Celebrating Vashon for 11 years of building a progressive movement

The Backbone Campaign celebrates 11 years of community engagement, artful activism and political theatre this month.
Renowned writer Chris Hedges recently gave a shout out to the work of Vashon’s own Backbone as one of a few key “Professional Revolutionist” organizations, the Backbone Campaign.  “And it is the rebel alone who can save us from corporate tyranny. I do not know if these rebels will succeed. But I do know that a world without them is hopeless,” he writes.

The not-for-profit organization started as an affinity group of activists alarmed at the march to war and stripping of rights after the attacks of September 11, 2001.  As the buildup to the Iraq war intensified, the first action was a large banner over a freeway overpass which read “Oil Men, Leading Us Into Disaster.”  A creative contingent marched in the February 15th 2003 demonstration against the Iraq invasion in Seattle, with a giant puppet of George W. Bush as Julius Caesar, riding in a litter, oil spewing from a derrick canopy above his head.  Litter bearers in death masks, solemnly processed to the haunting, slow music of gongs and drums.

The Backbone Campaign emerged gradually over a number of months like a composition.  In a trip to DC over Halloween using frequent flier miles given him by his sister for a visit, Bill offered the services of the Vashon affinity group to a number of Beltway organizations - thinking that some organization might adopt the idea.  When no one bit at the offer, afraid of offending the Democratic Party or other reasons, a local effort was launched.  

The first house party was on December 12, 2003.  On January 18, 2004 the Backbone Campaign awarded Rep. Jim McDermott the very first Backbone Award in honor of his pre-war fact finding trip to Iraq. This original, handcrafted award was created by Vashon Island sculptor Hans Nelsen. Subsequent awards were partially cast from a mold made from this trophy.  On that same day, a platform creation group met at Co-Housing, organized by Cathy deSmet.

The focus throughout 2004 was on building a giant puppet of an articulated backbone, with each vertebra articulating a piece of the progressive platform.  Built by volunteers, the puppet was spearheaded by artists Bill Jarcho and Jim Farrell.  Backbone Campaign also created a progressive platform for caucuses, presented other Backbone and Spine Awards, and sent a contingent of artists and activists to Boston, to bring a backbone to the Democratic Party.

Since then, it has developed, matured and expanded, with a focus less on the political process and more on building people power to effect change. “Backbone Campaign works from the moral and strategic understanding that what is of ultimate importance is the relationships that we weave with each other,” says co-founder and Executive Director, Bill Moyer. The Backbone Campaign celebrates those relationships and the Island’s generous volunteer, creative, mentoring, and financial support over the past 11 years.