| The Officers of the Young Democrats of America are elected to represent the future of the Democratic Party and the ever-changing face of our nation. On January 6, 2021, we witnessed Republican lawmakers disregard the will of the people, incite violence, and saw conspiracy-idled insurrectionists and white supremacists commit acts of domestic terrorism—all under the encouragement of Donald Trump. We saw a lethargic and disorganized response from law enforcement, emblematic of how police officers treat white supremacists with gentleness, a contrast to the brutality they continue to show BIPOC and LGBTQ+ activists demanding justice. We saw deliberate inaction from this administration which delayed the mobilization of the National Guard to help restore order. We saw the direct result of four years of the Republican Party prioritizing the ego of a man clearly unfit for office over the lives of Americans. What we saw is the result of decades of disinformation, dog whistles, and white identity politics utilized by the Republican Party. In order to preserve our democracy, our lawmakers need to act with political courage and moral leadership. Donald Trump betrayed our nation and must be removed from office and held accountable for his actions. The U.S. Attorneys must charge all people involved in the insurrection for the crimes they committed. The insurrectionist members of Congress who challenged the will of the people, including but not limited to Senators: Cruz, Hawley, Johnson, Lankford, Daines, Kennedy, Blackburn, Braun, Lummis, Marshall, Hagerty, and Tuberville as well as the 139 members of the House of Representatives who objected to the certification, must be expelled. Our message to our nation’s leaders is simple: do your job, honor our constitution, fight white supremacy, and preserve our democracy. The above statement can be attributed to the Officers of the Young Democrats of America. |
| QUOTES FROM OFFICERS 2nd Vice President Tazbir Alam (NY) – [email protected]: “A democratic republic, such as ours, asks of its people to constantly defend it to ensure its future. Our system of government is not guaranteed or self-correcting, we as a people must always hold it accountable and make changes where needed to further its success. The events of January 6th is proof of what happens when we become complacent and stop defending the rule of law. As it’s aptly been put, “Democracy dies in darkness,” so we must always, always shine a light on it and each of us must be stewards of our republic.” Secretary Rebecca Pinn (MA) – [email protected]: “We saw the direct result of four years of enabling a treasonous, racist, and xenophobic sexual predator by cowardly Republican lawmakers. Only after feeling their personal safety compromised, some Republicans decided to act. It is a day late and a dollar short.” President Joshua Harris-Till (OK) – [email protected]: “I’ve participated in protest all around this country, and never have I seen the level of restraint used by the Capitol police. As a state leader for Black Lives Matter, I have repeatedly begged for officers to use this level of restraint while dealing with black and brown people only to be met with excuse after excuse about how officers are trained well in de-escalation tactics. These events proved that white privilege is alive and well, that white supremacy has a home within the police system, and that blue lives matter means absolutely nothing as we watched people carrying that flag charge the police. For a lot of people, yesterday was disgraceful, but for a lot of black and brown people yesterday was not surprising.” 1st Vice President Quentin Wathum-Ocama (MN) – [email protected]: “Our Capitol was occupied for the second time in our national history but this time it was not by a foreign army, but by a reactionary right-wing mob. It was a putsch. It’s the clearest example of treason and sedition that we’ve ever seen in our lifetimes. And the blame lies squarely at the feet of the President” Executive Vice President Carrie McFadden (CA) – [email protected]: “Even during the Civil War and reconstruction, the confederate flag never was flown inside the Capitol. Yesterday, that changed. Like the confederates before them, these individuals aren’t patriots, they’re traitors, and they’ve been enabled by Donald Trump and the Republican Party. Our leaders must act now to remove Trump from office and see to it that everyone who participated in yesterday’s insurrection is punished. This was an act of white supremacy and fascism, and must be treated as the national emergency it is.” |
Greetings YDA National Committee!
The Board of Directors is calling for our second required National Committee meeting for 2020 to be December 12-13 as required by Section 420(a) of our Charter. Under our Charter and Bylaws, we cannot call for a National Committee Meeting to occur solely online unless it is rescheduled from a physical location. Therefore, we are calling for this meeting to occur in Kansas City, Kansas (KCK). However, we are moving it to an online meeting due to a public health crisis or epidemic pursuant to Section 421(a)(I)(3). We are calling the meeting to occur in KCK initially and then moving it online because prior to moving it to an online meeting we must call for a meeting to occur in a physical location under our governing documents.
Section 420(c) of the Charter requires that our meetings occur in locations alternating between East of the Mississippi River and West of the Mississippi River. Our last physical meeting was in Birmingham, Alabama, East of the Mississippi. As such, we need to call a meeting for West of the Mississippi. Additionally, because our KCK meeting previously scheduled for March was moved to an online meeting, Section 421(d) requires that the Board of Directors make a good faith effort to have a moved meeting within a close geographic proximity. By calling this meeting to occur in KCK and then moving it online, this ensures that KCK will ideally be the next location we have an in-person meeting. The Board of Directors is committed to having a meeting in KCK or in close geographic proximity once it is safe and healthy to do so. Calling for the meeting to occur in KCK before moving it online will help ensure that it is where we can have our next in-person meeting.
TL;DR The next YDA National Committee meeting will be virtual and occur on December 12-13. Given the upcoming election, I ask for folks to be patient regarding details and logistics.
As always, feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions or feedback. Thank you!
Rebecca Pinn
Secretary
Young Democrats of America
she/her/hers
Greetings Young Democrats!
It’s my privilege to announce that YDA will be facilitating a series of virtual meetings (including a meeting of the National Committee) on the weekend of August 8th and August 9th.
For the latest information, check out our virtual meeting website where you can find information on Registration, Charter and Bylaws Amendment submissions, Resolution and Legislation submissions, DNC Representative Election Information, and other YDA business.
Expect more details to come soon!
Rebecca Pinn
Secretary
Young Democrats of America
She, Her, Hers
Greetings,
It is bittersweet that we will not be with each other this weekend. We know that this was the best decision for the organization and this decision is made more evident every day. I hope that you all are well and in good spirits as we face this pandemic as a nation. Please be sure to practice self-care, take time for your mental health, and follow the guidelines of the medical professionals who are helping us navigate these difficult times.
I want you to know that we are currently working out what options we have to ensure that we have a meeting soon, but prioritize the health of our members above everything else. Our team is looking very closely at our rules and bylaws to find the best way to meet and hold business, but we have learned that our rules were not written with a situation like this in mind. We, of course, will be updating the rules and bylaws to ensure that future administrations have processes in place to address something like this should the need arise.
I would like to take a moment of personal privilege to thank our General Council Adam Strider for helping us with contract negotiations with the hotel and event center, our Chief of Staff Jen House for her constant communications with health professionals for weeks as we reached the decision to postpone the meeting, and our VP Quentin Wathum-Ocama and parliamentarian Nathaniel Block for the countless hours they have put into figuring out just how we will move forward as an organization. So many of you have been intentional in offering the organization your help, and I want to thank you all as well. We will have more updates for you all soon so please stay tuned, but feel free to reach out to any of us with questions or suggestions you may have for the organization.
I want to end this by sending a shout out to one of the strongest voices we have in this organization as well as one of the most passionate leaders I have had the pleasure of meeting. Will Rodriguez-Kennedy, you are an inspiration to us all, may we all strive to be as impactful and dedicated as you are.
Thank you friends.
Joshua Harris-Till
President
Young Democrats of America
he, his, him
The Young Democrats of America are working in conjunction with the Young Democrats of Puerto Rico to get crucial supplies to those affected by the earthquakes. Please help us get them the supplies they need and share this with your friends and family. No purchase or donation is too small!
Greetings Young Democrats!
It’s my privilege to announce the next YDA National Committee Conference will take place in Kansas City, Kansas from March 27th through March 29th.
The Kansas Young Democrats are thrilled to welcome you to the Sunflower State! Here you’ll find rising Democratic stars, tons of history, and yes, legendary barbecue. We look forward to seeing you in Kansas City!
Rebecca Pinn
Secretary
Young Democrats of America
She, Her, Hers
*More detailed information on DNC Elections the Registration, Hotels, Rules and Bylaws submission, and other YDA business to be conducted forthcoming; please keep an eye on your inbox. Please contact [email protected] with any questions or concerns.
Greetings Young Democrats!
It’s my privilege to announce the next YDA National Committee meeting will take place in Birmingham, Alabama from December 6th through December 8th.
For almost a decade, Alabama has been overrun by Republicans at every level of government. Despite Alabama’s Republican supermajority, the Alabama Young Democrats made waves by electing the only Democratic senator in the deep south, Doug Jones. Birmingham, considered the home of the Civil Rights Movement, is ground zero for women’s rights, voting rights, and LGBTQ rights. Just as young activists made lasting change in Alabama during the Children’s Crusade, Young Democrats intend to show Alabama that young still gets it done.
Outside the conference, we hope you’ll also take some time to experience the area. Birmingham is home to some amazing attractions like the Birmingham Museum of Art, Railroad Park, the Negro Southern League Museum and the Civil Rights District, which was designated a national monument by President Obama in 2017. For more ideas to do outside of the conference, visit: www.birminghamal.org.
We look forward to seeing you in Birmingham!
Rebecca Pinn
Secretary
Young Democrats of America
She, Her, Hers
*More detailed information on the Registration, Hotels, Rules and Bylaws submission, and other YDA business to be conducted forthcoming; please keep an eye on your inbox. Please contact [email protected] with any questions or concerns.
My Fellow Young Democrats,
After going a week without sleep to win this position, I didn’t realize that I would go another week without sleep to get us moving in the right direction! I want to take a moment to shout out to the team as they have truly hit the ground running.
As promised, this administration will be focused on you. We will ensure that our appointment process and bid process for the national committee meetings are the most transparent we’ve seen in YDA history. We have already made the platform available on the website, with more resources on the way, and as we establish our fundraising push, we will ensure those resources are pushed towards states and territories first!
The team that you have elected has not taken lightly the mandate you have placed on us. We will strive for excellence in every room we enter, from the DNC to Congress and beyond. I’ve already had multiple conversations with the CDA and HSDA to ensure that the youth voice is cohesive and strong.
Lastly, we want to give a thank you to the previous administration. They gave us a strong foundation for us to build upon. I’m looking forward to working with you all and will work to to always be available when you all need me. I’m sure you know that as my phone still hasn’t stopped buzzing since taking office. Keep em coming!
Joshua Harris-Till
President
Young Democrats of America
He, Him, His
We join the College Democrats of America and the High School Democrats of America passing a strong resolution calling for strict federal background checks.
You can make a difference by using this Everytown for Gun Safety link here: https://act.everytown.org/…/congress-strengthen-background-…
I had less than 20 minutes to decide what to keep and what to leave behind.
I grabbed a handful of outfits, my phone and laptop, our two dogs, and cat. I realized that I needed to hold onto my passport and birth certificate.
And then, those few minutes were up, and my entire job was getting my family to safety. My mother and I had already loaded up my brother, a quadriplegic living with cerebral palsy and other complications. With his critical medical equipment and the few personal items we had time to grab loaded up, we set out on the evacuation route.
That’s how it all happened a few days ago when my family and I were forced to evacuate Paradise, the town I have called home for the last 13 years. We have been through wildfires before, but nothing like this one. The winds moved the fire so fast that the entire community was caught completely off-guard. Children were in school. People were at work. The mail was running.
Then, it all changed in a matter of minutes. Once we got my brother in the car, we joined a winding caravan of desperate evacuees, eventually making it to safety.
The last few days have been filled with heartbreak. I was there in person as the Butte County Sheriff announced that the fire had taken 42 souls (with more likely to come) and that this wildfire had become the deadliest in California’s history. That experience was one of the most somber moments in my life.
We now know our home was destroyed. We are still are waiting to see a photo of the damage and access if anything can be salvaged. According to media reports, the Town of Paradise has been almost totally destroyed and hundreds of people are still missing.
But the last few days have also been filled with courage and hope. I continue to hear stories of teachers who drove students in their personal vehicles to reunite them with their parents, and hospital staff who risked their lives saving patients. The citizens of Chico, where my family evacuated, have welcomed us with open arms.
All of this, apparently, is lost on President Trump.
While we were looking for a place to stay that was wheelchair-accessible, the President was looking for people to blame, saying some kind of vague “mismanagement” was responsible. At a time when Americans were watching one of the most destructive and horrific natural disasters in history unfold, Donald Trump was tweeting out accusations and threats.
As one of the thousands of Californians who is experiencing a crisis that’s far from over, I have one request: don’t focus on the bad things. Don’t feed into the President’s ignorance and hatred. Instead, pay attention to the incredible stories of humanity and bravery coming out of this tragedy, and all the hard work we still have left to save lives and communities.
You can assist in the recovery efforts today by supporting this local fund: https://www.nvcf.org/fund/camp-fire-evacuation-relief-fund/
Justin D. Meyers is the Treasurer of the Young Democrats of America.