One of the most quietly recognizable community leaders in West Michigan and one of the state’s emerging young political stars, Kristin Salerno juggles her life between an ever-wired BlackBerry and a planner the size and weight of a civics textbook. The former tracks her obligations as Finance Director for the Michigan Senate Democratic Caucus, for which the Creston to Uptown (she’s moving this week) resident commutes daily from Grand Rapids to Lansing. The latter contains her many volunteer obligations, for which she donates time to everything from the Waterfront Film Festival and local musicians to the Progressive Women’s Alliance as its fundraising chair and an executive committee member.
“I like to help other people shine,” says Salerno. “I’m a Type A person, so I’m an organizer. I like to have what I envision in an event come to fruition.”
After working in radio and print advertising sales for 11 years, Salerno landed the job with the Democratic Caucus, a direct result of networking and fundraising she’s done over the years, as well as her background in politics.
Tonight and tomorrow Salerno will be honored as one of 24 graduates of this year’s Michigan Political Leadership Program. The 10-month Michigan State University fellowship includes 24 fellows: 12 Democrats and 12 Republicans, 12 men and 12 women.
Salerno, 34, is one of only two fellows in this year's class from West Michigan. Tonight’s graduation dinner will be held in Livonia. Tomorrow morning the MPLP will host its 7th Annual West Michigan Breakfast at Noto’s Restaurant in Cascade. On the card are Republican analyst Mike Murphy and National Democratic Leadership Council Chair Harold Ford, Jr. Tickets are still available.
Rapid Growth sent Sara Cosgrove, a member of the Progressive Women's Alliance herself, to ask Salerno about her experiences in the program, politics and community building.
What did you take away from the MPLP?
The program teaches us to run for office and to work across party lines to accomplish things versus being so rigid in our beliefs. It really opened me up and taught me to see the middle of the road. We traveled throughout the state. We learned about Tribal Government. We went to Detroit and learned about inner cities, and about health care in Grand Rapids. They really target the city and what it brings to State Government. They also give you media training, which is the best part. We each did a 30 second commercial, and we had to write our scripts. We had a panel interview, and there were reporters throwing questions out at us, and all of it was filmed. Then they broke us into groups, so the entire group watched everything you were going through and then we gave each other feedback.
When did you first become involved in politics?
As a student, I loved civics. I even memorized The Declaration of Independence. When I studied journalism and political science at (Central Michigan University) I was a Republican. My family was conservative, so that’s all I really knew. My first job out of school was with Seyferth and Associates, and I did some political public relations there. I was also volunteering for Bob Dole’s (1996 Presidential) campaign, and I was so pumped about him that I had his poster above my bed. A lot of people change political parties and define who they are in college, but for me it was much later in life.
How did you make that change?
I moved into the energy of Grand Rapids and restored two historic homes. It essentially changed my way of thinking. I was exposed to diversity for the first time.
I had immigrant neighbors from Guatemala and Mexico. I saw poverty for the first time. I got involved in my neighborhood association and became a block captain. I wanted to do more for my city and became an activist and environmentalist…I had no choice but to become a Democrat at that point.
So you came from the sunnier side of West Michigan?
I went to Lowell schools. (Dave) Hildenbrand is the state rep now and it tends to be a Republican district. What I knew was that my parents were Republican. I was in a sorority in college. No one really challenged me on what I believed. I was even an Academic Senator in college and represented the Republicans. Like I said, most people go to college and change once they get away from my parents. I surrounded myself with people that were just like me.
Would you ever consider running for office?
Yes, but I wouldn’t do it until after the 2010 elections. I’ve worked on so many campaigns: Ruth Kelly, Rosalynn Bliss, Jennifer Granholm, Debbie Stabenow, so I know what it takes to run. I will look at the City Commission, or preferably the County Commission, and then run for House, because I really do want to get involved in State Government. What motivates me more than anything is that I want to get women elected. I want them to run for office, which means I also need to be willing to run myself.
You raised a significant amount of money for the Obama campaign. How does it feel now that the candidate you supported won the election?
I’ve never worked on a presidential campaign that has won! I worked on Bob Dole’s campaign back in my Republican days. I worked on Gore’s campaign. I worked very hard on Kerry’s campaign, doing voter registration, phone banking and door knocking. When now President Obama spoke at the 2004 convention, I knew he had to run for office. So I read his books. I followed his career very closely. We started a strong group in West Michigan that was committed to raising him money.
Local musician Ralston Bowles organized an inauguration viewing for Grand Rapids Public School students at Celebration Cinema. What was your role in this?
I helped do all of the planning, and I raised money for it, because it was a free event. We involved the 9th grade students at Grand Rapids Public Schools, and we provided lunch for the kids. Ralston approached me at the A Winter’s Tune benefit at Wealthy Theatre, knowing that I had been involved with Obama’s campaign from day one. He asked me if I was going to the inauguration [in D.C.], and I told him that I didn’t have a ticket. So, he got to thinking, and called me up and said if anyone in Grand Rapids should be there, it should be you. He started brainstorming, and wanted to include people who wouldn’t ordinarily be able to experience the event. (Salerno did end up making the trip to D.C., read about it here).
What events are you planning right now?
Right now I’m working on the Progressive Women’s Alliance annual Strong Voices in Art, Music and Politics event, and that involves female speakers and musicians and auction items in the areas of art, music and politics. That takes almost a year to plan, from the second I finish an event I’m working on it again. I’m raising money for the MPLP fundraiser in Grand Rapids and Livonia. I’ve also been involved in The White House Project, and there’s an event with the Girl Scouts coming up. I’m going to be on the panel. It’s about getting young women involved in the political process and running for office. Elected officials will teach them how to run a campaign. The thing that motivates me the most is getting women to run for office and involved in politics. Women don’t traditionally give politically. We’re used to helping, whether it’s knocking on doors or stuffing envelopes. When it comes to running for office, women often have to be asked, and they’ll run later in life when their children are out of the house and they’re near retirement age. If women can get out of that mindset, and if groups like The White House Project can ask them to run early, it will be a great thing. Marie Wilson, who started the organization, is my role model. I’ve met her twice, and it was almost as good as meeting Gloria Steinem.
Your schedule seems pretty packed. Do you have any time left for social activities?
My social life tends to be volunteering. A lot of my friends are either involved in the arts or politics, so I spread my time and money into those two areas. I get to have fun and be with my friends while I’m changing the world, or the city of Grand Rapids. I don’t really go out to clubs or go shopping, or do some of the traditional social activities, but what I’m doing is very social.
Sara Cosgrove is a freelance writer living in Grand Rapids. She volunteers as a music programmer at WYCE-FM, an independent community radio station. She last wrote for Rapid Growth about local musician Karisa Wilson.
Photos:
Kristen Salerno at the official Oscar Party for Waterfront Film Festival
Kristen Salerno and now President Obama at a 2007 Grand Rapids fund raising event (courtesy photo)
Kristen Salerno and her 2008 MPLP Class (courtesy photo)
Kristen Salerno
Kristen Salerno and friends Brian and Lux Vander Ark
Photographs by Brian Kelly (except as noted) - All Rights Reserved
Brian Kelly is Rapid Growth's managing photographer and a commercial photographer and filmmaker. You can follow his adventures on his blog as well as on Twitter.