Tim Carpenter, Co-Founder of Progressive Democrats of America (PDA), has died at 55. He suffered terminal cancer but I read he worked up to the very end this week leading PDA. He leaves a huge legacy and both a wife and two daughters to carry on his work.
He and Kevin Speidel of Arizona co-founded PDA ten years ago. Tim went on to lead PDA in their work in shaping and advocating for progressive issues, primarily at the congressional level over a 10 year period. I was privileged to attend the first organizing meeting in Boston in 2004, in conjunction with the DNC convention held there and see Tim, Kevin and Rep. John Conyers in action.
I also had the opportunity to participate in a PDA conference Tim organized in DC a year or two later. It was through Tim and PDA that I had the chance to meet and learn from two very valued role models, Medea Benjamin, founder of the anti-war group Code Pink and Tom Hayden, one of the nation’s most gifted peace and justice organizers. I’ll always be grateful to Tim for exposure to the best and brightest leaders in the progressive movement and for his amazingly energetic work, most especially with the Congressional Progressive Caucus. PDA’s organizing principle was to work both within and without the Democratic Party toward achievement of progressive gains in public policy.
If you go on the PDA web site you’ll see a who’s who of national and local progressive leaders honoring Tim and celebrating PDA’s 10 years of progressive leadership.