Author Archive: DPCCC Secretary

Resolution in Support of May 2021 as AAPI Heritage Month

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DPCCC membership approved the following resolution at the May 20, 2021 regular meeting.

WHEREAS, the month of May was chosen as Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month to commemorate the immigration of the first Japanese citizen, Nakahama Manjiro, to the United States on May 7, 1843, but also the anniversary of the May 10, 1869 completion of the first Transcontinental Railroad, built with the back-breaking labor of nearly 20,000 Chinese immigrants; and 

WHEREAS, Contra Costa County’s population is more than 18 percent Asian American and Pacific Islander and includes devoted community members who serve as artists, business owners, educators, health care professionals, lawyers and judges, elected officials, clergy members, first responders, military personnel and essential front-line service workers; and 

WHEREAS, we celebrate the achievements and contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders that enrich our history, society and culture, we also must be aware that AAPI history has been whitewashed and erased in Western curriculum, including the Chinese Exclusion Act, the Alien Land Acts, the Internment, among many other issues. We must also acknowledge a darker aspect of the AAPI experience in America – structural discrimination, prejudice and injustice that most recently manifested itself in racist attacks on Asian Americans related to the COVID-19 pandemic; and 

WHEREAS, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have distinguished themselves as leading researchers in science, medicine, and technology; innovative farmers and ranchers; distinguished lawyers, judges and government leaders; in the arts, literature, and sports; as war heroes who defended our country from fascism; and as essential service workers and peacetime healthcare heroes currently on the front lines of the pandemic; and 

WHEREAS, today more than 20 million Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders live in the United States and through their actions, make America a more vibrant, prosperous, and secure nation.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Democratic Party of Contra Costa County celebrates May 2021 as AAPI Heritage Month, and encourage all in our community to learn more about Asian American and Pacific Islander heritage, and work to combat racism and xenophobia as we celebrate this month with cultural events and educational activities.

Resolution in Support of Juneteenth, Saturday, June 19, 2021

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DPCCC membership approved the following resolution at the May 20, 2021 regular meeting.

WHEREAS, The first enslaved Africans were brought as captives to what is now the Commonwealth of Virginia in 1619 where they were bought and sold as slave labor for 250 years suffering unspeakable acts of violence; and

WHEREAS, President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, declaring “that all persons held as slaves within the rebellious states are, and henceforward shall be free”; and

WHEREAS, The Emancipation Proclamation was the vehicle used to pass the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution abolishing slavery in this nation on January 31, 1865; and

WHEREAS, On June 19, 1865, Major General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, announcing General Order Number 3 which ended both the Civil War and slavery; and

WHEREAS, June 19th has become a symbolic date, representing the freedom of African Americans and is recognized by 47 states and the District of Columbia, with Virginia, New York and Pennsylvania recognizing it as an official paid holiday for state employees; and 

WHEREAS, Our nation is facing a new reckoning as the legacy of sharecropping, Jim Crow, redlining and police violence against Black Bodies continues to pervade and permeate our society, institutions, and systems of law; and

WHEREAS, Although the 13th Amendment provided for freedom, it also laid the groundwork for mass incarceration within the African American community by stating “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction”; and

WHEREAS, if Black Lives Matter, the Democratic Party of Contra Costa Party must acknowledge the history racism has played and continues to pervade and permeate our society, institutions, and systems of laws fostering many of the current-day disparities in education, health care, housing, and employment. 

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Democratic Party of Contra Costa County hereby recognizes Saturday, June 19, 2021, as Juneteenth to acknowledge the historical significance of the day and commit the Democratic Party of Contra Costa County to working toward the dismantling of institutionalized racism.

Resolution in Support of Assembly Bill 1119 (Wicks), Anti-Discrimination for Family Responsibilities

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DPCCC membership approved the following resolution at the May 20, 2021 regular meeting.

WHEREAS, Most employees will have family caregiving responsibilities at some point in their professional lives, with statistics showing that roughly 60 percent of two-parent households with children under age 18 have both parents working; more than 1 in 6 Americans working full-time or part-time report assisting with the care of an elderly or disabled family member, relative, or friend; and over 1 in 12 employed adults are caring for both children and elderly or disabled adults; and

WHEREAS, Family responsibilities discrimination occurs when an employer takes a negative employment action against an employee based on their responsibility to care for a family member. This type of discrimination affects employees of every income level, race, gender, and industry, with working mothers the most likely to experience family responsibilities discrimination and with women being twice as likely as men to say they left work for caregiving responsibilities due to childcare provider or school closures; and

WHEREAS, Assembly Bill 1119 would prohibit employers from discriminating against employees based on their family responsibilities by adding “family responsibilities” to the list of protected characteristics that are prohibited bases of discrimination and would provide employees with caregiving responsibilities with the right to reasonable accommodations to deal with unforeseen school or care closures;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Democratic Party of Contra Costa County supports the passage of Assembly Bill 1119 (Wicks), Anti-Discrimination for Family Responsibilities, as amended on April 21, 2021, and urges the Democratic supermajority in the California State Legislature to pass the legislation and the Democratic Governor to sign the bill into law;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Democratic Party of Contra Costa County shall communicate this resolution to Contra Costa County Democrats, the California Democratic Party, members of the State Senate and State Assembly representing any part of Contra Costa County, members of the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors, and the Governor of the State of California.

Submitted by: Craig Cheslog, Associate Member, District 2

Resolution in Support of AB 937 (Carrillo) – the VISION Act

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DPCCC membership approved the following resolution at the May 20, 2021 regular meeting.

WHEREAS, when California’s jails and prisons voluntarily and unnecessarily transfer immigrant and refugee community members eligible for release from state or local custody to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for immigration detention and deportation purposes, they subject these community members to double punishment and perpetual trauma, re-incarcerating them for prolonged periods with no right to bail, often deporting and permanently banishing them from the country, from their families, their homes and their livelihoods; and

WHEREAS, state and local participation in federal immigration enforcement programs has raised constitutional concerns, including arrests and detentions that violate the Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution, and that target immigrants on the basis of race or ethnicity in violation of the Equal Protection Clause, and further undercuts reforms to address California’s inhumane, costly and punitive carceral system, which victimizes immigrants and refugees and disproportionately harms Black, Latinx, Indigenous, and Asian and Pacific Islander American communities; and

WHEREAS, California Democrats believe that the American immigration system must ensure that the fundamental rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution are applied to every person within U.S. borders or held in U.S. custody; oppose law enforcement agencies that unfairly target immigrants and refugees and act as federal immigration law enforcement or cooperate with federal law enforcement absent a federal judicial warrant; and is consistent with America’s fundamental principles of inclusion, fairness, human dignity and respect for the rule of law;

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Democratic Party of Contra Costa County supports the passage of Assembly Bill 937 (Carrillo), the VISION Act, which would take urgent and necessary steps toward ensuring that local and state tax dollars are not used to funnel immigrants into harmful and inhumane conditions in immigration detention, violate Constitutional protections, and separate immigrant families and communities; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Democratic Party of Contra Costa County shall submit its SUPPORT position to the California State Legislature for inclusion in the bill analysis as a supporting organization.

Submitted by:
Renee Zeimer, District 2 Representative
Marisol Rubio, AD-16 Delegate, DPCCC Rules Committee Co-Chair

Resolution in Support of AB 650 (Muratsuchi), Health Care Worker Recognition and Retention Act

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DPCCC membership approved the following resolution at the May 20, 2021 regular meeting.

WHEREAS, health care workers have been on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic from the very beginning, showing up to care for patients despite insufficient protective equipment, staffing shortages, long hours, mental trauma, and the ever-present risk of infection; and

WHEREAS, health care companies have benefited from billions of dollars in federal support during the pandemic and enjoyed sharp increases in investment income due to the rising stock market, but those gains have not led to increased support for the health care workers who are putting their lives at risk; and

WHEREAS, as a toll of the pandemic, many healthcare workers are leaving the field; and, given the high cost of training health care workers and the harm to patient care from high worker turnover, we must take steps to ensure that California’s health care system is ready for future need and ready to face future crises;

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Democratic Party of Contra Costa County supports the passage of Assembly Bill 650 (Muratsuchi), the Health Care Worked Recognition and Retention Act, which provide substantial, tangible proof to health care workers that we recognize their sacrifice and value their work caring for our families and communities, during the COVID-19 pandemic and in the future. by requiring private sector health care companies to provide bonuses to their employees; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Democratic Party of Contra Costa County shall communicate this resolution to the California Democratic Party and members of the State Senate and State Assembly representing any part of Contra Costa County and the Governor of the State of California, urging the Democratic supermajority in the California State Legislature to pass the legislation and the Democratic Governor to sign the bill into law.

Submitted by: Susan Hildreth, Elected Member, District 2
Cosponsored by: Doug Jones, SEIU United Healthcare Workers

Resolution in Support of Assembly Bill 557 (Muratsuchi and Chiu), Statewide Hate Crimes Hotline

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DPCCC membership approved the following resolution at the May 20, 2021 regular meeting.

WHEREAS, According to recent data from the Southern Poverty Law Center, there are more than 72 hate groups currently operating in California. In 2018, hate crimes involving bias against someone who is Jewish increased by 21.2 percent and against someone who is Latino by 18.3 percent. Also in that year, hate crimes with an anti-black or African American bias accounted for 25.9 percent and with a sexual orientation bias accounted for 22.3 percent of hate crimes reported in 2018; and

WHEREAS, Anti-Asian rhetoric surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a dramatic spike in verbal and physical assaults against Asian Americans in the past year. According to Stop AAPI Hate, over 2,800 anti-Asian hate incidents have occurred nationwide since February 2020 with over 1,200 of those occurring in California; and

WHEREAS, Assembly Bill 557 would require the California Department of Justice to create and maintain an accessible toll-free hotline number and an online form so people can report hate crimes and hate incidents more easily and in a way that overcomes the possible hesitancy victims and witnesses may feel if they distrust or fear local law enforcement officials, and would help victims receive referrals to local agencies, resources, and support services;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Democratic Party of Contra Costa County supports the passage of Assembly Bill 557 (Muratsuchi and Chiu), as amended on March 25, 2021, and urges the Democratic supermajority in the California State Legislature to pass the legislation and the Democratic Governor to sign the bill into law;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Democratic Party of Contra Costa County shall communicate this resolution to Contra Costa County Democrats, the California Democratic Party, members of the State Senate and State Assembly representing any part of Contra Costa County, members of the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors, and the Governor of the State of California.

Submitted by: Craig Cheslog, Associate Member, District 2

Resolution in Support of Assembly Bill 525, (Chiu, Cunningham, Friedman) – Offshore Wind Generation

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DPCCC membership approved the following resolution at the May 20, 2021 regular meeting.

WHEREAS, California has set ambitious goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The Energy Commission, in coordination with specified agencies, found that California will need to build at least 34 gigawatts of new renewable energy and energy storage developments by 2030 and at least 140 gigawatts of new renewable energy and energy storage developments by 2045 to achieve the goals; and

WHEREAS, California has found that wind and solar power on land will not be able meet that strategic goal, but that offshore wind generation could provide many new jobs and at least 10 gigawatts installed off the California coast by 2040, with an interim target of 3,000 megawatts installed by 2030; and the Energy Commission, in consultation with relevant state and local agencies, would need to start developing a plan on or before June 1, 2022 to improve existing waterfront facilities, seaports, and workforce.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Democratic Party of Contra Costa County supports the passage of Assembly Bill 525, Offshore Wind Generation to begin this planning, and urges the Democratic supermajority in the California State Legislature to pass the legislation and the Democratic Governor to sign the bill into law;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Democratic Party of Contra Costa County shall communicate this resolution to members of the State Senate and State Assembly representing any part of Contra Costa County and the Governor of the State of California.

Submitted by Brodie Hilp, Elected Member, District 2

The DPCCC FUNraiser Auction is open for bidding!

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Link – bit.ly/2021FUNraiser

Many of our members have donated items, ranging from treasured memorabilia to a chance to get back out in the world on a vacation or just enjoy a meal on a leisurely afternoon in a lovely backyard! And wine, so much wine…..

Our Democratic elected officeholders have created opportunities for those social outings we’ve all missed –

Sharing a coffee or a meal in a restaurant with a host guaranteed to provide interesting conversation,

A champagne brunch after a hike and a wine tasting at a top-notch winery!

Or, join a small group in an outdoor home setting to relax, watch a movie and learn a few things.

And much more – check out the website! Link – bit.ly/2021FUNraiser

The funds raised will help the DPCCC recruit, support and promote Democratic candidates as we head into the 2022 mid-terms. And right now, we’ll be joining the fight to Stop the Recall!

It’s not too late to donate items, contact Marilynn Schuyler at 703-675-8782 or Schuyler@SchuylerAAP.com to make arrangements for collection.

And it’s never too late to make a cash donation to the 2022 Campaign Unity Fund at this link. https://secure.actblue.com/donate/2022campaignunityfund

A final thought -The Auction Committee wants to emphasize how grateful we are for the many creative, thoughtful donations to this year’s fundraiser. Take note bidders – the best thank you is to bid high!

Valley Blue in 22

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Update! Speaker Pelosi will be joining us!

Purchase your tickets today at bit.ly/valleyblue22. Join us on Thursday, May 27, 7:00 pm for a fun-filled evening hosted by comedian, writer, actress and podcaster Leighann Lord, and featuring

  • Rep. Katie Porter and Josh Harder
  • Senator Alex Padilla
  • CDP Vice-chair Betty Yee
  • Other House and Central Valley Democrats

Let’s provide the support, phone banks, and most importantly money to win in the Central Valley in 2022.  In CA21, TJ Cox flipped the seat with 862 votes in 2018, and lost the seat in 2020 by 1,522 votes. These are small margins, and your efforts make a difference.

Purchase a ticket or donate to the Valley Blue in 22 fundraiser on May 27, 7:00 pm.  Our work will register and engage voters to defend and retake House seats in the Central Valley … electing Democrats up and down the ballot.  Purchase your tickets today at bit.ly/valleyblue22.