Dear Young Democrat,

It has been a little over one week and a half since the close of the final session of the 2023 Young Democrats of America (YDA) National Convention. Once again, we want to thank all the fantastic organizers from the YDA Programming Collective and the Nevada Young Democrats,  along with all those who were able to participate.

That being said, we are sending this email as a welcome message and a general update on where we are in the early stages of the new administration as we look to make there continuous success for Young Democrats in 2023 and 2024.

• President: Quentin Wathum-Ocama of Minnesota
• Executive Vice President: Dyna Kristine Martinez of Indiana
• Secretary: Lezlie Braxton Campbell of Massachusetts
• Treasurer: Isabel Dobbel of Illinois
• Eastern Region Vice President: Gabriela Koc of Connecticut
• Midwestern Region Vice President: Spencer Dirrig of Ohio
• Southern Region Vice President: Hannah Perkins of Georgia
• Western Region Vice President: Kati Durkin of Idaho

These newly elected officers are joined by:

• Democratic National Committee Representative:  Dunixi Guereca of Nebraska
• Democratic National Committee Representative: Stephanie Campanha Wheaton of New York
• Chair of the Association of Chartered Unit Presidents:  Jovan C. Richards of New York

And while it is great to know our names, roles, and where we are from, we also want you to know a little more about who we are, our lived experiences, and why we’re in this fight with you. We encourage you to take some time and learn more about us at yda.org/current-officers.

National and Regional Appointments

In December 2022, YDA passed new governing documents that created a more streamlined and sustainable organization. Those rule changes also empowered the President and the Executive Committee to develop roles and positions that will help meet the overall needs of YDA. Over the next few weeks, the Executive Committee will work to establish a list of newly created appointed positions that meet YDA’s unique goals and needs while also creating a system of accountability to determine what is working and what is not. As we work to implement and develop this new system, we expect that information about position duties, applications, timelines, and accountability metrics for national and regional appointments will be forthcoming in the coming days and weeks via email and social media.

Future Communication Updates

As the transition from one administration to the next continues, we hope to continue to provide our wider membership with updates on progress and additional engagement opportunities. We are also in the process of accessing some digital tools and resources that will keep our members up to date on important happenings within YDA and allow for our National Committee Members to have the necessary information to be effective and impactful advocates. We look forward to providing you with more information and details in our next update.

Closing Message

As we all gear up for some major elections and battles in 2023 and 2024, we must also make sure that we, as Young Democrats, have the tools that can help us meet the obstacles to change and progress at every level of power. As our new Executive Committee works through the transition process over the next several weeks, we ask for a little patience and grace as we begin the long process of being ready for all that lies ahead.

In Partnership,

Quentin Wathum-Ocama
President
Young Democrats of America
(he/him/his)
www.yda.org

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