How To Throw A Better Party
Through NVI’s Spotlight Series I spoke with Jodie Evans. Jodie is the co-founder of CODEPINK: Women for Peace, co-editor of two books, and has been described as a “truly heart-centered human being." During our discussion, we touched on three main topics: 1. the cause and effect of working in politics in the 90s, 2. her role as a leader in a large advocacy organization & 3. how she reconnects to the roots of nonviolence.
We discussed Jodie’s role as campaign manager for Jerry Brown’s Presidential run in 1992. I suggested that running a presidential campaign must be the complete opposite of running a grassroots organization, but Jodie insisted that her campaign was run on one issue. That is money out of politics. This was the guiding value of the campaign because if money still existed in politics “it didn't matter what you care for, you wouldn't get it.” This bottom-up principle can be seen throughout the most successful civil resistance campaigns and remains at the core of CODEPINK.
After our discussion about the violent nature of our current war economy, Jodie reflected on what her ancestors have done to make life exuberant and meaningful. She wonders if people have forgotten how to live. We transitioned on what brought her back to center and what made life “juicy and delicious” for Jodie. Her passion for gardening incentivized her to find a piece of land at the convergence of two rivers and open up the area to farmers. Rumi, her sweet retriever, and the rest of the community use this land as an incubator space for young farmers.
In a final thought Jodie recommends that “if we watch what’s happening, we need to model what's beautiful.” Facing up against ugly parties can be easy. All we need to do is throw a better party.
Schumacher Center for New Economics
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