Hello friends,

Welcome back to my Saturday coffee klatch. Today I’m offline with family, so instead of our regular klatch, I’m bringing you a terrific conversation I just had with Nse Ufot, CEO of New Georgia Project (NGP).

NGP is one of the most important grassroots voting-rights organizations — in one of the most important voting states. NGP is now registering over 600,000 young people and people of color to vote in all 159 of Georgia’s counties. Nse describes the organization as a “tech startup inside a civil rights and voting rights organization” to build the power of working people in Georgia.

I’m so pleased to be able to share with you this inspiring discussion about the on-the-ground fight for democracy. We cover:

* Who has power in our system — and the need to cultivate new voter power through grass-roots organizing.

* How to train organizers — by teaching them how to listen (because potential voters “have twice as many ears as they do mouths.”)

* How to motivate non-registered voters to step up — by asking people to discuss what they need.

* How to keep people coming to the polls — even though those with power will continue to put up obstacles.

* How to get people the information they need — in a voting system that’s barely changed in a century.

* And what will happen in 2024 and beyond — and why Nse, as an optimist, is “ready to cancel the apocalypse.” (I agree!)

My thanks to Nse and all of her colleagues and volunteers at the New Georgia Project. Thanks also to Kevin McCormick who composed the tune we use as today’s coffee klatch theme song.

Heather Lofthouse and I will be back next week.

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