 Frieda Menos, President |
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| Winter 2007 Edition | February 11 , 2007 | ||
| SPECIAL
MESSAGE FROM YOUR PRESIDENT Dear YoungDem, |
In
this issue: » President’s Corner: A message from the NYSYD President » YDA Conferences » Upcoming Events » Featured Region: Central » Book Review » Featured Caucus: Caucus of Color » Get Involved » Meet the Newsletter Team » Support the Young Dems |
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YDA Winter Conference
The Young Democrats of America Winter National Conference in Washington, DCUpcoming Meetings for YDA: Spring Meeting, May 4-6 Location TBA National Convention, July 18-22 Dallas, TX Details available here |
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Upcoming Events Kiss Me, I'm Liberal Valentine's Day Soiree |
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2007 WINTER EXECUTIVE MEETING Our 2007 New York State Young Democrats Winter Executive Meeting held on January 13th at the Grand Poughkeepsie Hotel was a great success. We had Young Democrats consisting of Chapter & affiliated youth group leaders in attendance from our New York State Democrats network meet to share their past and present campaign cycle activities, as well as upcoming events in 2007. The day was filled with great speakers, trainers and an exciting panel discussion. Thank you to our Executive Vice President Brian Switzer for all of his hard work behind the scenes. Thanks also go out to our keynote lunch speaker, Dutchess County Democratic Committee Chair and Wappinger Springs Supervisor Joseph Ruggiero, our host Dutchess County Young Democrats, and membership building trainer and YDA Membership Director Tara Martin. We also heard from a variety of expert panelists, including SEIU32BJ's Political Organizer Camille Rivera, Gillibrand for Congress' Advisor Darrius Shahinfar, DSCC's Political Director Doug Forand and our Communications Director and panel moderator Udai Tambar. Each contributed important insights during our "Winning Campaign Stategies: Where do we go from here?" discussion. Additionally, the following Young Dems became executive officers for 2007: Carolyn Schultz, NYS Young Democrats Secretary - A life-long Democratic political junkie, Carolyn Schultz is pleased to join the NYS Young Democrats Executive Board as Secretary. She is from Great Neck, Nassau County and works in Manhattan. Her political experience includes national, state and local campaigns in New York and elsewhere—including 2006 winners Congresswoman Kirsten Gillibrand and State Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins, and 2005 winner Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer. Professionally, Carolyn conducts marketing and communications for an engineering firm. She received a BA in Political Science from Wellesley College, and is also an alumna of Campaign Corps, a project of EMILY's List. Angel Audiffred, NYS Young Democrats Treasurer - Angel Audiffred serves as a press officer in the Communications Office for the New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn. Additionally, Angel is the Vice-President for the Bronx Young Democrats. Previously he served as an aide to the City Council Majority Leader, Joel Rivera. Born and raised in the Bronx, Angel considers himself a proud New Yorker. Chelsea-Lyn Rudder, NYS Young Democrats Finance Director - Chelsea-Lyn Rudder is the Executive Director of the New York City Council's Black, Latino and Asian Caucus. Prior to this, she served as an intern in the legislative office of New York City Council Member Robert Jackson. She received her bachelor's degree from Pace University in communications, and political science. Miss Rudder resides in Lower Manhattan and is a native of Rochester Hills, Michigan. She represented Michigan at the 2001 Miss Teen USA Pageant, and has worked as a spokesperson for Special Olympics and Students Against Drunk Driving. Congratulations to our new officers and everyone involved with this productive and enjoyable meeting! |
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Book Review Power Failure: Politics, Patronage, and the Economic Future of Buffalo, New York by Diana Dillaway  Don’t know anything about the Upstate economy? Make a Western New Yorker feel better by reading Power Failure, written by Diana Dillaway, a Buffalo native with a background in urban and community development. Power Failure describes the City of Buffalo’s legacy of machine politics and elite power struggles, all at the expense of economic revitalization. Ms. Dillaway’s book chronicles the rise and fall of Buffalo’s economic engine, from its peak as a manufacturing and trade hub in the late 1800s, to the steady decline of the city’s steel industry beginning in the late 1970s. She claims the loss of Buffalo’s manufacturing base was out of leaders’ control, but that they failed to seize opportunities to reverse this economic decline. The book is a quick read, so why not impress everyone with your knowledge of how squabbling urban elites drove downtown development to a halt in a once prosperous city? Particularly interesting is Dillaway’s description of Buffalo’s socially conservative WASP elite, who prevented the construction of a University at Buffalo downtown campus. The author makes the case that WASP leaders feared the influx of thousands of college students, who would bring their progressive politics with them. Find out why the Buffalo Bills play football on Sundays in suburban Orchard Park, instead of on the Lake Erie waterfront. Power Failure may not be terribly enlightening to an Urban Studies or Political Policy graduate. But for readers with a casual interest in the interactions between powerful business, political and community leaders, this surprisingly compelling narrative is definitely worth your time. |
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PROFILE OF A NEW YORK STATE YOUNG DEM WHITNEY KEMP – The Office of NYS Assemblyman Dennis Gabryszak By Matthew Corritore A new feature the newsletter team is excited to introduce this issue is our profile of an outstanding New York State Young Democrat. The subject of our inaugural profile is Whitney Kemp. Whitney recently accepted a new position as a staffer for NYS Assemblyman Dennis Gabryszak, but not before gaining significant political experience on campaigns in several states. I had the pleasure of sitting down with Whitney and chatted about her work in the political world. Whitney grew up outside of Athens, Georgia in a Republican-dominated town. Her parents were literally one of a few liberal Democrats in the neighborhood. Politics have long been important in the Kemp family, where Whitney gained her affinity for government and public policy. Her grandfather served as a Georgia State Senator, and her parents were always very politically active. A 2005 graduate of South Carolina's Presbyterian College, Whitney interned on former Senate hopeful Inez Tenenbaum's 2004 campaign. It was when completing her double major in History and Political Science that she developed a passion for civil rights issues. After graduation, Whitney applied for Campaign Corps in Washington D.C., a comprehensive Democratic campaign training program sponsored by Emily's List. She was overjoyed to be accepted into the highly competitive program, and underwent a weeklong training covering all aspects of running a successful campaign. She was then sent to Houston to hone her campaign skills during three months of field training, working on the 2005 elections of Houston City Councilmember Sue Lovell and Houston City Controller Annise Parker. For Whitney, a progressive Democrat, pro-choice woman, her Campaign Corps election work was a tremendous experience. She got the opportunity to work as Deputy Campaign Manager for two openly-gay women candidates, a great opportunity for someone so interested in civil rights and women's issues. I asked Whitney how it was to be named Deputy Campaign Manager within a few weeks after starting work on a campaign. "The title you receive while on the job doesn't really matter until it comes time to list it on your resume for the next job," she said, since so many different people contribute to the election effort. "When you are working on a campaign it is 24/7 craziness. No one has time to worry about the egos of campaign workers and what title they receive. When I was learning about campaign management in college, I thought only extremely important people were campaign managers and deputy campaign managers. But after a few weeks on a campaign I realized that the campaign manager is no more important than the finance director, who is no more important than the communication director, and so on and so on. On a campaign each member of the team has a vital part to play. If any of these parts isn't functioning perfectly, then all other areas of a campaign are affected." Throughout my interview, Whitney displayed her passion for campaign fundraising, and articulated the unfortunate difficulty women still face trying to secure money from large donors. "Getting face time with donors is the most important and effective way to raise money.” She went on to say, “It is hard for any candidate to ask a potential donor for $50,000… Female candidates tend to feel even more uncomfortable than men asking strangers to invest their trust and funds in their candidacies." She reiterated that women need to be aggressive fundraisers in a political world still largely dominated by men. During the Lovell campaign, Whitney had to sell a candidate who wasn't a college graduate, not the most polished and facing four-way opposition. She also had to make decisions with a Campaign Manager, who was worked off-sight in California. "There were a lot of conference calls to say the least," joked Whitney. Sue Lovell became a councilmember by just 800 votes in a runoff. After the 2005 elections, Whitney was restless and eager for another job. She describes herself as "one of those people that needs to be constantly doing things." A political consultant in Houston hooked her up with a campaign job in Western New York. Whitney hopped in her car and drove to Buffalo the next day to serve as Deputy Campaign Manager for Denise O'Donnell for New York State Attorney General. She quickly got an apartment in Cheektowaga, and fell in love with the people and politics of the Western New York area. After O'Donnell dropped out of a crowded primary field, Whitney applied for a job with the New York State Democratic Committee. She became the sole Western New York Director, in which she wrote statewide election plans and coordinated get out the vote efforts for multiple campaigns during 2006. Now staffing for Democratic Assemblyman Dennis Gabryszak from Cheektowaga, Whitney is working on the transition from campaign to government work. "Dealing with constituents is a lot different from dealing with potential donors. In a campaign you can ignore people who won't give your candidate their money or support and move on to new prospects. Constituents are much tougher. You can't ignore constituents because one, that is who put you where you are, and two, often you are their last resort. Constituents call the office when they don't receive their child support, Social Security check, or can't afford their property taxes," she said. It's clear from talking to Whitney, a self-described catch-all campaign worker with a passion for fundraising, that she has a bright future in the political arena ahead of her. Asked if she had any desire of holding elected office, she responded, "No. Candidates are crazy, they have no personal lives, have to ask all their friends for money, and have to smile constantly. God bless them, because they keep me in a job, and somebody has got to do it, but they are crazy. . . No, I just like telling them what to do." About the future, Whitney commented, "I would like to like my job, and make enough money to give my kids the same opportunities I had." She perhaps would like to work someday on public education issues in the non-profit sector. |
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| FEATURED REGION - Central Laura K. Turnblom is working hard to prove that yes, there is life above Westchester County. As the Central Vice President, she’s working hard to keep the region’s young democrats active and engaged. The region’s flagship chapter, Albany County, boasts a whopping 67 members, and was extremely active this past campaign season. Several candidates benefited from Ms. Turnblom’s crew, which traveled around the area to hit the pavement for state and federal candidates. The Central Region sets a particularly good example for the interim period between November and February, the dreaded downtime between campaign seasons. Anyone who’s ever run a young dems chapter knows that it’s tough to maintain a strong chapter when there aren’t impending elections. Ms. Turnblom’s strategy? She writes that “scheduling interesting speakers at each meeting is a critical part of keeping people coming back.” She also suggests reaching out to the labor community during this quiet period as a potential source of new members. Now that the Central Region voter registration activities have ended for the season, the Central Region young dems are focused on educating members about the various policy positions taken by the Democratic Party. And, of course, the Albany County young dems still find time to have fun! They hosted a fantastic holiday party on December 19th at Elda’s on Lark Street in Albany, featuring plenty of local elected officials as well as county and state representatives. In the spirit of community service, the club included a toy drive in the event and donated the proceeds to local community and after-school programs. If you would like to learn more about the strategies used in the Central Region, or are interested in joining a chapter in the region, please contact Laura Turnblom at lauraturnblom@yahoo.com. |
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FEATURED CAUCUS: Caucus of Color The Caucus of Color promotes the involvement of young people of color in the political process and recognizes the need for inclusive representation throughout the Democratic Party. Tara Martin, chairwoman of the NYSYD Caucus of Color, has expanded the membership of her caucus to over 600 members in only ten months. At the same time, she assembled a killer agenda for 2007, kicking off with the Caucus of Color Annual Business Meeting in January, and continuing on with the GenYouth 2007: Days of Action throughout the Spring and Summer. How did she do it? Networking events, policy discussions, and social events. Sounds easy, right? Don’t be so sure. Between February and November of 2006 the caucus hosted six different events, an unbelievable record of accomplishment. Over the course of those events, members and guests were treated to face time with Leecia Eve, Charlie King, Governor-Elect Eliot Spitzer, NYS Senator-Elect Eric Adams, Congressman Charles Rangel, Lieutenant Governor-Elect David Paterson, Deputy Mayor Dennis Walcott, Congressman Gregory Meeks, Bronx Borough President Adolpho Carrion, and several radio celebrities. In addition to social events, the Caucus of Color partnered with other community groups to advocate for making the new voting machines fair, secure and accessible, the creation of paper trails and full accessibility for disabled voters. On the Internet, the Caucus conducted the first ever online survey talking about issues affecting young people. Putting these types of events and projects together takes an immense amount of time, effort and dedication, and the hard work certainly has paid off for Ms. Martin and her Caucus of Color. Since the Caucus of Color has had such success in building membership, here are some tips from Ms. Martin: Collect business cards using fishbowls at events, instead of sign-in sheets. Use the Internet more by creating a website, and following up on event attendance with emails in order to beef up email distribution lists and gain a higher attendance at future events. Finally, when speaking out on legislation or new ideas, partner with coalitions that represent diverse opinions on the subject and have a record of grassroots activism. If you have questions about the events or strategies listed above, or are interested in joining the Caucus of Color, please contact Tara Martin at info@nycaucusofcolor.org or go to their website at www.nycaucusofcolor.org. |
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Get Involved This area of the newsletter will provide ideas about how to get more involved with the NYSYD. Look here for open positions in NYSYD on the Executive Board, committees, caucuses, and other internal leadership roles. OPEN POSITION: Upstate Vice President The Upstate VP is responsible for chapter development, membership recruitment, organization of political activities, and coordination of GOTV efforts throughout the Upstate region, which includes Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Hamilton, Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Oneida, Onondaga, Oswego, St. Lawrence, and Warren counties. The Upstate VP must live in one of the aforementioned counties. To apply for the position, submit your resume and a 100-word statement including all pertinent organizing experience to info@youngdemsny.org. OPEN POSITION: Labor Caucus Chair The Labor Caucus Chair is responsible for managing the NYS Young Democrats Labor Caucus, working closely with the local New York labor unions, organizing political activities, and the coordination of campaign efforts with the labor community. To apply for the position, submit your resume and a 100-word statement including all pertinent organizing experience to info@youngdemsny.org. OPEN POSITION: GLBT Caucus Chair The Chair is responsible for managing the NYS Young Democrats GLBT Caucus, working closely with the local New York GLBT groups, organizing political activities, and the coordination of campaign efforts with the GLBT community. To apply for the position, submit your resume and a 100-word statement including all pertinent organizing experience to info@youngdemsny.org. OPEN POSITION: Women's Caucus Chair The Women's Caucus Chair is responsible for managing the NYS Young Democrats Women's Caucus, working closely with the local New York Women's groups, organizing political activities, and the coordination of campaign efforts. To apply for the position, submit your resume and a 100-word statement including all pertinent organizing experience to info@youngdemsny.org. OPEN POSITION: Webmaster The Webmaster is responsible for managing the NYS Young Democrats website, working closely to help chapters establish websites, and assisting in the coordination of campaign efforts. To apply for the position, submit your resume and a 100-word statement including all pertinent organizing experience to info@youngdemsny.org. BE AN INTERN The quickest way into a paid position in politics is to intern in a political office. Be aggressive – choose an elected official you would like to work for and call the office with your resume ready. If you need some help getting started, the NYSYD website features an up-to-date job/internship page at www.youngdemsny.org. |
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MEET THE NEWSLETTER TEAM Elizabeth R. Bailey, Buffalo, 24, Co-Editor: Liz works as the Western New York Assistant Regional Representative for an elected official and serves on the Women below 30 Advisory Board of the Erie County Commission on the Status of Women. Matthew S. Corritore, Depew, 20, Co-Editor: Matt works as the Community Awareness Specialist for AIDS Community Services of Western New York. Udai Tambar, Queens, 30, NYSYD Communications Director: Udai works at a policy institute and teaches at Princeton University. |
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We need your support in 2007. If you would like to donate to the NYSYD, visit us online at Support Young Democrats. For additional details, email finance@youngdemsny.org. |
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Have a suggestion for improving the newsletter? Got a great idea for
an event or a story? Our electronic door is always open. Send your feedback to the newsletter
editors: newsletter@youngdemsny.org.
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