My fellow Young Democrats-

First off, Happy Pride Month to our LGBTQ+ community here in the YD’s and everywhere. We are proud to be in solidarity with you during this month of celebration. With the ongoing struggles for equality that LGBTQ+ people still endure today, we will continue to fight alongside you all until everyone can be accepted no matter who they are, who they love, or how they identify.

Secondly, we have our Democratic ticket for the upcoming election season this fall. Here in Arlington, we will have Terry McAuliffe for Governor, Hala Ayala for Lt. Governor, Mark Herring for Attorney General, Takis Karantonis for Arlington County Board, Mary Kadera for the Arlington County School Board, and, depending on where you live, Elizabeth Bennett-Parker for HD-45, Del. Patrick Hope for HD-47, Del. Rip Sullivan for HD-48, and Del. Alfonso Lopez for HD-49.

Now, we are a big tent party and while some candidates on the ticket may not have been everyone’s first choice, we have to remind ourselves that what unites us is far greater than what divides us. I will be open with you, not all of my candidates made it onto the ballot for the general election, but I will be supporting them come November. Just like last year in the presidential election, we cannot afford to go backwards. We have to elect Democrats in the fall and then we can continue our conversations on what we want to see done, because at the very least, the door will still be open to those talks. I hope you all will join me in congratulating our nominees and campaigning for our Democratic ticket here in Arlington and beyond this fall.

Onto another important issue:

Tomorrow is Juneteenth, which is a day celebrating the emancipation of African Americans who had been enslaved and marks the day that Union Troops arrived in Galveston, TX to read the Emancipation Proclamation signifying the last reading in a slaveholding state.

This week, Congress voted on making Juneteenth a federal holiday which is a great step. However, as many people know, there is still much more work to be done towards justice for all. We have to do much more than just performative acts in order to actually work towards equity and equality.

For instance, Virginia recently legalized cannabis here in small amounts in the commonwealth. However, myself and other advocates have stated that the revenue collected in taxes on cannabis by the Commonwealth of Virginia should be given back as reparations to Black communities that have been devastated by over policing and over incarceration for non-violent possession charges. This is a small step but one that is much needed to give back what was taken from these communities.

On the federal level, we can do a lot more. Our democracy is under attack in Republican held states. Here in Virginia, we have been fortunate enough to pass truly great legislation that will protect the right to vote and help our legislature actually represent the people. But we aren't finished with our work here in Virginia and we certainly have not been able to say the same with some of our fellow states in the South. And that is why we have to pass HR 1 or the For the People Act.

You've heard us talk about HR 1 before but it is vitally important that we pass this piece of legislation through Congress to expand voting rights, change campaign finance laws to reduce the influence of money in politics, limit partisan gerrymandering, and create new ethics rules for federal officeholders.

This is incredibly important because in all of these states, Republicans are putting up so many barriers to the ballot box for Black folks. Repulican-held, predominantly-white legislatures in places like Georgia, Texas, and Florida have put so many unnecessary obstacles like voter ID laws, arbitrary waiting times, limiting ballot drop offs, and hoops that people have to jump through to just cast one vote. If we truly want equality in our country, we must pass HR 1 to make sure that everyone’s vote counts and everyone gets to vote for people who actually represent them in the federal and state governments. So please contact your Senators and urge them to pass HR 1 and encourage their colleagues to vote Yes.

Tonight, we will be celebrating Juneteenth with the DC Young Democrats and the Ward 8 Democrats in DC and I cannot wait to see you all there.

Tomorrow, I ask our members to help celebrate and raise up our Black neighbors by doing a few things.

Pass the mic to Black voices and hear from them on what this day means to them.
Patron Black Businesses. Go and buy from Black-owned stores and dine at Black-owned restaurants.
Watch Black directed movies, listen to Black produced music, and enjoy Black art.
Learn about Black History and fill the gaps that have been left by the history that was taught in the U.S. education system about time periods like Reconstruction, Black Wall Street, and everything that Black folks have contributed to in the construction of our collective history.
Go and attend Juneteenth Events in the DMV area.

We have much more work to do together and we will continually learn and work to lift up and make space for everyone to be a part of the conversations in our party now and in the future.

In solidarity,

Matt Royer