There are so many progressives and Democrats in Indiana that have felt beaten for so long that it's hard for them to commit the effort into new causes and candidates. In my mind, it's important to build a successful, persistent movement that people can become a part of. When I figure it out, I'll let you know!

Where I see myself in five years:

It's hard to see anything past the end of my graduation in August. No matter what I do, progressive politics will always be a part of my life. There are always campaigns to organize and causes to champion. Whether I'm doing it professionally or doing it on the side, I'll still be doing it.

My suggested bumper sticker slogan for the Stand with Dr. Dean campaign:

What good is the best healthcare in the world when you can't afford it? Support a public option.