Activist Carroll Fife recently received a message with some unexpected, exciting news.

“I got a text last week saying ‘congratulations,’” said Fife. “It had my name on a paper that said ‘Clinton and Sanders’ platform committee.’”

 

Fife quickly found out she had been elected to join the California delegation to the Platform Committee of the Democratic Party at this year’s Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Philadelphia, a rare and high honor that she said she did not advocate for or even know she was nominated for.

Nevertheless, Fife said she wants to be there. “I want to honor the people who thought it was important for my voice to be a part of the process,” she said.

Only now, Fife faces the challenge of paying for an unexpected and upcoming trip across the country. So, she has since started a GoFundMe page to help raise $6,000 to help bring Oakland to Philadelphia for the convention.

According to the fundraising page, “Grounded in local grassroots organizing, I have dedicated my life to bringing the needs of the people front and center. It’s my intention to bring Oakland to Philly – holding the people’s interests in my heart and representing our agenda in the process.”

In addition to the conference from July 25 to July 28, Fife is also planning a trip to Orlando, where she will be working with other platform committee members from California to finalize the platform that will go before the delegation in Florida.

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“I was told by the Bernie (Sanders) campaign this would be the most critical work,” Fife said. “The platform committee work will dictate the direction of the party for the next four years.”

Crunched for time, Fife is now working to reach her goal of $6,000 by next week.

Although she remains optimistic that she will attend the convention, Fife said she may have to drop her plans to work on the platform in Florida if the fundraising goal is not met.

“When we have the opportunity to send one of our members whose work is in line with serving the people and has given back to the community, we should entrust her with the job of taking our grassroots message to these platforms that normally shut us out,” said Cat Brooks of the Anti Police-Terror Project.

To contribute to Fife’s online fundraising page, visit www.gofundme.com/fife2philly

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