THE BIG NEWS? ANNUAL CONVENTION - FEB. 9-10, 2018
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It was great to see Doug Jones win the Alabama senate seat on Tuesday night. It was a moment of sanity as well as a big shot of hope for Democrats in the midterms. Given what has happened in Virginia and Alabama, we should be fired up and ready to go to work for Texas Democrats.
We can turn Texas blue. As has been said over and over, Texas is not a red state; it is a non-voting state. Every one of us needs to work on voter registration and getting out the vote. There are Democrats in even the reddest areas, and we need to identify them and get them to the polls. They need to understand that their votes are important, especially in state wide races.
I know that many of the candidates are facing primary challengers before the general election. What each one of us needs to do is research the candidates in our area and make sure that we are voting for the best one. Alabama showed that a primary can have severe consequences. Had the Trump base not selected a crazy pedophile as the Republican candidate, it is unclear whether a great ground game and stronger support would have put a Democrat in that seat.
But after the primary, we need to energetically and enthusiastically support the Democratic candidate, even if that person was not our first choice. The right wing is systematically dismantling programs that truly make America great. Paul Ryan is coming for Medicare and Social Security next year. The Texas legislature will undoubtedly attack abortion, healthcare and education. Unless you are happy with the status quo, staying home is not an option.
We are inviting candidates to join us at the TDW 2018 convention and to introduce themselves to you. Please come and take advantage of this opportunity to see candidates in person and share ideas of how we can work together to make Texas blue. I look forward to seeing you in Austin in February 2018!
Your President,
Carol Jablonski
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TDW Executive Board
President:
Carol Jablonski - North Dallas
President-Elect
: Cindy James -Tarrant
Vice President:
Barbara Gardner - Harris Metro
Secretary:
Mary Ho - Bell
Treasurer:
Susan Barrick - Lubbock
Board Member:
Maria Regalado - Hidalgo
Board Member:
Doris Perkins - Nacogdoches
Board Member:
Sharon Davis - Anderson
Immd. Past President:
Susan Shelton -Travis
Parliamentarian:
Terry Meza - North Dallas
TDW Board of Advisors
Jeanie Stanley, Ph.D
Mae J. Jackson, Ph.D*
Jo Ann Jenkins
Karen Matkin
Cristy Keul
Molly Beth Malcolm, Ed.D
Nettie Ruth Bratton
Sharon Teal
Roberta McMurtry Hicks*
Betty Richie
Kellie Bailey
Alieca Hux
Marcia Mainord
Gloria Caceres
Susie Blackmon
Joanna Reagan
Rosie Mimms
Donna Beth McCormick
Tammie Hartgroves
Laura Allen
*indicates deceased
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2018 TDW CONVENTION – FEBRUARY 9-11
REGISTER ONLINE NOW!
Go to
TDW.org/Events/2018 Convention to register for TDW's Annual Convention. You will find instructions and links with exactly what you need to do to register for the convention.
Sara Weddington, who argued
Roe v. Wade in 1972, will speak at the
Gala Awards Dinner on Saturday evening, Feb. 10th. You can't miss this presentation!
Friday night will be fun. A comedienne will present a button-busting comedy show at the hotel. Also, we hope to have Rep. Donna Howard speak afterwards, still to be decided.
The location is TDW's traditional
Wyndham Garden Hotel, 3401 South I-35, Austin, TX 78741. You must
contact the hotel directly to reserve a room, or you may reserve your room online at
www.WyndhamAustin.com. (You cannot reserve a room on Act Blue.) TDW obtained a discount for
early
registrants, less than last year's room price: Double $105, King $105, Executive King $115, and Casita $125. Enter
02066702TE 001 in the group code field for the discounted rate. For more information, call the hotel at 800/996-3426.
The last date to register for a room at the discounted TDW rate is
January 18, 2018
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PROPOSED BYLAWS CHANGES
Please be aware that the Bylaws Committee and several persons are proposing changes to the TDW Bylaws, which will be presented at the business meeting at the convention. A separate eblast will go out soon with the details, so that you will be prepared to vote on the proposed changes at the convention.
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Candidates for TDW Board
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The following have filed applications to become members of the TDW Executive Board. You also can be nominated and run for election at the convention, done from the floor during the election.*
President: Cindy James, Tarrant County
President-Elect: Maria Regalado, Rio Grande Valley
Vice President/Communications: Susan Barrick, South Plains
Secretary: Mary Ho, Bell County
Treasurer: Kenna Giffin, Rio Grande Valley
Lenna Webb, North Dallas
At-Large: (Vote for 3)
Frank Carlson, Bell
Linda Cryer, Harris Metro
Bobbi Clavon, North Dallas
Sharon Davis, Anderson
Barbara Gardner, Harris Metro
Jessica Hollidai, South Plains
Swati Joshi, North Dallas
Angela Martinez, South Plains
Bunnie Sams, Highland Lakes
Glenda Turner, Coastal Bend
Immediate Past President: Carol Jablonski, North Dallas
* President and Immediate Past-President are not open races.
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TDW is offering each local chapter its own separate website, at no cost to your chapter. See the new State TDW website -
www.TDW.org. A workshop will be presented at the convention to show you how easy you can create and maintain your own chapter website.
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WOMEN ACROSS THE NATION ARE LINING UP TO RUN FOR OFFICE!
Women were
angered by Trump’s election and energized by the Women’s Marches nationwide the day after his inauguration. They are now even more driven to get involved after the flood of sexual harassment allegations against powerful men, according to a
NY Times article
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TDW will be right there to help women in Texas to win elections in November 2018 and beyond. Isn't it great?! The deciding factor will be -- GETTING OUT THE VOTE!
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Below are articles from local chapters telling about what's happening in their "neck of the woods."
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Parker County
We are a small, but dedicated, group of liberal women in rural Texas who share a vision of hope, equality, and social justice. Our chapter is working to increase membership through community events, social media, and house parties.
We recently launched a new Facebook page, opened an ActBlue account, and designed our first club T-shirts. We adopted a
wildflowers theme to represent the courage, beauty, and determination of Texas Democratic Women. At two of our events, we gave away wildflower seed balls, inviting guests to “Sow Seeds” of kindness and compassion in our community.
Our fundraising events included a Pink Hat Luncheon, Meet “S’more” Democrats Campfire Party, and Wine is Divine night of crafting. This month we are hosting a Holiday Party and Raffle, encouraging members to bring “One Dish, One Gift, One Friend.”
Through voter registration, outreach, and fundraising events to support our College Scholarship Fund, we are “Sowing Seeds” of positive change in Parker County. Our new club T-shirt says it best:
“They tried to bury us. They didn’t know we were seeds.”
TDW's note: If we have more chapters like Parker County TDW, this State would be dark blue!
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Hill Country TDW
Human trafficking is not a typical Christmas season topic, but concerns about women and children are always in season for the Hill Country Chapter of TDW. Our December luncheon speaker, Marguerite "Meg" Scott-Johnson, has served as the Human Trafficking Issue Chair for the League of Women Voters ("LWV")--Texas in the last two sessions of the Texas Legislature.
According to the LWV, human trafficking is a modern form of slavery that includes both sex trafficking and forced labor trafficking. Texas is second in the United States for incidents of human trafficking, with Houston sharing the spotlight and Atlanta, GA having the highest reported cases of child sex trafficking. The LWV had three legislative victories in the 85th Texas Legislature to reduce sex trafficking.
The Hill Country TDW also contributed to Polaris, a nonprofit agency that operates the National Human Trafficking Hotline 24 hours a day, 7 days of every week in more than 200 languages.
Our group chose to bring gifts of large size bras and panties, along with diapers, for the Hill Country Crisis Council, an agency in Kerrville that provides housing, counseling and legal advocacy for women and children who are victims of domestic violence in Kerr and surrounding counties.
TDW members, sex trafficking is real - we must stop it!
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Nacogdoches County TDW
Nacogdoches County TDW recently participated in the Stephen F Austin State University Home Coming Parade and entered the contest that was downtown Nacogdoches, Texas. Pictured L to R Norma Butler, Doris Perkins, Gwendolyn Barrett, Gladys Roberts and Joyce Whitaker.
Nacogdoches County TDW held their membership drive at Clear Springs Restaurant. The Chapter welcomed three new members, Liz Barkowsky, Sandra Tolbert and Sheila Richard. Pictured L to R Sheila Richard, Doris Perkins, Sandra Tolbert, Loyce Baxter, Norma Butler and Gladys Roberts. The new members received a TDW bumper sticker, and a TDW button.
The Texas Democratic Women of Nacogdoches County recognized and honor several United States Armed Forces who served our Country on Veterans Day. The Chapter presented a candy jar of Hersey Chocolate kisses, appreciation and thank you from our chapter president Norma Butler along with other members.
The Chapter also participated in a downtown parade, along with Congressional Candidate Brent Beal.
Way to go, Nacogdoches County TDW. You are busy, busy! That makes good things happen.
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