63 Magazine - Issue 1

lines. Every person in each phonebank
seat mattered to Marlon, and all of his
hard work had started to pay off.
Since his first presidential campaign in
2004, Marlon has been busy. After working
in Maryland with the state party, he
worked for Clinton’s 2008 presidential
campaign as the field director in Nevada,
Ohio, and Indiana. Marshall stayed
with Clinton’s team until she conceded
the Democratic primary, before joining
then-Senator Obama’s team as the
general election director in Missouri.
In the next six years, he’d serve as the
national field director at the Democratic
Congressional Campaign Committee,
the deputy national field director for
Obama’s reelection campaign, a founding
partner of the grassroots consulting
fi r m270 Strategies, and as principal
deputy director of the Office of Public
Engagement of the White House.
Marlon describes his best moment as an
organizer (so far!) to be the day the
Congressional Budget Office estimated
there were over seven million signups in
the first year of the Affordable Care Act.
When telling this story, he calls himself
“a small part of the team” responsible for
the ACA rollout, demonstrating that he
heeds his own advice for organizers—
never forget to be humble. As the special
assistant to President Obama, Marlon
actually oversaw the White House’s
efforts to promote Obamacare in cities
with large uninsured populations, and
played a huge role in its great success.
As Marlon’s friend, the first thing I always
wonder when I hear Marlon is signing up for
yet another huge, all-consuming campaign,
is how on earth does he keep doing it?
When Marlon’s on a campaign, he is always
energetic, he is always working hard, and
he is always motivating those around him.
He told me he stays motivated by
remembering why he got involved in the
first place, and by taking the time to look
around him. He continues organizing
to push forward progress that will
improve our education system and ensure
everyone has the same opportunities.
“As an African-American male, it’s
important for me that young kids of
color can grow up to be whatever they
want to be. But I also draw motivation
from our volunteers. When you see folks
taking time out of their day to give back
and move their community forward—
if that doesn’t give you inspiration,
then you’re in the wrong business.”
Marlon Marshall is certainly in the right
business.