Press Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Thursday, December 14, 2023

***PRESS RELEASE***
STATEMENT FROM THE CALIFORNIA DEMOCRATIC PARTY
LGBTQ CAUCUS AGAINST THE RECALL OF CALEXICO MAYOR
RAÚL UREÑA

SACRAMENTO - The California Democratic Party LGBTQ Caucus stands at a critical juncture, facing various challenges that require steady LGBTQ+ leadership and a commitment to progress. Mayor Raúl Ureña has been at the forefront of these efforts as a local LGBTQ+ official, diligently working to address pressing issues and improve the quality of life for residents. In light of recent recall efforts against Mayor Ureña, it is essential to critically examine the motivations behind such actions and consider the broader implications for the community. It is imperative that we acknowledge Mayor Ureña’s recall election as transphobic, classist and personal in nature. This recall reflects the most hateful strategies used by conservatives in Governor Newsom’s most recent recall attempt.

Recall efforts disrupt the stability and continuity that are crucial for effective governance. Mayor Ureña has been in office for 3 years, providing a sense of familiarity and consistency that allows for long-term planning and execution of policies. Abrupt changes in leadership can lead to a lack of direction, confusion among city employees, and delays in ongoing projects. Recall efforts risk destabilizing the very foundations that Mayor Ureña has worked tirelessly to establish.

Mayor Ureña’s tenure has seen numerous accomplishments and initiatives that have benefited the community. From revitalizing the downtown area to implementing sustainable urban development projects, Mayor Ureña has demonstrated a commitment to enhancing the city's overall well-being. Recall efforts fail to acknowledge these achievements and threaten to undo the positive changes that have been set in motion.

It is essential to recognize that Mayor Ureña has consistently advocated for transparency and accountability in city governance. The recall efforts against her must be scrutinized to ensure that they are not politically motivated or driven by narrow interests. Before hastily supporting recall initiatives, it is imperative to assess whether there are legitimate grounds for such actions or if they are merely attempts to undermine a leader who has prioritized the interests of the broader community over specific factions.

Mayor Ureña’s focus on strategic binationally-informed economic development has been instrumental in attracting businesses to Calexico, creating job opportunities, and stimulating local commerce. Recall efforts jeopardize the economic progress that the city has made under Mayor Ureña's guidance. Investors and businesses may be hesitant to commit to a city facing political instability, potentially leading to economic downturns that could harm residents and hinder the city's growth.

Mayor Ureña has been actively engaged with the community, listening to the concerns of residents, and incorporating their feedback into decision-making processes. Recall efforts risk undermining the democratic principles that form the bedrock of our society by bypassing the regular electoral process. Instead of resorting to recalls, residents should utilize established channels, such as community forums and town hall meetings, to voice their concerns and contribute to the decision-making process.

In conclusion, the recall efforts against Mayor Raúl Ureña should be viewed with skepticism, given the potential consequences for the stability, progress, and overall well-being of Calexico. Before endorsing such actions, it is crucial to consider the achievements, transparency, and community engagement demonstrated by Mayor Ureña. Rather than destabilizing the city with recalls, residents should focus on constructive dialogue and collaboration to address concerns and contribute to the continued growth and prosperity of their community.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Friday, September 29, 2023

***PRESS RELEASE***
STATEMENT FROM THE CALIFORNIA DEMOCRATIC PARTY LGBTQ CAUCUS ON THE PASSING OF U.S. SENATOR DIANNE FEINSTEIN

SACRAMENTO - The California Democratic Party LGBTQ Caucus sends our condolences to the Feinstein family this morning as California mourns the loss of United States Senator Dianne Feinstein. As a Mayor, and United States Senator, Dianne Feinstein was a trailblazer who fought for all Americans. She was a fierce ally to our LGBTQ community, especially at the height of the HIV/AIDS crisis. We will never forget her fierce advocacy to protect the rights of LGBTQ people. May she rest in power.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Friday, June 30, 2023

***PRESS RELEASE***

STATEMENT FROM THE CALIFORNIA DEMOCRATIC PARTY LGBTQ CAUCUS ON U.S. SUPREME COURT DECISION IN 303 CREATIVE LLC V. ELENIS

SACRAMENTO - The LGBTQ Caucus shares the outrage and the heartbreak that today’s Supreme Court decision in the 303 Creative Case has caused. Today, 6 Justices of the U.S. Supreme Court issued a new license to discriminate against the LGBTQ+ community and relegated them to a second-class status.

“We were not surprised a ruling like this was coming given this Court’s recent track record, but we are shocked at the blatant effort in which this case was specifically manufactured, as a hypothetical and in broad daylight, to strip away our basic protections” said LGBTQ Caucus Co-Chair Luis Zamora.

“We will not allow this ruling to stand, we will fight with our colleagues and allies to overturn these decisions, and we will vote, because if you haven’t heard it enough, elections matter” added LGBTQ Co-Chair Sasha Renée Pérez.

Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) said “The court is taking us down a road where discrimination against LGBTQ people is constitutionally protected. This attack isn’t happening in a vacuum. It’s part of a well-funded, concerted legal strategy by right wing extremists to hijack the First Amendment and use it as a tool to validate and constitutionally protect anti-LGBTQ discrimination.”

This decision is out of step with a majority of the people in this country, including fair-minded business owners who believe in treating their patrons with dignity and respect. We will not allow this decision to drag us backwards in time, and we will fight collectively to expand non-discrimination rights for all. And we will perform the work the Supreme Court should be doing, expanding and reaffirming rights for individuals, not rolling them back and taking them away.

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The LGBTQ Caucus Elections

Pursuant to our bylaws, the upcoming elections for the 2023 - 2025 LGBTQ Caucus leadership will occur in person at the CADEM Convention in Los Angeles during the LGBTQ Caucus meeting that will take place at 7:45 pm on Saturday, May 27 in Platinum Room A-C (N. Tower) at the JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. LIVE.

Only those individuals who renewed/joined the Caucus by Friday, April 21, 2023, are eligible to vote in this election. You must be present to vote. No proxy voting is allowed. All members are eligible to vote on any other items of business that evening.

The nomination period has closed. The following nominations were made by the deadline:

Co-Chairs

Luis Zamora (Northern CA) (he/him/his)

Sasha Renee Perez (Southern CA) (she/her/hers)

Vice Co-Chairs

Shay (Shanta) Franco-Clausen (Northern CA) (she/her/hers)

Ryan Trabuco (Southern CA) (he/him/his)

Secretary

John Yi (he/him/his)

Treasurer

Devin Murphy (he/him/his)

At-Large Northern CA - 2 positions

Honey Mahogany (she/they)

Justin Howard (they/them)

Khilynn Fowler (she/her/hers)

At-Large Central CA - 2 positions

Dan Arriola (he/him/his)

[No other nominations were made]

At-Large Southern CA - 2 positions

Betty Valencia (she/her/hers)

Ryan Darsey (he/him/his)

All of the candidates who were nominated have been certified as meeting eligibility requirements.

We will take nominations from the floor for the second At-Large Central CA position. Candidates for that position must meet the gender parity requirements in our bylaws and have paid their Caucus dues by the April 21st, 2023 deadline as is laid out below in the excerpt from the Caucus Bylaws.

Accommodations for persons with disabilities or persons whose first language is not English may be requested by emailing the Chair of the Election Committee at janewishon@gmail.com

Regards,

Your Election Committee: Steve Bott, Georgette Bradford,

Moisés García, Stephanie Wade, and Jane Wishon

Bylaws Regarding Election of Officers

The applicable provisions in our bylaws regarding the election of officers are as follows:

ARTICLE X: ELECTIONS

A. The regular election of officers and Executive Board members (that is, the election other than the election for filling of mid-term vacancies) shall occur as the first item of business, after approval of the credentials report at the close of credentialing, at the Caucus meeting held in conjunction with the first Convention of the CDP during odd-numbered years.

B. All officers and Board members must be voting members of the Caucus eligible to vote for Caucus officers and Board members at the time of the close of nominations by mail (that is, 28 days before the meeting at which the election is to take place) without regard to whether the individual is nominated by mail or from the floor; the Chairs and Vice Chairs must be DSCC members at the time:

1. of the close of nominations by mail,

2. they stand for election,

3. at the time they assume office, as well as

4. at all times thereafter except for interim filling of the office of Chair due to vacancy as provided for in these Bylaws.

C. Geographic location and gender balance requirements for candidates:

1. Co-Chairs: 1 female, and 1 Other-than-identified-female, one of which will be from one of the three California regions, (Northern, Central, Southern), the other from one of the two remaining California regions.

2. Vice Co-Chairs: 1 female, and 1 Other-than-identified-female to be from separate regions. The female Vice Co-Chair will be from a separate region in which the female Co-Chair resides. The other-than-identified-female Vice Co-Chair will be from a separate region in which the other-than-identified-female Co-Chair resides.

3. At-Large Executive Board Members: There shall be 6 At-Large Executive Board Members with 2 seats for each region.

4. Regions shall be defined as follows:

a. The Northern California region shall be comprised of the counties of Alameda, Alpine, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, Colusa, Contra Costa, Del Norte, El Dorado, Glenn, Humboldt, Lake, Lassen, Marin, Mendocino, Modoc, Napa, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sacramento, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Solano, Sonoma, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity, Yolo, and Yuba.

b. The Central California region shall be comprised of the counties of Calaveras, Fresno, Inyo, Kern, Kings, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, Monterey, San Benito, San Joaquin, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, Stanislaus, Tulare, and Tuolumne.

c. The Southern California region shall be comprised of the counties of Imperial, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, and Ventura.

5. Executive Board Members shall be as equally divided as practicable between female and other-than-identified female meaning that the variance in the group cannot exceed one. Gender Nonbinary members will not be counted as either and shall be eligible for election to any position provided they meet the other requirements.

D. To facilitate the use of previously prepared election ballots, officers and Board members shall be nominated by mail on a form for this purpose approved by the Election Committee.

E. Any nomination by mail must be received by the Chair of the Election Committee by twenty-eight (28) days prior to the meeting at which the election is to be conducted.

F. In the event there are fewer candidates for an office or Executive Board membership than the number to be elected to that office or Executive Board membership, candidates may be nominated from the floor. Where gender balance or geographic requirements cause fewer nominees/candidates for an office or Executive Board member position to be eligible for election than there are offices/Executive Board seats to be elected, candidates may be nominated from the floor.

G. Newly elected officers and Executive Board members shall assume their role immediately upon the adjournment of the Meeting at which the officer/Executive Board member is elected.

F. The rules for filling of vacancies by election shall be the same as those for the election of officers set forth herein except that the election meeting shall be as noticed in accordance with the requirements in these Bylaws.

NOMINATION PERIOD FOR THE LGBTQ CAUCUS OF THE CALIFORNIA DEMOCRATIC PARTY IS NOW OPEN
Date: April 8, 2023

Pursuant to our bylaws, the upcoming elections for the 2023 - 2025 LGBTQ Caucus leadership occuring in-person during the CADEM Convention in Los Angeles at the J.W. Marriott, May 25th - 28th during the LGBTQ Caucus meeting.

The nomination period is now open and will close on Saturday, April 29th at 5:00PM PST.

The offices to be filled are:

1. The Caucus Chairs (2) who must be members of the DSCC,
2. The Caucus Vice-Chairs (2) who must be members of the DSCC,
3. The Caucus Secretary,
4. The Caucus Treasurer, AND
5. The At-Large Board Members (6 in total), 2 from each of the three regions in California as designated by our bylaws (Northern, Central, Southern).

*The Co-Chairs (2), and Vice-Chairs (2), must also be of different gender identities from one another as well as from different regions from one another in their respective offices. For your reference, the regions will be listed on the nominations form.

**Executive Board Members shall be as equally divided as practicable between self-identified female and other-than-identified female meaning that the variance in the group cannot exceed one. Gender Nonbinary members will not be counted as either and shall be eligible for election to any position provided they meet the other requirements.

The term of all offices shall be:

2023 - 2025
Elected officers shall assume their role immediately upon the adjournment of the meeting at which the officer is elected, in this instance, at the adjournment of the Caucus meeting during convention in Los Angeles.

How to make a nomination/eligibility:

You may nominate yourself or others by filling out the nomination form here.

All eligible candidates must be voting members of the Caucus eligible to vote for Caucus officers and Board members by Friday, April 21, 2023.

Other relevant information:

A list of eligible voters will be distributed to the eligible candidates and shall be equally available to incumbent and non-incumbent candidates (except to the degree that is an inescapable consequence of the Treasurer's responsibility for compilation of the list)
There will be equal treatment for purposes of voting and seeking of office for members who pay dues and those who obtain/seek membership by means of a dues waiver
There will be no nominations from the floor unless there are fewer candidates for an office or Executive Board membership than the number to be elected to that office or Executive Board membership
Accommodations for persons with disabilities or persons whose first language is not English may be requested by emailing the Election Committee at janewishon@gmail.com

VOTING ELIGIBILITY

As a reminder, under the current bylaws, you must be a dues paid member by Friday, April 21st in order to be vote eligible for the Caucus Elections occuring at CADEM Convention in Los Angeles.

If you have not yet signed up for your 2023 dues, you may do so here before the April 21st, 2023.

NOTICE OF LGBTQ CAUCUS ELECTIONS & NOMINATION PERIOD OPENING SOON
Date of Notice: March 29th, 2023

Pursuant to our bylaws, Article X, Article XI, and Article XII, we are writing you to notice the upcoming elections for the 2023 - 2025 LGBTQ Caucus leadership occuring in-person during the CADEM Convention in Los Angeles at the J.W. Marriott, May 25th - 28th during the LGBTQ Caucus meeting.

The regular election of officers and Executive Board members shall occur as the first item of business, after approval of the credentials report at the close of credentialing, at the Caucus meeting held in conjunction with the first Convention of the CDP during odd numbered years.

The Treasurer and Election Committee shall ensure that a supplemental written notice of the exact date and time of the election will be provided within a reasonable period of time after the precise date and time are ascertained.

The offices to be filled are:

1. The Caucus Chairs (2) who must be members of the DSCC,
2. The Caucus Vice-Chairs (2) who must be members of the DSCC,
3. The Caucus Secretary,
4. The Caucus Treasurer, AND
5. The At-Large Board Members (6 in total), 2 from each of the three regions in California as designated by our bylaws (Northern, Central, Southern).

*The Co-Chairs (2), and Vice-Chairs (2), must also be of different gender identities from one another as well as from different regions from one another in their respective offices.

**Executive Board Members shall be as equally divided as practicable between self-identified female and other-than-identified female meaning that the variance in the group cannot exceed one. Gender Nonbinary members will not be counted as either and shall be eligible for election to any position provided they meet the other requirements.

The term of all offices shall be:

2023 - 2025

*Elected officers shall assume their role immediately upon the adjournment of the meeting at which the officer is elected, in this instance, at the adjournment of the Caucus meeting during convention in Los Angeles.

Applicable Deadlines:

Saturday, April 8th - Nomination Period Opens (An additional email will be sent out with instructions upon the opening of nominations)
Friday, April 21st - Deadline to join the Caucus and pay dues (or request a waiver for dues) in order to be eligible to vote in the Caucus Elections at Convention
Saturday, April 29th - Nomination Period Closes

Other Relevant Information:

A list of eligible voters will be distributed to the eligible candidates and shall be equally available to incumbent and non-incumbent candidates (except to the degree that is an inescapable consequence of the Treasurer's responsibility for compilation of the list)
There will be equal treatment for purposes of voting and seeking of office for members who pay dues and those who obtain/seek membership by means of a dues waiver
Provisional ballots and accommodations for disabled persons shall be made available upon request
Voting accommodations for persons with disabilities or persons whose first language is not English may be requested by emailing the Election Committee at janewishon@gmail.com

VOTING ELIGIBILITY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Friday, June 24, 2022

***PRESS RELEASE***

STATEMENT FROM THE CALIFORNIA DEMOCRATIC PARTY LGBTQ CAUCUS ON U.S. SUPREME COURT DECISION OVERTURNING ROE V. WADE

SACRAMENTO - The LGBTQ Caucus shares the outrage and the heartbreak that today’s Supreme Court decision in the Dobbs case has caused. This is a devastating and dark day in America. Let’s be clear: the right to safe and legal abortion access and body autonomy is an LGBTQ+ issue. It affects our community just as it affects every other community in America.

As Democrats, we have long known about the importance of defending the right of women and pregnant people not to be forced by the government to carry a child to term against their will, particularly when the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest. And we know that Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color (BIPOC) and gender expansive people will bear the brunt of the harm and impact that now is a post Roe America and we are alarmed by the implications of this decision for the rights of LGBTQ+ people, which now hang by a thread.

They have told us they are coming after privacy rights, marriage equality, the right to marry who you love. But what can we do? It starts with redoubling our efforts to elect progressive, pro reproductive rights and LGBTQ+ candidates who believe in the fundamental rights of every American at all levels of government. We ensure that California codifies Roe into our constitution on the November ballot. It requires that we do the hard work of talking to voters, making our case and making sure they come out and vote. In the next few weeks, and at our meeting on July 9, we will be sharing information on volunteer opportunities here in in other states. If you know of any such opportunities, please let us know so we can share those with our members as well.

We are the majority, and in a democracy, that should be enough. But America is sliding into permanent minority rule. We have to stop that. As Governor Newson said today and has warned repeatedly, “This is happening in real time. Wake Up.” We cannot falter, we cannot give up. We cannot throw up our arms and resign ourselves. We will not be forced backwards. We will not go silently or gently into the night or nightmare of the Handmaids Tale. The road back may be long and hard, but it starts today.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Friday, May 6, 2022

***PRESS RELEASE***
LGBTQ CAUCUS RESPONDS TO CONSERVATIVE ANTI- LGBTQ ATTACK AD

SACRAMENTO - The LGBTQ Caucus of the California Democratic Party strongly condemns the attack launched by a conservative organization on Senator Connie Leyva (D-Chino), claiming the Senator is “putting our children at risk,” accompanied by a disturbing image of what looks like a man undressing in front of a child.

Senator Leyva, who is the author of several pieces of legislation protecting California’s children from sex offenders, is the latest victim of the Republicans’ concerted effort to paint Democrats as sexual predators, a lie that we in the LGBTQ community are only too familiar with.

“Elections ought to be decided on the issues, truthfully and openly discussed. This attack is low and fits the pattern of ugly rhetoric from the right that undermines the people’s faith in our democracy,” said Southern California Caucus Co-Chair Lester Aponte.

Northern California Caucus Co-Chair Tiffany Woods added: “Senator Leyva has an established record of protecting children while Republicans and right wingers have a long, established history of regurgitating the predator trope as a smear campaign tactic to mislead voters. These tactics, long rooted in homophobia, transphobia, and anti-LGBTQ bias, have no place in our elections, our communities, or in a democratic society.”

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