The California Green Party is Born

By Mike Feinstein, Green Synthesis, March 1990.

Suddently, the California Green Assembly meeting came to a halt, as everyone leaned forward to hear ABC's local affiliate come through a 2" Sony Watchman. "Today was a historic day. Sixty Green activists from all areas of California gathered in Sacramento to launch a new political party, the Green Party of California." 

These words of Nevada County Green Kent Smith, followed minutes later by Santa Clara River Green Mindy Lorenz on CBS, announced to thousands what had that day become reality - the formal commitment of California Greens to grow into a new political party, representative of a multi-racial and environmentally healthy California.

As everyone settled back in their seats to enjoy the euphoria of co-creating a historical moment, there was a sense they'd matured into a new identity and liked the way the hat fit.  The nine hour meeting had been a model of cohesion. Beyond forming the party, these California Greens had interviewed and provisionally accepted a pro bono lobbyist for the state capitol, ratified a procedure for endorsing statewide initiatives, recommended that all CoC's form electoral working groups, issued a statemetn of support of the Ocean Protection Act to be taken to Washington, D.C. as part of national lobbying efforts, dsicussed the relationship between movement and party, including both party-CoC and party-kindred groups like Greenpeace and Earth Island, and formed working groups on electoral procedures, platform and candidate generation, media and outreach and alliance building.

Approximately 80,000 Green voter registrations will put the party on the state ballot for the November 1992 elections. Towards that end, the next state meeting, scheduled for Southern California on March 24-25, will include invited community leaders. Plans are also underway for issue-oriented party posters, celebrity fundraising concerts and college campus speaking tours.