Category: Advocacy

If you've ever wanted to know what a State Democratic Convention looks like, it's currently streaming live and you can go back and watch anything you've missed as well.

This is my second year to be a State Delegate to the Texas Democratic Convention, so please let me know if you have any questions about how it all works. I'm by no means an expert, but I can find out!

Tomorrow morning, Saturday, June 6 at 10am (after the VDR training at 9am), is the closing general session with the following line up:General Session with Vice President Joe Biden, Former Congressman Beto O'Rourke, Former HUD Secretary and San Antonio Mayor Julián Castro, Texas Democratic Party Chair Gilberto Hinojosa, Texas Democratic Party Vice Chair Dr. Carla Brailey, U.S. Senate Candidate MJ Hegar, US Senate Candidate and State Senator Royce West, Congressman Al Green, Congressman Lloyd Doggett, Congressman Henry Cuellar, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, State Senator José Rodríguez, Texas House Democratic Campaign Committee Chair Celia Israel, State Representative John Bucy, State Representative Senfronia Thompson, Annie's List Executive Director Royce Brooks, Planned Parenthood Texas Votes Executive Director Dyana Limon-Mercado, Texas AFL-CIO President Rick Levy, and Texas AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Montserrat Garibay. Featuring closing musical guests Little Joe & La Familia and Robert Earl Keen.

The Democratic Party is not a monolith. Source: my participation as a State Delegate at the Democratic State Convention 2018, 2020.

How did I become a State Delegate?

• I signed up to attend the senate district convention (in Texas they happen in March).
• I opted-in to being considered for the role of State Delegate (you can be voted to be a delegate by your precinct, but there is such minimal participation (ESPECIALLY in non-Presidential Election years) that anyone who opts-in usually becomes an at-large State Delegate.
• Requirements: You have to have either voted in the Democratic primary or affirm you have not voted in any other party primary.
• Cost: $0 (in 2018 I did have to pay for my transportation and hotel at the convention, but people ride and room share, so that cost varies; this year (obviously) everything is virtual.

What does a State Delegate do?

• Vote on party rules, platform, and resolutions. A list of what I'll be voting on today can be found here: https://texasdemocraticconvention.com/delegates/ SIXTY-FOUR resolutions, y'all...I gotta get back to reading!

And during Presidential Election years, National Delegates are elected at the State Convention.

How does someone become a National Delegate?

• When registering for the district convention, you select your top three choices for presidential nominee.
• Prior to the State Convention you may file to run for various positions in the party, committees, and for National Delegate (including at-large and alternate delegates).
• Requirements: You have to file to be a delegate for one of the candidates you indicated at the district convention.
• Then you can request contact information of other state delegates in your district and you can reach out to them to campaign for their support.
• All State Delegates vote by senate district on their choice of who to elect to the various committees, positions and National Delegates.
• In addition to the number of National Delegates assigned to each district, there are additional delegate spots that are filled according to a set of rules intended to ensure diversity. One of the categories is someone participating for the first time.
• Cost: $0

I have worked and volunteered for two decades to advocate for underrepresented populations. As your delegate, I will use my years of community and consensus building experience to ensure our collective voice is heard.

Locally, I have served on neighborhood, super neighborhood and PTO boards, volunteered for progressive candidates up and down the ballot, and volunteered with Common Cause Texas and Election Protection to help ensure everyone can exercise their right to vote.

Professionally, I have worked tirelessly to build and nurture diverse, inclusive communities, including offering workshops at major international conventions to provide groups and organizations the tools to do the same. My previous work in higher education included becoming a certified LGBTQIA Ally, training on best practices to support first generation/low income college students, and supporting international students and scholars.

I will bring fresh energy to the 2020 National Convention. This is my second State Convention. In 2018 I spent my first Senate District and State Conventions live-blogging my experience to encourage people to get involved by helping them understand how these events work and to illustrate that the party is not a monolith. If elected as a National Delegate, I intend to once again share my experiences in real time to encourage even more people to get involved at all levels.

Thank you for your consideration.

Stay in. Be well.

Friendly reminder that if you don't like the establishment, join it and change it from within.

"For the first time, the Harris County Democratic Party will host a County Convention on Saturday, March 21, 2020...at the George R. Brown Convention Center. Anyone that votes in the Democratic Primary can be credentialed to attend our County Convention. In addition, 7 Senatorial Districts will convene (*Please note SD 11 is hosting a separate convention), workshops will be held, and speakers are being lined up for this historical County Convention. This grassroots democratic gathering precedes the State and National Conventions. It will provide Harris County with an energized, informed, and trained base of supporters to evoke the change we wish to see for November 2020."

More info and registration available here:
https://harrisdemocrats.org/our-party/convention

A thread on what I’m learning at the 2018 Texas Democratic Convention.

In March, after the Parkland shooting, I decided I had to do more, I had to get more involved. But I didn’t know how. So as not to feel overwhelmed, my political emails are filtered out of my inbox and into a particular folder that I read periodically, but I happened to see one about my district convention. It also included an encouragement to sign up to be a state delegate if interested **even if you couldn’t make the district convention**. The only requirement was that you voted in the primary. That’s it. So I went. And I listened. And I got a feel for how it generally works.

These political parties, at least the Dems anyway, are not monolithic entities carved in stone. They are living, breathing organizations. Their rules are reviewed and amended at these conventions (which happen every two years). Resolutions are drafted to take up to the next level convention. This is democracy in action. So I became a state delegate just by saying I would (I didn’t even have to show up, but I did). Now I’m at the state convention and listening and learning.

After picking up my delegate badge, the first part of today is caucusing. A caucus is similar to a precinct or district, except that you opt in to it as opposed to being a part of it by virtue of geography. Just ask to join one. Then you get to vote on who you support and what resolutions you want to support as a group. Or, if you’re not a member (yet), you can go and listen and learn.

Later today is the general session and then district caucusing. If you have a question, ask and I’ll see if I can find the answer. Things have to change. They HAVE to. If you’re not thrilled about what the party you most align with ideologically is doing or who they’re putting forward. Get. Involved.

Running for office takes money. Participation is free. Voting is free.

Edited to add: Districts meet frequently (monthly? I have to check) to discuss bills, resolutions and other actions that you can do to contribute and work on to make the changes you want to see. Also, sign up to speak at hearings from school board to city council to state committee hearings.

Speak. Up. It’s SO important. For every person that speaks up, the representatives understand it to mean many more feel the same way (I have heard on the order of 200, but again, I need to check).

Change starts on the ground. I commend all those marching today. My heart is with you.

This morning I'm participating in a party convention that was unable to be moved to another date.

Turnout is very low. I know part of it is the march, but I also understand participation wanes in "off cycle" years. Please. Get involved. There is more to "making the sausage" than voting in elections.

YOU can participate in crafting resolutions. YOU can participate in how your party operates. It starts with the county conventions. Get involved. Be the change you want to see. I promise it may feel intimidating, but everyone there went for the first time at some point.