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General WOW News
We can barely express the joy, pride, and relief we feel about the inauguration of Joe Biden and his amazing vice president, Kamala Harris!
Did you miss the inauguration or just want to watch it again?
As a women's Democratic organization, we're beyond excited about the first woman vice president. To top it off, Democrats now hold an official majority in the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate is split 50-50 down party lines - with Harris as the tiebreaker!
We had so much fun at our combined general member meeting and inauguration celebration on Jan. 20. The elation, even over Zoom, was palpable, and it was great to see more than 80 members and visitors join us to vote in our new board and celebrate the new administration. We especially loved seeing how many of you donned your WOW Dems party gear and sipped from our branded "I'm Speaking" tumblers!
YOU made this happen. You block walked. You phone banked and texted. You registered voters. You fundraised. You poll greeted. You marched. You rallied. YOU rose up during four of the darkest years in recent history, in the middle of a pandemic, and YOU are the reason we were so victorious in the general election. But in many ways, the work is just beginning. Republicans have taken a blow. They'll come after us with all they've got, in everything from backing conservatives in local races to trying to gain a Congressional majority in the 2022 midterms. We can't let them take back our hard-fought wins, so please join us in keeping up the fight for a better, safer, more unified America.
Welcome to our new board!
At our Jan. 20 General Member Meeting, our members voted in the 2021-2022 WOW Dems board. Please give a hearty welcome to our new leaders:
President: Sarah Mitchell Secretary: Alexis Britton Candidates: Laura Dapkus & Rashida Hobbs Jones Events & Outreach: Debbie O'Reilly & Courtney Hitt Membership: Trish Patterson & Caroline Werner These incumbents are staying on in their roles: Treasurer: Catherine Casavant Communications: Mary Tipper Fundraising: Katherine Goodwin & Cynthia Riley Legislative Action: Sheena King & Cathy Mangarelli
Our new board members were recruited because of their established commitment to their communities, their proven leadership abilities, their support for WOW Dems' values, and the fresh ideas they're bringing to this ever-growing organization. We can't wait to see where they take WOW Dems this year!
Our Outgoing Board - Thank You
We want to give a special thanks to the amazing women who have dedicated the last two years (or more!) as board members. These amazing women are still very involved in our committees, their local communities, and turning their passion into advocacy! Thank you to Linda Graham, Sharon Hager, Hazel Weathers, Misty Irby, Pam Reinke-Walkter, Rebecca Arredondo, and a special thank you to Angie Timmons-Hanselka, who, for many years, single-handedly built up our presence on social media and raised awareness and brand recognition!
Past Women of Courage Speaker Tapped for Cabinet!
The Biden Administration has tapped former Michigan Governor and WOW Dems' 2019 Women of Courage Gala speaker Jennifer Granholm to join the cabinet as Secretary of Energy! We were so lucky to hear her give a rousing speech in 2019, and we think she'll do great things for our country as a cabinet member!
Jennifer Granholm (3rd from left) was WOW Dems' 2019 Women of Courage guest speaker.
Local Elections Local elections in Texas will be held on May 1, 2021! If you're thinking of running for local office, connect with your local Democratic club! They are building slates, coordinating, communicating and organizing! The deadline to file is Feb. 12, 2021. If you're a progressive woman considering a run for office, we encourage you to check out Annie's List as a resource of support and information.
The deadline to register to vote in the May election is April 1. Other important information related to the May elections can be found on VoteTexas.gov.
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WOW Committee Updates
Events & Outreach Committee
Join us!
We are interested in getting together as a committee on the second Tuesday of every month. Please email eventsoutreach@wowdems.org for more info and to join us at our first meeting of 2021 on Feb. 9 at 7:30 p.m. More information will be posted on the WOW Dems calendar and on our Facebook.
Joe Jaworski Virtual Meet & Greet
Wouldn't you LOVE to have a Democratic Texas Attorney General and not CONservative Ken? Get ready for Valentine's Day by dreaming about and then fighting for a better Texas AG!
Joe Jaworkski is a third-generation Texas trial attorney and former mayor of Galveston. He has made local and state news for his strong campaign, and we are giving you the opportunity to ask him questions about his run for Texas AG on Feb. 11.
Register for this event on Mobilize. We'll see you there!
Note: The hosting clubs' participation in this event does not reflect an endorsement in this race.
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Candidate Committee
Now that we have celebrated the inauguration and swearing in of a Democratic Senate majority, campaigning is already underway for the Nov. 8, 2022, county, state and federal elections!
The Candidates Committee is seeking volunteers, especially captains for geographic areas in which you would like to focus. This will allow us to better research and support candidates in vastly different and growing cities, counties, and districts. We need and welcome general volunteers as well. Please email candidates@wowdems.org if you would like to join us.
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Legislative Committee
The Texas Legislature's Republicans will control the redistricting process in 2021. The mapmaking will be complicated and challenging, given the state's recent demographic shifts and the inevitable legal battles. Texas has a long history of voter suppression, so the battle will not easily be won.
What can we do? See our Calls to Action below!
We're going to have a busy year. We need all hands on deck to make our positions known. Email us at legislative@wowdems.org if you're interested in joining our committee!
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Looking for ways to show your WOW Dems spirit in style? Get your WOW Dems shirt, mask, and even the awesome Kamala Harris "I'm Speaking" tumblers that we made for our Jan. 20 inauguration celebration at the WOW Dems Shop!
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Throughout the last few years, WOW Dems' profile and digital presence has grown significantly. We've surpassed 1,100 followers on Twitter and 800 followers on Instagram, and our Facebook has almost 3,600 followers and nearly 3,400 page likes. But we can do better! If you don't already follow us on all three platforms and haven't yet liked our Facebook page, please do so now, and share and retweet our posts to the max!
Our beautiful website, WOWDems.org, needs your content!
We are still looking for people interested in writing blog content for the WOW Dems website. Whether it's sharing your experiences through our "Our Stories" series, an informative post about whether to run for public office, an explanation of how impeachment proceedings might go, or anything else you think our readers might be interested in, we're interested in seeing it! Contact communications@wowdems.org to share your blog ideas and content!
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We are so very excited about all the possibilities of this organization and committee. We are looking for new Membership Committee members so we can reach as many individuals and organizations as possible to get out WOW Dems' message. As of this year, we are very pleased to announce that we have 128 members, 56 of whom are new for 2021.
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WOW Dems | president@wowdems.org | wowdems.org
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