[Cal Dems] April 22 Digest: Cal Dems Elections, PVC, Carter at Cal

[Molly Brennan]

CAL BERKELEY DEMOCRATS
Email Digest April 22, 2007

Birthdays from 4/16-4/22: Cal Dems wishes a Happy Birthday to Taylor
Albright, Jennifer Cooke, Laura Fettig, Hayley Leventhal, Vanessa Lord,
Anartis McKerral, Julia Neyerman, Daisy Sanchez, and Samantha Truppi.

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CAL DEMS ANNOUNCEMENTS

>>Policy, Values, and Communication Committee Meeting
Wednesday April 25, 7pm, 186 Barrows

Don't miss the last PVC meeting of the semester, and last PVC meeting lead
by Sassy Schneider [Nate], where we will be having a casual debate on
affirmative action. Questions? Email Nathan(@caldems.com).

>>Thursday General Meeting
Thursday, April 26, 7pm, 170 Barrows

It's already time to elect a new Cal Dems Board for next year at the last
meeting of the semester! To run and/or vote you must be a member in good
standing (attended 5 meetings this semester and paid spring dues). If you
have questions about elections or being a member in good standing email
Molly (molly at caldems.com), any other questions go to Michelle
(michelle at caldems.com). Please read the candidate statements below to
familiarize yourself with the candidates.

Candidate Statements:

Sarah Gold for President
As your Internal Affairs Vice President this past year, I worked to make
sure that the Cal Berkeley Democrats was a club with consistent visibility
and prominence in the campus community through our tabling and voter
registration efforts. I co-lead the Projects Committee to get the
membership more involved in the daily operations of the club, and if I am
elected your President next year, I will continue to ensure that Cal Dems
is a well-respected and inclusive organization that keeps members excited
and involved every step of the way. I have the experience, the passion,
and the dedication to lead your Cal Dems in 2007-2008!

Christine Smith for External Affairs Vice-President
I’m a first year at Berkeley but have two years of active experience in
the California Young Democrats, the first being in the Mira Loma High
School Young Democrats. I have experience working on many campaigns, I
started out working against the special election in November of 2005,
where my club did precinct walking for the Alliance for a Better
California. I worked as a Research Assistant for the Angelides campaign
during both the primary and general elections, and more recently spent a
week in Orange County working with the Democratic Party of Orange County
on a Board of Supervisors campaign. One of the main duties of the External
Affairs Vice President is to work with the California College Democrats
and California Young Democrats for chartering and communication purposes.
I know the basics of chartering, attended the last Credentials Committee
meeting, was the Secretary of the California Young Democrats Women’s
Caucus. My experience working with statewide and community organizations
combined with my communication and leadership skills make me the ideal
choice for this position and I would appreciate your vote.

Rustin Zomorodi for External Affairs Vice President
Hi fellow Cal Dems members!  My name is Rustin Zomorodi and I’m very
excited to be running for the position of External Affairs Vice President
for the 2007-2008 school year.  I’ve been active in Cal Dems since I first
arrived at Berkeley this year as a freshman, and have loved getting
involved in all things Democratic as one of the club's Operations
Coordinators.  This year I've helped plan numerous club events, most
memorably helping to make the Get Out The Vote drive a success.  As
External Affairs Vice President, I’d work to secure more guest speakers
for our meetings and coordinate with other progressive groups on campus to
bring you even more great events on a regular basis.  My experience in Cal
Dems has so far been amazing and as EAVP I would make it my duty to make
every member’s time in the club just as fun and meaningful as it has been
for me.  Looking forward to another great year of Cal Dems!

Molly Brennan for Internal Affairs Vice-President
As your present Cal Dems Secretary I feel I have the organizational skills
it takes to live up to the standards Sarah has set as IVP. I'm slightly
OCD (self-diagnosis) and love Cal Dems and everyone in it. I have been
very involved in the club this past year working voter reg, parties,
tabling, get out the vote, and attending PVC meetings. I have been at
every Cal Dems meeting this semester and you get my digest every week
(lucky you!). I can't wait to be part of another amazing year of Cal Dems.

Molly Green for Secretary.
I had a wonderful experience in Cal Dems this year and hope to increase my
involvement by being on the Executive Board as Secretary.  I have been
dedicated to the club, participating in tabling every week, the annual Cal
Dems/BCR debate, and I will be attending the California Democratic
Convention.  Cal Dems has become a great place for me to express my ideas
and be with like-minded, intelligent individuals.  Not only would I like
to become more involved in the organization, but also I believe that I am
aptly qualified to do so.  I am organized person and an efficient note
taker.  I was a member of student council in high school for four years,
was the secretary of my German club, and president of my high school Young
Democrats club, among other things; I am used to how organizations are run
and have been a part of doing so. I would love being a part of the board
next year and would work to make Cal Dems an even more amazing
organization!

Sarah Stoller for Secretary.
My name is Sarah Stoller and I'm running for Secretary. One of the main
reasons I decided to come to Berkeley was because of its strong liberal
tradition and incredible history of groundbreaking political activism.
There is nothing (other than Democrats!) that I love more than politics. I
really believe in the Democratic Party and I feel that effecting political
change depends hugely on work at the grassroots level. This year in
addition to tabling weekly I have worked with Nathan to set up the Cal
Dems blog. I would love the opportunity to continue to work with other
students who share my beliefs and dedication next year by helping to
facilitate internal communication, keep club members informed about Cal
Dems activities and work with the board to plan events as Secretary!

Morgan Wallace for Secretary.
I am qualified for this job because:
I have been a member in good standing for 2 semesters. I have worked for
democratic candidates before (including our own Jason Overman). I have
held numerous leadership positions in high school including founder of my
own club devoted to spreading political thought in youth. I have worked
for a year on a successful ASUC ballot referendum (TGIF passed last week
with 69%!!!).
I would really like this position because of the chance I will have to
meet the leaders of tomorrow and to progress my own political career and
ideals.

Julia Piper for Treasurer
I, Julia Piper, do endorse Julia Piper as the best candidate for Caldems
treasurer EVER. Her resume is astounding. When she was born, she was
proclaimed as the first female Dali Lama. She took Math 1B at Cal at age 4
(and passed) and painted the Sistine Chapel on the ceiling of her room at
age 5. At age 6 she was accepted to Harvard, Yale, and Oxford but decided
to pursue an independent career in the arts. She mastered the piano,
violin, tambourine, and triangle. She composed her first 500-piece
symphony at age 7 and redesigned Notre Dame Cathedral at age 8. When she
was 9 she found supporting evidence for string theory and when she was 10
she discovered that Republicans share 98% of their genome with tapeworms.
She once ate lunch with Julius Caesar, William Shakespeare, Napoleon, and
FDR in Atlantis... and they loved what she'd done with the place. She
writes Pulitzer Prize winning novels and performs brain surgery in her
free time. She is also currently developing a machine that can time
travel, read minds, outwit Karl Rove, and cook a gourmet dinner all at
once. However, nothing is too important to take her focus away from being
an active member of Caldems, as she tables for the club, participates in
the PVC committee, and writes for SmartAss. No candidate is more
qualified, more brilliant, more beautiful, more engaging, or more modest
than Julia Piper.

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PROGRESSSIVE QUOTE OF THE WEEK:

"Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim.
Accept no one's definition of your life, but define yourself."

Harvey Fierstien

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UPCOMING EVENTS

>>Former President Carter Coming to Cal
Wednesday May 2, 4:30pm, Zellerbach Hall

Former US President Jimmy Carter has accepted an invitation from our
students to speak on the
subject of his latest book, 'Palestine Peace Not Apartheid,' on Wednesday,
May 2 at 4:30 p.m. in
Zellerbach Hall. Doors will open at 4 p.m. Tickets are free and are
limited to one per student with a valid UC Berkeley ID. Tickets will be
available Thursday, April 26 at Zellerbach Hall ticket office from 10:30
a.m. - 3 p.m. Former President Carter will also hold a book signing on May
2 in the Eshleman Hall Senate Chambers from 3 - 3:45 p.m. where copies of
'Palestine Peace Not Apartheid' will be for sale. For more information,
please visit http://www.urel.berkeley.edu/events/.

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PROGRESSIVE OPPORTUNITIES

>>New Organizing Institute Summer Campaign Boot Camp

If you' re interested in getting into progressive politics and/or working
on a 2008 campaign, the New Organizing Institute Summer Campaign Boot Camp
is a great opportunity. Unlike other political campaign training programs,
NOI focuses on new types of grassroots organizing and fundraising made
possible by technology and the Internet. This program is highly
competitive, but if you get in they pay for a full week of intensive
training -- including housing, travel and meals. NOI alums have a great
reputation in this growing field, and the alum network is bound to be a
great resource as you start your career. The NOI provides mentoring and
assistance in landing a job on campaigns or in progressive organizations.
For more information and to apply visit:

http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/organizationsORG/neworganizing/content.jsp?content_KEY=2474.