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We, the Executive Board of the Columbia University Democrats, stand in solidarity with our peers (including former Lead Activist Mike Glendinning) who are occupying Low Library. Columbia Divest for Climate Justice is on the right side of history. The crisis of climate change that our world faces demands meaningful action from Columbia University in the City of New York - an intellectual center that has long acknowledged the dangers posed by climate change, but has not fully acted upon that knowledge. Our investments should reflect our research and our values.
Moreover, as students at a university with a proud tradition of free speech, civil disobedience, and political action, we are troubled by recent threats made against the protesters. If the administration chooses to suspend, expel, or take legal action against them, they will have our continued support. As we return to New York from our advocacy trip in Washington, D.C., we hope we are coming back to a campus that has decided to make the world better than it was yesterday. Our planet depends on it. Signed, The Board of the Columbia University College Democrats #InSolidarityWithCDCJ #TimesUpCU ### The above statement was voted on, and supported by, a majority of the current Executive Board in accordance with the procedures set forth in our Constitution. For questions, comments, or concerns, please contact dems@columbia.edu The Columbia University Democrats have endorsed 1U Party for CCSC Executive Board, SEAS++ for ESC Executive Board, Josh Schenk for University Senate, and Jay Rappaport for University Senate. We thank all of the candidates for making the time to meet with our board and wish them the best of luck in their elections!
Signed, The Columbia University College Democrats http://bit.ly/1MMWioW ### The above endorsements were voted on, and supported by, a majority of the current Executive Board in accordance with the procedures set forth in our Constitution. For questions, comments, or concerns, please contact dems@columbia.edu A copy of this was sent to our mailing list! Want to stay up-to-date with information like this? Subscribe to our mailing list.
To find the application to apply, or for any questions or concerns, please send the outgoing Lead Activists an email at leadelections2015@gmail.com. -- Dearest Dems, It's time to elect NEW LEAD ACTIVISTS!!!!!! As sad as we (Mike and Annika) are, our term is over :'( But, this could be YOUR chance to join the CU Dems Board and have one of the most fun, fulfilling experiences that you'll ever have at Columbia! Find the application HERE - due by November 29th at 11:59 pm!!! We will be hosting a circle at GBM tomorrow (Lerner Satow at 9 pm) to answer your questions about being a Lead. If you think you might be interested in running, we strongly encourage you to come! If you can't make it, you can email us at leadelections2015@gmail.com. Here are some quick answers to initial questions. Scroll to the bottom for info on how to run! Liberal Love, The (almost no-longer) Leads, Mike Glendinning and Annika Freudenberger P.S. Even if you are not running for Lead, you can still vote for them! Come to elections at GBM on December 2nd! LEAD ACTIVIST FAQ Q: What is a "Lead Activist"? A: A Lead Activist is a member of the CU Dems Board who, along with three other Leads, plans the fall Campaign Trip and the spring Lobby Trip. Leads are also regular Board members, which means they plan Dems events, weekly body meetings, and more! Q: What is the time commitment? A: Here is a breakdown of the major commitments: - attend weekly Board meetings (Sundays, 5-6pm) - attend weekly General Body Meetings (Wednesdays, 9-10pm) - meet approximately once a week with the other Leads, more frequently leading up to the trips - work on tasks on your own time that may involve planning Dems events, reaching out to other groups, attending co-sponsored events, and (your biggest responsibility) planning the trips! You must be able to serve as a Lead from December 2015 to December 2016 (one year commitment). Q: What qualifications do I need to be a Lead? A: Anyone and everyone is welcome to run! As long as you are not planning on studying abroad/disappearing over the next two semesters, you are welcome to run. We are just looking for members who are/will be committed to CU Dems and who will do a great job planning the trips :) It is much more important to work well on a team and to be a great organizer than it is to be super informed politically. Q: Why are Leads being elected now? A: There are 4 Lead Activists in Dems. 2 are elected with the rest of the Board in May, but 2 are elected in December. All Board members -- including the Leads elected in December -- serve for a full year term. Q: How do I become a Lead? A: 1) Nov. 18th: Attend Mike and Annika's circle at GBM about being a Lead if you can! (It will be super fun! And short). 2) Nov. 29th, 11:59pm: By this date, fill out the app. Email it to leadelections2015@gmail.com. 3) Prepare a short (3-5 min) speech. 4) Dec. 2nd: Give your speech and get elected (!!!) at our GBM meeting! The Columbia University Democrats support Columbia Divest for Climate Justice's campaign to divest Columbia University in the City of New York's endowment from the top 200 publicly traded fossil fuel companies, as ranked by the potential carbon emissions content of their reported reserves.
We urge Columbia to acknowledge the political power of divestment and stand up for climate justice, remembering that those who are most affected by climate change are those who did the least to cause it. Columbia is not only a leader in the study of climate science, but an institution known and respected throughout the world as a major center of research and forward thinking. Columbia, when confronted with the global divestment movement, is clearly implicated in this debate. By investing in, and profiting from, the fossil fuel industry, Columbia’s administration hinders urgently required political action. Fossil fuel investment at Columbia immorally contributes to governmental inefficacy in responding to climate justice concerns of underrepresented frontline communities. It demonstrates a disregard for the clear consensus of students, faculty, and alumni. The Columbia Dems endorse divestment as a means of calling upon both our university and our peers to recognize the urgency of climate change, and avoid the patterns of complacency that currently plague climate politics. The social license of the extraction industry must be revoked. And we must do this as soon as possible, on all fronts. Signed, The Columbia University College Democrats Executive Board #divestnow ### The above statement was voted on, and supported by, the current Executive Board in accordance with the procedures set forth in our Constitution. For questions, comments, or concerns, please contact: dems@columbia.edu. To all of the students of color at Mizzou, we, student allies at Columbia University and Barnard College, stand with you in solidarity. To those who would harm them or threaten their sense of safety, we are watching.
#ConcernedStudent1950 #InSolidarityWithMizzou #InSolidarityWithYale ### The above statement was voted on, and supported by, the current Executive Board in accordance with the procedures set forth in our Constitution. For questions, comments, or concerns, please contact: dems@columbia.edu. In honor of Indigenous People's Day, we, the Columbia University Democrats, stand with the Native American Council, and ask Columbia University in the City of New York to fund a plaque on the Morningside Heights campus acknowledging the Lenni Lenape people, the first inhabitants of this land.
This campus has many statues, monuments, and plaques celebrating a colonial heritage and legacy but neglects to mention the original inhabitants of the land on which it was built. In light of this history and in keeping with the University’s commitment to advance knowledge, we believe our university has a responsibility to acknowledge the Lenni Lenape people. Signed, The Columbia University College Democrats Executive Board #recognizetheLenape ### The above statement was voted on, and supported by, the current Executive Board in accordance with the procedures set forth in our Constitution. For questions, comments, or concerns, please contact: dems@columbia.edu. Today, in a historic ruling, the Supreme Court affirmed the right of every American to marry the person they love, regardless of their gender or sexual orientation.
This ruling means that couples can now get married in all 50 states and that no matter where they go in this great nation, their right to marry, and to be recognized as married, cannot be denied or infringed upon. It means that partners and wives and husbands can visit their loved ones in the hospital when they are sick. It means they can access the same tax benefits afforded to other married couples in their state. It means they can breathe easy knowing that as they pursue their happiness, their rights are equally protected under the law. Generations of Americans have worked tirelessly - lobbying behind the scenes, marching in our cities, demanding legal protection, and dedicating countless hours of activism - to fight this battle. Today, the Supreme Court was on the right side of history, joining those Americans who have been all along. We have all gained something from today's historic ruling. We can now come together to celebrate all peoples' marriages, families and futures. There is still a lot of work to be done. Homophobia still rages across the country. An estimated 400,000 gay and transgender youth face homelessness every year. The average life expectancy for a black trans woman in our country is only 35 years. But today was an incredibly important day for this struggle, and that should be celebrated. Truly, The Columbia University College Democrats Executive Board ### The above statement was voted on, and supported by, the current Executive Board in accordance with the procedures set forth in our Constitution. For questions, comments, or concerns, please contact: dems@columbia.edu. On June 17th, a small group met for a Bible study at the Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina. A stranger attended the meeting for about an hour before he opened fire into the group.
Emanuel AME is one of the oldest black churches in America. Today we recall one of Emanuel AME’s founders, Denmark Vesey, who was a former slave and who worked to organize a slave revolt in antebellum South Carolina. He was executed by the state government in 1822. This week’s tragedy is a reminder of how often we have allowed history to repeat itself. In the face of racial terrorism, black churches, towns, and people have suffered—from the Civil War, to Birmingham in 1963, until today. When we ignore that the color of one’s skin in this country determines their value and safety, we allow history to repeat itself, and inequality prevails. When we blame it on causes besides systematic racism, we allow history to repeat itself, and injustice prevails. Racial prejudice runs deep in our society and manifests in so many ways. Until we truly work to eliminate the weight of racism in our nation, horrors like the one suffered by the innocent congregation of Emanuel AME will continue. The Columbia University Democrats are deeply saddened by the heartbreaking attack that occurred, and we wish to extend our condolences to the loved ones and community of those who were lost. Rest in Power Rev. Clementa Pinckney Cynthia Hurd Rev. Sharonda Coleman-Singleton Tywanza Sanders Ethel Lance Susie Jackson Depayne Middleton Doctor, Rev. Daniel Simmons Myra Thompson. Signed, The Columbia University College Democrats Executive Board ### The above statement was voted on, and supported by, the current Executive Board in accordance with the procedures set forth in our Constitution. For questions, comments, or concerns, please contact: dems@columbia.edu. Please give a warm welcome to our newly elected Executive Board.
President Kristen Gonzalez Vice President Isabel Rothberg Lead Activists Allison Emmet and Adjua Kai Jones (joining Mike Glendinning and Annika Freudenberger) Media Director AIexander Tin Treasurer Dan Burkhardt Secretary Partha Sharma Membership Director Joelle Boxer Event Coordinator Shoshana Lauter Thank you also to our amazing Council of Elders for running a smooth election and transition: Austin Heyroth, Sejal Singh, Samantha Gilbert, and Brooke Burrows. We wish you all the best in your amazing future endeavors! Congratulations to our newly elected calendar-year Lead Activists, Mike Glendinning and Annika Freudenberger! Mike is a sophomore in Columbia College, and Annika is a first year in Barnard College. We can't wait to have them on board!
 Columbia University College Democrats Spring 2015 Executive Board |
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