Massive Progressive Convention Hits San Jose

A four-day conference billing itself as the country’s largest gathering of progressives is setting up camp this year in San Jose.

Netroots Nation, a meeting of liberal-minded bloggers, community organizers and activists, expects to gather about 3,000 people from June 20-23. The 8-year-old conference is a big deal on the progressive circuit, attracting candidates like Barack Obama during the 2008 election. Conference sponsors include the website Daily Kos.

Much of the focus is on how activists can engage from a grassroots level. In addition to speakers and panels, there are dozens of training sessions on subjects like writing gripping emails to designing graphics meant to go viral on social media, says Raven Brooks, executive director of Netroots Nation.

“Some of the things they’re going to be talking about are techniques they used in the Arab Spring,” says Cesar Lara, executive director of the Monterey Bay Central Labor Council. This is the first time the gathering will be held in California. “It’s going to be exciting,” he says.

While the meeting is described as a “family reunion” for progressives, it’s also had serious policy impacts, Brooks says.

He credits Netroots, which started pushing immigration reform in 2008, with helping unite activists on the issue.

To register, visit netrootsnation.org