District 6 Democrats Newsletter	June 22, 2008

Welcome to the Newsletter for District 6 Democratic PC's and voters. This is a communication by and for the Democrats of District 6. If you have feedback about the Donkey Left

Donkey Left

newsletter, please let me know.

We will be sending out this newsletter in the weeks and months to come. Be sure to contact me with your thoughts or comments. Remember, you make the difference. Also, please visit the District 6 Democrats at our web site for more information about our meetings and events.

Please forward this to any Democrats in our neighborhood who might enjoy reading about our work.

Jack Yardley

Chair, LD 6

in this issue

:: "Civil Rights" Initiative Would Eliminate Affirmative Action

:: Local Obama Supporter Goes to Convention

:: July 3 Fireworks at Anthem

:: Poll Workers Needed

:: PC Profile- Harold Holmes

:: July Meeting

Initiative to Bar Affirmative Action in State Government Masquerades as Civil Rights Initiative

B.A.M.N. Fights Initiative: Asks for Local Support

Hoku Jeffrey and other representatives of B.A.M.N. spoke to District 6 Democrats on June 19 at the monthly meeting(see Dem web site).

Jeffrey is in town to organize against the initiative that would amend Arizona's constitution to bar consideration of gender or race in State decison making. Jeffrey says this same initiative has been passed in other states with the support of the KKK and Minutemen. The results have been disastrous to women and minorities in employment and state university admissions.

The initiative has been given the benign name of the Arizona Civil Rights Initiative. To see the full text of this proposed amendment go to the Secretary of State's web site.

The BAMN staffers and volunteers are intervening at the sites where petition circulators are collecting signatures and are informing potential signers that the initiative does not protect civil rights as the name implies. In many cases, petition circulators are misrepresenting the initiative to voters or are actually committing fraud. Circulators, who may carry petitions for several different initiatives, have been noted to fill in the voters actual signatures on several petitions after the voter signed the first petition. Also, it was discovered that homeless people were induced to sign the petitions in exchange for a soda and chips. Videos of some of BAMN's interventions can be seen on You Tube by searching "Stop ACRI".

BAMN asks that if petition circulators are seen in your neighborhood, call BAMN at (602)579-1370. BAMN will try to get volunteers to that site.

Rockwood PC Goes To Convention

Genevieve Vega Profiled On Obama Site

Genevieve Vega is new to Democratic politics and was drawn in by the message of Barack Obama. Genevieve has volunteered over the past year with the Obama campaign and has become an active PC in District 6 Rockwood Precinct. She was elected to be a delegate to the August DNC convention in August.

Recently Genevieve was honored by a personal profile on the Obama delegate web page.

Genevieve is holding a fundraiser on June 28 at 5pm to help defray her costs of being a delegate. For more information about the event contact Genevieve at genmalia@yahoo.com.

Democratic Candidates at Anthem Celebration

July 3 Event Features Fireworks and Democrats

Fireworks

District 6 Democrats and the North Valley Democratic Club will sponsor a table at the annual July 3 event at Anthem Community Park. Please drop by to enjoy the fireworks and meet the District 6 candidates. The park is located at Gavilan Peak Parkway and Anthem Way. For more info go to the Park's web site.

Democrats Needed to Work Polls

Support Elections and Get Paid

The Secretary of State's office has announced a statewide effort to recruit poll workers. It is anticipated that turnout at the polls will be great and the need to have workers on the job will be crucial to a smoothe election.

Any citizen over the age of 16 ( even a high school student) is eligible to serve as a poll worker. To find out more or to sign up go to the Secretary of State's web site.

Meet Harold Holmes

Harold Holmes

Harold is a retired member of our armed forces with tours of duty in South East Asia, Asia and Europe.

He lives with his wife, the former Carolyn Phillips and daughter Jessica in Moon Valley. His son Jason is attending college in Tucson. He has another daughter, Carmen Williams, by a previous marriage and she lives in Georgia with his grandson Cody.

Harold arrived in the Valley in 1974 where he served his final tour of duty, before retirement, at Williams Air Force Base in Chandler Arizona. He was very active in the community during his final tour of duty: He helped found the 1st Martin Luther King Memorial Day at the base; he is one of the founding members of the committee that spearheaded Black History Week and Cinco De Mayo activities at the base; he was instrumental in founding a summer youth programs for economically disadvantaged youths and he was a founding member of the Williams Air Force Base Gospel Choir. (He couldn't sing, but was permitted to travel with the choir because he was the president.)

Skipping forward, he continues to be very active within the community. Following the 2004 elections, he joined with several friends to start a political club, North Valley Voters Network. Today he is a Precinct Committee person in Legislative District 6 and serves as the District's 2nd Vice Chair as well as Maricopa County Democratic Party 2nd Vice Chair. He chairs the Candidate Recruitment and Development program and his committee developed and administered the very successful "Candidate Boot Camp. Because of his strong support of diversity participation within the Democratic Party, he along with several other African American party members founded the Arizona Democratic Party African American Caucus. Harold serves as the chair of the Caucus.

The mission of the Caucus is to increase the number of African Americans involved in Arizona's political process. The Caucus has been very successful in recruiting new members for the Party as well as inspiring veterans to reconnect with the Party. Member organizations have been formed in the following Counties: Pima, Pinal and Maricopa.
Despite his busy schedule and commitment to his family, he's yet willing to take on new challenges to make our community better: On Saturday, January 26, 2008, Harold was elected by his fellow Committee Members as the Vice Chair, Arizona Democratic Party.
He eagerly looks forward to the challenges of the new position.

Next District Meeting

July 17 Thursday - 7 PM @ Boulder Creek High School/North Regional Library

40410 North Gavilan Peak Parkway, Anthem

For directions, visit d6demsaz.com