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News

15 Phenomenal Women Leaders in San Diego County

Mayor of Lemon Grove, Racquel Vasquez was the very first endorsement by the nascent Democratic Woman’s Club of San Diego County…

Racquel Vasquez

Thank you San Diego Union-Tribune and the Women’s Museum of California for naming me one of 15 Phenomenal Women Leaders in San Diego County.

I dedicate this recognition to city staff and volunteers who share my passion for public service and work hard to improve the City of Lemon Grove. #WomenLead#Share#SpreadTheWord#LemonGrove

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Events News

Notes from July Meeting – Listening to Powerful Women

““Do not get lost in a sea of despair. Be hopeful, be optimistic. Our struggle is not the struggle of a day, a week, a month, or a year, it is the struggle of a lifetime. Never, ever be afraid to make some noise and get in good trouble, necessary trouble.”

John Lewis, 1940-2020


Zoom Meeting. Monday, July 20 available on our  YouTube channel.

Meeting was called to order at 6:30PM by Susan Peinado, President.

Agenda approved (M: Esther Sanchez)

  • Welcome and thank you
  • Reading of letter to Senator Atkins and Assemblymember Dr. Weber regarding Federal use of force against peaceful protesters. Motion to support (Shari Mackin) tabled to allow time to credential members.

Program

Senator Toni Atkins

Doug Case introduced Club Member Senate President pro Tempore, Senator Toni G. Atkins

  • COVID 19, legislation, and budget updates
  • Q & A



Dr Shirley Weber

Club Member California State Assemblymember Dr. Shirley N. Weber.

  • ACA5
  • Additional updates
  • Ellen Nash presents Federal force letter and requests her support.
  • Q & A
  • The passing of John Lewis

Dr Rebecca Fielding-Miller

Club Vice President Dr. Rebecca Fielding Miller

  • COVID 19 update & rant
  • Q & A

Endorsement Update

Endorsement Committee Chair Yvonne Elkin updated the club on our next Endorsement meeting Sunday, August 16, 11AM to 2PM.  These meetings will be limited to members only. ONLY members who can vote will be mailed ballots and links to the meeting.

We will attempt to endorse in the following races:
Chula Vista Elementary School Board Area 4

  • Kate Bishop
  • Laurie Humphrey

Oceanside Mayor

  • Rob Howard
  • Ruben Major
  • Esther Sanchez

Oceanside City Council District 3

  • Bill Batchelor
  • Amber Newman
  • Shari Mackin

Oceanside City Council District 4

  • Michelle Gomez
  • Jane Marshall

National City City Council

  • Marcus Bush
  • Jerry Cano
  • Gonzalo Quintero
  • Jose Rodriguez
  • Ditas Yamane

Vallecitos Water Board Division 5

  • Tiffany Boyd-Hodgson
  • Matt Corrales

Ellen Nash and Alyce Pipkin-Allen

Commissioner Ellen Nash
CDP E-Board Member AD79 Alyce Pipkin-Allen
  • Update on Resolution to Demand San Diego Democrats Refuse Donations from Law Enforcement Unions, seeking DWC-SD support
  • Unanimously endorsed by San Diego County Democratic Party
  • Candidates are in the process of donating the money they received from law enforcement to local organizations

Consideration of letter to Senator Atkins and Assemblymember Dr. Weber regarding Federal use of force against peaceful protesters

Motion to suspend noticing requirement as permited in the bylaws to allow vote on supporting the letter (Yvonne Elkin) passes.

Motion to support letter (Shari Mackin) passes.


Rosamond Blevins gave the Treasurer’s Report on bank balance and recap of donations.


Candidates

  • Shari Mackin, candidate for Oceanside City Council District 3
  • Samm Hurst, candidate for Santee City Council District 4
  • Sarah Davis, candidate for State Assembly District 78
  • Tiffany Boyd-Hodgson, candidate for Vallecitos Water Board District 5
  • Jack Shu, candidate for La Mesa City Council
  • Esther Sanchez, candidate for Mayor of Oceanside
  • Tim Nader, candidate for Superior Court Judge
  • Dr. LaWana Richmond, candidate for SD Unified School Board District E
  • Rob Howard, candidate for Mayor of Oceanside
  • Nadia Kean-Ayub representing Tiffany Gonzalez, candidate for Sweetwater Planning Board
  • Kate Bishop, candidate for Chula Vista Elementary School Board
  • Joe LaCava, candidate for San Diego City Council District 1 (had to leave before announcements at the end of the meeting)

Announcements

  • Michelle Krugg – Propositions 15, 16, 17, and 18
  • Shane Parmely – Resolution to remedy the discrimination of unsheltered during COVID
  • Kate Bishop – SD Progressive Democratic Club South Chapter Progressives Special Panel: Trans+ Allyship and Activism, July 27 at 6PM
  • Oceanside Mayor filing deadline extended to August 12

From the Chat

Meeting adjourned 8:48PM

Dance Party – Keb’Mo and Roseanne Cash- Put a Woman in Charge

Next meeting – Endorsement Meeting, Sunday, August 16, 2020

Next regular meeting – Monday, August 17, 2020


Notes by Cathie Hyatt, Secretary

Categories
Events News

July 20 – Monthly Meeting – Listening to Powerful Women

“If you’re not hopeful and optimistic, then you just give up. You have to take the long hard look and just believe that if you’re consistent, you will succeed.”

Although we have lost John Lewis in body, we have not lost his wisdom.

It’s important to keep that long hard look as we head into the November election, to stay hopeful and optimistic, that we will succeed in wresting our country and ourselves from destruction. It’s too important this time to sit back and watch politics. It’s not entertainment – not a sports team where you pick sides. We need all hands on deck. Pick something that you can do and be consistent.

And while we are doing that, let’s continue to find ways, as John Lewis admonished us, to get in the way, “…to get in trouble… good trouble, necessary trouble.”


Meeting virtually by Zoom.

When: Monday, July 20: Meeting starts at 6:30 PM but please start checking in at 6:00 PM, to help us get the meeting started on time.

Where: Zoom registration is required – if you’re a clubmember or participant click here to register ahead of time. All of the details on how to join will be provided – including dial-in details from a landline.

Our meetings are available live on our  YouTube channel. Someone will monitor the chat to text into the meeting relevant questions or comments that may be asked there. 


Featured Speakers

Senator Toni Atkins

Speaking to us Monday night will be Club Member Senator Toni G. Atkins, from Senate District 39, the 51st and current President pro Tempore of the California State Senate, updating us on important information about state level Covid-19 efforts.

Toni G. Atkins was born and raised in southwestern Virginia, the daughter of a miner and a seamstress, and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in political science from Emory & Henry College in Emory, VA. In 1985, she moved across the country to San Diego, California.

Atkins served as an aide to San Diego City Councilmember and LGBT trailblazer Christine Kehoe, and, in 2000, was elected to replace Kehoe as the council’s District 3 representative.

Elected by voters to the state Assembly in 2010, Atkins served there for six years. In 2014, her colleagues selected her to be the Speaker of the Assembly – she became the first San Diegan and the first lesbian to hold the position. In 2016, Atkins was elected to represent the 39th District in the state Senate. In January 2018, after just one year in the Senate, she was elected by her colleagues to be the next Senate President pro Tempore. In March 2018, she was sworn in, becoming the first woman and the first openly LGBTQ person to lead the Legislature’s upper house.

Throughout her career, Atkins has been a champion for affordable housing, the natural environment, healthcare, veterans, women, and the LGBTQ community. She lives in the South Park community of San Diego with her spouse, Jennifer, and their dog, Joey.

  • SB 902 – Allows local governments to voluntarily pass a zoning ordinance that is not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) for projects that allow up to 10 units, if they are located in a transit-rich area, jobs-rich area, or an urban infill site.
  • SB 995 – Expands the application of streamlining the CEQA process to smaller housing projects that include at least 15 percent affordable housing. It also would broaden application and utilization of the Master Environmental Impact Report (MEIR) process, which allows cities to do upfront planning that streamlines housing approvals on an individual project level.
  • SB 1085 – Enhances existing Density Bonus Law by increasing the number of incentives provided to developers in exchange for providing more affordable housing units. 
  • SB 1120 – Encourages small-scale neighborhood development by streamlining the process for a homeowner to create a duplex or subdivide an existing lot in all residential areas. Such applications would be required to meet a list of qualifications that ensure protection of local zoning and design standards, historic districts, environmental quality, and existing tenants vulnerable to displacement.
  • SB 1385 – Unlocks existing land zoned for office and retail use and allows housing to become an eligible use on those sites. It also would extend the state’s streamlined ministerial housing approval process to office and retail sites that have been vacant or underutilized for at least three years.
Dr Shirley Weber

Also speaking is Club Member California State Assemblymember Dr. Shirley N. Weber, elected from the 79th Assembly District, which includes the cities of Bonita, Chula Vista, La Mesa, Lemon Grove, National City and San Diego. She will discuss her Assembly Constitutional Amendment, ACA5, to let voters decide in November whether to reinstate affirmative action. Lawmakers approved a proposal Wednesday asking them to repeal the 25-year-old law that bans the consideration of race, sex, color, ethnicity or national origin in university admissions, public employment and contracting.

Born to sharecroppers of Hope, Arkansas, Shirley Weber has lived in California since the age of 3. She attended UCLA, where she received her BA, MA and PhD by the age of 26. Prior to receiving her doctorate, she became a professor at San Diego State University (SDSU) at the age of 23. Dr. Weber also taught at California State University at Los Angeles and Los Angeles City College before coming to San Diego State University.

Dr. Weber chairs the Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Public Safety. She also serves as a member of the Assembly Standing Committees on Education, Higher Education, Elections, Budget, and Banking and Finance.

Prior to being elected to the Assembly, she served as the mayor’s appointee and Chair on the Citizens’ Equal Opportunity Commission. Dr. Weber has also served on the Board of the NAACP, YWCA, YMCA Scholarship Committee, Battered Women Services, United Way, San Diego Consortium and Private Industry Council, and many more.

Assembly Member Weber has lived in the 79th Assembly District for over 30 years. Her children attended public school in the district and she was elected to the school board. As a board member, and subsequent board president, she became known for her advocacy for closing the achievement gap and a higher standard of excellence for all children.

Here is the list of Dr. Weber’s successful legislation from 2019-2020:
AB 392: Restricts the conditions under which law enforcement can use deadly force.

AB 498: Expands the veteran business license fee waiver to include veterans who provide services

AB 612: Addresses student hunger by increasing access to the CalFresh Restaurant Meals Program on community college campuses.

AB 701: Provides financial housing assistance to exonerated individuals upon release from prison.

AB 703: Waives tuition and certain fees for any exoneree who attends any California Community College, California State University and the University of California.

AB 942: Expands access to hot and prepared food choices for people who are homeless, disabled or elderly through a statewide expansion of the CalFresh Restaurant Meals Program.

AB 1240: Requires data from school districts to determine whether preparing a K-12 student for both college and career technical education gives them a better chance of success.

AB 1538: Clarifies that all consumers have the right to choose cash payment in lieu of repairing a damaged vehicle under an automobile insurance policy.

Dr Rebecca Fielding-Miller

Club Vice President Dr. Rebecca Fielding Miller, UCSD Assistant Adjunct Professor, Medicine, School of Health Sciences, an epidemiologist, who has been featured on NBC San Diego and Voice of San Diego, will address member concerns and questions on Covid related issues. More information on Dr Miller may be found here.


Endorsement Update

Endorsement Committee Chair Yvonne Elkin will update us on our next Endorsement meeting Sunday, August 16, 11AM to 2PM.  These meetings will be limited to members only. ONLY members who can vote will be mailed ballots and links to the meeting.

We will attempt to endorse in the following races:
Chula Vista Elementary School Board Area 4

  • Kate Bishop
  • Laurie Humphrey

Oceanside Mayor

  • Rob Howard
  • Ruben Major
  • Esther Sanchez

Oceanside City Council District 3

  • Bill Batchelor
  • Amber Newman
  • Shari Mackin

Oceanside City Council District 4

  • Michelle Gomez
  • Jane Marshall

National City City Council

  • Marcus Bush
  • Jerry Cano
  • Gonzalo Quintero
  • Jose Rodriguez
  • Ditas Yamane

Vallecitos Water Board Division 5

  • Tiffany Boyd-Hodgson
  • Matt Corrales

As always, if any member has questions or concerns, please feel free to call. We look forward to ‘seeing you’ on Monday July 20.

Susan Peinado, President
(619) 225-9236
president@dwc-sd.org

Categories
News

Notes from September 2019 Meeting – Endorsements

Democratic Woman’s Club of San Diego County
Monday, September 16, 2019, Monthly Meeting, Elijah’s Restaurant

Welcome members, guests, elected officials, and candidates.

  • President Susan Peinado opened the meeting at 6:30PM

Agenda

  • Approval of agenda (Motion: Gretchen Newsom).
  • Motion (Ruth Rollins) to amend agenda removing CA District 53 from endorsement consideration. Passed 47- 27.

Meeting turned over to Endorsement Committee

  • Chaired by Lucille Toniolo

CA Assembly District 77 – Brian Maienschein

  • Motion to endorse by acclamation (M: Ruth Rollins). Divided voice vote.
  • Motion to vote by paper ballets (M: Evlyn Andrade-Heymsfield). Passed. Endorsed.

CA Assembly District 78 – Sarah Davis, Micah Perlin, Chris Ward

  • No candidate received 60% of votes
  • Motion to rate Sarah Davis acceptable (M: Kate Bishop)
    • Amendment to motion to include Chris Ward as acceptable (M: Doug Case). Amendment passes
    • Amendment to add Micah Perlin as acceptable (M: Mahamed Abdulahi) Amendment fails
  • Amended motion passes rating both Sarah Davis and Chris Ward acceptable.

CA Assembly District 79 – Dr. Shirley Weber (friendly endorsement)

  • Motion to endorse by acclamation (M: Dave Myers) – Passed unanimously

Congressional District 51 – Aeiramique Glass Blake, Juan Vargas

  • Motion to endorse Aeiramique Glass Blake by acclamation (M: Katie Meyer) – passed unanimously

October Endorsement Calendar: Attempt to endorse in the following races: 

  • San Diego City Council D1 – Aaron Brennan, Joe LaCava, Will Moore, Harid Puentes, Louis Rodolico
  • San Diego Community College District D – Mary Graham (friendly incumbent)
  • San Diego City Council D7 – Raul Campillo, Wendy Wheatcroft, Sharon Larios, Monty McIntyre

Unanimous approval of October endorsement calendar 

The following business occurred between endorsements and during vote counts:

Officers’ Reports

President’s Report, Susan Peinado – 1619 Exhibit at the San Diego Women’s Museum Event, October 3, 6pm.

External Vice President, Ramla Sahid – Surveillance cameras update.

Internal Vice President, Dr. Becca Miller – Tacos and Beers Fundraiser, TBD.

Treasurer, Rosamond Blevins – Balance of account. Donation to Casa Cornelia.

Secretary, Cathie Hyatt – No report.

Communications Chair, John Loughlin – No report.

Social Committee Chair, Kate Bishop – DWC Theatre Night!  Dance Nation.

Announcement:

• Happy Birthday to CA Assemblywoman, Dr. Shirley Weber.
• Michelle Krug – CADEM Pre-endorsements: October 5.
• Angela De Joseph WOC Media Radio Show: Saturdays, 1pm, KNSJ 89.1FM

Candidates Remarks

  • Elizabeth Lavertu – Candidate for California State Assembly District 71
  • Michelle Gomez – Candidate for Oceanside City Council District 4
  • Sara Jacobs – Candidate for US Congress District 53

Meeting adjourned: 9:00pm 

Next regular meeting is 7pm, Monday, October 21, 2019, Elijah’s Restaurant.

Notes by Cathie Hyatt, Secretary

Categories
Events News

September 16 – Endorsements

New Meeting Start Time

We are moving the meeting time to start promptly at 6:30 PM.
Social time will be from 6:00PM to 6:30PM.

Because our agenda is completely full, we will not be able to give candidates (not on the agenda) time at the beginning of the meeting, as we usually do, to address our members but we may have time at the end of the meeting. We encourage candidates to come to the Social Time so that they may talk directly to club members before the meeting starts.

Endorsements
Chaired by Yvonne Elkin, Endorsement Committee Chair

We will attempt to endorse in the following races:

  • Congressional District 51 – Aeiramique Glass Blake, Juan Vargas
  • Congressional District 53 – Jose Caballero, Susan Davis, Joaquin Vazquez
  • Assembly District 77 – Brian Maienschein
  • Assembly District 79 – Dr. Shirley Weber (friendly endorsement)
  • Assembly District 78 – Sarah Davis, Micah Perlin, Chris Ward

Officer Reports

  • Vice Presidents, Ramla Sahid and Dr Becca Fielding-Miller 
  • Treasurer, Rosamond Blevins
  • Secretary, Cathy Hyatt
  • Social Committee Chair, Kate Bishop: Dem night at the Moxie Theater, Friday, September 13, 8PM. See “Dance Nation” with your friends at the Dem Woman’s Club. Kate is working on this production and has reserved a block of tickets for us at 30% ($23 instead of $35) off but they must be purchased by this Friday, September 6, for the night of Friday, September 13. Call the Moxie Box office 858-598-7620 and tell them you’re with the Democratic Woman’s Club. Please post on the Facebook site that you are coming. Hurry — when these 20 tickets are gone, they are gone!
  • President’s Report, Susan Peinado
    • Get your MOXIE tickets today!

Announcements

Raffle drawing


Location

We meet at Elijah’s Restaurant, 7061 Clairemont Mesa Blvd, San Diego, CA 92111

MTS routes 44 and 60.
If you need a ride home afterwards, contact us beforehand so we can arrange carpools.

Come early and socialize with club members and officers. Officers are there by 6PM and available to talk and answer questions.

Order dinner or a drink to sustain you, and the restaurant!

Categories
Events News

August 19 – Endorsements & Resolutions

New Meeting Start Time

We are moving the meeting time to start promptly at 6:30 PM.
Social time will be from 6:00PM to 6:30PM.

Because our agenda is completely full, we will not be able to give candidates (not on the agenda) time at the beginning of the meeting, as we usually do, to address our members. We encourage candidates to come to the Social Time so that they may talk directly to club members before the meeting starts.

The first order of business will be to address the following proposed Bylaw change:

Article VIII - Candidate Endorsements
For rules governing candidate endorsements refer to the Candidate Endorsement Policy.

Current Bylaws are available here. The proposed revisions are highlighted here.

Endorsements
Chaired by Yvonne Elkin, Endorsement Committee Chair

We will attempt to endorse in the following races:

  • San Diego County Board of Supervisors District 1
    • Rafael Castellanos
    • Ben Hueso (Jessica Hayes will be speaking for him)
    • Nora Vargas
    • Sophia Rodriguez
  • San Diego Community College Board District B (Friendly Incumbent) 
    • Bernie Rhinerson
  • San Diego Community College Board District D (Friendly Incumbent)  
    • Mary Graham
  • San Diego County Board of Supervisors District 2
    • Kenya Taylor
  • SD County Board of Supervisors District 3 
    • Olga Diaz
    • Terra Lawson-Remer            
    • Jeff Griffith has dropped out of this race        
  • Congressional District 52 (Friendly Incumbent)  
    • Scott Peters

Green New Deal Resolution for Dem Clubs

WHEREAS The UN Interdepartmental Panel on Climate Change has concluded that Human Caused Climate Change poses a clear and existential threat to humans and land and marine life forms and that energy, agricultural and transportation sectors must be fully decarbonized in 11 years to limit the global temperature rise to 1.5 deg C to avoid global catastrophic consequences; at the same time, the fossil fuel industry has known about and deliberately concealed information and misinformed the public about the science and impacts from the burning fossil fuels and have spent billions of dollars to fund climate denier campaigns and block policies that advance climate solutions; 

WHEREAS The US is experiencing an unprecedented level of economic inequality, inadequate employment, wages and benefits, threats to food and water safety, lack of healthcare and affordable housing and environmental damages — all of which impact low income, indigenous and communities of color more significantly, and there is an urgent need to transition to an economy that works for all; 

WHEREAS Only the proposed Green New Deal initiative proposes a fair and just transition to a green, sustainable and renewable energy economy at the scale of the crisis; creates and guarantees good paying jobs; requires that the transition be led by the people who are at maximum peril from these threats; and can achieve the rapid, fair, and ethical transition of the United States to a net zero greenhouse gas emitting economy;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Democratic Woman’s Club of San Diego County supports the Green New Deal resolution and the no Fossil Fuel Money Pledge, and calls on the San Diego Congressional delegation to: 1) cosponsor the Green New Deal Resolution; 2) sign the no Fossil Fuel money pledge and commit to refusing political contributions from the fossil fuel industry; and, 3) hold a town hall meeting in their district in San Diego County by the August 2019 recess to dialogue with constituents on climate change. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution be sent to the California US Senators and Congressional Representatives to take the actions identified.

“Clean Elections”: Differences from traditional reforms. Endorsement.

“Clean Elections” is the name supporters have given to some public financing efforts, used most prominently in Maine and Arizona. Some Clean Elections laws provide a government grant to candidates who agree to limit their spending and private fundraising.

Officer Reports

  • Vice Presidents, Ramla Sahid and Dr Becca Fielding-Miller 
  • Treasurer, Rosamond Blevins
  • Secretary, Cathy Hyatt
  • Social Committee Chair, Kate Bishop
  • President’s Report, Susan Peinado
    • The Women’s Museum of California will be celebrating Women’s Equality Day, in Balboa Park on August 26th. The public is invited to join in the celebration with the Museum’s annual Suffrage Parade and Rally, 4:00 PM on the lawn area across from the Organ Pavilion.

Announcements

Raffle drawing


Location

We meet at Elijah’s Restaurant, 7061 Clairemont Mesa Blvd, San Diego, CA 92111

MTS routes 44 and 60.
If you need a ride home afterwards, contact us beforehand so we can arrange carpools.

Come early and socialize with club members and officers. Officers are there by 6PM and available to talk and answer questions.

Order dinner or a drink to sustain you, and the restaurant!