Alex Morash – RI Future

May 15, 2013May 15, 2013

Young Dems host Northeast Regional Conference

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The Young Democrats of Rhode Island and I are proud to announce we are the host chapter for the Young Democrats of America’s Northeast Regional Conference, this Saturday at the Rhode Island Convention Center.

Our theme this year; Forward, is in honor of President Obama’s campaign slogan and the march our country must take! The Democratic Party and progressives saw many key victories in 2012 and we are moving forward to achieving victories in 2014 and keeping the White House in 2016! But the fight is far from over. We still face an uphill battle on achieving legislative victories at the national level and even in many states in the Northeast we are having difficulty passing a progressive agenda. Together we activists in the Northeast can use this conference to lay the groundwork for moving Forward on achieving victories in policy and at the ballot box.

Our two guest speakers are Mayor Angel Taveras and the President of the Young Democrats of America Rod Snyder.

Young activists are the life blood of change and the embodiment of hope and optimism. We need young people to be engaged in government! Which is why our conference will not be an all day rally, but a day of learning about what are the problems facing young people, and how we can organize and move our agenda Forward!

Throughout the day we will have a panel on the policy issues affecting young people, a grassroots organizing panel discussing how we can organize to elect great candidates and move them on the issues, and lastly we will have a panel of young elected officials sharing their experiences. These panelists include an amazing activist for women’s health Paula Hodges, the youngest mayor in the state James Diossa and the youngest person to serve as a party chair the Honorable Ed Pacheco. By the end of our conference you will know what the solutions are to many of our problems, how to organize to create change in your community and have met many young people who are making it happen!

But the Young Democrats are not all work and no play, we invite you to three wonderful after conference events Saturday and Sunday.

Saturday evening at 7pm at the Dark Lady in Providence we are having a cocktail party to honor the Young Democrats of Rhode Island’s Claiborne Pell Rising Star of the Year Jonathan Boucher. Mr. Boucher is receiving this award for all the hard work he has done for the Democratic Party and the Young Democrats know we will see him going places!

Sunday morning at 11am at Bravo we are having a brunch in honor of our Young Democrat of the Year Marisa O’Gara. Marisa is being honored for her outstanding service as a Young Democrat, and also for her amazing work at Rhode Islander’s United for Marriage. She is credited as being one of the most important activists fighting for marriage equality and we are proud to have her on YDRI’s board of directors.

Last but not least we are also having a casual event at the Stable. Since many of our guests are coming out of state and Stable is famous for its Sangria Sunday’s we are calling is a Sangria Sunday Sendoff! In honor of the history of the establishment and that the Young Democrats can celebrate that every state in the Northeast Region has marriage equality we will be asking guests at Stable to make a donation to Youth Pride Inc. While marriage equality has been accomplished, GLBT/Queer youth suicide is still an epidemic in our state and region. We must keep fighting for our young people!

If you would like to learn more about the convention please visit our Facebook Event.

May 6, 2013

Brown U Dems: unsung heroes of marriage equality

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Marriage equality has finally come to Rhode Island, the last state in New England to enact full equality for same sex couples! Many organizations took part in this effort, but one group deserves extra special recognition in my mind; young activists, especially the College Democrats of Brown University.

Young people overwhelming support equality for the GLBT/Queer community, and our organizations worked hard to bring our state equality. I know the work of young progressives was the main reason equality has come to Rhode Island. The Young Democrats of Rhode Island’s board of directors certainly put in countless hours door knocking, phone banking and calling our elected officials. However, our work pales in comparison to the College Democrats of Brown University and their parent group the College Democrats of Rhode Island. These college students quietly worked hundreds of hours contacting thousands of voters.

Throughout this entire fight this spring I would receive reports from people working on marriage equality about the hard work of the Brown College Democrats. Every week they organized phone banks with 40 to 50 volunteers and many weekends they were the canvassers knocking on doors. They did this for free and many of them were not fighting for their own right to marry, but they fought for what they new was right.

The Brown College Democrats are not looking to take a victory lap, but they deserve it. They have worked so hard and told so few people about all their great work. Their humility is refreshing in politics. This is not to say other groups did not work hard and helped us win this fight. Many great organizations in the coalition fought for our rights. Including such wonderful organizations as Ocean State Action, and the Progressive Democrats who both fought for equality and all the coalition members deserve praise, but the quiet heroes of this fight are a group of dedicated college students giving their time to help others.

The College Democrats of Brown University and the College Democrats of Rhode Island are a perfect example of the power of young voters to create change in our state and our country. Young people may not be the richest demographic, but we are not afraid to work hard to help others. The college democrats are proof! Without the work of this army of college students and young people, it is unlikely equality would have come to the Ocean State. Their work is important not just to praise but also for candidates and issue groups to take note of the power of young people. From marriage equality, to social justice and the occupy movement and Presidential elections, young people are making their voices heard and winning!

This fight was the largest grassroots army the state has seen in recent memory. It forced our elected leaders off the sidelines and got them to take the tough vote! Rhode Islanders can create the change we seek, and to raise our army of grassroots activists, it cannot be completed without tapping young people including the College Democrats of Rhode Island and the Young Democrats of Rhode Island!

The College Democrats of Brown University deserve praise and thanks from all of us, young and old, who want to live in a state free from discrimination and a place where all are treated equally under the law. As the President of the Young Democrats of Rhode Island and as a proud gay man, I thank the College Democrats for all your work on marriage equality!

March 20, 2013

A Civics Lesson For Ed. Commissioner Gist

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gist in eg — Education Commissioner Deborah Gist

Commissioner Gist does not appear to be someone I would recommend to teach high school civics. In fact, I believe she should go back to high school and retake the course. While there she can learn about the value of participating in our democracy, and meet many wonderful Providence students.

Our state education commissioner thought it useful to the public discussion on NECAP to tell community leaders who took the Providence Student Union’s mock NECAP that it is “deeply irresponsible on the part of the adults, especially those who are highly educated.” Eva Mancuso, chairwoman of the Board of Education, referred to the event as mere a “publicity stunt.”

As an educated adult who took the test and listened to the concerns of Providence students, I completely disagree. What could be more responsible on the part of elected officials, teachers, activists and community leaders than for us to sit down to learn about student concerns, and experience part of their classroom life by taking a mock NECAP? All in the effort to ponder questions on education policy.

More importantly, this was a student led effort. I am so happy that students are engaged in advocating for their own education and are participating in our democracy. This is something that is a great lesson for students, and Commissioner Gist would be wise to learn the lessons these students could teach her.

The first lesson could be on the importance of civic engagement. These young people are not afraid to join the public discussion and do not shy away from advocating for their fellow students. Something that is not seen in many other parts of America and is desperately needed. It is important that young people learn to be engaged in the democratic process. It can lead to life long engagement and participation. Commissioner Gist should be encouraging different viewpoints to join the discussion and have a civilized debate on the issues in the interest of creating good policy. It will also help instill democratic values in our students. Showing it is alright to disagree and can be respectful. Instead the commissioner has attacked the other side and attempts to make the other sides viewpoints appear unwarranted.

It is concerning when a commissioner of education tries to call elected officials and others irresponsible for listening to the concerns of students. When I sat in that room and listened to students they had valid complaints. They did not feel that the education they had received prepared them for this test.

These students also believe a person’s value can not be measured by a single test.

The idea one test can prevent someone from graduating high school has been controversial for years. I was part of the first year of high school students who had to pass MCAS (the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System), and I remember that debate. There is nothing unreasonable about students advocating to be judged on multiple factors, rather than just one test. Also these students don’t feel they are receiving the help they need to pass the test. This is a very important concern that Commissioner Gist needs to take seriously.

No one has more at state over education policy than the students themselves, I feel it is of the utmost importance that we listen to their concerns.

I hope Commissioner Gist will consider learning from these great students!

Alex Morash is the president of the Young Democrats of Rhode Island.