inspiring couple hours with Ada Colau
an exciting day yesterday at Barcelona en Comú's one year anniversary event at Estació Nord's park --
(instant notes) "Mes transparent, mes colaboratiu, mes humild... Recuperar les institucions per a la gent... Traballar per a una ciutat refugi... La influencia europea de Barcelona... Tenim molt camini... Hem sentit que tenim força social...Fer mes pera que la ciutadá sea protagonisme...tothom nosaltres tenim molta responsabilitat..." Afterwards, Q+A sessions. Questions/complaints related to: prostitution, airbnb pisos turísticos, fines for having posted something in public, cafe chairs taking over sidewalks...). Afterwards, 2-3 hours of big paella in the parque for which Colau sat with others and her 5 y/o old son. Not so many people present, maybe ~200, no security (!!!!, imagine if this were in the US), very low-key, some media was there, including independent film directors Cecilia Barriga (making documentary about female politicians) and Pau Faus (just released documentary on Ada Colau).
overall, Colau was extremely accessible, humble, energetic, "horizontal", and empathetic in words and actions. (A small-scale political model for the US.) I commend Colau for, among many other things, showing her vulnerable feelings (she was genuinely nervous, happy, friendly). Though usually excluded, these too are part of our politics. (I wanted to tell her about her influence in the US, but I imagined she was exhausted with such a long event and so many people coming up to hug/kiss/speak to her. So I just made eye contact and said, "¡gracias, Ada!" And she responded, "¡nos vemos!" ; )
