Media

During his tenure as Executive Director for a Portland-based grassroots radio project, Jefferson helped produce countless media projects, including The Numberz – Portland’s Black Radio Station. As an Oregon State Representative, he often used his media savvy to reach across partisan lines, and over the years has hosted a number of radio shows. He is currently the go-to surrogate host for the nationally distributed, Thom Hartmann Program.

Thom Hartmann

In the early days of Air America, The Thom Hartmann Show defined progressive talk radio for the nation. In the twenty years it has been on the air since then, Jefferson has been an integral part of the show as Thom’s go-to surrogate host, offering audiences the same kind of thoughtful, intelligent, and unflinching progressive content that Hartmann show listeners demand.

The Human Subject

In an intellectual exploration of the future of clinical research, Jefferson hosts a podcast about the technologies and developments in human-centered clinical trials – and the people that make change happen. Each season Jeff teams up with a seasoned, clinical researcher to interview thought leaders in the sector.
Learn more here

10,000 Tablets (alt)

In an era where everyone needs access to the Internet, many too many families lack that access. 59% of lower-income parents admit that a lack of Internet access would make their children unable to complete online schoolwork. The digital divide locks up creative potential. Jefferson worked with nonprofit leaders to launch “10,000 Tablets” – a startup effort to distribute smart tablets with free internet to thousands of qualifying families.

America’s Party

Jefferson Smith teamed up veteran creative director Adam Klugman to win top spot in the DNC’s Video Contest with an original, sixty-second commercial for the Democratic party entitled, “America’s Party.” The spot was based on Jefferson’s signature speech, “A New Progressive Era” which he had delivered to audiences across the country, calling Americans to a new way in their politic thinking: “Not left. Not right. But forward.” “America’s Party” dialed tested unprecedentedly high for a political commercial and equally well with both democrats and republicans.

Onward Oregon

For Jefferson, the technology to support activism shouldn’t be merely for national efforts. While many find it easy to fixate on the politics Washington DC, Onward Oregon encourages engaged citizens to remember that the biggest impact we can is more often closer to home.

Alongside Lenny Dee & Rick Ray, Jefferson worked to start Onward Oregon, an early online platform for state-based pro-democracy activism. The volunteer-run, New Media platform grew to tens of thousands of readers.