Hello, and welcome to my online portfolio.

I’m Lance Brown, and I’ve done a lot of different tasks in the general fields of communications, organization, public relations, activism, and the spaces in between those things. Some of the specific tasks have included desktop publishing, event planning, writing and editing, public speaking, and the creation of several websites.

Here I’m gathering a collection of as many of my creations as I can, for a few reasons. Partly to serve the standard portfolio purpose: “See, this is what I have done.” Partly to provide examples (and, when possible, customizable templates) for other folks to use in their own event planning, organizing, and activism. And partly because the items here will likely serve useful in the future, in variations on the first two partlies.

Items are being sorted by type of item (posters, letters, etc.) as well as by event or organization. You can browse these categories or search by keyword over on the left side of these pages. You can also check out other aspects of my online presence via the “Navigate Me” links, also on the left.

If you are an activist or non-profit organizer that would like some help or advice, or are someone who would like to hire me, or a long lost friend, please feel free to contact me.

Thanks for your visit!

-Lance Brown
Freelance Communications Jack-Of-All-Trades
Nevada City, CA

This is a fairly pedestrian letter to the editor I wrote, which was published in The Union newspaper in Grass Valley, CA on Feb 6, 2006. My focus was on getting the letter written concisely and sent quickly (and published in full), which is why it’s not the most engaging prose ever written. (In actual fact, it’s the 70,761,094,031st most engaging prose ever written. Which still isn’t that bad.) I think it gets the job - raising awareness about DownsizeDC.org and the Read the Bills Act - done.

—————————–
Lawmakers should read bills

By Lance Brown
12:01 a.m. PT Feb 16, 2006

A lot of people I know beat their heads in frustration over the hopelessness of our nation’s political system. They know that so much is wrong, but feel as though there is little or nothing that can be done about it.

Then along comes something called the “Read the Bills Act” (RTBA). It’s based on a simple notion: make Congress read the bills before they vote on them. In practical terms, it requires their attendance while the bill is read aloud, in full. (And of course, C-Span will let us all see whether our elected representatives are listening, or reading “Lobbyists’ Quarterly”.)

Congress passes too many laws, and too many dumb laws - I think most of us understand that that is a big part of the problem. This simple “Read the Bills Act,” if passed, could do a lot to stem that tide.

Right now it needs sponsors. Shouldn’t our congresspeople want to sponsor this? Why don’t you take a moment to ask them? You can read more about the RTBA at DownsizeDC.org.

Lance Brown

Nevada City

This is a flyer for an NCLP monthly meeting on the concept of “Green Liberty” - that is, Green and Libertarians working to find common ground, rather than working primarily against one another.

“Green Liberty” Meeting promo flyer

1/2 page version (2-up):

PDF version for printing/viewing (172 KB)
MS Publisher version for customizing (160 KB)

Full page version:

PDF version for printing/viewing (136 KB)
MS Publisher version for customizing (90 KB)

This is a very crowded postcard advertising an NCLP “Candidates’ Night” event, where local (non-partisan) candidates — mostly candidates for County Supervisor — were invited to present themselves to local Libertarians. The postcard went out to local Libertarian Party members.

NCLP Candidates’ Night postcard (2-sided)

PDF version for printing/viewing (218 KB)
MS Publisher version for customizing (218 KB)

This is a way basic sheet of mini-flyers for a Bill of Rights Day potluck dinner held by the Nevada County Libertarian Party (which I was Chairman of from 2001-2004).

Bill of Rights Day Potluck 6-up palm card sheet

PDF version for printing/viewing (70KB)
MS Publisher version for customizing (32 KB)

This is a one-sided 8.5×11″ handout for for Rent-A-Court, a small (and no longer existent) company of which I was CIO for a time. (Circa 1999-2000.)

“What is Rent-A-Court” handout

PDF version (81 KB)

This is a business card for Rent-A-Court, a small (and no longer existent) company of which I was CIO for a time. (Circa 1999-2000.) None of the contact info is valid any more.

Rent-A-Court business card

PDF version (59 KB)

This was used at an Alternative Dispute Resolution conference, as part of a table promoting Rent-A-Court, a small (and no longer existent) company of which I was CIO for a time. (Circa 1999-2000.)

“10 Reasons to Join Rent-A-Court” 8.5 x 11″ flyer (with application on back)

PDF Version (154 KB)

This was made for a friend, to help her find like-minded folks who want to travel to the Bay Area for non-violence and freedom-related activities.

I’ve removed the personal contact info to preserve her privacy.

“WANTED: Non-Violence and Freedom Activists” poster

PDF version for printing/viewing (48 KB)
MS Publisher version for customizing (80 KB)

This is a sheet for folks to provide their contact info, and indicate their interest in various aspects of your activist organization (i.e., phone tree, office staff, leadership, musician, postering, etc.). There’s a box for the staff to note the date and day the names were collected. (The “day” is included so you can tell which days of the week tend to produce better results.)

This is good for passing around at your open meetings, or for having at your staffed literature table.

This version is made for campus groups, so it has columns for “Campus Address” and “Year in School”. Those can be changed to something else using the MS Publisher version below.

Sign-in / sign-up contact info sheet

PDF version for printing/viewing (60 KB)
MS Publisher version for customizing (355 KB)

This hot little number is based on the poster of the same name (non-Foxworthy version). It’s condensed down to a 1/4 page, with a section for contact info on the back. There are 4 on the page.

“You might be a libertarian if…” 4-up palm card sheet

PDF version for printing/viewing (82 KB)
MS Publisher version for customizing (92 KB)

This is a take-off on the popular Jeff Foxworthy “You might be a redneck if…” series of jokes.

With a line sketch of the Statue of Liberty in the background, the main headline says “You might be a libertarian if…”, and then there is this list below:

…you believe that you can make decisions about how you want to live your life.
…you believe that letting the majority make the rules for everyone can be dangerous.
…you believe in questioning authority.
…you believe that nine out of ten politicians give the rest a bad name.
…you believe that liberty is progressive.
…you think government should get smaller, not larger.

Another version includes an in-joke that refers more directly to the Jeff Foxworthy series of jokes. Specifically, the “Foxworthy” version has this along with the listed libertarian indicators:

…you have a working TV, sitting on top of a non-working TV. (Oops, wrong list. Strike that one.)

If you’re familiar with the Foxworthy joke, you’ll probably get that. If you think most of your poster’s viewers also will, then maybe that version is worthwhile for you.

The poster is 8.5″ x 11″, black and white. There is a link to www.CampusLP.org in the lower left corner, but the main contact info is meant to be added in a blank box made just for that. It has an arrow pointing to it and everything.

“You might be a libertarian if…” poster

Regular version:
PDF version for printing/viewing (44 KB)
Publisher version for customizing (45 KB)

Foxworthy version:
PDF version for printing/viewing (50 KB)
Publisher version for customizing (45 KB)

This is a very sparse poster, with simply a large lightbulb graphic, above the text :

(You should join up with the Campus Libertarians.)

There are tear off tabs with CampusLP.org on them, and “Grab a tab.” printed above them. It’s 8.5″ x 11″, black and white.

The lightbulb image on this is only OK, not great. I wanted to find one that looked like a real lightbulb (not just a line drawing of one), but it was hard to find one that resized cleanly. It might be better just to use a line drawing lightbulb (though I think that is easier to ignore). Maybe I’ll get back and update this, but until then, I’ve included the MS Publisher version so you can adapt it as you see fit. If you find a picture of a lightbulb that resizes more cleanly, pass it on to me, please.

Campus Libertarians Simple Lightbulb Poster
PDF version for printing/viewing (32 KB)
MS Publisher version for customizing (40 KB)

This poster has some good elements to it, but it could probably be better executed. The images are not as clear as they should be, and the concept doesn’t gel as well as it might. Still, maybe it will inspire someone to take some of these ideas and make something that works a bit better from them. Just a better job on the graphic would make a big difference. It would also work OK with no graphic, and just the headline and main text.

It’s an 8.5″ x 11″ poster with an image of the globe, surrounded by a chain ring. Lady Liberty overlays the globe (her torch overlaying the chain). The headline (in very bold reverse print) is “GOT FREEDOM?”, and the main text says “It’s a challenging world for those who love liberty. It’s probably a good idea to band together. Join your Campus Libertarian organization today.”

It has tear-off tabs that direct people to www.CampusLP.org. I’m including the MS Publisher version so folks can adapt it as they see fit.

“Got Freedom?” Globe and Chain poster

Large graphic, bold reverse print headline:

PDF version for printing (47 KB)
MS Publisher version for editing (99KB)

Small graphic, bold reverse print headline:

PDF version for printing (47 KB)
MS Publisher version for editing (99KB)

Small graphic, less ink-consuming headline:

PDF version for printing (52 KB)
MS Publisher version for editing (99KB)

This brochure highlights the human cost of the drug war, and its ineffectiveness in actually curbing the problems associated with drug use. It uses a stark “prison cell” motif, and photos of actual drug war victims, with captions.

The handout currently directs folks to CampusLP.org for more information, and includes a blank plate on the back panel where groups can add their own contact info. I’ve included the original Publisher files, so you can edit the “for more information” part, or make whatever other adaptations you like.

The color version has color photos of most of the people. The rest is still black and white.

“The War on Drugs is a War on People” tri-fold brochure/handout

PDF version for printing:
color (243 KB)
black and white (238 KB)

MS Publisher version for editing:
color (500 KB)
black and white (498 KB)

These are two versions of a Bill of Rights Day large handout. It has a large imitation-scroll-style Bill of Rights poster on one side, and warnings about new threats to the freedoms that document is intended to protect on the other side.

These two versions have two different versions of the second page. The first one is more text-heavy, and the second one is more flyer-like.

Bill of Rights Day 2-sided handout/poster - original text-heavier version
Bill of Rights Day 2-sided handout/poster - modified, more flyer-like NCBORDC* version.

And here is a Microsoft Publisher version (from the original handout in 2001) that can be edited and customized!

Bill of Rights Day 2-sided handout/poster (2001 MS Pub version)

*Nevada County Bill of Rights Defense Committee, a coalition group which I co-founded.

This is a press release I wrote for a Bill of Rights Day Rally, from December 2001.

Bill of Rights Day Rally press release

This is an Op-Ed piece I wrote in 2001 about Bill of Rights Day and threats to the Bill of Rights in the post-911 America. It was published in The Union(Nevada County, CA) on December 15th, 2001.

Bill of Rights Day Op-Ed, December 2001 (The Union)

This is the resolution that I drafted for consideration by the Nevada County Board of Supervisors, acknowledging Bill of Rights Day. The resolution was passed unanimously in December of 2001.

Bill of Rights Day Board of Supervisors Resolution

This speaking appearance by author, Senate candidate, and Superior Court Judge James Gray took place on January 21, 2004. It was organized by myself and a number of fellow Libertarians.

• Invitation letter to local notable figures