Category: Uncategorized

Mail Ballots due January 31

In-Person Voting this Weekend

Ballots for the ADEM have been mailed out. If you have requested one, please complete it and return it ASAP, ballots must be received by January 31 to be counted. For those who don’t have a mail ballot, you can vote in person at any of the ADEM voting locations this weekend, go to www.ademelections.com to find the nearest one.

Save the Date – 2023 Convention

The California Democratic Party Convention will be held at the Los Angeles Convention Center on May 26-28, 2023

We heard from the California Young Democrats API Caucus, South Asians for America, the Grassroots Dems HQ, State Senator Dr. Pan, and Assemblymembers-Elect Dr. Jasmeet Bains, Stephanie Nguyen, and Senator-Elect Aisha Wahab on the challenges and successes from this year’s election.

We also had a panel caucus discussion on the 2022 Midterms and AAPI Outreach Strategies.

These included sending questionnaires to candidates focusing on our communities’ priorities, mailers to AAPI households, being at events year round, in language messaging that is not just translated but also tailored to the community, inviting ethnic media to events, cultural competency as part of candidate training, and working with other groups such as Young Democrtas and LGTBQ Democratic clubs to challenge racism.

Panelists also talked about building the bench through local Democratic club leadership, AAPI campaign staff, getting the next generation of activists at colleges involved, expanding representation on County Central Committees, and appointments to commissions and other leadership roles.

Thank you to our panelists:

• Facilitator: Emily Ramos, NorCal Vice Chair, California Democratic Party – API Caucus
• Serena Chen, Board Member and past President of Asian Pacific American Democratic Caucus of Alameda County
• Indroneal Banerjee, President, AAPI Democratic Club of San Diego
• Jessica Caloza, President, Pilipino American LA Democrats
• Steve Kang, President, Korean American Democratic Committee in Los Angeles

California Democratic Party passes Resolution Affirming that Members of the Asian American and Pacific Islander (“AAPI”) Community Are American

WHEREAS, the AAPI community includes individuals who draw their heritage from the Pacific Islands, East Asia, South Asia, South East Asia, and Central Asia, and is comprised of a diverse community, with no singular language, religion, or history that binds the community; and there are more than 22 million members of the AAPI community nationwide, with California being home to the largest AAPI population, as one out of every six Californians is AAPI; AAPIs are the fastest growing groups in our state and nation, the community has been crucial to achieving Democratic electoral victories; and

WHEREAS, members of the AAPI community are valued members of our society, with a long history of contributions to our American fabric; in 1587, the first documented arrival of Filipinos occurred; the earliest evidence of South Asians arriving in America was 1790, and with Sikhs arriving in America in 1899; approximately 20,000 Chinese laborers built the Transcontinental Railroad; the community has had different pathways and journeys to America; with a segment arriving here as laborers, others arriving due to political conflict, war, and natural disasters, while many have come to America in recent years as a result of the Immigration and Naturalization Act of 1965, AAPIs are also the fastest-growing segment of the undocumented population; and

WHEREAS, AAPI communities were the first group to be targeted by race-based prohibitions on 34 immigration, including under the Page Act of 1875 restricting the entry of Chinese Women, the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 which was extended to prohibit the citizenship of most Asians, including South Asians, under the Supreme Court case of United States v. Bhagat Singh Thind in 1923; members of the Japanese American community were summarily incarcerated during World War II; the continued otherization of this community has led to the present day AAPI Hate, which also includes xenophobic attacks occurring against Muslim, Sikh, Hindu and South Asian communities in the aftermath of September 11; and

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the California Democratic Party affirms and recognizes that members of the AAPI community are indeed American, and stands against the “forever foreigner” trope that leads AAPI communities to feel continuously otherized; and

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the California Democratic Party affirms and recognizes the contributions of AAPI immigrants, and people of AAPI heritage, to California.

Thank you to our chair Deepa Sharma for authoring and leading this resolution.

California Democratic Party adds the Afghan Adjustment Act to list of 2022 priority legislation

California Democratic Party executive board took a Support position on Senator Amy Klobuchar’s Afghan Adjustment Act as a legislative priority. California is home to many Afghan Americans and the Act will provide stability and support for refugees.

Learn more about the Afghan Adjustment Act at https://www.klobuchar.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2022/8/klobuchar-graham-coons-blunt-blumenthal-and-murkowski-introduce-bipartisan-legislation-allowing-afghans-allies-in-the-united-states-to-apply-for-permanent-legal-status

Interested in being a CADEM Delegate for 2023-2024?

Here is the ADEM schedule

December 9, 2022 – ADEM Candidate Application Closes

December 31, 2022 – ADEM Vote-By-Mail Application Closes

January 7-8, 2023 – ADEM Meetings (weekend 1)

January 21-22, 2023 – ADEM Meetings (weekend 2)

May 26-28, 2023 – California Democratic Party Convention (Los Angeles)

Learn more and apply at www.ademelections.com

Sign up to make calls at https://www.mobilize.us/cadems/event/495665/

Voter Engagement Training in Millbrae on Oct 1 Please join our interactive voter engagement training for AAPI-identified leaders in San Mateo County led by Christine Chen, executive director and founder of the Asian Pacific Islander American Vote (APIAVote), a nationally recognized and leading nonprofit in AAPI civic engagement. During this half-day training you will learn about voter mobilization strategies and develop skills to get our AAPI community registered and turning out to vote in November!    8:30 AM – Coffee & Mingle    9:00 AM – Training    12:00 PM – Lunch Limited seating, please RSVP early. Boxed lunch will be provided. RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/san-mateo-aapi-voter-engagement-training-tickets-405442668937

Let’s Flip Congressional District 45 to Blue! Volunteer for Jay Chen for Congress

Hello Team Chen!    We are a few weeks from ballot drop and need YOU now more than ever. Canvass with us in Garden Grove on Saturday, October 8. We are also set up on our autodialer and are calling Monday-Thursday from 5PM-8PM! We are also calling in multiple different languages so if you or any of your friends are multilingual, join us now at jaychen.us/phonebank!    You can also find more volunteer events with us at jaychen.us/volunteer. Can’t make it to an event? Ask a friend to join us! Please be sure to reach out if you have any questions!

CYD API Caucus are hosting a API Women Day of Action in partnership with the California Democratic Party API Caucus and Riverside County NOW for Fauzia Rizvi for State Assembly and Jocelyn Yow for Eastvale City Council Re-election! Join us for a Canvass walk will be hosted in Eastvale, CA on Saturday October 15, 2022 from 9:30 AM – 12:00 PM! Location will be provided upon RSVP. https://www.mobilize.us/cydapicaucus/event/508752/

Canvass for Aisha Wahab – Every Saturday Please join the A-Team on Saturdays at 10 AM in Alameda County to knock on doors and talk to your neighbors and tell them why you support Aisha Wahab for State Senate! Exact location will be provided the week of the canvass. No prior experience is needed. Training will be provided on site. Have fun and make a difference in your community. Every Saturday,10am-2pm, https://www.mobilize.us/aishawahab/event/500976/

We’ll be hosting phonebanks for Jay Chen with South Asians for America every Tuesday, 5-7pm. This Orange County district is one of the most competitive districts in the country and flipping it to blue is critical to maintaining a Democratic majority in Congress. We’re making calls this Tuesday 5-7pm! Sign up at jaychen.us/api-pb There are also Vietnamese, Chinese, Korean, Filipino, South Asian, and Farsi language call lists you can call at other times throughout the week. Sign up at https://jaychen.us/pb-guide Jay Chen is also holding an API Day of Action on Sunday, August 28, with events in Cerritos and Westminster. Sign up at jaychen.us/api-cerritos and jaychen.us/api-wm

API Caucus Meeting Friday, July 8, 7:00-8:30pm Online – Register/Join at https://bit.ly/CADEMAPICaucus Agenda California Democratic Party 2022 Summer Executive Board Meeting Asian Pacific Islander Caucus Meeting Agenda Friday, July 8, 2021 | 7pm-9pm Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUvcOChpj0vE9EbC5WatLCOCuaF_LOILvme  I. Call to Order | Welcome (1 minute) II. Approval of Agenda (1 minute) III. Elected Officer Reports (15 minutes) State Chair Report State Vice Chair State Communications Secretary State Recording Secretary State Treasurer Report  State Legislative Director Report  State Parliamentary Chair Northern California Regional Report – Northern Chair Southern California Regional Report – Southern Chair IV. AAPI Caucus Program: Panel Discussion – 2022 Midterms and Courting the AAPI Vote (55 minutes) V. Speakers/Announcements (pre-registration at google form required https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf9QfXRW6MQtd2qajwxy-v8I9nzod83bzoFfRlO8XFXLtSPeQ/viewform?) VI. Adjournment Canvass for Jay Chen for Congress Saturday, July 9, 10:30am-2:30pm Eboard Attendees sign up here Other Volunteers sign up here API Caucus Mixer Saturday, July 9, 5-7pm In Person in Los Angeles Chinatown – Location to be announced soon

For the full agenda of the E-Board conference and other information, please see https://cadem.org/executive-board/

Don’t miss the California Democratic Party’s Summer Executive Board Meeting. Join us in person, July 8-10 in Los Angeles for our 2022 Summer Executive Board Meeting!  The API Caucus will be meeting during the E-Board conference, exact date and time TBD. Hotel Reservations are now open!

Join South Asians for America (SAFA) for the First Ever South Asian Organizing 101 Virtual Training Series! Each session will feature a panel of experts on Topics related to Community Organizing including Types of Organizing (Issue/Ethnic/Faith Based), Digital Organizing Tools, Youth Engagement & Leadership in Organizing. April 21st: Session 2 will cover an overview of Community Organizing Tools, Resources and Guides and feature a special presentation on Free Digital Organizing Tools by Co-Founder of Democracy Labs, Deepak Puri. Democracy Labs is a non profit organization that was founded after the 2016 presidential election to find and introduce innovative new apps to progressive causes and campaigns so they can do more with less money. Democracy Labs shares information about free/low-cost apps through blogs, online courses and in-person workshops.April 28th: Session 3 will cover Best Practices for Community Organizing and will feature panels on Leadership in Organizing and Youth Engagement.RSVP for One or All Three Sessions at: https://bit.ly/SAFAOrganizingTraining

Help Register Voters in Fremont!The League of Women Voters of Fremont-Newark-Union City is holding voter registration drives at high schools and are in need of volunteers!Dates where help is most needed: Monday, April 25th at Irvington High, Shift A 8:15-10:15 Wednesday, May 18th at American High, Shift A  8:15-10:15 Thursday, May 19th at American, Shift A 8:15-10:15 Please contact Joanne Hoemberg if you are interested in volunteering!jhoemberg@sbcglobal.net

The CA Young Dems API Caucus is holding their annual fundraiser on Thursday, May 12, in San Francisco. RSVP here

We’re excited to bring you this event along with: – Rising Organizers Action – South West Asian and North African Democratic Club – California Young Democrats Asian Pacific Islander Caucus – Pilipino American Los Angeles Democrats – Korean American Democratic Club – Chinese American Democratic Club – Alameda County Muslim Friends and Dems Democratic Club – Asian Pacific American Democratic Caucus of Alameda County – Fresno County Hmong Democrats – Central Valley SEIU-UHW API RSVP at bit.ly/apispringmixer Contact Zahra Hajee at zahrahajee@gmail.com to add your Democratic organization as an event co-partner!

Renew Your Caucus MembershipIf you need to renew your membership, caucus dues can be paid at https://onlinecampaigntools.com/WebForms/ViewForm?key=v3OgtUdQThjhzNZ%2FYfwUPw%3D%3D

June 7, 2022 Primary California Democratic Party Endorsements Party endorsements can be viewed at https://cadem.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/2022-Primary-Endorsements.docx.pdf

2022 CADEM Party Platform The new party platform can be viewed at https://cadem.org/our-platform/

Voter Protection Team Hotline Operator and Poll Monitor Volunteers are needed! CADEM’s Voter Protection Team is seeking volunteers in six different languages including English, Spanish, Mandarin, Vietnamese, Tagalog and Hmong. Please sign up to be a member of our Voter Protection Team for the 2022 Midterm Primaries. Hotline Operators will assist voters with voting-related questions, report, investigate, and troubleshoot election-related issues. Poll Monitors will check polling locations around the state, to ensure that all voters have equal access to the ballot. CADEM will be offering full training on Voter Protection prior to the Primary.

Organizing Jobs Available The California Democratic Party is hiring! Details at https://cadem.org/jobs/

Asian Pacific American Democratic Caucus of Alameda County15th Annual Membership DinnerThursday, April 21st, 2022, 6:30 pm -“Building Allyships as We Counter Anti-Asian Hate”For further information please contact: info@apadc.org

Panel Discussion: Housing, Land Use, and the AAPI Community

The 2022 CA Dem State Convention will be online. Our Caucus will meet on Friday, March 4, from 5 to 7pm on Zoom.

Agenda:

I. Call to Order | Welcome

II. Approval of Agenda

III. Elected Officer Reports

a. State Chair Report – Deepa Sharma

b. State Vice Chair – Adam Ma

c. State Communications Secretary – Alfred Twu

d. State Recording Secretary – Jessica Caloza

e. State Treasurer – Deepa Sharma for Shawn Kumagai

f. State Legislative Director – Deepa Sharma for Olivia Lee

g. State Parliamentary Chair – Aref Aziz

h. Northern California Regional Report – Northern Chair Harris Mojadedi

i. Southern California Regional Report – Southern Chair Tammy Kim

IV. Panel Discussion:  Land Use, Housing, and How it impacts AAPI communities    

Panelists:    

• Alex Lee, California State Assemblymember
• Rashi Kesarwani, Berkeley City Councilmember 
• Shawn Kumagai, Dublin Councilmember
• Alfred Twu, Berkeley Planning Commissioner 
• Discussion Facilitator: Deepa Sharma, CDP API Caucus Chair

V. Speakers/Announcements

VI. Adjournment

Please register here:

https://cadem-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwrdeCvqTkqHNPoQQSyuABDrdxKRZZq4-FC

We may have time at the end of the meeting for announcements. To sign up to speak, please fill out this form.

More information on other events during Convention (March 4-6) are available at: https://cdpconvention.org The schedule can be viewed here.