Here is a set of 59 pictures from today’s rally.

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Yesterday I spent a couple of hours at the Arizona State Capitol for the SB1070 protests. You can see my photos from the event and a video I took embedded below.

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Monday, October 26th, 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM
Location: Senate Hart Office Building, Room 902
Refreshments will be served

“If you had a problem in the Black community, and you brought in a group of White people to discuss how to solve it, almost nobody would take that panel seriously. In fact, there’d probably be a public outcry. It would be the same for women’s issues or gay issues. But every day, in local arenas all the way to the White House, adults sit around and decide what problems youth have and what youth need, without ever consulting us.”
– Jason, 17 years old

Hear directly from youth who are actively engaged in advising decision makers at the state and local level about pressing policy issues that affect young people, including healthcare, education, nutrition, foster care, homelessness, and juvenile justice. A growing number of Governors, State Legislatures, Mayors, City Councils, and County Commissions across the country have demonstrated success in engaging young people through Youth Councils: officially sanctioned groups of young people with a diverse range of life experiences who directly advise policymakers on policies and programs that directly impact youth.

Youth Council panelists will discuss:

• opportunities for incorporating youth voice in policymaking at the federal level;
• how federal policymakers can connect with existing state and local Youth Councils in their district;
• how effective state and local models for youth engagement in policymaking can be supported at the federal level.

This event is organized by America’s Youth Council Network (supported by the Ready by 21 National Partnership), which brings together state and local Youth Councils from across the country to share best practices and promote the growth of the Youth Council movement. Refreshments will be served.

Please RSVP by Thursday Oct. 22nd to rsvp@forumfyi.org

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The Young Democrats of America have two major events coming up in the next few months.

The 2009 YDA Spring National Conference will take place from June 12th to 14th at the Hilton Americas Hotel in Houston, TX.

Those interested in attending can register for the conference online and download the conference schedule.

The conference will feature the All Hands On Deck Fundraising Seminar: a 3 hour training session on fundraising strategies to help chapter leaders raise money to build their organizations and to send delegations to the National Convention in Chicago. I will be running the online fundraising component of the seminar.

Another highlight of the conference will be the Presidential Farewell Roast of David Hardt. The previous Presidential Farewell Roast for Chris Gallaway was extremely successful two years ago in Omaha and I’m excited to be on the panel of roasters again. The amount of money roasters raise for YDA will determine the amount of time they get on stage, so if you want to add another 30 seconds to my time you can make a $15 contribution at my page. (You’ll also get to see a picture of me dug up online from Boy Band Night back in college).

If any organizations are interested in sponsorship opportunities for the conference check out the sponsorship packet.

The 2009 YDA National Convention will be held in Chicago, IL from August 5th through 9th. The convention will feature the election of national officers, trainings, great speakers, a major community service initiative, and the opportunity to meet Young Democrats from across the country. The Convention is being held at the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place.

The Convention website is now live at ydachicago2009.com and online registration is open.

You can stay connected by following the convention account on Twitter (@ydachicago2009) or by joining the Facebook group.

I hope to see many of you at one or both of these events.

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This Saturday, April 18, Campus Pride hosts its second annual West Coast LGBT-Friendly College Fair at the San Diego LGBT Community Center, 3909 Centre Street in San Diego, CA. Nearly thirty colleges and universities from across the country will be in attendance from 1 p.m.to 4 p.m. to recruit lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) and ally prospective students. Free of charge, any interested students and their families are welcome.

“Finally, colleges are coming out of the closet and being visible in the recruitment process to seek LGBT students,” said Shane Windmeyer, Executive Director of Campus Pride, the leading national nonprofit for LGBT students and campus groups and author of The Advocate College Guide for LGBT Students. “Today campuses want to be considered LGBT-friendly. It is not only in the best interest of enrollment figures but also a necessity to prepare for a smaller, more diverse student population in the future.”

According to Windmeyer, an increasing number of colleges and universities are openly recruiting LGBT students and are doing so for the first time ever. Nearly thirty colleges have registered to date for the upcoming LGBT-friendly college fair sponsored by Campus Pride. In addition, over 185 colleges and universities are reaching out to LGBT students through the LGBT-Friendly Campus Climate Index. The national index, the only resource of its kind, is a dynamic online tool which rates LGBT-friendliness at colleges and universities as well as sets a national benchmark for campuses to become safer, more welcoming for LGBT and ally people. Any campus may take part in the college fair program or the index at anytime.

Campus Pride developed the college fairs and the online LGBT-Friendly Campus Climate Index as active ways for campuses to be out and proud in attracting LGBT student populations. The efforts also provide an outlet for campuses to increase enrollment with a seemingly “untapped” population.

Colleges and universities registered to be in attendance include Alliant International University; Arizona State University; Bryant University; California State Polytechnic University, Pomona; Claremont McKenna College; Columbia College Chicago; Drexel University; Emory College (of Emory University); Gustavus Adolphus College; Kalamazoo College; Linfield College; McNally Smith College of Music; Penn State University; Princeton University; Point Foundation; Rochester Institute of Technology; San Diego State University; Sarah Lawrence College; UC San Diego; University of Colorado at Boulder; University of the Pacific; University of Utah; Washington and Lee University; Whittier College and Yale.

Organizing partners and supporters for the upcoming fair include national and local chapters of the Western Association for College Admissions Counseling, the Gay, Lesbian, & Straight Education Network (GLSEN), Parents, Families, Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG), the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) and Point Foundation. For more details, please visit http://www.campusclimateindex.org/events or contact Campus Pride at 704-277-6710 or info@campuspride.org.

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On Thursday, April 2, 2009, the Young Democrats of America (YDA) and the YDA Women’s Caucus will honor longtime women’s rights and national Democratic activist Ann F. Lewis. Entitled:

This event will celebrate Ann Lewis’ lifetime of championing the policies and politics that advance women’s rights and working to increase a place for women in American politics and will provide support to not only YDA Women’s Caucus programs to develop young women leaders across the country but to support YDA’s overall programs and chapter development.

From: April 02, 2009 at 6:30 PM
Until: April 02, 2009 at 8:30 PM
Address: Halo Lounge 1435 P St NW Washington, DC 20005
Refreshments will be provided.

Donation Levels:
$1,000 Event Sponsorship
$500 Leadership Circle
$150 Host Committee
$50 Young Democrat at Heart
$25 Young Democrat

You can pay in advance at https://yda.wiredforchange.com/o/720/t/497/event/checkOut.jsp?event_KEY=12850 and RSVP for the event on Facebook.

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Let’s kick off the Young Democrats Working for America Campaign

As the Campaign Chair for Young Democrats Working for America, I am so excited that YDA is coming to the Big Apple to get to work building on our successes and planning for our future.  I am just as excited to formally announce my support for Crystal Strait, Rod Snyder and the entire Young Democrats Working for America team of candidates.

You are invited to participate in the official campaign events happening this weekend:

The Magnolia Cupcake Welcome Party

Friday, February 20, 2009
3:00 PM – 5:30 PM
Sheraton Hotel Lobby Coffee Bar

This will be a great opportunity to meet and speak with team members.

YDWA Strait Up New York Event

Saturday, February 21, 2009
9:30 PM – 11:30 PM
Ava Lounge at the Dream Hotel
210 West 55th Street

After a long day of meetings and trainings come spend the evening in the Crystal Room at the Ava Lounge with Crystal, Rod, Renee, Isaac and Mark as they kick-off the campaign to work towards moving YDA forward.

We look forward to seeing you at these events!

Please forward to any and all Young Democrats attending the YDA Winter Conference.

Stephanie Hausner
Campaign Chair
Young Democrats Working for America

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