ABOUT US

how we started

January 19, 2005, was the kind of night on which the only place to be is in the warm comfort of home. Yet despite the snow, sleet, and lack of parking, more than 100 concerned citizens from across Northern New Jersey gathered for the inaugural meeting of BlueWaveNJ. The 2004 presidential election may have dampened our spirits, but it had also made us ready to take the offensive.

A year later, it’s hard to believe how far we have come. BlueWaveNJ membership has multiplied four-fold, distinguished speakers—including Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jon Shure (NJ Policy Perspective), and Jonathan Alter (Newsweek)—inspired us. We ran TV advertisements and a “Pro-Cure” Internet campaign during the gubernatorial race. Newspapers, including The Star-Ledger, The Montclair Times, the Glen Ridge Paper, and Bloomfield’s The Independent Press covered us. Finally, Jon Corzine singled us out in his acceptance speech. We’re incredibly proud of who we are and what we’ve accomplished. All of this is thanks to our dedicated membership—the backbone of BlueWaveNJ.

how we work

In keeping with our mission to find solutions through community, BlueWaveNJ created issue-based working groups: networks of activists who wish to implement change, often collaborating with other progressive organizations. Working groups are open to all. If you can’t find one devoted to an issue you are interested in, you can start your own!

In addition to the activities of its working groups, BlueWaveNJ educates the public and members via general meetings held every 4–6 weeks. Whether you belong to a working group, attend general BlueWaveNJ meetings, or simply check our website periodically, we welcome your participation!