African American Women

Name: Pat McCollough Campaign role: Louisiana State Director Hometown: Hawthorne, FL Organizing in: Louisiana

Q1. What do you do for the campaign? As state director I do everything from mopping the floor to writing strategic plans—both can be very humbling experiences. I connect the community to the campaign and the campaign to the community and consider those tasks equally important. I also strive to represent and present the campaign in a positive manner as the in-state senior liaison and contact person for local politics and allied organizations. It's a demanding position and I count it an honor to serve.

Q2. How did you first come to the campaign? I started out as a grassroots leader in the local community, then became a Summer Fellow in 2008 and been involved with the campaign ever since.

Q3. What’s your favorite part of your role? Recruiting, training, developing and empowering volunteers.

Q4. What’s the most unexpected part of your role? The challenge of conveying the importance of managing up, managing across and managing down the leadership chain.

Q5. Tell us a fun fact about yourself: I love everything about music: especially old school, dancing to any song with a beat, and writing rap lyrics.

Last week at the St. Louis OFA office, we took a few minutes out of our busy day to wish Obama supporter and long-time volunteer, Annie, a happy birthday.

Annie has some physical limitations that prevent her from canvassing, but that doesn’t stop her from doing what she can to help with our grassroots effort in Missouri. Annie spends several hours each week in the office doing little things that make a big difference. She greets visitors and supporters when they arrive at the office, signs up new volunteers, registers voters and explains to folks how they can get involved. When she’s not signing up new volunteers, she straightens, arranges, counts out canvass packets, and charges the cell phones for the next set of phone banks. “Just tell me what you need,” states Annie. “ I’m here to help re-elect my President.”

The campaign has a spot for everyone. What are your talents? There’s a volunteer opportunity waiting for you. Sign up now.

A version of this was posted June 11 on the Missouri state blog.

To prepare for this weekend, when President Obama's supporters will be registering voters across the country, Stefanie Brown, National African American Vote Director, sent the following message to African Americans for Obama announcing a call with actress Nia Long:

Next weekend is a big one for African Americans for Obama: We're holding voter registration drives and Juneteenth celebrations across the country to build support for the President.

It's on us to step up and make sure the weekend is a success. That's why this Wednesday, June 13th, we're holding an exclusive conference call for members of African Americans for Obama with actress and fellow supporter Nia Long, to talk about our plans -- and what's coming up over the next few months.

Here are the details -- can you join the call?

What: African Americans for Obama call with Nia Long

When: Wednesday, June 13th, 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time

RSVP NOW

When you RSVP today, we'll send you all the details you need to call in on Wednesday.

State voting laws have changed a lot in the past two years -- so this weekend's voter registration drives are important.

As a member of African Americans for Obama, you're one of the leading voices for the President in your community. It's up to each of us to make sure our friends and neighbors know exactly what they have to do to cast their ballot.

We'll talk about all this and more with Nia Long on Wednesday. RSVP now:

http://my.barackobama.com/Join-the-Call-with-Nia-Long

Thanks, and talk to you soon.

Stefanie

Stefanie Brown National African American Vote Director Obama for America