July 3, 2022

Friends and Family,

Fortunate to run in good weather and on a pretty course, I finished the Firecracker Half-Marathon in Fremont California to benefit Convergence yesterday. It was a tough field – the 78-year-old I ran with until he pulled ahead in the last half-mile had run 200 ultra-marathons and 50 marathons. (I ran 40 before my back started acting up in 2018). I finished in 2:38:04, just two minutes slower than last year but more than an hour slower than my 1:33:58 time (7 minutes/10 seconds a mile) when I was 52.

But the best part was seeing my partner Ellen, son James, daughter-in-law America, and granddaughter Sonia waiting for me as I approached the finish line. Sonia, now two, came out and paced me during those last tough yards; you can see a pic of us heading for the tape above.

The run took my mind off the rampaging Supreme Court and overall MAGA threat for at least a little while. And I’m grateful for the outpouring of support from so many of you to help Convergence’s work sharing strategic thinking and lessons for resistance. So far this year’s run has raised a little over $10,000, but I’d love to see it reach the $11,000-plus figure achieved each of the last five years. Please pitch in to make that happen by signing on as a Convergence Patreon Donor or making a one-time contribution at:

https://convergencemag.com/donate/

The left is only one part of the broad coalition needed to stop MAGA and start a new progressive cycle in U.S. politics. But it can play a crucial role in offering a vision worth fighting for, in stiffening the spines of the wavering components of the anti-MAGA bloc, and in telling the truth about what we are up against and why we can win. That’s what Convergence is all about. Please help the project get the resources it needs to realize its potential.

Thanks, Peace, and Hope,
Max