Politics and love: whatta combo! As a fledgling activist in the early '90's, I got to know the Western States Center staff through my friend and mentor Deb Ross (we'd worked together at the Women's Foundation of Oregon). Deb hired me to write up a report on the very first CSTI, and through that I got to know Cynthia Guyer, Dan Petegorsky, Tom Novick, Scot Nakagawa, Jeff Malachowsky... Wonderful folks. At The Center, I felt like a sheep who'd found her flock: a home for political progressives. Okay, that's the politics. Now the love. A little while later, I decided to pull up roots and move to Missoula, and stopped by Deb's office to give my regards. At the time, she and Cynthia shared an office. Cynthia overheard my plans, and - being the consummate list builder - offered to print out her contact list for Missoula. She then highlighted a few folks she thought I should meet. One of them being Jim Fleischmann, then-ED of Montana People's Action. Flash-forward 15 years, Jim and I still live in Missoula, have two red diaper baby girls, and continue to push for social justice in the West. Can I get a witness!