Democratic Woman's Club

• Call to Order
  • President Cathie Hyatt – 6:32pm
• Agenda Approval
  • M – Patricia Wojdowski 
• Candidate Comments
  • Brenda Miller – Candidate for Board of Director Grossmont Healthcare Zone 3
  • Heather Ferbert – Candidate for SD City Attorney Heatherferbert.com
  • Nadia Farjood – Candidate for Grossmont Healthcare District Zone 3
  • Darshana Patel – Candidate for CA Assembly District 76 Patelforassembly.com
  • Lashae Sharp-Collins – Candidate for CA Assembly District 79 Lashaeforassembly.com
  • Joseph Rocha – Candidate for CA Assembly District 76 Rochaforassembly.com
• Elected Officials/Representatives
  • Cynara Velazquez – Director of Council of Clubs SD
• SB 525 – Leila Khader, SEIU-UHW: SB525 to mandate a $25.00 minimum wage for healthcare workers across CA.
• Upcoming: SD County Supervisor District 4 – Joint Club Candidate Forum, June 3rd via zoom
  • DWC endorsement meeting will follow, tentative 5pm
  • Members who are eligible to vote will receive zoom link and email
  • You must have attended 2 previous meetings, as a member, in the last 12 months to be eligible to vote

CANDIDATE SPOTLIGHT

Candidates for SD County Supervisor District 4: Janessa Goldbeck & City Council President Pro Tem, Monica Montgomery Steppe

• Candidate remarks
• Candidate Q&A

PROGRAM: Women’s Health Month

Dr. Suzanne Afflalo: Women’s health and the disparities in Black women’s reproductive health and breast cancer treatment

Nikki Helms, LM, CPM, CLEC, San Diego Community Birth Center: reproductive care, black maternal mortality

• Susan Peinado motions for a $250 donation to San Diego Community Birth Center, Approved unanimously 

• Cynara Velazquez of La Voz Democrata: Resolution to oppose border changes
  • Request for DWC to vote on joining Resolution in Opposition to the Militarization of our Southern Border during next general meeting
• Business (Unfinished/New)*
  • Election of AD78 rep to CADEM
  • Maureen Sweeney volunteers
  • Approved unanimously 
• Officer Reports
  • Beatrice Cubbitt – Treasurer
    • As of 5/11/2023 DWC has $4757 in bank
  • Patricia Wojdowski – Membership Director
    • Please make sure your address with the DWC is the same as your voting address
  • Cathie Hyatt – President
    • No general meeting on Juneteenth 
    • Special meeting on June 6th with Swing Left at 6pm – register here

• IMPORTANT DATES
  • Special County Supervisor District 4 Endorsement meeting, via zoom Saturday, June 3, 5pm – link will be sent to eligible voters
  • Pride Parade – Saturday, July 15, 2023
• Announcements
  • Go Team – Mary Petrowski
  • CADEM convention – Michelle Krug
• Adjourn
  • M – Hannah Green 8:45PM

Next General Membership Meeting, July 17, 2023

Board of Supervisors, District 4:

Join us on Monday, May 15th at Elijah’s Restaurant for our monthly meeting. This month we focus on women’s health.

Come at 6pm to order dinner, socialize with friends, and meet your candidates. The meeting starts at 6:30pm. Elijah’s Restaurant is located at 7061 Clairemont Mesa Blvd. E-mail info@dwc-sd.org for a virtual option.

Authors: 

Lori Saldaña, California Assembly Speaker ProTempore (retired) & 
Danny Avitia (President, San Diego Downtown Democratic Club)

Sponsors:

Executive Board, Democratic Woman’s Club of San Diego County*

John Loughlin (Former Director of Clubs, San Diego County Democratic Party)

Susan Peinado (Past President/Founding member, Democratic Woman’s Club of San Diego County)

David Milroy (Central Committee Alternate)

Resolution:

Whereas, Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) seeks to raise public awareness about sexual violence, educates communities on how to prevent it, and calls attention to the fact that sexual assault is widespread and impacts millions of adults, teenagers, and children; and

Whereas, One out of every six women nationwide have been victims of rape, and sexual assault affects individuals across all ages, abilities, sexual orientations, gender identities, and of all racial, social, religious, ethnic, and economic backgrounds, and while these victims and survivors include every demographic, these crimes disproportionately victimize children, members of the transgender community, historically disadvantaged people of color, and houseless individuals; and

Whereas, According to the California Department of Justice, the San Diego Police Department has the most untested rape and sexual assault forensic evidence kits in the State, many of which date back decades; and

Therefore be it resolved, that the San Diego County Democratic Party calls upon elected officials and law enforcement agencies to become better educated and to educate the public during Sexual Assault Awareness Month as well as report to the public all educational measures taken in the preceding year, and to strengthen policies and programs that help reduce these incidents and provide justice to survivors of sexual assault, sexual harassment, and rape in San Diego County.

Therefore be it further resolved, that the San Diego County Democratic Party calls upon local law enforcement agencies to provide annual reports to the public, city councils, educational agencies and the County Board of Supervisors on the backlog of untested sexual assault evidence kits and the measures being taken to eliminate the backlog.

*In addition, the resolution gained unanimous support in a vote taken at the Democratic Woman’s Club of San Diego County meeting on April 17, 2023.

April General Membership Meeting Minutes President Cathie Hyatt calls to order 6:30pm Approval of Agenda M: Susan Peinado Candidate Comments Heather Ferbert candidate for SD City Attorney – HeatherFerbert.com Dr Brenda Miller candidate for Grossmont Healthcare District Zone 3 Brian Maienschein candidate for SD City Attorney Lori Saldaña candidate for Central Committee Darshana Patel candidate for State Assembly District 76 – www.PatelforAssembly.com Joseph Rocha candidate for State Assembly District 76 – www.RochaforAssembly.com News on Reproductive Rights TX ruling on abortion pills visit PlannedParenthood.com to get involved DWC Board Statement on Fletcher Allegations and Resignation Explanation regarding DWC statement re: Nathan Fletcher – External VP, Dr. Tiffany Boyd-Hodgson Motion for DWC to sign onto statement: Susan Peinado Unanimous approval  Club signs on – added to DWC website PROGRAM Sexual Assault Awareness Month: Denim Day – Lori Saldaña, California Assembly Speaker Pro Tem (retired) Denim Day 2023 is 4/26 DenimDayInfo.org Motion for DWC to sign onto SAAM resolution: Susan Peinado Ann Crosbie concerned over verbiage “eliminate vs process” rape kits Unanimous Approval to support the resolution Earth Day Sea Level Rise for Transportation Infrastructure – Destiny Preston, Encinitas-based climate activist and Sea Level Rise Lead at Caltrans Stronger Tenant Protections  Asma Abdi (she/her), PANA – presentation Asma@panasd.org Request for the DWC to sign on to PANA’s letter to the City Council in support of stronger tenant protection Motion for DWC to sign onto letter: Susan Peinado Unanimous Approval SB 474 Jean-Huy Tran, #TeamJustice – addressing prison commissary price gouging Request for the DWC to sign on as supporters of SB474 Motion for DWC to sign on to support SB474: Ann Crosbie Unanimous Approval Officer Reports President, Cathie Hyatt for Treasurer, Beatrice Cubitt $4553 in bank $1000 expense – CA Women’s List $1500 expense – Roosevelt Dinner $100 donation – CA Women’s Museum Membership Director, Patricia Wojdowski  3 new members tonight Currently over 100 members President’s Report Aftershock documentary on Black maternal mortality Postcards to support libraries available  Discounted tickets to “The 19th” at The Old Globe Theatre with code word GOLD, closes Sunday Announcements Leila Khader SEIU-UHW Organzier WHAT: Rally of 500 workers and Press Conference to Support SB525, a bill that will establish a min. wage of $25 for healthcare workers WHERE: *Sharp Grossmont Hospital, 5555 Grossmont Center Dr, La Mesa, 91942 (parking lot of shopping center + sidewalk) WHEN: May 11th, 11-1pm UC Berkeley Labor Center Report: https://laborcenter.berkeley.edu/proposed-health-care-minimum-wage-increase/ Destiny Preston – State Hoover commission conducting hearings re The California Environmental Quality Act- 3rd one scheduled 4/27  Susan Peinado – 4/29 Labor Summit @ Hilton – tickets here Adjourned 8:26pm M:Susan Peinado  Next meeting May 15, 2023

Like many individuals and organizations invested in the success of progressive policy, the Democratic Woman’s Club of San Diego County was saddened and deeply concerned about the allegations surrounding the resignation of Supervisor Nathan Fletcher. The Democratic Woman’s Club has endorsed Supervisor Fletcher in past political races, because our values align with many of the policies he has championed that have uplifted underserved communities, increased mental health services, and housed families. 

The policies put forward by Supervisor Fletcher, for the first time, transitioned the Board of Supervisors away from a focus on punitive action, cronyism, and policy guided by developers, to one focused on bettering the standard of living for San Diego County residents. With the election of Chair Nora Vargas, and Vice Chair Terra Lawson-Remer, progress forward accelerated exponentially and made many San Diegan’s lives better. 

Like many Democratic-affiliated groups, the breaking news of Supervisor Fletcher’s mental health issues and inpatient treatment evoked empathy from our membership. The subsequent breaking news of the lawsuit against Fletcher and San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) in rapid succession left our membership confused and disillusioned. The accusations as alleged in the lawsuit filed in the Superior Court of California include: sexual harassment (against all defendants), failure to prevent sexual harassment and retaliation (against MTS), sexual assault and battery (against Fletcher), whistleblower retaliation (against MTS). The allegations outlined in the lawsuit are disturbing, graphic, and gross. They conflict with our organization’s values such as an equitable and harassment-free workplace, consensual sexual intimacy, and bodily autonomy. 

We believe as an organization that we can both acknowledge and support the progress and policies advanced by Supervisor Fletcher in his tenure on the Board and simultaneously believe that he is no longer fit to lead in light of these allegations. We believe his resignation from the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System and the San Diego Board of Supervisors is appropriate. Further, we join the voices of people calling for his immediate resignation.

We believe as an organization that due process should be followed, however, in the interim, we call on the San Diego Democratic Party to pursue an expedited process to strip Nathan Fletcher of all rights, privileges and titles held within the San Diego Democratic Party. 

We believe that these steps are essential to preserve the integrity of our Democratic Party, demonstrate support for the plaintiff in the lawsuit while still acknowledging the necessity of due process, and continue the progress made for San Diegans by the County Board of Supervisors.

Democratic Woman’s Club of San Diego County

Cathie Hyatt, President

Dr. Andrea Cubitt, Vice President, Internal

Dr. Tiffany Boyd-Hodgson, Vice President, External 

Hannah Green, Secretary

Beatrice Cubitt, Treasurer

Ann Crosbie, Director of Communications

Angela de Joseph, Media Director

Alyce Pipkin-Allen, Director of Community Relations

Patricia Wojdowski, Director of Membership