Redefining Our Message
Interview by Liz Moore
When Barbara Smith picks up a pen or makes a phone call, she influences people and their actions. As the Placer County Democratic Committee Community Engagement Chair, she has very effectively shown us how we, as volunteers, can each increase our visibility, recruit volunteers, activate people and resources for political campaigns. Her goals are to refine the message we send to the public - to reframe our Democratic image so we define ourselves and our message rather than letting our opposition define us.
Activating all these arenas, through the efforts of Barbara and the volunteers she has enlisted, were pivotal in the recent Newsom recall election and redistricting process. She states she wanted to “harness the enthusiasm and interest of members, encouraging them to spread their wings”. And they did…resulting in outreach to Dems and independents, organizing more volunteers, publicizing our message and gathering volunteers. Each post card sent to local Dems, each Social Media post, each Letter to the Editor, each door knocked, each phone call brought us results. We are gaining new members to the Placer County Democratic Party and building more awareness in the community of our efforts to maintain our democracy. Each of these successful projects met her primary goal – to teach more people how to fight for fairness.
A San Francisco native, Barbara attended Catholic schools through high school, followed by college in the Cal State system, earning her teaching credential from Sacramento State. A twenty-five year career in education followed, primarily in the Elk Grove Unified School District. She and her husband of forty-four years, Roy, have lived in both Southern and Northern California, moving as a result of Roy’s dual careers in the California Highway Patrol and U.S. Army National Guard/Reserves. They have two daughters, both of whom live locally with their families.
Of the many outreach efforts sponsored through the Community Engagement Committee, the project she finds the most satisfying is the “Writing Seminars” – teaching others how to write the powerful letters we often see in our local and regional newspapers. Her joy is helping others see how they can make a difference, knowing that silence lets the bullies win but speaking out can create positive results. She notes that people from Florida, Wisconsin, Texas, and other states have signed up for past writing seminars – making this personal goal both fruitful and rewarding. She is definitely achieving her goal to help members harness their enthusiasm and spread their wings. Look for more from the writing program in the near future.
Barbara brightens a room with her smile, laughter and great ideas. She is a fighter for noble causes - including fair/open elections, protecting women’s reproductive rights and our environment, and fighting for the disadvantaged. Placer County Democrats have been the lucky recipients of her energy, enthusiasm and talents and she sets the standard higher for all of us.