DPNM Standing Committee Explainer | |
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While we’ve emerged this spring from a productive period of elections to decide our county and state Democratic party leadership, we’re not entirely done. The last pieces of the leadership puzzle — DPNM standing committees — are currently in the midst of their application period with a deadline of this upcoming Friday, May 26. (Apply by filling out this form.)
With so many newcomers to our state’s and county’s Democratic Party, it may help to give a brief overview of what these standing committees do and what the application process looks like.
What are the DPNM Standing Committees?
1. Judicial Council
- Made up of the DPNM Vice Chair, District Vice Chairs, and three appointees — one of which must also be a member of the State Rules Committee.
- Interprets DPNM rules.
- Reviews challenges to the election of state convention delegates, State Central Committee members, county officers, and County Central Committee members.
- Mediates disputes arising from DPNM rules.
2. State Rules Committee (SRC)
- Made up of 11 appointees — of which four must be non-female, four must be non-male, three must have served on the SRC during the previous term, and one must be an attorney.
- Recommends changes to DPNM rules.
- Assists county parties in adopting and amending supplemental county party rules.
3. State Platform and Resolutions Committee (SPARC)
- Made up of the DPNM Chair, nine members elected by the SCC, and five appointees.
- Conduct issue-related hearings in each Congressional District.
- Consider, propose, and recommend resolutions for the state platform that represents the beliefs of all members of the Democratic Party of New Mexico.
4. Budget & Finance Committee (B&FC)
- Made up of 11 voting members: the DPNM Treasurer, two SCC-elected members from each Congressional district, and four appointees — two of which must identify as non-male and two of which must identify as non-female.
- Partners with the SCC to address the financial goals of DPNM.
- Supplies financial expertise to aid party decision-making.
- Provides mandated financial information to the SCC.
- Assists in fundraising.
- Ensures compliance with all appropriate financial regulations.
5. Affirmative Action Committee (AAC)
- Made up of 15 voting members, ten of which are elected by the SCC and five are appointed — one of which must serve on DPNM staff. Of the remaining four appointees, two must be non-male and two must be non-female.
- Conducts outreach to all Democrats in New Mexico, especially those in disenfranchised communities.
- Ensures the process to elect delegates to the National Convention of The Democratic Party is open to members of all disenfranchised communities.
- Make recommendations to SRC and SPARC in pursuit of a more fair and open DPNM.
This is, admittedly, an oversimplification of what these standing committees do. For a detailed description, check out DPNM Rules, Article II, Sections 6 and 7.
What’s the Appointment Process Timeline?
To apply for one of these appointments, fill out this form. To be considered, you must submit your application by Friday, May 26.
From May 26 to June 2, the DPNM Chair will review applications and finalize her appointments.
Between June 2 and June 8, the DPNM Executive Board — consisting of all State Officers, all County Chairs, two Democratic National Committee persons, the President of the New Mexico Federation of Democratic Women, and the President of the Young Democrats of New Mexico — vote on the Chair’s appointments.
On June 9, the appointments will be certified and made public.
Then the standing committees can go to work by serving the party and the people.
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Squashing the Book Banning Movement | |
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Books bans are like cockroaches — no matter how many you squash, there are so many more lurking in the shadows. And that’s something to keep in mind as we surge toward a fall school board election here in Albuquerque where low voter turnout could give book banners the cover of darkness they need to flourish.
First, let’s take a look at national trends. PEN America, an organization devoted to freedom of expression, found 1,477 instances of school book bans during the first half of the 2022-23 school year. That’s more instances than either of the two previous school semesters.
The number cited there doesn’t include situations where new laws call for schools to assess all available reading materials and remove those deemed offensive. It doesn’t include instances of “soft censorship” when teachers or librarians pull a book pre-emptively, and it doesn’t include books banned at community libraries.
In so many cases, bans are put into place without the banners having read the book they're banning. This means it’s not the contents of the books but their apparent concepts that result in banishment. So, it shouldn’t surprise anyone that the books most often targeted are those written by or centered on people of color, members of the LGBTQ+ community, or both.
This isn’t about the erasure of words but the decimation of identities. It’s about making it more difficult for kids to find their place in the world. It’s about the literal erasure of specific communities from our collective cultural history.
Put another way: It’s ironic that so many book banners operate under the cover of darkness when they’d be more comfortable under a white sheet.
While New Mexico has mostly been spared, that is likely the quiet before the storm. Already, in Rio Rancho, city council meetings have been upended by a group looking to ban books — even when the meeting’s agenda had nothing to do with book bans.
The attempted ban didn’t result in any librarians pulling any books from the shelves. Instead, the council unanimously passed a resolution showing support for the library and stating that whether a child reads a book should be decided by their guardian and not the city.
Still, the lingering threat of book bans remains.
In Albuquerque, the Moms for Liberty (M4L) group is partnering with conservative school board members to enact their agenda, which includes widespread book bans within school libraries.
M4L already came close. Their version of the APS Parent Rights and Responsibilities Policy, which would’ve made public schools less safe for members of the LGTBQ+ community, came close to passing before a watered-down version stripped of most of M4L’s demands ended up getting approved by the APS School Board.
So, how should Albuquerque prepare to beat the M4L agenda?
Don’t let book banners benefit from the darkness of low-voter turnout. Instead, let’s turn on the lights and keep our books on our shelves.
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We're regularly running comments from monthly donors to the Democratic Party of Bernalillo County (DPBC) as recognition and a reminder that the county party can use plenty of support for all the organizing we do.
"Many people are comfortable pitching in for Democratic candidates during elections, which is wonderful. But the infrastructure of our County Party needs regular support as well since it provides the nurturing ground for people to launch campaigns and get their messages out. Your donations are critical to making all that possible." — Candy Patterson
If you'd like to make a monthly donation, you can do so here. Thank you!
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5 Things We Read, Watched, or Listened to This Week (May 23rd Edition) | |
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If you’d like to share an article, book, podcast, video, or another piece of media that impacted you, email us at info@bernalillodems.org with a link and a quick note about why you want to share it.
1. “‘Trump was great at this’: How conservatives transformed a Colorado school district,” NBC News
Pull quote: “In Colorado, conservatives started making gains earlier because school board elections are held in off years. Woodland Park offers a preview of how quickly a new majority can move to reshape a district — and how those battles can ripple outward into the community.”
2. “How Queer and Trans Authors Are Fighting Book Bans,” What a Day (podcast)
Pull quote: “[W]hat we’re finding that’s happening is in a lot of these counties, books are being challenged by people who actually, one, don’t live in these counties. Two, have no students in these counties. Three, are just submitting a list of books that they just got off of a random website, primarily a right-leaning website or Moms for Liberty or No Left Turn in Education.”
3. “How to Raise $89 Million in Small Donations, and Make It Disappear,” New York Times
Pull quote: “Since 2014, the five groups have pulled in $89 million from small-dollar donors who were pitched on building political support for police officers, veterans and firefighters.
But just 1 percent of the money they raised was used to help candidates via donations, ads or targeted get-out-the-vote messages.”
4. “Standing at the Crossroads: A former museum guard reflects on his journey through New Mexico art history,” New Mexico Magazine
Pull quote: “I saw New Mexico as a crossroads. For a fledgling art enthusiast, it seemed like the center of the universe.”
5. “‘It’s good to have water,’ The Rio Grande flows again,” Source NM
Pull quote: “It appeared as a dark smudge, stronger than the mirages tricking earlier. A white cattle egret soared ahead, landing in the brush along the river. The water arrived in Las Cruces just before 2:30 p.m. accompanied by delighted screams from young watchers and splashing from overjoyed dogs.”
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The Democratic Party of New Mexico is looking to build out its volunteer outreach list. To be added, use your smartphone to scan the QR code above! | |
West Side Dems - Monthly Meeting | |
Mountain Community Potluck Picnic | |
Cheryl Harris Farewell Open House | |
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Come celebrate our mentor and friend Cheryl Harris!
After volunteering for progressive politics for over a quarter century in Bernalillo County, NM, Cheryl is leaving the state for her next adventure in life. Join us as we send her off with a fond farewell!
Day/Date: Sunday, June 4
Time: 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Location: 2211 Saxton Ct. NW, Albuquerque. 87104 (Flora & Dimi's house)
RSVP: https://bit.ly/Cheryl-Harris
In lieu of gifts, Cheryl would like guests to bring a children's book which will be donated to Albuquerque Housing Authority.
(If you would like to donate some money to making this event happen, send via Venmo to @Patricia-French-48 or email patriciajfrench@yahoo.com for more details).
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A Celebration of the Life of Kip Allen | |
11th Annual Senator Michael Padilla Job Fair | |
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June 14, 2023 - 10am - 2pm
You are invited to participate in my 11th annual job fair. This is a free event. Results have been amazing every year!
Our family, friends and neighbors need jobs. I want to help you find your next top team members! Register for this free job fair today. This job fair is for W2 employers only and is a free public service I have provided for eleven years. Register here.
Please help me spread the word by forwarding this email. Our largest job fair featured 126 employers and had over 5,500 job seekers. This job fair attracts potential employee candidates with a wide array of skillsets.
Job Fair provided by Senator Michael Padilla. Funded by Michael Padilla for State Senator, Sylvia Molinar, Treasurer.
Harrison Middle School
3912 Isleta SW
Albuquerque, NM 87105
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Help us grow our social media presence | |
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Our social media team has been working hard since January 2023 to create eye-catching, informative TikTok videos about Democratic accomplishments in New Mexico. These videos are pushed to other platforms, including Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.
We've gained 316 followers thus far, but we need to reach 1,000 TikTok followers in order to improve page functionality. You can help!
- Click on the video to check out all our awesome content
- Give us a follow!
- Share with your networks
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Go-to websites for BernCo politics | | | | |
