Imagining America Presentation

If You’re At This Conference – RUN FOR LOCAL OFFICE! Tom Tresser September 8, 2007

If you would like a copy of this presentation, please email me at tom@tresse.com.

Tom’s background… ACTOR INTERNET MARKETER COMMUNITY DEVELOPER PRODUCER EDUCATOR “The Artist As Activist” – Loyola Theatre Department POLITICAL ORGANIZER

Current Projects The Moose Jaw Expedition 2007

The Federation of American Scientists (FAS) was formed in 1945 by atomic scientists from the Manhattan Project who felt that scientists, engineers and other innovators had an ethical obligation to bring their knowledge and experience to bear on critical national decisions, especially pertaining to the technology they unleashed - the Atomic Bomb. Endorsed by 68 Nobel Laureates in chemistry, economics, medicine and physics, FAS addresses a broad spectrum of issues in carrying out its mission to promote humanitarian uses of science and technology. Ivan Oelrich, Ph.D., Vice President for Strategic Security programs at the Federation of American Scientists. Jerome McDonnell Host, Worldview, WBEZ-FM Chicago

So what can we do to heal, bring sanity and good things to our planet?

LOCAL FOCUS

DECLARE VALUES

RUN ON THEM

I PROPOSE CREATIVITY AS A VALUE THAT CAN INSPIRE AND GUIDE CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, PUBLIC POLICY AND POLITICAL ACTION…

Creativity & American Heritage Creativity!

December 16, 1773

The Power of words… Thomas Paine – 1737 - 1809

The Power of words… “ We have it in our power to begin the world over again. A situation, similar to the present, hath not happened since the days of Noah until now. The birthday of a new world is at hand, and a race of men, perhaps as numerous as all Europe contains, are to receive their portion of freedom from the event of a few months.”

The invention of America

“ We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. etc. etc.”

Tom Crafts reads the Declaration aloud in Boston - July 19, 1776

“ The bells rang, the privateers fired the forts and batteries, the cannon were discharged, the platoons followed, and every face appeared joyful…After dinner the King’s Arms were taken down from the State House and every vestige of him from every place in which it appeared, and burnt…Thus ends royal Authority in this State…and all the people shall say Amen.” Abigail Adams letter to John describing Tom Crafts, a house painter, reading of the Declaration of Independence aloud on July 19, 1776 from small balcony in front of the Massachusetts State House, Boston.

When citizens hear the words “United States of America” read out loud for the first time in the weeks following the signing they all agreed that they now belonged to, came from and owed allegiance to the United States. It was a total fiction and the U.S.A. existed nowhere except in the minds of the Authors and their audience! U.S.A! U.S.A! U.S.A! U.S.A!

Creativity is our promise 38,000,000 people in U.S. born abroad

Creativity is our promise Source: UN Dept of Economic and Social Affairs 38,355,000

I.I. Rabi won the 1944 Nobel Physics Prize for his work on the Manhattan Project.

born in Austria - came to America as infant - father worked making women’s blouses in a sweatshop - Rabi was a brilliant student, became a physicist - leading member of the Manhattan Project On the occasion of the award a journalist asked, What did Rabi think of this great honor? “What do I think? I think that in the old country I would have been a tailor.”

- David Halberstam, “Defining a Nation – Our America and the Sources of its Strength,” 2003.

Since 1906 283 U.S. citizens have been awarded Nobel Prizes. 71 were foreign-born (including Isidor Rabi). 26% !

The increasing value of creativity

Value of U.S. Copyright Industries 2005

Creativity Drives U.S. Social + Economic Progress Jane Addams Jonas Salk

Creativity in business

http://innovateamerica.org

“Innovate America” – National Innovation Initiative Report, December 2004

REPORT SIGNED BY CEOS OF 11 MAJOR US COMPANIES AND PRESIDENTS OF 8 UNIVERSITIES!

BellSouth, IBM, American Airlines, Advanced Micro Devices, Ab Initio, Verizon, Amgen, Dana, Morgan Stanley, GM, PepsiCo

Georgia Institute of Technology, Texas A&M, Columbia University, University of North Carolina, Stanford, Rensselaer, MIT, University of Michigan

PAGE 1: “ RESOLVED -- Innovation will be the single most important factor in determining America’s success through the 21 st century.”

POLTICS IS ABOUT ADDITION, NOT SUBTRACTION…

Richard Florida

Professor of Business and Creativity at the Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto

Author, “The Rise of the Creative Class”, “The Flight of the Creative Class”

http://creativeclass.com

Creative Economy Workforce According to Florida

Super-Creative Core :

Computer and mathematical occupations

Architecture and engineering occupations

Life, physical, and social science occupations

Education, training, and library occupations

Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations

Creative Professionals :

Managerial occupations

Business and financial operations occupations

Legal operations

Healthcare practitioners and technical operations

High-end sales and sales management

Who makes a living from creativity?

Creative Class =

* Super-Creatives,

15 million workers +

* Creativity pros,

23 million workers

38 million strong 28% U.S. work force

“ The Rise of the Creative Class,” Richard Florida

What % of Illinois Workers Toil in the Creative Industries? 30%

Chicago Region Creative Workers Super-Creatives = 467,760 Creative Pros = 834,080 Total = 32% of labor force Source: Metro Chicago Information Center

28%

MI Creative Class “ Super-Creatives” = 556,520 “ Creative Professionals” = 707,220 TOTAL = 1,263,740 2002 Governor’s race Margin of victory = 126,521

2002 DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY FOR GOVERNOR Jennifer Granholm = 499,129 David Bonior = 292,958 James Blanchard = 254,586 MI Creative Class “ Super-Creatives” = 556,520 “ Creative Professionals” = 727,220 TOTAL = 1,263,740 Margin of victory = 206,171

We need a little diversity…

2004 = 7,382 total State Legislators….

Male = 77.5%

Female = 22.5%

Average age = 54

White = 77%

Attorneys, business related background = 80%

Education related background = 7%

Communication arts/broadcasters = 1.5%

Artists/Other creative professionals = 0%

Are you ready to lead?

You’re already a leader! Really!

Creative Leadership Inventory

List your skills

List you assets

List your lists

Artists + creative professionals can offer their :

creative skills & resourcefulness

tolerance an ability to be empathetic

ability to build ensembles

ability to challenge old assumptions

passion, compassion & optimism

champions non-financial measures

pursuit of truth & authenticity

P

O

E

T

What do you have? PASSION TO CREATE OUT-OF-THE-BOX THINKING EMPATHY & ENSEMBLE BUILDING TRUTH SEEKERS/TELLERS

ELEVATE creativity as national value and priority

UNIFY across differences to fashion new voting block

RECRUIT and support creativity champions in civic arena

The Political Opportunity Before Us…

Create. Act. Vote. RUN!

Ben Franklin…model creative citizen

Entrepreneur

Community organizer

Inventor

Politician

Author

Diplomat

Philanthropist

John B. Rice built first permanent theater in Chicago in 1847

19 th Mayor of Chicago! 1865 - 1869 Congressman 1873 - 1874

Guy Padgett, City Councilman, Mayor Casper, Wyoming

Cara Jennings, City Commissioner Lake Worth, Florida

Hell no we won't Hell no we won't Hell no we won't Go there with those tired old chants My activism is more like a rant A rant of rage of resistance This system I speak out against. One, two, three, four Boring protest no more five, six, seven, eight Resistance let's activate No justice Here's a piece of my mind No justice A piece of my behind No justice Piece it together you'll find Radical cheerleaders on the frontline Co-founder