More than 300 people from throughout the Hudson Valley gathered at Helsinki Hudson Wed., Mar. 30, for “Berning Man, The Revolution Comes to Hudson.” The multi-media activist event was organized by Hudson resident and real estate broker Gianni Ortiz and other volunteers in support of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders' primary bid against fellow Democrat, former secretary of state Hillary Clinton. The three-hour event was free to the public and included speeches, musical acts and comedic interludes on the Helsinki main stage. During and after the performances, guests were encouraged to purchase Bernie-shaped cookies, participate in a Bernie Sanders look-alike contest, make a donation, and gather information about canvassing and phone banking opportunities, voter registration and other initiatives in anticipation of the New York Presidential Primary, Tue., Apr. 19.

Click here to play or download the interview with two "Berning Man" attendees from Albany and Rensselaer counties (2:02). (Use description above to introduce the excerpt.)



Click here to play or download interview with event organizer Gianni Ortiz, who discusses phone banking, upcoming Sanders' campaign events and the possibility of a Sanders/Donald Trump debate (8:32).

Click here to play or download interview with presenter Matthew Edge, Executive Director of the advocacy organization, People's Empowerment Project. Edge discussed the role of money in politics, the project's get-out-the-vote effort and the importance of critically evaluating candidates and their records (5:16).

Click here to play or download interview with presenter Gunnar Worden, Village of Chatham Trustee, who sums up his impressions of the event (:58).