NVRI is fortunate to receive the support of some of the best and brightest minds in progressive politics at work for us ~ like-minded philanthropists and activists who offer their assistance (financial and otherwise) to NVRI. Without the generous support of individuals like these, we would be hard-pressed to do the work that we do. What follows are the profiles of two special friends of NVRI: Dal LaMagna, of the Progressive Government Project and Josh Mailman, best known as one of the founders of the Social Venture Network.

NVRI is delighted to honor Dal LaMagna, who has been a friend to NVRI for many years. Dal’s interest in NVRI is rooted in his belief that until the financing of political campaigns is changed our government will not be able to truly represent its citizens. He observes that each year Americans work until May to pay the taxes that fund their government. Seemingly, then, the government should represent them. Yet big business and big money pays for the campaigns and subsequent elections of those government officials. The result is that the elected officials end up representing those who financed their election and not those who actually elected them. Dal was instrumental in our outreach event in Manhattan in June, helping NVRI to broaden significantly our support. Dal is well known within progressive circles as a philanthropist and vocal advocate for social change. Dal sees his political activism as beginning back in Rosedale, Long Island, in his late teens. Believing that kids needed a place to go to avoid the temptations of gangs and street life, he founded the Youth Organization of Rosedale whose mission was to get a community center built in his town. Dal has recently founded the Progressive Government Institute and the Progressive Shadow Government. The Institute is teaching Americans how the government they pay for actually works by profiling the thousands of unelected people the President appoints to departments and agencies in the Executive Branch. The Shadow Government is recruiting progressive leaders to speak out as if they were Cabinet members. Thanks for all that you do for us, Dal!

NVRI is delighted to honor a new friend to our organization: Joshua Mailman. NVRI first met Josh when he very graciously opened his Manhattan home to a house party to benefit NVRI (despite moving into that very apartment the day before the event!). Josh leveraged his extraordinary commitment and creative sense of what is important in social change in hosting our Manhattan outreach event on June 26, 2003, which introduced NVRI as a critical non-profit organization to many new friends in Manhattan. Josh is well known within progressive circles as a philanthropist and advisor. His interest in progressive politics stems from a class he took in college on martial law in Southeast Asia, which opened his eyes to the effects of the U.S. foreign policy on the developing world. Josh has played an instrumental role in the founding of many organizations focused on business and social responsibility, including the Social Venture Network, Business for Social Responsibility and the Social Venture Network Europe. Thank you for your dedication and generosity, Josh!

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