At its “We The People” Convention, AMOS brought together 1,200 citizen leaders from 40+ organizations in Central Iowa and an 80-person delegation from Northeast Iowa to celebrate 30 years of organizing.
Leaders shared powerful testimonies on:
- Water quality and Iowa’s cancer rate
- Public school funding
- A statewide Silver Alert for vulnerable adults
- Rural EMS response times
- Workforce barriers for refugee Iowans and DACA recipients
Together, they secured commitments from the following candidates to work with AMOS to advance AMOS' agenda:
- Gubernatorial candidate Rob Sand
- 3rd Congressional District candidate Sarah Trone Garriott
- Iowa Secretary of Agriculture candidate Chris Jones
- 20 county supervisor and state legislative candidates
Candidates from both parties were invited to participate.
[Excerpts]
After the convention, pastor [Beth] Wartick [of Resurrection Lutheran Church in Ankeny] said AMOS hoped to draw participation “across political lines.”
“What this is about is about building relationships to work together,” she said. “It’s not about partisan picking sides.”
The organization says its model starts with conversations among members about problems affecting their families and communities. Those conversations are used to identify shared priorities, which AMOS then brings to elected officials and candidates.
That format made Sunday’s convention different from a traditional debate or campaign rally.
Rather than primarily giving candidates time to deliver campaign speeches, AMOS members shared stories tied to each issue and asked candidates for direct commitments.
Pastor Wartick said the goal was to demonstrate that political power does not belong only to candidates and elected officials, but also to residents who organize around shared concerns. The five issues, Wartick said, were intended to ensure “the voices of everyday Iowans matter” and that candidates commit to working with the people raising them.
Click below for the convention photo gallery
Candidates Make Policy Pledges at AMOS Convention in Clive, KCCI [pdf]
How 30 years of grassroots organizing shapes central Iowa, Des Moines Registrar [pdf]
Ordinary People, Extraordinary Power – 30 Years of AMOS, AMOS [video]