Few American cities can lay claim to the historic significance of Philadelphia. From the earliest days of the Revolution and and Republic, Philadelphia was where our Founding Fathers gathered.
It's where they declared their independence, coordinated their efforts to win the War for Independence, and even crafted the Constitution of the United States of America, laying the firmest foundation for the greatest Republic the world has ever known.
On September 10-11, leaders from the "Sellers Region,"---colloquially known as the Blue States East---met in Philadelphia to try to make just a little more history there.
Over 20 leaders from Delaware, Illinois, New Jersey, Maryland, and Massachusetts were present at the Regional meeting to look back on the progress in the region, share tips and best practices from the individual states, receive training, and simply connect with fellow activists.
The weekend summit started with a day of team-building and sight-seeing, as the group toured historic Philadelphia.
Starting at the Museum of the American Revolution, the tour took the team to the Liberty Bell, through Independence Hall, and culminated at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, where thousands of Revolutionary War heroes were laid to rest. Throughout, the theme of the tour centered on the price that was paid for our liberty, the responsibility that we have to preserve it, and the sacrifice that task will require.
On Saturday, September 11th, the leadership teams reconvened for a day of training and strategy sessions. The meeting started with a prayer and a time of silence to mark the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. Throughout the day, the sessions would be paused to remember significant moments from that grim day in 2001.
Regional Director Monica Sellers kicked off the meeting by sharing statistics describing the explosive growth Convention of States has experienced throughout the region over the past year. Across the board, she showed how the state teams have not only grown numerically, but have increased in activism as well.
Mark Meckler also joined the summit via Zoom to reflect on the progress Convention of States has made nationally, to recognize the efforts and accomplishments of the states in the Blue States East region, and to answer questions.
The rest of the meeting was a mixture of training from the national team, and presentations by different members of the state leadership teams, sharing ideas and strategies each state has used successfully.
The Maryland team took the opportunity to present a Patriot Pin to their new State Communications Coordinator, Maria Bedard for her exceptional work in crafting and implementing a communications strategy for their state.
Special thanks to Regional Director Jonathan Viaud, Grassroots Media Coordinator Gary Brenner, and National Videographer Garrett Humbertson for joining the regional leaders and sharing their respective expertise with the group.
The message of Convention of States is certainly resonating in the states represented at this meeting, and the training and resources provided will almost certainly yield even greater fruit. Here's to just a little more history being made in Philadelphia.
