Guest Post: Justice for Students in America and the MD DREAM Act

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This is a guest post from Montgomery County Councilmember Hans Riemer. He attended our May Membership Meeting featuring DREAM Act advocates Del. Ana Sol Gutierrez, Flavia Jimenez (National Immigration Forum), Shola Ajayi (CASA de Maryland), Travis Tazelaar (Educating Maryland’s Kids) and students from Justice for Students in America.

Justice for Students in America and the MD DREAM Act

A presentation I recently heard from a group of young activists with Justice for Students in America (@thejsamovement on twitter) was one of the most powerful ten minutes of dialogue about politics I ever witnessed.  These students, each of them undocumented, described their struggles as high achieving young people who wanted to go to college and could have that door closed to them if the DREAM Act does not pass.

The MD DREAM Act, to remind those who aren’t familiar, allows undocumented students who are succeeding in public school in Maryland to attend college here without having to pay out-of-state tuition, which would be prohibitively expensive for many.  A referendum on the Act will be on the ballot in November.

The JSA movement, which I know is involved in educating voters on the issue, looks similar to me in many ways to the kind of youth movement I saw three years ago when I served as President Obama’s National Youth Vote Director. I think about those high school students in Iowa who spent every weeknight and every Saturday and Sunday in a campaign office, going out knocking on doors, making phone calls, talking to their friends, wearing t-shirts, wearing buttons, making the idea of getting involved in President Obama’s campaign to change the world – a cause. A true cause for young people in that state; and when the young people in that state won, the President won.

I would love to see Justice for Students in America chapters getting organized on the high school campuses all around Maryland, and I believe that JSA is working on that goal.

This Dream Act campaign is about education and the values that the younger generation is bringing to our country today. It would not really be possible to have a chance for victory if the demographics of our country were not changing so rapidly and our community’s values changing right along with them.

Want to get more involved? Help MCYD make a difference!

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Four important updates for our issue areas!

1. Marylanders for Marriage Equality urgently needs donations/loans for its Baltimore and Silver Spring offices. Email David Turley ASAP: david@mdfme.org and share a picture with us of your donation!

  • -Tables
  • -Chairs
  • -Desks
  • -Phones
  • -Computers
  • -Refrigerators
  • -Trash cans
  • -Printers
  • -Photocopiers
  • -Extension Cords
  • -Power Strips

2. Educating MD Kids (the DREAM Act coalition) will be conducting trainings for volunteers able to present their message to organizations of likely voters (PTAs, democratic clubs, etc…). Attend the May 24th Membership Meeting to learn more.

3. Montgomery Women do a First Friday Power Breakfast the 1st Friday of every month. Attend June 1st’s and meet other emerging and existing leaders in the county.

4. Get out the Youth Vote: Know anyone coming home for the summer? Remind them to register for an absentee ballot! Want to actually register voters yourself? You need to get certified!

DaveLarryYDMConvention2012 with Obama Signs
Help MCYD get out the vote!
Membership Meeting

Send comments for the Bylaws revision by May 17th!

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Membership Meeting

A call to action from Matt Nisenoff, one of MCYD’s co-chairs of the Bylaws Committee:

I am involved with the Montgomery County Young Democrats because I believe that action counts. Being involved in the political process is a civic duty which I take pride in. I also find it fun to do. I am quite humbled and pleased to be asked to co-chair the Bylaws Committee. I hope that my experience in helping with this process with other Democratic groups will be of some value to the MCYD. Of course, I need your help. In the democratic tradition of openness, I am relying on you, my fellow members, to make the Bylaws process a successful one.

Review the Bylaws and submit your comments here: www.mcyd.org/bylaws.

 

MCYD takes a tour of the United States Congress

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Young Dems with Congressman Sarbanes
Young Dems with Congressman Sarbanes

MCYD recently participated in a visit coordinated by Dan Ewald, Programming Director from the Baltimore County Young Democrats, to several of Maryland’s Congressional Delegations at their offices in Washington DC.

The event was attended by a dozen other Young Democrats from across the Great State of Maryland, including MCYD’s Max Etin, Laurie Ann Sayles, and Matt Nisenoff.

Matt shares his thoughts on the experience:

Dan […] did an outstanding job of it.

We were honored to meet with Congressman Elijah E. Cummings, who represents Baltimore City, Baltimore County and Howard County; Congressman John Sarbanes, who represents portions of Anne Arundel County, Baltimore City, Baltimore County and Howard County (and with redistricting will include a part of Montgomery County); and Congressman Dutch Ruppersberger, who represents parts of Baltimore City as well as Baltimore, Anne Arundel, Harford and Howard Counties.

All were generous with their time and spoke eloquently on issues they are currently facing and how the force of those outside of Congress is particularly important in moving forward with issues in the current political atmosphere.

It was an honor to meet with these members of Congress. Their staffs were professional, helpful and informative, and their support on the visit was appreciated.  The tours of House and watching part of the days session rounded out an experience that we will appreciated.

One of the perks of being a member of the Montgomery  County Young Democrats is incredible access to elected officials in the region.

Not a member yet? Register online today at mcyd.org/register and attend our May 24th Membership Meeting in Silver Spring to get connected.

Governor O'Malley and MCYD member Valeria Carranza at HRC Reception for Marriage Equality

Celebrating progress with Washington Governor Chris Gregoire and Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley

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Governor O'Malley and MCYD member Valeria Carranza at HRC Reception for Marriage Equality
Governor O'Malley and MCYD member Valeria Carranza at Human Rights Campaign Reception for Marriage Equality

Member of the Montgomery County Young Democrats, Valeria Carranza, attended the Human Rights Campaign historic celebration with marriage equality champions, Washington Governor Chris Gregoire and Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley on Friday, April 27th.

Earlier this year, Montgomery County Young Democrats collaborated with Marylanders for Marriage Equality to ensure that Maryland passed the Civil Marriage Protection Act. As Governor O’Malley told marriage equality fighters attending the Human Rights campaign celebration, “We must work together to protect freedom and human dignity.”

Interested in supporting issues like these with MCYD? Join the Issues Committee and help educate and advocate in Montgomery County. Contact Nik Sushka at nik.sushka@mcyd.org for more information.

Meet the 2012-2014 Executive Board

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The Montgomery County Young Democrats (MCYD) elected a new executive board on Tuesday as the organization intensifies its work to elect progressive Democrats across the state in 2012. The newly-elected officers – President Dave Kunes, Executive Vice President Laurie-Anne Sayles, Director of Communications Abraham Saffer, Director of Programming John-Ubong Silas, Director of Membership Chris Bradbury, Director of Finance Chris Coppola, and Secretary Nik Sushka– represent the diversity of Montgomery County’s youth.

The new executive board ran on a five-point plan of making MCYD more transparent, intentional, effective, inclusive, and empowering. “One of our biggest challenges during our next two years will be to create a model organization that truly reflects and represents the active, passionate, and hard-working community of young Democrats here in Montgomery County,” said newly elected President Dave Kunes. “Montgomery County needs to do its part to activate new voters to help address the steep dropoff in young registered Democrats the state has seen since June of 2010. The executive board and membership are dedicated to work tirelessly with all the past, current, and future members of MCYD to ensure that we are heard.”

Montgomery County Young Democrats holds monthly membership meetings. For media inquiries, contact Director of Communications Abe Saffer at Abe.Saffer@MCYD.org

 

Join the Montgomery County Young Democrats

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The Montgomery County Young Democrats (MCYD) strives to educate and motivate our peers to become involved in the political process by supporting strong, progressive candidates and policies.

MCYD is a 501(c)(4) organization that offers a voice for young people who seek progressive change in order to secure a just and stable future for all of the county’s residents.

MCYD members live, work, or go to school in Montgomery County and are the age of 39 or younger. But we always welcome the involvement and support of the “Young-at-Heart.”