A New Era for a Revolution of Values
The last four years has been a grueling, transformative era of rupture and upheaval, culminating in the violent attack on our nation’s Capital by right-wing militants with insider knowledge of Capitol building security and the incitement and conspiring of the Trump campaign, his proxies, and members of the Republican bloc to overturn a free election by the American people. An act of fascistic, white nationalist alignment that many of us have worked tirelessly against. But even as we recover, seek justice, and prepare to transition to a new Presidency, our work is just beginning and I have never been more clear on the path ahead.
Six years ago I dreamed of the next step in my post-military intelligence career as a diplomat working towards human and civil rights. But my life path changed when I watched Donald Trump campaign for President on war crimes and I saw the way veteran and military-connected communities were being seduced to support racist authoritarianism, swept up and manipulated by the kind of jingoism and corruptive politics that have swelled for decades, and seeing the alarming gaps in our 1) political 2) veteran and 3) movement ecosystem to combat it. I diverted paths to meet the urgent need for political education and empowerment of that community, and have spent the past four years pouring myself into organizing inside government and institutions as well as on the outside in movements for human rights, justice, and an end to perpetual war and corruption within our defense and security forces. The broader and ongoing progressive, civil rights movement in America has seen many wins, including toppling a fascist and ensuring Donald Trump was a one-term president. But the threat of fascistic, right wing white nationalism continues to lash out and has now violently risen to the surface of our inept political system.
I have learned many tough and clarifying lessons doing this hard work and helping shape new ways to engage and diversify military veterans in politics and movements. I was most sharpened personally and professionally in 2020. In the face of this, I am even more resolute and unwavering in my commitment to building power behind progressive policy making in national and global security. This commitment is why I have joined the Working Families Party as their first Director of Peace and Security. In this role I will help advance the WFP’s strategies, analysis, power building, and programming on matters of war, national security, militarism and democracy building.
As part of this work I’m excited to continue building a healthy political home for anti-racist, anti-fascist military members and veterans within the WFP through our project, Vets for the People.
In its first pilot year of existence, Vets for the People garnered national media attention and engaged and mobilized thousands of veterans and military voters in every state and over 21 countries and territories through its 3 major 2020 campaigns:
2) #ShutDownFortHood in pursuit of justice for Vanessa Guillén
3) The Frontline/Election Defender’s #VetsToTheFront, successfully de-escalating political violence at the polls through joy.
On this MLK Day full of synchronicity, I am filled with hopeful conviction because I know the movement for a multi-racial democracy in the United States is winning and ready to build our ranks. I believe that together we can secure the kind of transformative power that helps us divest from austerity and violence once and for all so we may create a just, inclusively safe, and equitable future for us all.
I ask that you help me celebrate this milestone by:
1. Reading and sharing my Op-Ed out in the Daily Beast today calling for immediate action expelling white nationalists Confederates from our White House, Congress, local and federal police and the Department of Defense
2. Joining the Working Families Party as a dues-paying member of the smart, bold progressive party of our dreams — co-owned by working people to continue winning visionary power from DA’s in TX, to state legislatures in DE, Senate seats in GA, and growing our accountable squad in Congress.
3. Supporting our important, transformative veterans work. Despite set backs and hard lessons, I continue to have big dreams about the kind of interventions and partnerships that can carry real change in this next era of American reconstruction and military veterans play a vital role in it all. I cannot do this alone on an island or under-resourced and ask for your help!
I’m grateful to move forward guiding this land I love in what Dr. King called “a revolution of values” that ensures we put people and the planet above profit and freedom and justice is a lived reality for us all.
Pa’lante,
Pam Campos-Palma
