We are still looking for a few folks who would like to sit at our tables at the Women’s History Month Lunch on Wednesday… if you’d like to join us please let us know asap at [email protected]
We lost a champion of civil rights and women’s rights last week with the passing of Senator Birch Bayh. Many people know that he was the author of two constitutional amendments: the 25th, outlining the orderly transition of power in case of the death of a President or Vice President, and the 26th, lowering the voting age from 21 to 18 years.
But Lee Hamilton believes Bayh’s greatest legislative accomplishment was Title IX of the Higher Education Act. Bayh sponsored and co-authored the law prohibiting discrimination in education based on sex.
“No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.”
“It’s only a few words in length, but it was landmark legislation that profoundly changed America,” Hamilton said.
And many people aren’t aware that Birch was also the Senate’s principal sponsor of the Equal Rights Amendment, which would have barred discrimination on the basis of sex. It passed Congress but failed to be ratified by three-fourths of the states.
Birch Bayh was never afraid of strong women…. he met his wife Marvella when she won the national speaking contest in Chicago, becoming the first woman to do so. One of the contestants she bested was Birch himself. They were married for 27 years until her death in 1979…
Overheard at a door while canvassing -- a disparaging comment about the DWC from another canvasser (obviously not a champion of the organization) about how it would support of a candidate JUST because she is a woman.
All PACs have a focus… what would be the point of organizing them if they didn’t? A number of new political PACS have arisen in the area in recent years from the re-energized Ninth District Latino Caucus to the Monroe County Black Democratic Caucus to the latest arrival, the Stonewall Democrats of South Central Indiana, who will have their official roll out this summer. Each groups seeks to augment the voices of their constituent core and to get their candidates elected. If we are all successful in adhering to our missions, and if the voters are truly listening, then we should get a government that reflects it’s citizens.
But there is a major difference between a mission that supports only women candidates and one that supports candidates only because they are women. Several letters to the editor last summer bemoaned the defeat of a popular male candidate and attributed his loss to the nefarious shenanigans of the Democratic Women’s Caucus… but the female candidate in question worked hard to get elected and it’s no secret that half the DWC steering committee was on the male candidate’s campaign committee. The DWC is a diverse group of women (and men) with a diverse set of interests. We would like to think that our membership is more politically aware than average and that we are paying attention.
Which brings us back around to the question of endorsement. The DWC Endorsement Committee is set up to screen candidates who seek endorsement based on a number of identified criteria: do they understand the duties and obligations of the office for which they are running, are there issues that would make an applicant unsuitable for office, are they set up to run a viable campaign for the office in question and finally, do their values reflect the mission of the DWC. Candidates put a lot of work into their applications and many tell us that the process helps them to organize their campaigns and make decisions about planning and strategy. Based on interviews and review of information provided, the committee will then forward their recommendations to the full membership for their consideration and the membership will vote on endorsement for all candidates who have applied.
Not all applicants will be recommended for endorsement by the committee and not all candidates who are recommended for endorsement by the committee will ultimately be endorsed by the membership, and vice versa. A recommendation for endorsement from the committee tells our membership that we think that a candidate meets the criteria that we have established above. What it does not do is make judgements about a candidate’s platform, overall campaign strategy or even make the claim that she is necessarily the best candidate for the office.
Our job as an organization is to give our membership the information they need to make an educated decision about endorsement (and ultimately for the primary and general elections) – by providing them the opportunity to hear candidates speak, providing links to websites, social media, bios, and candidate’s forums and events that will help us understand what they stand for, what their priorities are and whether we think they are the candidate we should support. A work in progress, we hope to provide even more information to you in 2020.
So plan to attend the DWC Special Endorsement Breakfast this coming Friday at 7:30am at the Village Deli. Even if you are not a voting member we hope you’ll find it of value. Look for a special email with full details coming your way tomorrow as well as candidate bios and other information that we will have posted on our website. We will also send out ballots individually to all our voting members so that they can vote even if they can’t make the breakfast – if you are a member and don’t receive one by Wednesday evening, let us know at [email protected] and we’ll get it remedied….
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:
Announcements
Events
Action Items
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Forum Invitation for all candidates:
The Monroe County Black Democratic Caucus and the Bloomington Black Strategic Alliance would like to extend an invitation to participate in our 2019 Candidate Forums. We intend to host two candidate forums during the month of April at the Lighthouse Community Church located at 850 E Winslow Rd, Bloomington, IN 47401. The first forum will be held on Saturday, April 13th from 3pm to 5pm. This forum would consist of the Mayoral, At-large City Council, and Clerk races. The second forum will be held on April 14th from 3pm to 5pm, this forum would consist of candidates running in Bloomington’s 6 council districts. Questions at the forums will focus on issues facing the Black community and the community at-large. In the upcoming week or two, more information will be provided in order to ensure you are as successful as possible. We ask that you send an email to [email protected] if you are interested in participating as soon as possible so that we can begin our advertisement campaign. Thank you for running for office, committing to your community, and sacrificing a piece of yourself for others.
KARAOKE IS COMING: start exercising your vocal chords and polishing up those songs - the annual DWC Karaoke fundraiser is coming soon at a new location here in Bloomington. If you want to help with this fun packed event, email [email protected]
Parking Commission Vacancy
The City of Bloomington Office of the City Clerk is accepting applications to fill a vacant position on the city’s Parking Commission. The position is available for city residents who live within a residential neighborhood permit parking zone. This is a great opportunity for city residents to be more involved in local government. To learn more about the Parking Commission, including the mission statement, membership requirements, current membership listing and term lengths, or for online applications, go to the online City system for board and commission information known as “OnBoard” at bloomington.in.gov/onboard
The Indiana Democratic Party Municipal Monday Webinar Series:
To view recordings of the webinars go to: https://www.indems.org/webinar-trainings-recordings/
How to File For Office - Matthew Kochevar, Democratic Legal Counsel for the IN
Election Division
Campaign Finance - Anna Foster, Compliance Director for the IN Democratic Party
Social Media 101 - Trina Thomas, Digital Communications Specialist for the IN Democratic Party
Pre-Filing Questions / Campaign Goals - Katie Doyle, Municipal Caucus Director for the IN Democratic Party
Creating A Field Plan - Adi Ben-Yehoshua, Data Director for the IN Democratic Party
Fundraising 101 - Katie Doyle, Municipal Caucus Director for the IN Democratic Party
Creating A Campaign Message - Phil Johnson, Communications Director for the Indiana Democratic Party
Communicating with Press and Media - Phil Johnson, Communications Director for the Indiana Democratic Party
Municipal Finance - Oscar Gutierrez and Trish Whitcomb from Bondry Managment
Building an Absentee Chase Program - Adi Ben-Yehoshua, Data Director for the IN Democratic Party
City Government Offices - Portia Bailey-Bernard, Government Services Attorney
CANDIDATE EVENTS:
Wednesday, March 20, 2019, 7:30am to 9:00am
Fundraising Breakfast with Amanda at the Hive
Hive Restaurant, 2608 E. 10th St.
Come on by on your way to work for danish and coffee, and to support the Amanda Barge for Mayor campaign! To RSVP or learn more about suggested contributions, visit the facebook event page here.
Friday March 22, 2019, 5:30pm - 7:30pm
Re-Elect Isabel: Downtown Celebration
Grazie Italiano, 106 W. 6th St.
Come chat with Isabel Piedmont-Smith, your Bloomington City Council representative for District 5, and support her campaign for re-election. Appetizers and drinks provided. Isabel wants to hear YOUR views on city issues!
Friday March 22, 2019, 6:00pm
Women’s History Month Trivia
Bear’s Place, 1316 E. Third St.
Join Bloomington Pub Quiz and Barge for Bloomington and celebrate Women's History Month!
Everything in women's history is fair game for this trivia, including, music, politics, art, sports, science, entertainment, literature, and more!
Test your knowledge, have fun, and help raise funds for mayoral candidate Amanda Barge, who would be only the second elected female mayor in Bloomington's 200 year history.
*$5 suggested donation per player. But no one will be turned away.
Six categories of trivia! Gift Card prizes for the top two teams!
Full food menu, beer, wine, and liquor!
Free Amanda Barge for Mayor t-shirts, buttons, and yard signs!
Saturday, March 23 & Sunday, March 24, 2019 11:00am
Barge on the Block Canvassing
221 E. Kirkwood Avenue
Join Amanda for Barge on the Block canvassing Saturday and Sunday March 23rd and 24th starting at 11am. Haven’t knocked on doors before? We will have a fun and easy training session at 221 E Kirkwood Avenue, 10:30 each day and can pair you up with an experienced canvasser.
Saturday, March 23, 2019 11:00am
Canvassing for Kate Rosenbarger
Democratic Headquarters, 116 S. Madison St.
Join Kate and knock some doors in district 1! It’s going to be a beautiful day! Stroller-friendly routes, and routes with playgrounds in the middle, so bring the whole fam!
Training at 11 am, but feel free to join when it works for you. Let us know you’re coming by texting James Basset (260) 557-2921) or signing up on Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/events/331456834242275
Sunday, March 24, 2019, 4:00 - 5:30pm
Meet & Greet for Kate Rosenbarger
4104 S. Gran Haven Drive
Hosted by Betty and Katie Watson a meet & greet for Kate Rosenbarger
Learn more about their platforms, share your ideas and concerns for Bloomington, and support Kate’s campaign!
You can connect with Kate's campaign at kateforbloomington.org or on Facebook.
Saturday, March 30, 2019, 3:00pm to 5:00pm
District City Council Candidate Meet and Greet
Upland Brewing Company, 350 W. 11th St.
Join Democracy for Monroe County, Indivisible Bloomington and 9th District, and the Indiana Latino 9th District Democratic Caucus for an opportunity to meet your district city council candidates! This will be a chance for district city council candidates to mingle with their potential constituents and answer questions over beer and food. DFMC has invited all the candidates from districts 1-6 and will update to reflect their availability.
https://www.facebook.com/events/1209676895852338/
Sunday, March 31, 2019, 3:00pm to 5:00pm
Sue Sgambelluri For City Council: Idea Forum and Fundraiser
3328 N. Ramble Road Court in Blue Ridge
Join your neighbors and meet Sue Sgambelluri, Candidate for Bloomington City Council District 2. Share your ideas, enjoy a lively discussion, and hear more about her priorities for our city. Hosted by Tony & Julia Armstrong.
Thursday, April 4, 2019 5:30pm to 7:00pm
Susan Sandberg for City Council At-Large Downtown Event
Grazie Italiano, 106 W. 6th St.
CANDIDATE FORUMS:
Monday, March 18, 2019, 7:00pm to 9:00pm
Mayoral & City Clerk Forum hosted by Democracy For Monroe County
Monroe County Public Library Auditorium, 303 E. Kirkwood Ave.
Attend a mayoral forum featuring John Hamilton and Amanda Barge and a city clerk forum featuring Nicole Bolden, hosted by Democracy for Monroe County.
Monday, March 25, 2019, 7:00pm to 9:00pm
City Council At-Large Forum hosted by Democracy For Monroe County
Monroe County Public Library Auditorium, 303 E. Kirkwood Ave.
Attend a mayoral forum with the six City Council at-large candidates, hosted by Democracy for Monroe County.
Tuesday, April 2, 2019 5:00pm
Elect - Connect: Candidate Forum & Mayoral Debate
Hosted by The Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce
Buskirk Chumley Theater, 114 E. Kirkwood Ave., Bloomington
The Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce will host a candidate forum to welcome all 2019 city council and mayoral candidates interested in leading our community. These candidates will have an opportunity to discuss their platforms and participate in a moderated Q&A session. The forum with city council candidates will begin at 5:00 p.m. and the debate with mayoral candidates will begin at 6:45 p.m. Tickets are $5 and can be purchased at the BTC Box Office. For more information, visit the Chamber of Commerce website here.
Saturday, April 13, 2019 3:00am to 5:00pm
Mayoral, City Clerk and City Council At-Large Candidate Forum
Lighthouse Community Church located at 850 E Winslow Rd
Hosted by the Monroe County Black Democratic Caucus & the Bloomington Black Strategic Alliance
Questions at the forum will focus on issues facing the Black community and the community at-large. Questions: email [email protected]
Sunday, April 14, 2019 3:00am to 5:00pm
City Council District Candidate Forum
Lighthouse Community Church located at 850 E Winslow Rd
Hosted by the Monroe County Black Democratic Caucus & the Bloomington Black Strategic Alliance
Questions at the forum will focus on issues facing the Black community and the community at-large. Questions: email [email protected]
EVENTS:
Tuesday, March 19, 2019, 11:30am to 1:00pm
Monroe County Democrats’ Club Luncheon Meeting
DeAngelo’s Restaurant in Eastland Plaza
Several candidates running in the municipal elections will speak.
Susie Hamilton will be there to collect your 15$ dues.
We are hoping for a big crowd to hear our candidates.
Wednesday, March 20, 2019, 11:15am to 1:30pm
Annual Women’s History Month Luncheon
Monroe County Convention Center, 302 S. College Ave, Bloomington
Hosted by the City of Bloomington Commission on the Status of Women and the Community and Family Resources Department
The 34th annual Women's History Month Luncheon. The theme of the luncheon is "Visionary Women: Champions of Peace and Nonviolence." Joyce Ajlouny will be the keynote speaker. Joyce serves as the General Secretary, the executive head, of the American Friends Service Committee, where she is responsible for the organization's worldwide peace and social justice programs and advocacy.
Thursday, March 21, 2019, 6:00pm
MCDP FDR Gala
Fountain Square Ballroom, Bloomington
The annual FDR Gala held to celebrate Democratic candidates and the values for which the Party fights!
*******Friday March 22, 2019, 7:30am - 9:00am
*******Democratic Women’s Caucus Special Breakfast - Endorsement Meeting
Village Deli
Women running for municipal offices had the chance to speak at the last DWC Breakfast, and this exercise will be repeated at a special breakfast on Friday, March 22. At that time members will also vote on endorsements for this municipal cycle. If you cannot attend, you may vote electronically. More info on that is forthcoming, so watch for it!
Sunday, March 24, 2019, 3:00 - 5:00pm
NOW Chapter Meeting
Noodles & Company, 2560 E. Third St.
Speakers TBA
Tuesday, March 26, 2019, 7:00pm to 9:00pm
A 9th District Q&A
Noodles & Company, 2560 E. Third St.
Join Indivisible Bloomington and special guest Adam Dickey for a Q&A session on the state of the 9th District with INDems 9th District chair Adam Dickey. They will talk strategy, issues and big ideas as we look ahead to 2020. They will be in the conference room at the Noodles and Co location on the East Side. Plenty of parking!
Wednesday, March 27, 2019, 6:00pm to 10:00pm
Borders, Bans and Babies: America’s War On Immigrants
Indiana Memorial Union, 900 E. 7th St.
A panel discussion/social justice fair, “Borders, Bans, and Babies: America’s War on Immigrants” as a part of a community/campus initiative called the “Social Justice in America Series.” It will focus on the ways in which our current political administration is treating immigrants, particularly immigrants of color and those who are undocumented and/or seeking asylum in the United States. For more information, including parking, visit the Facebook event page here.
Thursday, March 28, 2019, 11:00am to 11:00pm
Dine and Donate for Monroe County NOW
BJ’s Brewhouse, 411 S. College Mall Road
This event happens all day, from 11am to 11pm. When you bring in the coupon, Monroe County NOW will receive 20% of the cost of your food and non-alcoholic beverages.
Thursday, March 28, 2019, 6:00pm
Monroe County Black Democratic Caucus Monthly Meeting
MCDP Headquarters, 116 S. Madison St., Suite A
Friday, March 29, 2019, 8:00am
LAT (Logic and Accuracy Test) Testing
Monroe County Election Central, 401 W. 7th St., Suite 100
LAT testing will be held at Election Central on Friday, March 29. This testing proves that the system is properly adding votes to each candidate in the same quantity as the votes were manually entered. The system result is compared to a known set of data and must match. The public is welcome to attend.
Saturday, March 30, 2019, 10:00am - Noon
Women’s Leadership Development Event: Women. Power. Progress
Bloomington City Hall Council Chambers, 401 N. Morton St.
The annual Women's Leadership Development Event including keynote speakers, panel discussions, Leadership Scholarship recipients and the 2019 Emerging Leader Award winner.
This FREE event aims to help girls and women develop leadership skills they can use to improve the Bloomington community.
Saturday, March 30, 2019, 11:00am to Noon
Isabel Piedmont-Smith Monthly Constituent Meeting
Bloomington City Hall, 401 N. Morton St.
Isabel Piedmont-Smith’s 3rd monthly meeting of 2019: Find out what the city council has been up to and give your input on city issues. Room number will be posted on the main entrance to City Hall.
Thursday, April 11, 2019 9:00am to 3:00pm
Hoosier Day Of Action
Indiana Statehouse, 200 W. Washington St., Indianapolis
Join organizations from across Indiana for a very important final push of Hoosier Days of Action. Volunteers like you will come together at the Statehouse to urge our legislators to stand up for Reproductive Healthcare in Indiana. Once you RSVP, organizers will create a schedule for you to be trained to meet with your local legislators, and afterwards you will be guided in teams to meet with legislators, talk about their own connections to the issues, and learn more about the growing, statewide wave towards more progressive Reproductive Healthcare. Lunch will be provided. RSVP link can be found here.
Monday, April 22, 2019 7:00pm - 9:00pm
Film Screening and Panel Discussion: Year Of The Woman
IU Cinema
A special film screening of Year of the Woman on Monday, April 22, from 7 to 9pm at the IU Cinema! A panel discussion will follow the film.
Saturday, May 11, 2019, 8:00am to 6:00pm
Indiana Democratic Party County Party Summit
Regional Council of Carpenters, 771 Greenwood Springs Drive, Greenwood
Join fellow county party executive members, officials, volunteers and activists for a day of training on how to build a stronger local presence to help elect Democrats up and down the ballot. Lunch will be served.
ACTION ITEM(s):
Educate yourself on the candidates seeking endorsement from the DWC and plan to vote on endorsements at the special Breakfast this coming Friday.
Call To Action From Dawn Johnsen about SB 201 and HB 1211
This is serious and urgent. Politicians in Indianapolis have pushed forward legislation that rolls back reproductive freedom for Hoosiers (again). But it is worse than ever.
First, SB 201 would allow nurses, physician assistants and pharmacists to deny access to abortion care. This bill has NO protections for patients who are unaware of their provider's bias.
Next, HB1211 would eliminate access to second trimester abortion care in Indiana. Completely. In Indiana, Hoosiers access abortion care in the second trimester when there is a medical need. HB1211 would force Hoosiers to leave the state to receive medically necessary care.
What can we do? Call your state legislators to say vote NO on these bills. Actively work to elect prochoice elected officials at every level of government & to kick out of office those who do not respect and protect women and families. And give generously to Planned Parenthood, the ACLU, All-Options Pregnancy Resource Center, and other prochoice advocacy and health organizations.
Our constitutional rights are in grave jeopardy, given the judges and Justices appointed by President Trump. No longer can we rely upon the Supreme Court to protect our reproductive rights and health. We must act now! Demand that our local, state, and federal elected officials protect us!
Help an endorsed or supported DWC candidate with her campaigns!!
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/