Happy (End of) May, Young Democrats

It’s that time of year again. Campaigns are ramping up and the clock is ticking down until election day. With less than 6 months until November, now is the time to get involved.

We’ve seen the media coverage and know what people are saying. Despite the challenges, this year is different.

Democrats are delivering. President Biden and Congressional Democrats have achieved legislative and executive actions that many said would never happen. They’ve passed substantial legislation focusing on jobs, healthcare, and the environment. Since Republicans took control of the House, all we’ve seen is division, chaos, and inaction.

But there are still threats. Abortion rights remain a crucial issue this campaign season. Since the overturning of Roe, millions of young Democrats and women have registered to vote, driven by the urgency to protect reproductive rights. We’ve also seen a significant increase in election deniers being nominated to the Republican ticket in their states. We cannot allow these candidates to spread misinformation and attack our democracy from elected office. Too much is at stake.

We must make every day from now until November count. Our democracy is on the ballot. Our future is on the ballot.

YDA Virtual Summer Meeting – June 5-9 – Virtual

The Demmy Awards by SCYD – June 6 – Sacramento, CA

Leon County YD Meeting – June 6 – Tallahassee, FL

Young Democrat Musical Theatre Review – June 7 – Oviedo, FL

NJYD LGBTQ Caucus Drag Brunch – June 8 – Burlington, NJ

South Carolina Primaries – June 11 – South Carolina

Austin YD General Meeting & Elections – June 11 – Austin, TX

San Francisco Politics 101 by SFYD – June 13 – Virtual

Westchester YD General Meeting – June 20 – White Plains, NY

Maryland YD Summer Social –  June 22 – Columbia, MD
Biden Trump Presidential Debate — June 27 – Washington, DC

Is there a YDA local, chartered unit or caucus event that should be listed in our next newsletter? Email us at [email protected] to let us know.

Do you have photos of events you or your chapter have hosted? Here at YDA, we love to highlight and celebrate our chapters. Please DM us photos of the exciting things your chapter has been up to. Photos can be submitted by messaging @theyoungdemocrats on Instagram

You can also DM us on twitter (@YoungDems) with posts or content you want us to share or boost. Always feel free to email us at [email protected] with any questions or concerns. 

The Young Democrats of America is holding a virtual conference on the weekend of June 5-9. YDA will facilitate virtual committees, constituency caucuses, trainings, and other programming to offer an opportunity for young democrats to connect and build while ensuring that some important organizational business is completed before the Democratic National Convention this August. You can visit our website for more information and details about the schedule.

We are excited to announce the YDA Rural  and API Caucuses Virtual Summer Meeting is scheduled for Saturday, June 8th at 3 PM EST. This meeting is a fantastic opportunity for us to come together, discuss important issues, and hear from a remarkable leader who is making a significant impact in our community and beyond. 

We are honored to have Minnesota Representative Samantha Vang as our keynote speaker. Elected in 2018, Representative Vang serves the northwestern Minneapolis suburbs and Chairs the Agriculture Finance and Policy Committee. She is one of the first Hmong American women in the Minnesota House and is a dedicated community advocate with degrees in Political Science and Communications from Gustavus Adolphus College. Her keynote topic will be “Rural Issues”. This meeting promises to be engaging and informative, and we hope you will join us.

On Saturday May 25th, YDA Programming Director AJ Lucky moderated a conversation between Andrew Frawley, founder of The Good Life Movement; Dr. Valerie McCray, psychologist and candidate for the U.S. Senate in Indiana; and Leslie Templeton, Chair of the YDA Disability Caucus in acknowledgment of Mental Health Awareness Month. If you missed the conversation, you can watch it here. 

Arena Academy 201 is a 3 day online training program designed to support those who want to manage people and programs on campaigns. The program focuses on helping political professionals level-up their management skills and navigate the transition to management roles on campaigns.

This training is intended for people who have worked at least one cycle as a full-time paid staffer on a campaign or at a progressive organization, in any position. We consider a cycle to be 3+ months working on a campaign or multiple campaigns.  Registration for this event costs $200, and scholarships are available. You can find out more information here. 

Join Swing Left on Zoom Tuesday, June 25th at 6 pm EST / 3 pm PST for an introduction to grassroots organizing and reclaiming our power as young people. We will cover the fundamentals of organizing everywhere before sharing ways to build community and turn our activism into action this fall.

This training is the first event in Swing Left’s grassroots summer training program, crafted by and for young people to learn from and meet with one another. Click here to find our more information. 

The Young Democrats of America is proud to be an official partner of  Tour to Save Democracy. Tour to Save Democracy is a collective of Gen-Z activists are embarking on a Tour To Save Democracy this July 2024, traveling on a bus across the nation stopping in swing districts to flip them blue, drive change forward, and safeguard democratic principles. Starting in Texas, the tour will visit 24 Republican-held swing districts to connect with the local communities, get out
the vote, and inspire youth action to secure a Democratic trifecta in Congress. Visit their website by clicking this link to find more information.

Provided in coordination with  Eve Levenson – National Youth Engagement Director, Biden for President

Are you passionate about making a difference on your campus and in your community? This is your opportunity to be at the forefront of change. By signing up, you’ll become a pivotal part of a nationwide network of students dedicated to supporting President Joe Biden’s vision and policies. Receive regular updates, exclusive insights, and the chance to organize impactful events for young voters across the country.  Please sign up by clicking this link. 

You can also signup for youth-specific updates from the Biden campaign. Simply text “YOUTH” to 30330, or alternatively, you can sign up by clicking on this  link. 

To foster civic engagement, let young people vote sooner

High school students are organizing and mobilizing to protect themselves, standing up in defense of their rights to academic freedom, gender identity and expression, and the fundamental right to have a voice. Students across our state care deeply about civic participation to contribute to the well being of their community.

The ability of 16- and 17-year-olds to think critically and responsibly while exercising agency is acknowledged by the aforementioned legal rights already afforded to this age group. It is urgent that young people be empowered to use their voices at the ballot box. Rhode Island, and the General Assembly can and should empower the next generation of voters, and foster an engaged and public-minded citizenry.

Capital City Sunday: Quentin Wathum-Ocama talks Palestinian Protests Impact on Biden Campaign

Full Interview Available on YouTube

Trailblazing Ohio Young Democrats leader hopes to grow organization

While he was working, Columbus resident Kimberly Agyekum saw the importance labor unions had in protecting the rights of workers, leading her to become a Democrat and later a member of Ohio Young Democrats.

After serving for years as a national committee representative, she went on to become the first Black woman president of Ohio Young Democrats, being unanimously selected by all chapters in the state.

Florida Democrats Hope Abortion and Marijuana Ballot Amendments Will Boost Turnout

As Democrats try to leverage abortion to mobilize a reluctant electorate, the party hopes that pro-choice voters — many of whom are young and critical of Joe Biden’s candidacy — support the presidential incumbent while trying to protect their rights.

Do you know a YDA chartered unit that should be highlighted in our next newsletter? Email us at [email protected] to let us know which unit and why! 

Get your piece of YDA merch! Show your support with our exclusive collection of shirts, totes, and buttons. These items are perfect for any Young Democrat looking for some canvassing gear this summer. Visit store.yda.org today and grab yours now!

General Assembly Recap: YDA at IFLRY 🇨🇮

From Arne Nelson, International Affairs Chair:

A delegation from YDA attended the General Assembly of the International Federation of Liberal and Radical Youth in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire from May 9th through 12th. We cannot extend our thanks generously enough to Le Rassemblement des Houphouëtistes pour la Démocratie et la Paix (RHDP), the Centre d’Études Prospectives (CEP), and The Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom (FNF) for the incredible hospitality in Abidjan.

We have adopted a new delegate selection process going forward utilizing a group interview format to allow each applicant’s soft skills to come out during conversations. We look forward to seeing applicants who weren’t selected for this GA to stay involved in our international affairs work and hopefully attend other IFLRY events.

We took five delegates to Abidjan. Caitlin Taffe from California, Gennifer Geer from Illinois, William Greer from Vermont, Zachery Annis from Maine, and myself.

We cosponsored a resolution with the Young Liberals of the United Kingdom on Fast Fashion and its environmental consequences. We also prime sponsored an urgency resolution about the protests in Georgia supporting those Georgians standing against the government’s attempts to restrict press and speech freedoms.

I am very proud of the new delegates and how well they represented themselves and YDA. Their intentionality was apparent in every 1:1, every late night delegation meeting, every tense committee, and every conversation over a meal shared with other delegates. 

Caitlin, Gennifer, and William are exceptional Young Democrats representing the best YDA has to offer to the world. 

I was honored to serve alongside them as delegates for my last General Assembly as International Officer. 

I was elected as a Vice President of IFLRY, one of four in total. I was elected with the most votes and I am proud of the coalition I built through years of hard work and building relationships with like minded and committed youth around the world.

This will be my last words as International Officer for YDA, I am resigning to focus on my duties as an IFLRY Vice President. 

Democratic National Committee Delegate Contact Form

Were you elected a delegate to the Democratic National Convention? If so, please complete this survey to share your information so we can connect with you and other young delegates in Chicago. Your input will help us coordinate events and activities tailored for young delegates.