June 15 – Monthly Meeting – Politics in the time of COVID

As we settle into this pandemic, the days melt into weeks, and the weeks drag on to months. Many of us are depressed, frustrated, lonely for family, missing all the freedoms of the “Before Times”, scared for our future and the future of our loved ones, worried about paying bills and rent.

And mad that our country hasn’t done better for Black Americans. This month has been one of tremendous pain as we watched a cruel Minneapolis policeman, Derek Chauvin, callously kill the Black man we now know was George Floyd. And the events that unfolded after that have been unceasingly difficult to bear witness to. The tear gassing, beatings and unwarranted brutality toward peaceful protesters, for some of us looting in our community, shooting rubber bullets at reporters and protesters– all this seems too much for even the worst horror movie.

And yet it is real. It’s our reality in this Time of Covid. Hopefully, the communities and relationships we have built will help us process this and change into better versions of ourselves.

Please join us on Monday night. We will leave some time for breakout rooms where we can check in with old friends and help each other process what is happening as our national horror.

Meeting virtually by Zoom.

When: Monday, June 15: Meeting starts at 6:30 PM but please start checking in at 6:00 PM, to help us get the meeting started on time.

Where: Zoom registration is required – if you’re a clubmember or participant click here to register ahead of time. All of the details on how to join will be provided – including dial-in details from a landline.

Our meetings are available live on our YouTube channel. Someone will monitor the chat to text into the meeting relevant questions or comments that may be asked there.

Featured Speakers

San Diego County Party Chair, William Rodriquez-Kennedy, joins us to talk about what went happened at the controversial vote that increased the SDCDP Budget and how we can help empower progressive Democratic Council Members to address police overuse of force and building a more equitable city. As well as how the Party is planning to campaign in the age of COVID19.

Chula Vista former Mayor and current Councilmember Steve Padilla will speak to us regarding his recent experience with COVID-19, the realities of governing during this uncertain time, and talk about the importance of continued voter education efforts even though elections look different now than they have in the past.

Club Vice President Dr. Rebecca Fielding Miller, UCSD Assistant Adjunct Professor, Medicine, School of Health Sciences, an epidemiologist, who has been featured on NBC San Diego and Voice of San Diego, will address member concerns and questions on Covid related issues. More information on Dr Miller may be found here.

Resolution to Demand San Diego Democrats Refuse Donations from Law Enforcement Unions

Club Members Ellen Nash, Chair of the Black American Political Association of California (BAPAC), San Diego Chapter and Alyce Pipkin-Allen, recipient of the San Diego County Democratic Party Chair’s Award, (and both DWC Endorsement Committee members) will bring their resolution before the San Diego County Democratic Party Central Committee Tuesday, June 16. They will be asking for our support before this important vote.

They will be asking for our support before this important vote.

Demand that the San Diego Democrats Refuse Donations from Law Enforcement Unions

WHEREAS, law enforcement in San Diego has a history of racial profiling, discrimination, and violence against Black, Latinx, API, Native American and other communities; and racially biased, militarized policing has been used as a tool to promulgate white supremacy and harm Black members of our community for over 175 years;

WHEREAS, San Diego citizens have struggled for decades to ensure that San Diego law enforcement departments and officers are held accountable to all communities they serve by advocating for reasonable measures such as the community-led Independent Commission on Police Practices to promote responsible, accountable policing and address disparities in policing practices of stops, arrests and use of force;

WHEREAS, the main obstacles to such accountability have been local police unions and the San Diego County Deputy Sheriffs’ Association;

BE IT RESOLVED that the San Diego County Democratic Party shall refuse all donations from Law Enforcement Unions and Associations and demands that all San Diego Democratic elected officials refuse such contributions as well;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the San Diego County Democratic Party requests that any candidate who has taken money from Law Enforcement Unions and Associations this election cycle contribute said money to community organizations that work on issues such as racial justice, criminal justice reform, or the empowerment of the Black community, indigenous community and other communities of color.

Endorsement Update

Endorsement Committee Chair Yvonne Elkin will update us on our Endorsement schedule and discuss the voting process. We decided to hold our endorsement meetings separately from our regular meetings. These meetings will be limited to members only. The first meeting is scheduled for Sunday, June 28, 10 AM to 1 PM and at this meeting we will attempt to endorse in the following races:

• Assembly District 75, Kate Schwartz

• County Board of Education 1, Gregg Robinson

• County Board of Education 2, Guadalupe Gonzalez *

• San Diego City Attorney, Cory Briggs & Mara Elliott

• San Diego Unified District A, Sabrina Bazzo

• San Diego Unified District D, Richard Barrera *

• San Diego Unified District E, Lawana Richmond & Sharon Whitehurst-Payne

• Superior Court Judge Seat 30, Tim Nader

Support DWC Members for ACLU Positions

Two Clubmembers are up for election at the upcoming ACLU Annual Membership Meeting and Board Election, Wednesday, June 17, 2020, 3PM to 4PM. Since many of our members are also ACLU members, we ask that you support Wedad Schlotte, nominated for Board of Directors and Yvonne Elkin, nominee for Nominating Committee.

As always, if any member has questions or concerns, please feel free to call. We look forward to ‘seeing you’ on Monday June 15.

Susan Peinado, President(619) 225-9236[email protected]