accounts right now." trump boom and the left's plot to stop it." >> next, the final day of the .etroots conference it brings together activists and grassroots misers from around the nation to highlight issues important to the progressive agenda. some of the speakers included ohio congressman tim ryan, holy and castro, and new york congressional candidate oak ocasio cortez. crest please welcome bill deblasio. mr. deblasio: did you just hear that extraordinary man?

thatis a sign of change birmingham, alabama, elected this mayor. let's give him a around of applause. no-roots nation, there are's -- at netroots nation, so much is happening. please applaud your neighbor. give them some love and support. this is a room full of loud and proud progressives. this is the place i want to be because i can feel this is where change is going to start in this country. i know with the activism shown all things are possible. we can create a country where health care is a right, not a privilege. know we can stamp out structural racism once and for

workands, together we can for that day and that dave must calm when the wealthy -- and that day must come when the wealthy finally pay their fair share of taxes. we have to talk about our strength and the way to keep true to our values. i will tell you about what i have experienced. like randall and so many other folks, i was not supposed to get this job. i was not supposed to have the honor of addressing you with this title. the conventional was them in 2013, they wrote my political obituary literally the day i announced my campaign. a lot of others have felt the same thing. but it turns out that purveyors of conventional wisdom were

inng in birmingham, wrong new orleans, they have been run a lot of the time, haven't they? has led me to a fundamental idea i want to share with you. as progressives, we have been lied to a lot. we have been lied to over and over again. politicaldits, by our opponents, sometimes by our political friends. too often by the very party that so many of us are members of. think there are three big lies and i want to talk about them one by one. they say progressive can't win. they say progressive scant govern. they say progressive are the political minority in this country. i do not buy any of it.

they try to make us believe the they tell. they try to take away our passion and confidence by undermining the things we let me break this down a little further, and to do so, i'm going to take you far away to a magical place called new york city. come with me on a journey. i'm going to talk about the three lies. lie number one, a progressive cannot win. that might seem hard to believe in new york city, but for two decades we were governed by rudy giuliani. and a billionaire who was the richest person in the city at the time, michael bloomberg. given the history, when the 2013 election came on, all of the pundits said only an establishment democrat could win. guess what? something powerful and amazing

happened, progressives banded together and we said no, wait, this is our city. we did not water down our message. we made it clear. new york city, i said it over and over again, new york city was the tale of two cities, the level of inequality was unacceptable and had to end. that led to a strong victory in the democratic primary and even stronger in the general election. what were the poor pundits to do? they said a progressive could not win and they had a progressive major. the next thing lie number two, a , progressive is in office and surely they will fail. they cannot govern. it will come crashing down. i knew that was wrong but i also knew, and all progressives need understand this lesson, once we get into power, we have to move really fast. we have got to move fast and

make a difference. the voices of opposition, the powerful forces of opposition will gather quickly. we had a great lesson almost 100 years ago fdr and the first 100 days, make change quickly. make sure people can feel it, if they feel progressive change, they will want a whole lot more. [applause] mayor de blasio: in the first six months, we created universal pre-k for the children of new york city. [applause] mayor de blasio: i want you to feel the sheer magnitude, the day i took office, only 2000 kids were getting everyday pre-k. now, 70,000 children at all they -- get all day pre-k for free. [applause] mayor de blasio: and think of that. as progressives, that is the opinion of what we believe in, a fair and equal start for everyone. that is the society we want, isn't it? [applause]

mayor de blasio: we made that vision come to life, and now we have to go farther, because if you are a progressive, once you get a victory, you want to go farther. don't you? now we are going to give a free full-day early childhood education to every three-year-old in new york city. [applause] mayor de blasio: let me give you another powerful example of making real change. when i took office, there was a horrible and broken and divisive policy of stop and frisk that degraded young men of color in our city, that divided police and community. it was a dangerous policy. it was based on a falsehood, a falsehood that has literally cost the lives of people of color over generations in this nation, the falsehood that you have to choose between safety and fairness. that you can only have one or the other.

you can have order and safety without justice, or if you want justice, you cannot have safety. that is what we were told over and over again. guess what, that was profoundly wrong. in new york city, we created a model of neighborhood policing, of reform, and guess what? we became safer when people were treated properly and respectfully. [applause] mayor de blasio: we are now the safest big city in america, and i want to tell you something that may blow your mind. we got safer and a safer, and last year we had 100,000 fewer arrests than four years ago. [applause] mayor de blasio: want to give you one more example. perhaps you have heard the phrase, the rent is too damn high. never has a truer statement been made.

in our city, there has never been a rent freeze. but it was time for a rent freeze. i said it was something we had to consider. the landlord lobby attacked me and said it was illegal. we went to court, we beat them, and for two years we gave the people of new york city a rent freeze. [applause] mayor de blasio: then we took another step and we said, anybody facing an unjust eviction deserves a lawyer for free to defend them and make sure they were not thrown out of their apartment. [applause] mayor de blasio: at every turn, this will be familiar to all of you, at every turn we were told we were going too far. anyone heard that one before? you are going too far. well, as progressives, we are very used to being told that what we want to do is to bold and cannot be done.

my strong belief is that we should ignore that bad advice every time we hear it. it almost always can be done, brothers and sisters. the things we believe in can be done. i've told you about lie number one, we can't win, and number two, we can't govern, both have been proven wrong. let me tell you about lie number three. that we are the political minority in this country now and forever. we are constantly told our ideas will never win the day. they tell us to moderate, they tell us to speak to that great middle out there. they tell us that our authentic values and our message will never move everyday people. nothing could be further from the truth. our authentic message, our

authentic values are exactly what will move everyday people in this country. [applause] mayor de blasio: what i see, it is not a time for moderation, it is a time or progressives to double down on what we believe in. i see the dawning of a new progressive era, i see change coming like never before, the signs are unmistakable. it was years ago when you could see it in occupy wall street. you could see something beginning, and then you started to see all over the country good progressives getting elected. you saw people like randall, and latoya cantrell right here in new orleans. [applause] mayor de blasio: you could absolutely see it in bernie

sanders campaign in 2016. you can see it this year in in alexandria courthouse you cortez's campaign. a casio cortez campaign. [applause] mayor de blasio: that is a lot of evidence that something big is changing and the country, but how about on top of that, the women's march? and black lives matter? [applause] mayor de blasio: and be me to -- the me too movement? and how about the teachers strike in all of those red states? [applause] mayor de blasio: and that extraordinary movement against gun violence started by the parkland students? [applause] mayor de blasio: brothers and sisters, what makes this so extraordinary is that it is all happening at the same time. i cannot remember anything like that. you have to go back to the 1960's to see so many powerful

social movements building with such passion and reach at the same time. you have to go back to be election in 1974, right after watergate, to see the kind of momentum happening on the ground. this is an extraordinary moment. and look, here is what i want to finish with. this is what we need to focus on. our power. the emerging majority that we are building. we can't think of it as we are just filling the niche. we have to see ourselves as author of an emerging majority. we have to focus on our ability to reach people in every corner of this nation. i am talking about everyone in this room and everyone who believes as we do and everyone fighting for change. i'm not talking about one person.

there is a name i have not used. i've not mentioned donald trump on purpose. i have not mentioned on purpose, i am not talking about him because we don't make change i -- by talking about him all the time. [applause] mayor de blasio: we make change with a bold, positive, progressive vision that speaks to everyday people's lives. [applause] mayor de blasio: we make change by showing people what we do actually improves of their lives, materially, we may change by organizing and mobilizing them. i'm not talking about him. i'm talking about us. us. [applause] mayor de blasio: we need to focus on our own power. we need to focus on the america we want to build. i will finish with this. and i feel it from my heart. i am optimistic tonight.

i'm optimistic about what is happening in this hall and was happening on the ground all over this country. i have been for four and a half , years, the chief executive of the city of 8.6 million highly opinionated people. [laughter] [applause] mayor de blasio: one my to get a -- might get a little worn down by that experience. but i am more optimistic today than the day i started. [applause] mayor de blasio: i am optimistic because i have seen progressive ideas take flight. i have seen those ideas become actions. i have seen people's lives change. i am optimistic, genuinely optimistic because of you. you are here in this hall because you don't believe all of the lies we have been told.

you are here in this hall because you know we need to seize the moment. you are here because you know change comes from the ground up. it is not about the powerbrokers, or the consultant class, and it is certainly not about the big donors, is it? it is about all of us in this room standing together, telling the voices of false pragmatism and phony moderation that we don't believe their lies. [applause] mayor de blasio: we are the real thing. we are unapologetic, and we are bold. randall said it right and i'm going to say it again. progressives, it is our time. thank you and god bless you all. [applause]

>> please welcome representative tim ryan of ohio. [applause] >> thank you so much. before i get started, i am from ohio. got some buckeyes in the house? [applause] someone else is in ohio right now for a special election that we have just outside of columbus. the president, before he got to ohio, he thought it would be a good idea to continue his race baiting that we have experienced for so long now, against lebron james. now, just two days ago, lebron

james announced that he was going to donate $41 million to a school in akron, ohio that was going to make sure that these kids got good food, that they got sneakers, that they got a bicycle so they can make their way through neighborhoods in case they were in trouble. [applause] rep. ryan: to make sure their parents got a ged and some training, if they needed it. $41 million. [applause] rep. ryan: and that every kid that graduated from this school was going to have their tuition paid for at the university of akron. [applause] rep. ryan: the president called him dumb. don lemon, who was also caught up, in getting called done, had

the best tweet ever. he said, who is dumb? the person who spends $41 million trying to build a school to put kids in or someone who has cages built to put kids in? i am with lebron james. we are not going to let you come to ohio, president trump, and do your race baiting and make a racial statements against people in ohio or anywhere across the country, whether it is lebron james or maxine waters, or anybody else. that ain't playing anymore, president trump. [applause] rep. ryan: i want to tell you a couple of quick stories from ohio. periodically, i will go to a city council person in one of my cities, and i will get a tour. i will say take me to the toughest neighborhood area take

me to wear the most challenged lives. a few months back, i had a council person take me into a tough ward in the city of youngstown. we went around, he said, you have to come see my friend, mrs. duke. we pulled in the driveway and she didn't know i was coming. this was a neighborhood that had some crime, some gangs, we have a huge opiate issue in ohio. we pulled into the driveway and there were some dilapidated homes around. here comes mrs. duke. she has a spray bottle in her hand. he introduced me, and i said, i am tim ryan, nice to meet you. what are you doing? she said i'm spraying for ants. i said, wow. her son comes around the back

and he has painted on his arm. mrs. duke is probably 75 years old or so. i said what are you doing? he said i am painting the door. i said, wow. we go in the house and it is an older house, it has been there a long time. she has lived in it her whole life when the neighborhood was thriving. we sit down, and it would remind you of maybe your grandparents house where it was impeccable, beautiful mantle, fireplace, antiques. we sat there and we talked about her challenges and what has happened to this neighborhood in youngstown, ohio. she talked about trying to get the house fixed up. she talked about trying to move because she couldn't go outside at night and have a cup of coffee because the neighborhood got pretty dangerous. i said, so what happened?

she said i had my son look it up so i could sell the house and maybe get something somewhere else. you know how much she could sell that house for? $4000. $4000. that woman is trapped in that neighborhood. there are millions of americans in the same situation. these issues aren't in a particular geographical location in the united states. these issues are everywhere. i spent seven hours in an ice facility with a friend of mine who has been in this country for 39 years. he is palestinian. after being there seven hours with his wife, he had a business in youngstown, he had a family he sent to catholic schools there, a beautiful human being. right in front of our very eyes,

they ripped him away from us, put him in a jail for two weeks and sent him back to jordan. this is happening everywhere across the united states. we have auto workers for general motors that just got laid off their second shift. they are getting separated from their families because their families are established in one community, but they have to go find another general motors facility to go work in. these systems, my friends are all broken. the corporate stranglehold on our economy has broken the systems across the board. [applause] rep. ryan: and so, we have to fix it. here is the challenge to us. it is to first understand is -- these broken systems, the economic system is broken or the top 1% gets 90% of all of the

new wealth generated, but that 60% of american families have to borrow money to make ends meet. there are 50% of the people in the country that couldn't withstand a $400 emergency. the climate system is obviously broken. the health care system is broke. we spend two and a half times as much as anybody else that any other industrialized country. we get worse results. the education system is broke. we are 34th in science and 19th in math in international standards. college debt is a huge problem for millions of americans. college tuition costs are problem for millions of americans. criminal justice issues for people of color, where african-americans are five times more likely to end up in prison for a low-level drug crime than

a white person. that system is broke. the immigration system is obviously broke. the pension system and social security are broke. the food system is broke. we have half of our american citizens that have either diabetes or prediabetes. and our agricultural system is broke. we have algae blooms in the great lakes, a dead zone in the mississippi, and they tell us in ohio you can only eat to fish a month out of the rivers in ohio. i am not the sharpest knife in the drawer but if i can't eat , more than two fishes out of the river, i'm wondering why i would eat any fish out of that river. what we need is what mayor de blasio said. we need a bold agenda. you know what that is going to , mean we have to get in some fights. right?

i am friends with reverend williams, and i like to meditate, but every now and again, you have to get in a fight. [laughter] rep. ryan: and i'm irish. there you have that. [applause] rep. ryan: you know the old irish saying? is this a private fight or can anyone get into it? here is a quick rundown of what i think a bold agenda needs to look like. we have got to rewrite our trade agreements so that corporations aren't writing them. they are written for people here in the united states. [applause] rep. ryan: while we are all for $15 minimum wage, we have got to talk aspiration lady and boldly. our people want $40 or $50 an hour, not $15 an hour. [applause] rep. ryan: we need a health care system that covers everybody, and that is why in 2007, i began

the fight for medicare for all in the united states of america. we need to tell the business community that the best thing we could do for them is take the health care issue off the books so that they can focus on wages and pensions and investments in jobs here in the united states. [applause] rep. ryan: we need to make sure we support tuition free and debt-free college. if we could bail out the banks who did everything wrong, we can bailout students who have done everything right. [applause] rep. ryan: we need criminal justice reform, and that starts with the legalization of marijuana in the united states of america. [applause] rep. ryan: we need to expand social security so nobody in the united states that has worked

hard and play by the rules and paid into a pension system never has to live with economic insecurity in their later years. [applause] that is part of a bold progressive agenda as well. [applause] rep. ryan: we need comprehensive immigration reform, which includes taking care of dreamers here in the united states. [applause] rep. ryan: lastly, we have got to stop talking small ball on the environment. we have got to go big. [applause] rep. ryan: that means we stop talking about going carbon neutral. the united states needs to lead the world in reversing climate change. we can do it. [applause] rep. ryan: we can do it. with our technology, with our know-how, with regenerative agriculture and sustainable agriculture, we can begin to

sequester carbon and create a new, bold vibrant economy that brings jobs to coal country and steel country and rubber country. we can do this together. [applause] rep. ryan: so, my friends, as we move forward together, we need to remember a story that i heard about muhammad ali. the great humanitarian. somebody grabbed ali on the street one day, and they said, hey champ, i can't believe this is you. he said yeah, it's me. he said, i saw you fight. he goes, nice. the guy says, i saw you get knocked down. ali look at him and said it couldn't have been my fight. he said no, it was your fight you got knocked down.

ali looked at him and said i ain't never been knocked down. i have never been knocked down. i am either up or i am getting up. the progressive movement is getting up, my friends. [applause] rep. ryan: we are going to get up on climate change, medicare for all, publicly financing of political campaigns in the united states. we are going to get up on getting rid of corporations, get up on getting rid of trade agreements, we going to get up on making sure that kids who want to get educated can do it without going bankrupt in the united states. thank you so much. [applause]

>> hey, netroots nation. i am an extremely proud board member of netroots nation. it is the spirit of our movement and organization and conference to promote insurgents. to promote the up-and-coming candidates. to promote people of color. to promote young candidates and women candidates. that is what we do. that is who we are and who we have always been since our very beginning. i wrote a book called "how to democrat in the age of trump." i talk about how the establishment of the democratic party needs to understand that unless they support the insurgency, unless they talk to the grassroots and listen to the grassroots, that we will not be electing a majority anytime soon.

we need to change our party. it is obviously a hell of a lot better than the other one, but we need to change our party and make it a more grassroots party. part of that is supporting insurgent candidates. so, i do want to stipulate for the record, i don't have anything against old white men. [laughter] >> some of my best friends are old white men. [laughter] [applause] >> i'm at least arguably an old white man. but there are way too many of them in the house and senate. [applause] >> all weekend long you have been hearing from great, young candidates, great people of color candidates, women candidates. you are about to hear from some more.

the first one up is a guy who i have been talking with backstage, who i love. david garcia, he is going to be the next governor of the state of arizona. [applause] david: hola, netroots nation, how are we doing? como estamos? i am crazy excited to be here. i want to thank you very much for the opportunity to introduce myself. my name is david garcia, and i am going to be governor of my home state, folks. that is amazing. [applause] david: our campaign slogan is "from us to us." -- for us" it is from us to us because i am arizona's story. i'm a fourth-generation arizonan. i'm a product of their public schools. thank you.

[applause] david: i'm the first in my family to go to college take so many people out there. and if you are going to collect, -- clap because it is a heck of , an accomplishment. [applause] david: i am an army veteran. i served our country. [applause] david: i am a dad was two daughters in public schools in arizona. yes. [applause] david: and, i am a professor. i am running to build the state that built me. as many of you know, arizona has a pretty tough history, don't we? it has been the epicenter and manufacturer of so many problems we are still dealing with today. the modern anti-immigrant, anti-latino, anti-people of color political strategy that trump weaponized, unfortunately

started in arizona. the good news is, it is going to end in arizona, too. [applause] david: we are the next battleground state. if arizona goes, the rest of the country goes as well. i am here with some good news. we know how to deal with it in arizona. we know how to beat it back. it comes to a few things. you see, when they attack our diversity, it is the strength of our diversity that is going to rise to the top. absolutely. [applause] david: when they criticize our teachers, it is our teachers who are going to take to the streets. am i right? [applause] david: when they bully the most vulnerable, it is time for our most vulnerable to have their voices heard. what is the answer?

the answer is something you have been talking about this entire weekend. the answer is something you're going to hear and see on this stage over and over again. the answer is we need leadership that reflects the people. that is the answer. we need leadership that reflects all the people. let me to you more about arizona's story. arizona is over one third latino. there are over 2 million people of color in arizona, and we do not see ourselves in leadership. we have done some positive things in arizona. we kicked joe arpaio out of office. [applause] david: unfortunately, he is coming back again to run for senate. we have to stop him again there. i know. also in arizona, we passed the largest minimum-wage increase in the country.

yes. [applause] david: on the other hand, we haven't had a democrat elected statewide in a long time. here is the one that sticks with me. in a state as diverse as arizona, we have not had a latino or latina elected in arizona statewide in over 40 years. 40 years. my friends, that is going to change in 2018. [applause] david: that is going to change. for those of you that don't know, i'm a statistics professor by day. can you believe that? a round of hands for statistics. [applause] david: i appreciate that. we don't get a lot of that. i tell you that because i know the numbers are there. i know the numbers are there to win. in 2016, for example, there were

over 600,000 latinos and people of color who were eligible to vote, but did not participate in the election. in my opinion, they didn't participate because we didn't give them a reason to participate. that is why they didn't participate. [applause] david: because it is not just about waiting for our electorate to run from something, we need to give the people something to run to as well. i am proud to tell you that is our campaign in arizona. we have a grassroots effort that is taking over the state block by block. this weekend, right now in arizona, just so you know, we are three weeks away from our primary. in the arizona heat, it was over 110 today in arizona, our team is knocking 12,000 doors, completely volunteer effort all across the state. [applause]

david: i just have to give a huge shout out to our team garcia, who is in the arizona heat, changing arizona one door at a time. thank you very much. i am so happy and proud of all of you. [applause] david: i have to stop and recognize one key member of that team. that is corina, she is our field director. she is the leader of this massive organized effort we have going on. she is also a dreamer, folks. [applause] david: i want to recognize her because i know her future just got a little more certain today, thanks to a great ruling yesterday on daca. [applause] david: corina, we are with you. i think i am up here because

when we win in arizona, it is going to be a national story. a victory in arizona is going to show just how far this country has come since november 2016. a victory in arizona is going to be a direct rejection of trump, folks. [applause] david: absolutely. because unfortunately, we have had trump in arizona for a long, long time. latinos in arizona have been under attack for decades. joe arpaio and 1070 remain scars on our state. our current governor is no different. he has denied our dreamers drivers licenses, in-state tuition, and he called joe arpaio his friend. well, here is what i say.

i say it is time. i say it is time that we stand up and we take our american values of that. -- back. that is what i say. the american values that i fought for and served in the military to defend. let me tell you what they are. they are respect and dignity, for all people first and foremost, regardless of who you are or where you come from. [applause] david: it is giving every child the opportunity to reach their full potential and achieve the american dream through public education. it is a government that is not bought and paid for by corporations, but is powered by the people, folks. those are our values. [applause] david: as we come together to close netroots, i want to take a second and imagine. let's just imagine.

let's just imagine to begin with, a brand-new day in arizona. brand new day across this country. a day where we are all going to stand up and lean in and speak up in english or spanish, or any other language that you cherish, and give arizonans and americans a reason to vote for something again. yes. [applause] david: just imagine treating our southern border as an asset and not a liability. [applause] david: just imagine our dreamers, who in my opinion represents the best of our american values, finally having the opportunity to contribute, study, and learn in the only country they have ever known. thank you.

[applause] david: just imagine no wall. no wall in southern arizona. [applause] david: this last one, this last visual. just imagine that after 40 years in the state of arizona, not having anybody of color, particularly a latino elected, in over 40 years, that on november 7, when trump opens up his twitter account -- [laughter] [applause] david: and sees that in arizona, of all places, the good people of arizona have just elected a guy named garcia, governor of arizona. [applause] david: i want to thank you for the opportunity to be here. there are so many amazing people doing great work. thank you very much. come shake my hand and visit us in arizona. we are making it happen. thank you very much. thank you.

[applause] >> from the state of idaho please welcome paulette jordan. paulette: good evening, everyone. relatives, family. i have to tell you how powerful we are as a grassroots movement. we have to be proud of who we are and what we stand for. myself, i come here on the prayers and division of my ancestors, who have lived, fought, suffered and sacrificed for thousands of years in this land. as an indigenous woman, i'm proud of the ancestry i stemmed from. [applause]

leadership.cy of my grandfather and mothers were great chiefs of the northwest. but their vision is wholly unique, and not new to this state. but it will knew once we are governor of idaho. [applause] once we are governor, people will see what it truly means to be from idaho. people will see what it means to love our land and our people. we are going to drive more than politics into our community. drive that love, compassion, humanity that deserves to be in our communities our homes, and our government. [applause] , ilette: as a representative have been honored and privileged to serve my people. and i tell you that working in

our communities, the greatest difference for me as a progressive is to show the people, whether governments -- republicans, libertarians, independence, that when you serve people with compassion by listening and being sincere, you are truly be representative of the people. and that is something that is missing in our government today. [applause] when people ask me why i am running for governor, because there has never been a woman who ran in our state, have never had a woman serving as an executive officer in idaho. nor have we ever had an indigenous representative with a governor seats in this country since the day it was established. it is about time. [applause] but we have a

representative who is truly of this land. my blood runs through the veins of every single river and stream and street that grows in this country. my voice stems from their spirit and energy. my legacy is theirs. forwardon of us moving as governor of idaho will carry on through the new america. because we are flipping our state for the better. purplebe blue, not to be , we are doing it for the greater good. we are showing we are against the cronyism, corporate corruption. we are truly about reflecting the good of the people. and that is why we are winning in a state that is held by republicans, as we see today. you are looking at an individual who is capable of representing republicans.

capable of representing libertarians and independence and democrats. but we are above the political party system. and i'm proud to say, before all of you here, how simple it is to have that level of integrity. to listen to people's needs and to serve them for the public good. we can do that. [applause] paulette: while it is my honor to stand before you and to say that we are running in our states that people think is an unflappable red state. they say it is conservative, how can a young woman of color win in such a state. i will tell you that i work hard. i am sincere, true to the voice and words that were bestowed upon me. and yes, i have a legacy of

leaders who speaks through me. most, and the greatest privilege i have is simply that when you fight, someone who comes from an impoverished, rural community, and you fight for a people regardless of their political position, their creed, their gender, their age. people too show a care about their government again. because our government works. it's just that we have bad actors. we have bad actors in the governor's seat and the lieutenant governor's seat, in the super majority in the house. and we have an opportunity to flip it to be better. right now, i need everyone's help. because i cannot do this alone. but i promise all of you if you , help us turn idaho for the better, we will flip this entire country.

i will say that again. because once we flip idaho, once we are in the governor's seat, we will show everyone that we can take back our country for the greater good. [applause] paulette: so this is our time. there is no secret to it. it is a matter of getting to the doors, getting to neighbors and relatives, showing true compassion, being empathetic and showing we truly love our land as much as we love each other. this is a love army. this is the love nation. and by all means, we are the new america. so thank you for allowing me to be part of it. i love you all. [applause] >> please welcome kevin de leon. [applause]

kevin: thank you very much. thank you, netroots nation. i want to thank you, the entire nation team for being the , conscience of the nation. not just since 2016, let me be clear. but dating back to when donald was a punchline amid laughs and not screams -- but i get -- before i get further let me , clarify a couple things, especially for those asking, who is this guy? my name is kevin de leon. i the california son of an am immigrant mother with a third grade education. a woman who, by herself, raised three kids. inspired by her example -- this was a woman who worked hard fingers to the bone cleaning other people's homes in la jolla, california.

with of the beautiful homes looking over the pacific ocean. this was a woman, a single mother an immigrant with a third , grade education who, by her example and audacity crossed the border. against a wave of bigotry. and because of her, i became the first latino leader of the california state senate in more than a century. [applause] kevin: leading the most progressive legislative body in america, and i am the author of california's strongest in the nation climate laws. california's strongest in the nation net neutrality proposal. california's legislation which made america's largest state the first sanctuary state in america.

and because of that law, jeff sessions, the attorney general, sued the great state of california, to which i say, bring it on, jeff sessions. [applause] and just recently a , federal judge just upheld in a 60-page legal memo that the state of california sanctuary state is legal as the law of the land in the state of california. whether donald trump likes it or not. because in our great nation, there are still many of us that value the power of diversity. because we do not ban it. we do not support it. -- the port it. and we sure as hell do not wall it off not a great nation like , the united states of america. [applause] kevin: because, my friends, i am

not just a proponent of the american dream. i am a product of it. and like each and every one of you in this audience today, netroots conference here today in beautiful new orleans, louisiana. i, like you, have never backed down from a fight or sacrificed principles for the path of least resistance. not in today's fight. together, we are engaged in the battle, the battle for the soul of our nation because we must defeat a republican party which has sold its soul to a republican president without one. [applause] kevin: we cannot do so, my friends, unless we follow the example of the leaders here today, exciting leaders like alexandria ocasio-cortez.

unlike washington, we believe in in forging a path for tuition free college. unlike washington, we believe in medicare for all, not medicare for some. unlike washington, we passed the toughest greenhouse gas in -- emission standards in america, the strongest efficiency laws, and the most aggressive pollution reduction and to harness the power of the wind and the sun to create more than 500,000 clean energy jobs. my friends that is 10 times more , jobs in the clean energy space than there are coal mining jobs in all of america. [applause] kevin: unlike washington, we passed the highest minimum wage in the country, $15, and pay equity, providing equal pay for women doing the same work as their male counterparts.

and unlike washington, we created an innovative retirement security plan for workers without access to a defined benefits or contribution at their place of employment. we know many americans only retire when their arms or backs or shoulders physically give out and it is immoral that the women who brought us into this world, who raised us, who defended us , who fed us retire into poverty , only when their physical bodies give out. not in the wealthiest nation in the world. that is why we must give retirement security to all americans. we have provided health care for undocumented children, the most vulnerable among us. in our senate we are proud to , pass single-payer health care for all californians. and unlike washington, we passed

our own immigrant rights and protections. we have stopped squandering taxpayer dollars on federal deportation which tear families away from mothers and fathers and undermine confidence in , local law enforcement. and unlike washington, we have passed the toughest gun safety and ammunition laws in the nation. [applause] today's california is thriving not in spite of these progressive policies but because of these progressive policies. but here is one thing. big problems do not begin and end at state lines and neither should bold solutions. if there is one thing i have learned as a state leader, we cannot afford for washington to change on its own.

more than any other time in our nations history, every single one of us has to take our fight to washington, to the house of representatives, to the senate, and right to the doorstep of donald j. trump. we will not watch from the sidelines. we will lead on the front lines into november. americans across the nation are looking for a new, bolded generation of leadership in washington. warriors, warriors who will fight to advance an agenda driven by people and their values, not by power or politics. whether you are from maine or minnesota new jersey or new , mexico, texas or tennessee, now is the time to come together. now is the time to back each other up. now was the time to stand up for each other, to take our message to the bayou here in louisiana or to the mountaintop.

because we are not doing our best unless we are out in the streets, in the communities getting our neighbors, our friends, our loved ones excited about voting. and if you need, my friends, what getsefresher on our people pumped up and excited to hit the polls, i can tell you one thing it is our message of , inclusivity. that no matter who you are, no matter where you come from, the language you speak whether you , are white, african-american, latino, asian-american, racially mixed, what god you pray to, no matter who you love, you do deserve a high wage paying job to put a roof over your child's head, to put clothes on their back, food on the table. you do deserve to breathe clean air and drink clean water. you do deserve affordable housing and you do deserve

medicare for all. not medicare for some. is not an exclusive privilege of the wealthy and delete -- elite in the united states of america. [applause] kevin: you do deserve a free shot at tuition and college so our kids can graduate debt-free. not terry principles and interests into the 30's and what 40's, is happening today with profit corporations. and our hard working law-abiding , residents who pledge their allegiance to the red, white, and blue. they deserve to live in peace and tranquility without the fear of the federal government knocking their doors down separating innocent mothers from their children and children from their fathers. not in the united states of america. and that, my friends, is why i am running for united states senate in the great state of california.

[applause] kevin: this is a new day, and we need a new direction. we cannot leave the nation into the future if politicians in washington keep resisting the new america. -- the resistance. not in america. that is why it is more vital than ever that we remain a exceptional example a beacon of , hope and opportunity in a very uncertain world. we are not going to allow one electoral aberration to reverse generations of progress at the height of our historic diversity, our scientific advancement, our economic output, and a sense of global responsibility. not in the united states of america, my friends. we are all dreamers. we are all democrats. some are pragmatic.

but we are all americans. we made history before, and with your passion, there is no doubt, this november we are going to make history again and take back our nation. with that, thank you very much to each and every one of you. thank you. [applause] . >> what do we want?

>> i am a native of orleans, louisiana, and i am the founder of a black lens matter. i am not a number. we are not a number. we have had to compete with each other through a panel. we have been put against each other with our programming. do you understand how that feels? to be named as the 67% or whatever it was of people of color. look at the audience. how many of us are there with you? look around. black people, brown people, stand up, if you can. stand up. these are the people who deserve the attention. we have a president who is directly attacking us.

we want more positions at netroots. we want controls over our programming. we will no longer be tokenized by so-called white allies who refuse to be accomplices. accomplices throw themselves between us and harm, whether it be a police officer or an agitator, whether it be a racist or a troll. but you are not doing that. you know what you are doing at this table? you are asking black attendees, do you belong here? this is a predominantly black city that was nearly destroyed and is coming back thanks to tourism like this, but most work in the service industry. and get talked to like dogs. so, when we come somewhere where we are supposed to be welcome, we are not supposed to be asked, what are you doing here?

[applause] say.. has is coming to >> go had have a seat for only stand up if you're from new orleans. look around you. they deserve a run of a pause, but look around you. i can count you on my hand. that is a problem. why? how many of your black. here third people the only folks from new orleans here are working the door. were they invited in the? ask did you force them to if there went cap bash hat? is being able to afford a badge

been able to come in and speak your truth. are doing opposite value. do you think we are not worthy to come and speak. that we are worthy to come and speak at your space. had we get here? or you paying us to speak? the smoggy plantation. -- or is this more like a plantation. net root, did you come here for progressive value or the to come here who saw the mayor of new orleans? a $40 million surveillance -- brought by this -- vision of police department

and share information with the department of homeland security, the fbi. the show we are being shipped because of the surveillance cameras you are paying for just by being here. yet to ask yourself, to know when he got here, that you are doing more harm than good? what are you going to do about it? are going to have more people of color? are going to have representation? are we going to have people from the city to come from the conference in the city? oh are you going to sit here and pay money. folks like me do not get paid to come here. money to beg me here.

are you comfortable in your seat? it's a very black city. i going to contribute? i going to go see the city? are going to stay that here and stay in the convention center, and have your servitude question folks in thethe back in the door, do you care what does it mean to be progressive when you're not living after value? now that everyone is sitting down, stand up if the exterior you will only be here if you are committed to his values.

>> they're going to philadelphia next year. that is my city. there is reasons he did not know and reasons information was not shared. part of it is because people from here were not in decision-making positions to make sure information is being distributed and that panels or being organized in a way that was not competitive. when it comes to going to philadelphia, philadelphia is the poorest largest city in the country. but alsoeautiful city has a lot of suffering. for everybody, it seems invisible. there are communities all around were there are people who have

all caps skills and gives. they need to be actually invited, involved, before having the conversations and china find out what policies need to put up. one of the things you are expecting it that there be shifting of leadership. when you stood up and you said you will not be attending, unless it is representing of the principles, we need to be clear about what that means. one of the things you should be looking for is a major shift in the leadership. leadership should be demonstrated that there are people from the frontline when it comes to

preliminaries, panels, it when they are located. there was no reason for your panel to be off in a back corner and no one will find. decision-making, the people i can those decisions need to reveal his most lives are most effected. claiming it is important. on a progressive community is saying that we are the most left community, that a panel cut do your white regresses. savannas are not safe for some people and sometimes black people. as a very small room. why was that conversation be had is in the context

of this administration and everybody country so upset about. we are expecting it there is not a shift in leadership, no one in this room will will be coming to philadelphia for a network station panel. what are the things pillsbury looking for? >> i see some of you are uncomfortable. those white tears are showing. i am ready to drink them. we are going to be on the board. you're going to fight for us to be on the board in that room. you're going as i firstly a part of all of the programming. not just to take control but to work together. understandhat you space, do you take up

you understand how degrading that is? that you think that out of the movie, you are that black person? it is not cool. watch pastors, look through us, and they are walking in front of us. who are you? are you not a human being, or are we not? that is not rhetorical. are you a human being? do you see us as human beings? do black lives matter? two brown lives matter. do better. >> we need to make sure our us.idates are supporting

supporting black and brown people. we need to make sure that anyone who comes on stage represents all of the values. if you are not progressive on palestine, you are not progressive. if you are not progressive on black rights, you are not progressive. you better be progressive. you, weg i want to ask want people to know they are being held accountable around issues of racial justice. whenever you hear a candidate speak, demand that you understand where they stand in relation to racial justice. we are try to this conversation. class does not race. that is bs. we all know it. classes are bill on race issues.

we do not want to hear anymore about. when you hear a candidate speaking, we want you to demand that they are speaking on racial justice issues. one of the ways i'm suggesting we do that is when a candidate speaking, and they not that racial justice issues, stand up and put your fist. that will mean i want to hear you have to say. they do not speak in a way that is honoring -- walked out. to.alk out

>> that is like having all their business shop at once. folks?appreciate the folkse got to be ok with pulling us in. that is pulling us in. we have got to be ok with people calling us in. we have got to work through the discomfort of --. there going to be conflict. we are going to be in different spaces at different times, but to figure how to come together. couple years ago, a lot of us now, we did not hold the best space. i was in the audience, not in

on the state. folks split when there is protest. we want to appreciate the fact that we can hold space for protests if that is necessary. those folks are right. i was stunned but there was still people. there are that few number of black folks in the room heard -- room. there is that few of us in the room that there are folks from the city. so we have to all that. everybody say we're going to change. we're going to change it. are going to change it. if we cannot change it months

how are we going to take any place else? we're going to change it. we're going to change it. net route. we're going to change it. we have to think the brothers. i love that. yes. sun kissed. that is going right over here. we does want to appreciate folks, you give them some love. they are holding down security. we have to change this. we have to make this work at we have to figure out how to be in our relationship as a national organization and figure out how

to beat with the local folks so it all have to have the situation. if we have protests, that is ok. this is something we can solve. net roots. we're going to change this. thank you so much. >> please welcome alexandria -- cortez. >> hello meant roots. met roots nation. thank you. tooes want to take a moment -- the active is an organizers who are appear.

sister, i want to say the people closest to the pain should be closest to the power. i want to thank those who are pointing. these movements should be in norstar of politics. if it looks like i am tired, i am. if it looks like i had no make up on, i do not. this is the fifth time you have seen the in the stress, deal with it. my name is alexandra cortez, i am an educator, and organizer. i am a working-class new yorker. i've also the democratic nominee for congress in the 14th congressional district.

-- covers the bronx, queens, and rikers island. it seems like ages ago, which is one that primary five weeks ago. i have spent the last two years of my life knocking on doors, constantly and consistently. people closest to that pain. talking to working-class americans, talking to the people of this nation. cleans, they have an idea. of what new york 14 is. actually, the cross-section of the nation. urban thata densely

there is also suburban and even parts that look rural. parts far away from public transit. -- are voters who voted for donald trump. they look like a cross-section of a nation. , after spending the last two years knocking on doors, i think we have learned a lot of things. ,ne of think that we learned especially in our win. after not been endorsed by a single election official. or establish an organization. that is fine. that is not a big deal. we can come together after these things. that, we are not going to be be big money was more big

money. we went to the big money with more organizing. i think there has been a lot of debate, or at least i have heard. i just came in from california. .efore that, i was in michigan all candidates refused to say corporate money. all candidates who believe the war on drugs. all candidates who believe tuition free, -- college is the future. because that is the future. i believe that sometimes they make mistakes. we have this idea in our brains of what a swing of voter is.

after spending the time in the midwest and after talking to folks constantly, voters do not vote for the person who is moderate enough. the person who is most tenant. backing down from our starting point. that is not what a swing voter is for. a swing voter votes for authenticity. they vote for the person who they think is champion them the most. , is not just red or blue. it is non-voter to vote or. it is no mistake, it is no secret, over the last 10 years we have walk -- lost a lot of seats. major, house, senate, and presidency. that is all right.

it is always dark before dawn. every time the knock on a door, is a ray of sunlight. every time he picked up a phone, it is contributing to that light. right now, you need to burst between now and november. we have a lots of organizing that we need to do. i think sometimes the greatest success on the other end, is the fact that they have -- while creating tighter and tighter while convincing us to stray from ours. we need to realize the consciousness of the democratic party. i believe, it is time to come home. i think it is time for us to come home. that time to remember ,niversal college, education

tranquil, a federal job, expiration of the universal basic income. we are not all proposed. because 1940. but the democratic president of the united states. these are not new ideas. we are picking up where we last left off. but we were our last greatest third the democratic party, it is time to own that we are the functions of the great society. that is our party. that is who we are. it is time for us to come home. when working people realize that we are fighting for them the most, they will fight for us to. that is what we have shown. realize, that it was a democratic party that establish coast-to-coast electricity, the highway system,

and the women's right to choose, when we own that and accept that, we will realize we are fighting for the majority of this nation. and they will fight for us. -- how democracy works. what -- one of the things i midwest,oing into the we went out to grand rapids, a conservative area. we announced that we would host that rally. 600 people rsvp to. over 1000 people showed up. we went to flint, and other hundred people showed up. -- we had a hold another rally outside. something is happening in this

country. we can win on it. we can realize that we can appeal to our highest self, not our lowest self. we can say a -- can be the first governor. the first muslim governor in the midwest. 10 years ago, they voted for barack obama. we have been your before. when we realized that there is nothing radical about moral -- in this nation, it is how far this country has strayed and worked to bring us home. as it are boys that should be here to you. i want to thank you all. another are some debates here.

that is all right. we can embrace that. this course is not discordant bird this court is not discordant. can are you in as all right because the other end. i may have different beliefs of other democrats. i happen to believe that the agency that has systematically civilolently committed rights abuses cannot be reformed. that is i believe. not under this administration, especially. i have time that we take that tool away. it is telling take that tool away. not just eyes that our system of mass incarceration.

it is time we realize in that cannot be separated. those issues cannot be separated. , from a dignified and living wage people to come home to. separated from the ability to extend it tuition free college, reinvesting communities of an red lines. our most vulnerable is the success of the nation. how you treat flint is how we treat america. they do not want us to connect the dots. when i won the, they said it stay-at-home heard they said stay, keep it in the bronx. ago, beforeyears 2016, it wasn't too long ago the

new york times had an article that said, it is inappropriate to compare manhattan to brooklyn. what is more appropriate is to connect rust belt cities. some of the cities they want to compare to his pittsburgh, cleveland, detroit. the plight of working-class americans is same. we know that. the future of the party, to rediscover our soul, to come home and tree lights we can fight for social, economic, and racial justice. a site for that is a fight for all of us. it is time to realize that we are the parties of kings, of roosevelts, who have electrify this nation. who accomplish the greatest successes and crown jewels of

our society. we created social security. we created the economic and scientific basis of our greatest achievement. we can own that. all,t want to thank you and to know that the way we do this is all the home and recommit ourselves. there is no district to read for us. >> please welcome former -- secretary -- boolean -- julian. >> good evening. until then i have to go after her? i'm glad we have folks here from new orleans.

who is here from texas? the texans in the room have a big smile on their face, because they know and a couple of months will have a new senator. i have a twin brother, you represents san antonio in congress. he likes to go around telling people that the way to tell us apart is that i am uglier than him. when i was with president obama and the cap, the real way to tell is a part is, we both lived in d.c.. but he was in congress. it so i was the own actually work. when it changes hands and november, will chase that. congress will get working again for the american people.

net root has a rich and proud history of gathering the nations leading progressives. you believe that investing in the people of america, to make progress. i am excited to be here tonight, in my own life, i have been a beneficiary of that progress or it we grew up on the west side of sanatorium -- senate tenure. my grandmother had come from mexico was she was six years old, because her parents passed away. she came to san antonio to live with her closest relatives. they polls are out of school because she finished elementary. because of that, she worked her entire life as a maid, cook, and babysitter. she raise my mother as a single parent. my mother was the first in a family to graduate from high school and going to college heard she became a hell raiser. in the late 1960's and 70's, i

can remember,\ on april 3, 1992. i ran onto the mailbox with my brother. we ran out in the city. we got the u.s. news and world report. four, we got to see waivers and we apply to college. day, we ran onto the mailbox and found two packets or when you're applying to college, you want to be a packet and i letter. we took the packets inside. with my mother and my we openedr a round, them on the letter inside it said, congratulations and welcome to the sanford quest of 1996.

i wish that back then, i had a cell phone camera that we all have now. i could've taken a picture of my grandmother's face. she never could have imagined that kind of opportunity available for herself or for her daughter, or even for us. it was one of those moments in life and i'm sure you have have this, where you are so happy, that you feel like your dreams then weeks later we get the bill. that was not such a happy day. time, but university cost between 27 and $28,000 per person. the year we applied my mother made under $20,000. these twoas no way

women who had worked their entire lives could afford the opportunity for me and my brother. the only reason i can stand here front of you with the benefit of a good education, is a killer worked hard, but also, because there were grants and loans and work studies. i believe this country has been graded when it is invested in real opportunities, and matter the color of your skin and where you live. everybody should be included in the united states. is, we base a question in our country today as a set ,ere in 2018, the question is what does progress in this century require?

we need a 21st-century blueprint. her progress. that means investing in universal pre-k and free public college, brainpower is a new currency of success in the 21st century economy. we need to be the smartest nation in the world, the most skilled. it means, health care that is universal, so that every single person in this country can get to health care. it means ensuring that we protect a woman's right to choose slick and control their own bodies. it means that we overturn bigzens united and get money out of politics, and put the redistricting team power into the hands of the people. so that we can get more unity in our country. amazingly raised the minimum

wage so you can afford the rent and on to work two or three jobs to put food on the table for their family. they also means that no one is above the law. not the president of the united states, and not law enforcement officers who brutalized young black men and women in this country. as progressives, we are not interested in making our country anything again. we are looking backwards. we are looking to the future. toare interested in years come and making america better than a has-been, including everybody in that prosperity.

we know that progress is tough. progress takes all hands on deck. and 1971,ther was 23 she ran for the san antonio city council with 8 -- called the committee for --. it was an independent group that was trying to close the opportunity gap that existed along the west, south, and east sides. mostly black and latino neighborhoods. none of the candidates one. at the time, very few women and minorities one. lost, shethat she told a local reporter when i asked about the future, she said, we will be back. 30 years later, in 2001 when i

was 26, i got elected to the san antonio city council because of the work of my mother and a generation of activists in the progress but that made possible and in cities like san antonio. that was the kind of progress you have worked on for a long time. all of us have been beneficiaries of. know that change does happen. that sometimes progress takes time. but it takes commitment. that is where you come in. if you what leaders that unite our country said a divided, if you what leaders who are honest, instead of corrupt, if you want leaders who listen to the people and set of listening to their close circle of lobbyist, if you what leaders who what leaders who want children and better

classrooms, and said better cages, if you want an america that can move forward and progress, and said go backward, the way we are headed now, this is what want to do. don't waste a minute of your time feeling daunted. that don't jump has a base of diehard supporters. so did richard nixon heard so did roy moore. so we'll donald trump before he loses as well. instead, i will you to work hard, to reach, to register, and to mobilize the strong majority of americans who want change in 2018. i know and some in a way that i'm preaching to the choir.

there was a day when the folks in this room fell at why in the world and i doing this? we get a call to go volunteer at the campaign office, or you get read before the deadline to contribute. are you call one of your friends and they will answer because they know i your calling. facebook ord on blocked on twitter for being too political. walking, and you cannot to a door, knock on the door, nobody answers. .o you knock again and through the corner of your eye, you see the curtains move. have hadof have you that happen? sometimes you after self, why am i doing this.

those moments are what i hope you will remember, we are doing this because we know that we live in a great country. we also live in a country that can be better. i can be more equal. i can be more inclusive. they can be more prosperous for every individual. if we all reach out in the , yes.er and mobilize , thatall do our part stacey abrams will be the new governor of georgia. pollock jordan will be the governor idaho. they make are sealed to the governor of arizona. andrew daschle be the new governor of florida. colleagues will take back the house of representatives. taking back the senate. and in a couple of years, we're

going to send donald trump into retirement. you can make progress happen, we are on you know. -- counting on you. >> thank you so much for coming. make sure you join us at the daily -- party at 9 p.m.. >> executive director of america rising. talks at the upcoming midterm, research, and president trump's

role in the 2018 elections. watch the interview today at 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. here on c-span. >> there are lots of people who don't want their kids to read stories that are sad or disturbing. that is not a totally legitimate thing to say, i want to choose when my kid understands stuff that might bring them grief or it is also a certain point beyond that which, they are 14. when are going to introduce them that think are not perfect at that of your suburb. all of your factors swirled together to create a dumpster fire of mass censorship. corrie doctoral be our guest on in-depth fiction edition alive today. discussing his latest book, walk a way.