Will Who?
Since many blogs and news organizations don't like linking to unidentified authors, I decided it's time to write a reference post about who I am. Besides that, my focus has changed a bit since I started this as a campaign blog so it's time for a new statement of purpose.
I'm Will Reynolds from Springfield, Illinois.
Organizations I currently volunteer for include:
Sierra Club Illinois Chapter - Chair
Sierra Club Sangamon Valley Group - Chair
Illinois Stewardship Alliance - Executive board member
Liberty Brew & View - A monthly movie series on political or social issues, usually combined with speakers and opportunities to take action. In 2009 the Central Illinois ACLU honored me with the Larry Golden Award, primarily for establishing this independent forum for the exploration of civil liberties and other issues.
Disclaimer
All opinions written on this blog, ridiculous or otherwise, are mine and are not written on behalf of any organization unless specifically stated.
Watchu talkin 'bout Willis?
I usually write about the environment and Illinois politics with a focus on Springfield, clean energy, coal and whatever project or event I'm working on at the time.
Some jobs I enjoyed to varying degree
Community Volunteer Center for central Illinois, Director
National Parks Conservation Association, field organizer.
Project Vote - Arkansas voter registration drive director.
Political campaign and online organizing consultant.
SEIU organizer in Southern Illinois.
Steak n' Shake bus boy.
And several others
Places I lived, in order:
Springfield, IL
Carbondale, IL
Knoxville, TN
Cleveland, OH
Manchester, NH
Little Rock, AR
Chicago, IL
Springfield, IL
Family History Anecdotes
Thanks to my genealogist parents, I can trace by family roots in rural Central Illinois back to the 1840's. They were mostly working class farmers, coal miners, Democrats (they supported Douglas over Lincoln), and occasional troublemakers. One ancestor was part of Colonel US Grant's first unit of command in Illinois and some relatives followed him all the way to Georgia. One of my earliest ancestors to reach the Americas was an Englishman kidnapped from church by pirates. After congregation members raised the ransom, he instead chose to join the pirates, terrorizing the Caribbean, before he eventually settled down to become a colonial Governor.