July 2009 Newsletter

Staying Connected
By YEO Membership Manager Alisha Morgan

The National Convening is a way for YEOs to reconnect with one another and recharge our batteries. Now that new relationships have formed and older ones have been strengthened, we must commit to staying connected.

Although you are back in your communities, remember the resources that are here to help ensure your success. The Network has many opportunities, programs, and resources available to you. From our bi-monthly teleconferences, policy research assistance, to training in our Front Line Leaders Academy. The Network strives to meet your needs as a YEO, so that you can focus on serving your constituents. To access our resources, please log on to our website (www.yeonetwork.org), open and read your e-mails, and accept our invitations.

Here is what we have to offer:

• Bi-monthly teleconferences (Skills and issue trainings range from fundraising and life- work balance to progressive budgets and education reform.)
• Caucuses (Women’s, Latina/o, Local Government)
• Communications (Get help with press releases, crisis management, and working with the media.)
• Regional conferences (Focusing on issues specific to your geographical region.)
• Policy academies (An intensive three-day mini-conference focused on one issue that brings together policy experts, practitioners, and YEOs to create specific policies.)
• YEO Interactive (A private space for YEOs to share best practices, ideas, and network with each other.)
• YEO website (Members can access Network resources online.)
• YEO Newsletter (Monthly information highlighting issues, other YEOs, and hot topics.)
• Strategic partnerships (Find organizations that can assist with policy and research on issues of your choice.)
• Policy exchange (Identify policies from other YEOs that can be replicated in your community.)
• Mentorship (Get matched with a peer YEO or become a mentor to an aspiring public servant through our Front Line Leaders Academy program.)

The Network offers many resources, all for you. Let’s go beyond the National Convening and continue to learn, grow, and become even more effective public servants. Stay connected to the network. We are here to serve you! To learn more, visit our website (www.yeonetwork.org) or contact me at amorgan@pfaw.org or (404)271-6018.

Yours in Service,
Alisha Thomas Morgan

2009 National Convening

This year’s YEO Network National Convening was a great success!  The momentum generated and the work YEOs are already undertaking is inspiring!

We hope you had an amazing and memorable time in Atlanta. This was the largest gathering of YEOs we’ve had to date, with more than 40 of you as first time convening participants. We welcome you and hope that each of you will continue to take full advantage of the many resources the Network offers; including networking, regional and state coalition building, policy support and leadership development training, along with access to the tools you need to make progressive change a reality in your community. Click here for the weekend’s reel of highlights!

What’s Next?

• You can see several photos from the Convening on our web site now by clicking here.
• We ask that you complete the following survey (click here) about the YEO Convening (ONLY if you did not complete one at the conference).
• Several YEOs have asked about thanking the Network by investing in it themselves. If you are interested in fundraising on behalf of, or donating to, the YEO Network, please contact Raquel Simon-Petley at rsimon@pfaw.org for more information.
• Regional YEOs groups are gathering and connecting. For information on your region’s activities, please contact YEO Membership Manager Alisha Morgan at amorgan@pfaw.org or your state director. All state directors and contact info are listed to the right.

Thank you again for joining us in Atlanta and making this year’s convening such a tremendous success. We look forward to working with you in the coming months and seeing you again next year as we celebrate FIVE years on the Front Lines of Change!

YEO Recognition: 2009 Leadership Awards

The 2009 Convening had many memorable moments, including the first annual YEO Leadership Awards.

Three young elected officials were honored by the Network for their outstanding leadership in the Network, in their community, or in the progressive movement. For her incredible dedication to the YEO Network, PFAW Foundation and the Front Line Leaders Academy, the Network honored State Representative Rachel Weston (VT). With a distinguished record of public service and innovative constituent services, the Network honored School Board Member Janet Chin (CA). With outstanding service to progressive issues, volunteerism with political campaigns, and work with progressive organizations like the ACLU, the Network honored School Board Member Jeremiah Grace (NJ).

In addition, YEOs honored Arizona State Representative Kyrsten Sinema with the 2009 Young Elected Officials Network Barbara Jordan Leadership Award--an award presented to an outstanding young elected official who is following in the footsteps of PFAW Foundation founder and our nation's first African American U.S. Congresswoman from the Deep South.

After a month of voting, YEO members selected Rep. Sinema as the first recipient. All of the nominees, however, showed unyielding support to the YEO Network, and had a distinguished record of public service to their community and the progressive movement at large.  The five outstanding nominees were City Councilman Melvin Carter, State Representative Tricia Cotham, School Board Member Jeremiah Grace, State Representative Carl Sciortino, and State Representative Kyrsten Sinema. We thank all of these dedicated YEOs for their service and hope they continue to make waves in their communities.

Young Electeds at NCSL

The city of “brotherly love” hosted the National Conference for State Legislatures this month, with YEOs meeting and greeting thanks to the Pennsylvania delegation. Organized by State Representative Tony Payton and his office, YEOs gathered at a special Young Leaders Reception at the Marriott Hotel’s posh new restaurant, Thirteen. The turnout was great, and even progressive partners like Progressive States Network, Planned Parenthood, ACYPL and local environment groups were able to meet our young electeds. A few young legislators that never heard of the Network also joined the festivities, making it evident that the YEO Network’s presence at national events is ever more important.

Membership Manager and Georgia State Representative Alisha Morgan attended the conference on behalf of the team, making exciting connections with trainers, speakers, and representatives from the White House. She continues to work diligently to find innovative trainings and unique opportunities for our young elected officials.

We hope everyone that attended had a wonderful time. Many thanks to the Pennsylvania delegation of YEOs for making such a lovely gathering possible.

Special Feature by a YEO-
A Report from the Latino/a Caucus
By City Councilmember Tony Madrigal

The YEO Latina/o Caucus was formed this year during the Open Spaces session at the YEO National Convening in Atlanta.  We’ve hit the ground running by electing four officers, holding monthly conference calls with a set schedule for 2009, holding a Latina/o Caucus meeting at the NALEO Annual Conference in Los Angeles on June 26, fundraising for the YEO Network, and working to support Sonia Sotomayor for Supreme Court Justice.

At our founding meeting, we all agreed on three major goals: to help the YEO Network grow by recruiting more Latina/o YEOs, to be an active caucus by staying in constant contact, and to raise money for the YEO Network by having each of us donate $100.12 by July 31, 2009.  The 12 cents in our donation represents the letter L in Latina/o Caucus, the 12th letter of the alphabet.

The YEO Latina/o Caucus is open to all YEOs who want to join and our meetings are open to anyone who wants to attend, so we invite you to join our caucus today. To learn more about or join the Latina/o Caucus, contact any of our officers:

Delia Garcia, Co-Chair (Kansas State Representative)
ksrepgarcia@yahoo.com; (316) 371-2242

Tony Madrigal, Co-Chair (Santa Cruz City Councilmember)
tonymadrigal@gmail.com; (831) 295-2518

Paul Lopez, Political Director (Denver City Councilmember)
paul.lopez@denvergov.org; (720) 435-3633

Bianca Garcia, Communications Director (FLLA Fellow)
bzgarcia@gmail.com; (512) 797-8273

YEO Newsletter Updates
Current news on issues and policies from YEOs

This year, the YEO Newsletter has provided you with information about the policies and initiatives from several of your colleagues regarding green issues, budget reform, equality, and election reform. There have been many exciting developments in regards to their legislation, and we wanted to provide you with an update.

Bill: State Representative David Zuckerman sponsored legislation to legalize gay marriage in Vermont.
Outcome: Both chambers of the Vermont Legislature voted to override Governor Jim Douglas’ veto of the marriage equality legislation, making Vermont the first state to provide marriage equality for same-sex couples through the legislative process.

Bill: State Representative Mark Ferrandino sponsored two pieces of legislation, one to consolidate rights already in state law, such as estate planning tools and legal benefits, and extend them to unmarried couples, and the other to extend health care benefits to same-sex partners of Colorado state workers.
Outcome: Governor Bill Ritter signed both bills into law, providing sweeping legal rights for unmarried couples.

Bill: State Delegate David Englin proposed legislation to remove Virginia’s blanket ban on all political attire at polling places.
Outcome: The political attire bill passed both chambers of the Virginia General Assembly with a nearly unanimous vote and was signed into law by Governor Tim Kaine.

Bill: State Representative Ben Cannon sponsored legislation that would allow voters in Oregon to register to vote online by the 2010 election cycle.
Outcome: The bill passed both chambers of the State Legislature; it now goes back to the House for concurrence on Senate amendments. It will then go to Governor Ted Kulongoski for his signature.

Keep an eye on these bills!

State Representative Brian Clem reintroduced a bill that would allow state funds to match federal funds for school districts that purchase Oregon agricultural products, as well as provide grants for schools to start or maintain gardens. Follow this bill.

State Representative Blake Oshiro cosponsored legislation that will allow civil unions for same-sex couples in Hawaii. Follow this bill.

State Representative Marko Liias introduced legislation to provide public funding of candidates for the Washington Supreme Court. Follow this bill.

State Representative Ben Cannon cosponsored legislation that will make Oregon the fifth state to ratify a move that will award its Electoral College votes to the winner of the national popular vote. Follow this bill.

Progressive Policy Corner

Neighborhood Business District Walks & Neighborhoods in the Neighborhood Program
City Councilwoman Y. Laketa Cole
Cincinnati, OH
Neighborhood Business District (NBD) Walks allow business districts and community leaders to show city officials firsthand what is going on in their communities, both the good and the bad. Additionally, the Neighborhoods in the Neighborhood (NIN) Program allows community councils to host one Neighborhoods Committee meeting per month at a date, time, and location that works best for them, thus making government significantly more accessible.
Click here for more >

Youth Civic Engagement
Drum Major Institute for Public Policy
New York, NY
The Coalition for Youth (CFY) was formed by the City Council in 1992 to create and coordinate a comprehensive youth agenda to ensure that Hampton’s youth would have resources to become productive citizens. The community was concerned that the youth of Hampton were disaffected and were not prepared to become productive members of the workforce and active participants in the community. Hampton Youth Civic Engagement provides a real opportunity for youth to participate in the city’s decision making and planning by establishing paid positions in city government for youth and by establishing a commission that addresses concerns of the entire community.
Click here for more >

YEO Announcement

We would like to give best wishes to Desmond Seymour, our YEO Program Associate, who has left the staff to attend Georgetown University this fall, pursuing a master’s degree in biotechnology.

Desmond joined the YEO Network team in the summer of 2008 as a program associate to manage YEO outreach and recruitment, as well as help with FLLA and monitor the 2008 election cycle. Key to our latest work in the Network, Desmond launched the YEO Network’s state directors program, which has increased participation, access, and support throughout our membership.  He was an integral part of the National Convening team, recruiting a record number of attendees this year.

Always displaying a positive attitude and a winning smile, we know you’ll join us in wishing Desmond the best of luck as he moves to Washington in a couple of weeks to begin his studies at Georgetown. We are very proud of him!

Emails regarding any of these projects should now be directed to Elisabeth Pope at epope@pfaw.org until further notice.