Breakfast recap ~
Breakfast attendees numbered over 70!
A fully packed room heard the details of the Indiana Democratic State Convention (June 13th in Indy) and the Democratic National Convention (July 13-16th in Milwaukee). State Democratic Party staff members Lauren Ganapini, Executive Director, and Adi Ben Yehoshua, Data Director, gave us information on how to file for each of these delegate opportunities.
To be a delegate to the State convention, one needs to be elected by Democrats in the May Primary. Here in Monroe County delegates are apportioned by county council district. Filing starts on January 8th and ends at noon on February 7th. Political deadlines are at NOON local time -- something to remember!!
In Monroe County filing is at Election Central offices at 7th and Madison. They have the forms, and can notarize and accept your filing within just a few minutes.
The preponderance of National Delegates are elected by the State Delegates at the state convention in June. For details on the National Delegate Selection Plan see the IDP website at: https://www.indems.org/dnc-convention-2020/ It's a treasure trove of complete information about filing for Delegate, and all the particulars about being a delegate.
More about both of these opportunities in upcoming newsletters!
WHERE ARE THE WOMEN CANDIDATES?
The most important thing to remember for DWC members this week is that on Sunday, January 12th, at 3 pm at the Monroe County Party HQ, 116 S. Madison. The DWC is partnering with 25 Women for 2020 for a brainstorming session on finding women to run for the southern house districts of 46 (Bob Heaton), 60 (Peggy Mayfield), and 62 (Jeff Ellington) to start. We are inviting women who might be interested in running to find out what resources and help might be available to them, encourage them to consider this run, and to encourage other attendees to help them with their unique talents of fundraising, organizing, voter contact, media, graphic design, website design, and other campaign needs.
Please consider coming! If you can respond to the event on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/events/522147028511016/ please do. If you are not a Facebook participant, you can send an email to [email protected] and let us know you are coming.
We are hoping to provide some refreshments for the group, so if you have a yen for baking some cookies, providing some veggies, or some beverages, please let Regina Moore know at [email protected] as soon as you can! You will be thanked most kindly for your help in this recruitment effort.
2020 will bring us a critical year in politics and also a year long celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the passing of the 19th Amendment which granted the right to vote to many American women. We know that not all women got the right to vote in 1920, in fact we’re still working on that, but it was a critical step in the fight for women’s suffrage. Let us know if you hear of any 2020 festivities such as exhibits at the Indiana Historical Society and the Monroe County History Center Look for an exciting one-woman suffrage show, "Digging In Their Heels,” coming to Cardinal Stage here in Bloomington in February.
Have a safe an happy New Year. Let's come out fighting in 2020!
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:,
Announcements
Events
Action Items
ANNOUNCEMENTS
DWC ANNOUNCEMENTS & UPDATES:
**Are you creative, skilled at writing, a social media expert?? - THE DWC NEEDS YOU!!
We are looking for a few good women to join our Monday Morning News and Social Media Team to help keep our membership informed - if you can help - contact us at [email protected].
Your thoughts are always welcome: We welcome your thoughts on DWC events and issues….Please share your thoughts on this organization as we move forward, in our community and our state. For those brilliant ideas that come in the middle of the night! Email [email protected]
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TO ALL CANIDIDATES - ANNUAL CAMPAIGN FINANCE REPORTS ARE DUE ON WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 15, 2020 AT NOON
If you had an open campaign finance account in 2019 - whether you were up for election or not and whether or not you took in any money or made any expenditures in 2019 - you must file your annual campaign finance paperwork (CFA-4 form) by noon local time at Election Central. Don't wait until the last minute!
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OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS:
The Indiana Women’s Suffrage Centennial: On Aug. 26, 1920, Hoosier women won the right to vote. At first glance, the meaning behind that statement is simple. But the real story goes much deeper. In Indiana, almost seventy years passed between the first calls for women’s voting rights and the passage of the 19th Amendment. And, though momentous, 1920 is just one milestone in a long and ongoing journey, and access to the voting booth is just one part of what it means to be an equal part of the democratic process.
The Indiana Women’s Suffrage Centennial, catalyzed by Indiana Humanities, the Indianapolis Propylaeum, the Indiana Historical Society and the Indiana Historical Bureau, working with many grassroots and local partners, marks the anniversary of the 19th Amendment. We invite Hoosiers to honor the ideas and ideals that fueled the suffrage movement in Indiana, and the people who led the way; to engage in a conversation about inclusion, equity, perseverance and power; to consider what remains to be done to ensure that our democracy truly includes everyone; and to identify and act on the lessons of the women’s suffrage movement.
The Indiana Women’s Suffrage Centennial Commission has issued a Call for Proposals to Indiana-based artists to create an original work of art to be displayed in the Indiana Statehouse to commemorate the 19th Amendment.
Read more: indianasuffrage100.org
MONROE COUNTY DEMOCRATIC PARTY EVENTS AND VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: contact Taegan Bolden-Davis Executive Director, Monroe County Democratic Party at [email protected]
BOARD AND COMMISSION OPENINGS: A great way to get involved and learn about how government works in Monroe County and Bloomington and to make a difference in your community:
CITY OF BLOOMINGTON B&Cs
The office of the City Clerk announces a vacant position on the Bloomington Commission on Sustainability. This position is available for city residents 18 years of age or older. The BCOS promotes economic development, environmental health, and social equity in the community for present and future generations. The commission gathers and disseminates information, promotes practical initiatives, and measures, monitors, and reports on the community’s progress towards sustainability.
For information on this position, or other commissions that have vacancies at this time, contact the office of the City Clerk or check https://bloomington.in.gov/boards to see the nature of the board or commission, recent minutes and actions, and how that particular vacancy is filled.
MONROE COUNTY GOVERNMENTAL B&Cs
The Monroe County Board of Commissioners invites you to apply to serve on a Board or Commission! There are immediate openings on a number of these bodies, including: Animal Management, Environmental Commission, and the Human Rights Commission. For information on each of them, see https://www.co.monroe.in.us/boards/. The application is available here: https://www.co.monroe.in.us/egov/documents/1533065264_74301.pdf. If you have any questions, please contact Julie Thomas ([email protected]).
EVENTS
TODAY! – Monday, January 6 at 11a.m.
All IN for Democracy Press Conference
3rd floor of State House, South Atrium, Indianapolis
Opening day of the 2020 state legislature provides a perfect opportunity to call attention to SB 87, which proposes more transparent redistricting standards for congressional and state legislative districts.
We will be joined by Senators John Ruckelshaus, J.D. Ford, and others as they sign the End Gerrymandering Pledge, a national effort led by Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger and Democrat Eric Holder.
If you want to join a car pool, contact Vickie Dacey [email protected].
RCU Steering Committee can be found at www.ReverseCitizensUnited.org
Friday January 10th - 6 to 9pm
Stonewall Democrats of South Central Indiana first meeting of 2020
Cascades Inn at 2601 N Walnut Street, Bloomington
SD-SCI members will present ideas and resources for civic engagement, and a few other surprises!
Even if you can't make it, please consider introducing some friends who you think might be interested
https://www.facebook.com/events/556767948236530/
Saturday, Saturday, January 11, 2019, 11 am - 2 pm
United Way Chilly Cook-Off – tickets $10, (($5 for children ages 3 to 12, free for children 2 and younger) benefitting United Way of Monroe County.
The Mill (642 N Madison St, across from Upland Brewing).
Enter through the lower doors, near the southwest corner of the building.
https://www.monroeunitedway.org/CookOff
Sunday, January 19, 2020 4:00pm - 6:30pm
Medicare For All Indiana Film: The Color Of Medicine
The Buskirk Chumley Theatre, 114 E. Kirkwood Ave., Bloomington
A showing of the new movie The Color of Medicine, a documentary capturing the history of medical training of African-Americans at Homer G. Phillips Hospital in St. Louis. Dr. Earl Robinson Jr, a retired OB GYN from Indianapolis is featured in the movie and will be present. He will participate in discussion and Q&A following the screening. Free admission. Please help us publicize this event. We could use volunteers to help that evening!
Monday, January 20, 6:00pm
Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Celebration
Buskirk-Chumley Theater
The community is invited to attend the 2020 City of Bloomington Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Celebration. Free and open to the public. Auditorium doors open at 5:30pm. The celebration begins with a reception at 6pm followed by the program at 7pm, including remarks by Hamilton, members of the MLK Commission, and others. Musical contributions from the Indiana University African American Choral Ensemble, directed by Dr. Raymond Wise, Fairview elementary school students, and Jacobs School of Music Ballet Department students and faculty. Volunteers who participated in "A Day ON! Not A Day Off" will be recognized, and the winner of the Commission’s Legacy Award will be announced. The theme is “Courage and Beautiful Struggle: Honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with Our Work” featuring keynote speaker Dr. Melina Abdullah. The program will end around 8:30pm.
Saturday, January 25, 2020
IN Democratic Party Blue Bench Training
IVY Tech Conference Center, 2820 N Meridian St Indianapolis, IN 46208
Join the Indiana Democratic Party and the National Democratic Training Committee at their Blue Bench Training for candidates and potential candidates, campaign staff and volunteer staff, and local party infrastructure on January 25 for all the tools and tips you need to launch a successful campaign or create and build infrastructure for your local party. More women, first-time candidates and young people have stepped up to move Indiana forward. If you're ready to do the work, let them help you get started.
Registration begins 30 minutes before the training begins.
The training costs $25 to cover breakfast and lunch.
Sign up for the training here.
"Women, please vote in your own self-interests.
It's what men have been doing for years, which is why the world looks so much like them." - Michelle Williams at the Golden Globe Awards 01/06/20.
ACTION ITEM(s):
1. Renew your membership in the DWC for 2020 (see below)
2. Celebrate women's suffrage in 2020 and continue to fight for the rights of everyone to vote...
3. As we wend our way towards the end of this year, consider your options for helping to elect good leaders in 2020: Become active in the DWC, serve on a committee, send us your ideas. Work with the local and state Democratic Parties to effect change in our communities. Sign a petition to put candidates on a state or federal ballot. Join a campaign, support a candidate, educate yourself on the issues, keep your elected officials accountable for their legislative decisions, register a voter and, of course, vote in 2020!.
4. Make your own plans to run - the start of filing for political offices in Indiana is about a month away. Now is the time to make your own plans, do your research and make a decision to run. Let us know how we can help!
5. Get ready for 2020!
HOW TO CONTACT YOUR REPRESENTATIVES
Todd Young:
https://www.young.senate.gov/contact/email-todd
(202) 224-5623
Mike Braun
https://www.braun.senate.gov/contact-mike
(202) 224-4814
(317) 822-8240
Trey Hollingsworth
https://hollingsworth.house.gov/contact/
(202) 225-5315 (U.S. House) or (812) 288-3999 (Jeffersonville Office)
BECOME A DWC MEMBER or RENEW your membership!
The DWC is dedicated to inspiring, recruiting, training, supporting and funding women to increase the number of progressive, pro-choice women in the political arena. We ALL help with this mission, together, collectively. Make sure you have full rights and privileges of membership.
Only $20 for one year’s membership.
Join online here: https://democraticwomenscaucus.nationbuilder.com/membership
Do you have news items? Send your items of interest to us at [email protected]
Deadline for MMN is noon on Sunday.
Paid for by DWPAC - Democratic Women's Political Action Committee
Democratic Women's Caucus
http://www.democraticwomenscaucus.org/