The Barnstormers
Taylor Lightman
Sobriquet: Master of Disaster
Known for: game-making, undelivered German language podcasts, mass transit meme geek outs
Taylor has worked on political campaigns across the country, mobilizing voters to elect candidates like Bernie Sanders and Al Franken. Tired of the short-term, narrow interest of political campaigns, he moved to Sweden to earn his M.S. in Disaster Risk Management and Climate Change Adaptation. He loves to read, take long walks, listen to podcasts, and spend time with his sweetheart, Melyat.
Jordi Comas
Sobriquet: Chief Metaphor Officer
Known for: laughing too loud, butchered metaphors that sound like bad smells.
Jordi is an independent scholar, long-term activist, and freelance anarchist. He has volunteered for many political campaigns and worked as a volunteer within the grassroots of the progressive movement since 2004. He loves to cook, study social networks, write, and sip a smoky scotch.
Dwayne Heisler
Sobriquet: The Bard
Known for: unions, Progressive Movement, Democratic Party, messaging, early music
Dwayne has served in leadership positions including PA Dems Executive Committee, PA Dems Progressive Caucus Chair, DNC Delegate for Senator Bernie Sanders, PA Voter Outreach and Registration Committee Co-chair, PA LGBT Caucus Secretary, PA DemFest Chair, PA Second Star Society, Founder of BU Envoy program for students, Founder of Equality Non-Discrimination (END), BU LGBTQA Commission Community Advocacy Award, Two time Charles F. Lindeman Award for Instructor of the Year – ACA, Education Unit Award – ACA, Beacon Award (ACA Legislative Lobbying), and Kurt Swersky Outstanding & Innovative Leadership Award. When Dwayne is not facilitating presentations or doing political organizing work, he’s directing, playing, or singing early medieval/renaissance music.
Samantha Pearson
Sobriquet: Purveyor of Brutal Honesty
Known for: climate, racial justice, rejecting gun violence and traffic violence, giving Jordi guff
Samantha has a background in design and planning. She does a mix of participating in established, regimented organizations and campaigns, and going rogue with issue-based (mega)projects of her own, whether about connecting kids with nature, looking for sustainable solutions for daily life, or exploring the dark recesses of the conservative web (so you don’t have to). She has been working on neighborhood revitalization in small town central PA for more than a decade and is really intrigued by how change comes about at individual, community, and societal levels. She mixes clear-eyed doomsaying with casual cheer — and scotch when the pods are recorded at a suitable time of night.
Cole Goodman
Keith Pemrick
Nathan Lund
