Benton County Democratic Central Committee

You are invited to a unique opportunity to give your input to the League of Women Voters’ statewide redistricting map solutions. Please forward this invitation to your networks in SE Washington. This meeting is online and free for anyone to attend. 

When: Apr 20, 2021 06:00 PM Pacific Time (Online)

Register in advance for this meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0lfuCsrj0iHNEFXO8ITplM58PR2AXs3zE7
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

This listening session is a 1.5-hour meeting that gives the basics of the redistricting process in Washington State and then dives into the details of the legislative and congressional districting in South East Washington – the Walla Walla and Tri Cities areas specifically. We will present several options that reflect different solutions than the current maps and get feedback from participants who live in the area.  

Every 10 years, the voting boundary drawing process, called redistricting, determines the political representation of all our communities. The formation of congressional, legislative, and local districts is fundamental to the equity in our voting system. How and where district lines are drawn in 2021 will determine how strong a voice each voter has in elections through 2032.

Redistricting is where voting power starts. Get involved and make sure everyone is represented.
Also check out our Speak Up Schools at lwvwa.org/speakup and learn how to testify in front of the WA Redistricting Commission. 

 Please let me know if you have any questions. 

Sincerely, 
Alison 

Alison McCaffree
League of Women Voters of Washington 
Redistricting & Census Issue Chair
253-720-613
amccaffree@lwvwa.org

Horse Heaven Hills Wind Energy – April, 2021

• Event by Tri-City Democrats
• Friday at 6 PM PDT – 8 PM PDT
• Price: Free · Duration: 2 hr
• Location: Online

The Tri-City Democrats will host a panel on the wind energy project proposed for the Horse Heaven Hills South of the Tri-cities. Details are on our Meetup page: https://meetu.ps/e/JW7zr/kBv4M/d

Online Event

Saturday, March 27, 2021 at 10 AM PDT – 11 AM PDT

Duration: 1 hr

Learn what to expect when running for office from Justin Raffa and company.
Email: elections@bencodems.org for zoomlink

The next meeting of the Washington State Democratic Party (WSDP) Veterans and Military Families Caucus (VMFC) is 21MAR2021 at 1300 (March 21, 2021 at 1pm PST for those not accustomed to military date/time format). If you would like to attend, please message this Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/WA.VETS.CAUCUS/) and you can get the following emailed to you: draft Agenda, Bylaws, Code of Conduct, and Standing Rules.

Please make sure to register for the meeting with the link highlighted below. The information collected at registration is mostly information requested by the WSDP for our next annual report. Regarding dues, if you pledge to pay the $10 dues for this year once the VMFC has a means to pay dues electronically and/or meet in-person, or if you are unable to pay this amount due to financial hardship and therefore respond with “Hardship” to that questions, you are considered a Member in Good Standing of the VMFC. If you wish to only observe the meeting or be considered a prospective member, please feel free to respond “No” to that question.

A line item on the draft Agenda under the New Business section is for Resolutions. This item is only for Resolution that involve issues concerning Veterans and Military Families. If approved by the membership, they will be forwarded to the WSDP for the next Washington State Democratic Central Committee (WSDCC) meeting. Speaking of, the next VMFC Genera Membership meeting will be within one week of the WSDCC meeting, which is scheduled for 01MAY2021 and 02MAY2021. A Doodle Poll will go out soon regarding when VMFC members and prospective members are able to attend our next caucus meeting. Message this page to get added to our list and have the Doodle Poll sent to you.

If needed, there may be one more VMFC EBoard meeting before the next meeting of the body, but I doubt that will be the case (famous last words, I know).

Recap of schedule for upcoming meetings:

-21MAR2021 1300-1430 – VMFC General Membership meeting (Register here: https://zoom.us/…/tJ0ucuGrrjMuGtRhx4cTnnoTDE_cJ0Ap_a2l)

-Date and Time TBD (Prior to 01MAY2021) – VMFC EBoard meeting (if needed)

-01MAY2021 and 02MAY2021 – WSDCC meeting

-Date and Time TBD (Within one week before or after 01MAY2021) – VMFC General Membership meeting

If you know of anyone interested in joining the VMFC, please share this information with them.

• Online Event
• When Monday, April 19, 2021 at 6:30 PM PDT – 7:30 PM PDT
• Duration: 1 hr

Open House for Candidates and Campaign Volunteers to learn what to expect. Guests from the state level of the party to be in attendance to give guidance and answer questions.

Learn what to expect when running for office from Justin Raffa and company.
Email: elections@bencodems.org for zoomlink

December 6 Deadline Nears for Immigrant Relief Fund Applications

Our friends at the Tri-City Immigrant Coalition have created new resources for educating people about the Washington Immigrant Relief Fund. Washington state has created WIRF to step up for immigrants and ensure no one is forgotten. TCIC has created 3 videos in Spanish to help people apply for WIRF. It is just 2 weeks until the deadline to apply. TCIC wants to make sure that all qualifying immigrants know about the funds and successfully apply.

Where to Apply: www.immigrantreliefwa.org

Local Applicant Information and assistance email: tricitiesimmigrantcoalition@gmail.com (this is important because the Statewide Hotline is overwhelmed and people are not getting through for days)

Flyers:

English: https://tricitiesimmigrantcoalition.com/…/WIRF-FlyerV4…

Spanish: https://tricitiesimmigrantcoalition.com/…/WIRF-FlyerV4…

Videos:

Adriana Video How to document Washington Residency on your WIRF application in Spanish:

https://tricitiesimmigrantcoalition.com/…/Video….

Spanish 2 minute introduction video to Washington COVID-19 Immigrant Workers Relief Fund: https://tricitiesimmigrantcoalition.com/…/Introduction…. (use this to promote the WIRF with Spanish speaking individuals, groups and organizations)

Spanish Instructional Video

Calculating your income for WIRF application https://tricitiesimmigrantcoalition.com/…/Video-ingreso… (use this to assist applicants in filling out the applications)

Free Movie Showing: Bitter Medicine

When: Saturday, November 28, 2020 at 2:30 PM PST – 4:30 PM PST

Hosted by Whole Washington

Online Event https://actionnetwork.org/events/free-movie-showing-bitter-medicine?source=direct_link&

Whole Washington is honored and excited present two 30-minute films produced by the National Film Board of Canada.

Bitter Medicine – Part 1 documents the struggle to establish Medicare in Saskatchewan, the fierce resistance offered by the medical establishment, and the ultimate success in extending the program to all of Canada.

Bitter Medicine – Part 2 describes the system in 1982 – twenty years after its national adoption. Despite its popularity, Medicare struggled to survive continued erosion from the medical establishment and other players as they struggled for the power to control it.

While the events recounted in these films occurred 40 to 60 years ago, they show that the barriers to universal healthcare extant then were much the same then as those we encounter today. They present valuable lessons that we would do well to heed during our fight to establish this basic human right.

Once you RSVP a zoom link will be sent to your email.

Donation Suggestion: $10 https://secure.actblue.com/donate/whole-washington-1

Event Schedule:
2:30 pm – 3:00 pm Whole Washington Intro, Movie Intro, and Chat
3:00 pm – 4:00 pm Showing of Bitter Medicine part 1 & 2
4:00 pm – 4:30 pm Group Discussion and Call to Arms

Hosted by Tri-Cities Womxn’s March

Location: Volunteer Park

Time: Sunday, March 14, 2021 at 1 PM PDT – 3 PM PDT

Price: Free

Duration: 2 hr

Hello All!!  We are excited to present this year’s 5th Annual Tri-Cities Womxn’s March Event! Due to the winter weather, the march will be held the week following International Womxn’s Day on March 14th.

For accessibility and safety during the pandemic, we are organizing both an in-person and virtual event experience.

The in-person event will be held at 1pm leading up to a solidarity march at 2 in Volunteer Park in Pasco! Social distancing and masks will be required.

We will upload the happenings afterwards so that you may sit in the comfort and safety of your own home and enjoy the collaborative pieces we have to put together for your upliftment.

After listening to what’s on the hearts of our community, this year’s theme is Survival. We are here to meet womxn and femmes right where they’re at in the middle of this pandemic and embrace the collective intersections that we all walk through in our lived experiences as mothers, essential workers, the cornerstones of our families, and survivors of various forms of adversity.

For the sake of hope, empowerment, and support we have woven together community organizations that support the needs of womxn, real people just like you with amazing stories of resilience, activists, influencers, and more!

Check out our full digital program on the Womxn’s March page the day of the event for accessibility and safety.

Stay tuned for updates on:

– Speakers & Performers

– Self-Care Basket Give Aways
(containing permanent makeup treatments, spas and much more)

– Virtual sign making days (for in person event)

Join us to make a sign to carry in the march or show your support for the cause, and catch up with the team!

– Free Professional photo Op Pop Ups

For models taking pledges to challenge to create safer spaces in the Tricities

This is a safe space centered around Womxn of Color (WOC), trans womxn & nonbinary folx comfortable in womxn spaces.
So bring your listening ears and your BIG hearts

Children are welcome to attend, but be advised that some speakers may touch on complicated subject matter that may spark difficult conversations. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out.

Facebook Hashtags:

#TCWM21

#ChooseToChallenge

#internationalwomensday

#IWD2021

#womenshistorymonth

The Tri-Cities Hispanic Chamber of Commerce is partnering with Communities in Schools (CIS) of Benton-Franklin to raise money. We all recognize under the stress of the pandemic more students might be struggling with the basic needs to stay in school. The Chamber wants to support CIS to empower students to stay in school even during these trying times. Please consider contributing…thank you.