A BIG “thank you” again to all the amazing folks who came to the 2010 Consumers Union Activist Summit. It was a Summit to remember from the spectacular line up of speakers (including The Speaker!), to the wonderful workshops.
Guest blog by Beka Breitzer, 2010 Summer Yonkers Advocacy Intern, Consumers Union
I was filled with mixed emotions while listening to presenters such as Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi and U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro talk about food safety, product safety, and healthcare at a luncheon at the third annual Consumers Union E-Activist Summit on June 10.
I was proud to be a part of Consumers Union, which many speakers singled out for leading the Consumers Movement in the right direction with major victories in healthcare reform. I felt confident that even the best funded opposition could be overcome by the strength of our consumer activist base.
I was also filled with nostalgia. Their speeches took me back to 2008 when President Obama spoke those now famous words “Yes We Can,” motivating my generation to rise up and take part in grassroots activism in astonishing numbers. When I looked over to a table filled with student activists, I could tell I was not alone. Why, though, did this lone “kid’s table” exist? Why wasn’t my generation more active in this movement, and mixed in with the rest of the activists?
Take a minute to read Summit Presenter and co-editor of Consumerist blog titled, “15 Ways To Kick A** When Testifying” detailing what he learned at the 2010 Consumers Union Activist Summit. Here is just a snippet:
“ If you are victimized by corporate behavior and asked to testify before a legislative body in order to tell your story and help get a pro-consumer bill passed, it can be really scary. You only have a few minutes to make your case. Are you gonna choke it, or clinch it? Just follow these 15 tips I just learned in a Consumers Union Activist Summit workshop…” Click here to read full post.
The Summit kicked off last night with a rousing round-robin of participants and why they are here and what they are looking forward to learning. Today’s line up is SPECTACULAR!
The live streaming Agenda is here:
All Times Eastern Standard (EST)
Thursday June 10:
2:00-2:45PM A Real Happy Meal
2:50-3:50PM Building Powerful, Respectful and Strategic Alliances with Communities of Color
4:00-5:00PM Plenary: Elizabeth Warren
5:05-6:05PM No more meltdowns, no more ripoffs. Winning a Consumer Financial Protection Agency and what it will do to stop bad practices by banks and other lenders
Friday June 11:
8:15-9:15AM Keynote: CPSC Commissioner Adler
9:20-10:20AM Plenary: Eric Schlosser
10:30-11:30AM Workshop: How To Kickstart An Online Revolution
11:35AM-12:35PM Closing the Gap: Why You Pay for the Internet
1:45-2:45PM Closing Plenary: DeAnn Friedholm
Mark your calendar for Thursday, June 10: After a day of workshops, speakers and meetings with your legislators, sit back and watch a special screening of Food Inc. with special guest Eric Schlosser there to answer your questions!
On Thursday, June 10, after a morning of stopping by your Members of Congress’ office join us for a very exciting lunch in the Senate Hart building with our esteemed guests Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, Rep. Rosa DeLauro (CT-3), and Rep. Jackie Speier (CA-12)!
These three women have been consumer champions for years. Just look at what some of the Consumers Union staff have to say:
The June Summit is shaping up to be one amazing event. All the pieces are falling back in to place; one exciting bit of news is the Consumer Product Safety Commissioner Robert Adler will be one of our remarkable speakers.
