Devon Davenport
My name is Devon Davenport, and I’m a sophomore from Seattle, WA, majoring in Business Economics and Public Policy in GWSB and minoring in Political Science. I am asking for your vote for President because I think my experience and enthusiasm make me the best, most qualified person for this position. I have been a leader in this organization my entire time at GW, first as a member of the inaugural Freshman Committee, then as Freshman Representative, and now as Programming Director. I have worked to develop the freshman committee into what it is today, and I have seen firsthand how increased participation from our members empowers us as an organization and improves our programming. From my first day as a member, when I walked into the GBM and landed my first internship with the McAuliffe campaign, I have experienced firsthand all the incredible opportunities that we can create for members, and I am fiercely passionate about making those opportunities available to all.
That is why my first goal is to build our membership quantity and quality- I want all members to be able to get involved through positions and committees so each has an individual role that contributes to the overall effectiveness of the organization and the good of the Democratic Party.
My second goal is to make us more financially self-sustaining. If we strengthen relations with our vast alumni network and increase sources of revenue, we will have more freedom to put on events that members can get excited about.
2016 is coming, and as the largest student organization at the most politically active school in the country, we have a role to play. I am running because I love this organization and the Democratic Party, and it would be an honor to serve as your President!
Christine Farzan
Hey everyone! My name is Christine Farzan and I’m a sophomore hailing from the only state that didn’t vote for Nixon in 1972 (if you guessed Massachusetts you’re right). I’m running to be your next College Democrats president because I believe the experience I have serving as the Executive Assistant and Membership Director combined with my vision for our organization makes me the best candidate for the job.
As President, I will lead a more accountable e-board. Greater transparency between our board and our membership will foster a tighter-knit community. I would accomplish this by having more general body meetings and by maintaining a blog featuring information discussed at e-board meetings. Secondly, as a 2-year member of the CDS, I’ve been part of our organization’s most outstanding accomplishments. However, I believe we can still improve. If elected, I will continue our legacy of fighting for our ideologies and campaigning for Democrats across the nation. We have an opportunity to play a major role in the 2016 elections and I’d love to lead us in doing so. Furthermore, as the biggest student organization at GW, we deserve to host big speakers and events. If elected, I will work to bring speakers and events that our members can be excited about. Lastly, the CDs has given me a strong sense of community throughout my time at GW and I want all our members to experience the same by creating more committees, more opportunities to get involved, and by fostering better communication between the Executive Board and the general body.
If elected, I promise to lead our organization in a new direction, so that together we can be a better College Democrats chapter than ever before. I hope I can count on your vote on April 8!
Eric Wolfert
My name is Eric Wolfert and I am running to be the president of GW College Democrats for the 2015-16 school year. I am currently a junior in the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, majoring in Political Science and Public Policy. Since the moment I first stepped onto campus freshman year, College Democrats and the progressive community here at GW have been the highlights of my college experience. As president, I would seek to increase the College Democrats’ participation in both Federal and District political events. Examples of such events are phone banking for legislative causes, attending rallies, and lobbying to legislators for progressive change. Additionally, College Democrats should be more involved in campus movements to ensure a more fair and equitable university for all. Through my roles in College Democrats and my work experience, I have learned the organizing, planning, and logistical skills necessary to serve as president. I had the pleasure this school year of serving as Campaign Director and Director of Political Affairs for the College Democrats. In these roles, I organized the October campaign trips to Kentucky and Georgia, as well as organizing student debates and movie nights after Election Day. I have also worked on Capitol Hill as well as the campaigns to elect Terry McAuliffe as Governor of Virginia and to legalize marriage equality in Maryland. It would truly be an honor to serve out my long-time dream of being president of GW College Democrats, and I hope I earn your vote on April 8th!
VICE PRESIDENT
Greg Gaffney-Bills
My name is Greg Gaffney-Bills and I want to be your Vice President. In my two years at GW, I have been able to serve the GW College Democrats and the national Democratic agenda, opportunities for which I am extremely grateful. Between my experience in Affordable Care Act implementation, on the Hill, and helping elect GW alum Mark Warner to the US Senate, I’ve gained the knowledge and skills required to lead this organization through the unclear and often treacherous political climate.
At GW, I co-founded and led an advocacy organization, which taught me to navigate the bureaucracy inherent in the GW administration. My time as the College Democrats Technology Director only enhanced those lessons, as I took an active role creating, coordinating, and communicating graphics and promotional materials for Membership, Political Affairs, Programming, and Campaigns. With a comprehensive understanding of the functions of the Executive Board and GW administration, I’m confident in my ability to lead the Dems to new heights.
If elected, I would help realize the full potential of the Dems to be an effective force for campus change. Next year promises to bring debate over sexual assault reform, mental health treatment, fossil fuel divestment, and many other issues. I’ll make sure the Dems work to keep GW on the right side of history.
I plan to leverage the Finance Committees to create external revenue streams, and make the Dems more financially independent of the Student Association. This would allow us to better weather budgetary shortfalls, bring in additional speakers, and fund travel opportunities.
I would also train our membership to play active and efficient roles in 2016. We have the numbers, enthusiasm, and dedication. With an effectively led Campaign Committee, we can help advance the agenda and protect the progress made under President Obama.
Molly Ingalls
My name is Molly Ingalls, and I’m running to be the next Vice President of the GW College Democrats. I’m currently a sophomore majoring in political communication with a minor in women’s studies. Dems was the first organization I got involved in my freshman year, and I’ve served in three positions within College Dems – Freshman Committee, Executive Assistant, and Campaign Director. As Executive Assistant, I worked closely with the President and VP to handle the details of all our events, like meeting with event planners, booking space and making sure we had all the technology we needed. As Campaign Director, I started a campaign committee and I’m currently working to plan our first-ever campaign training. I’m running because I love College Dems and I’m passionate about making this organization the best it can be, but I also think there are a number of ways we can improve and align more closely with the principles of the Democratic Party. I will work to make our membership and leadership more diverse and inclusive by starting a caucus system to increase minority representation and holding joint events with multicultural and progressive organizations. I’ll also start a freshman mentoring program and meet more frequently with e-board members to increase accountability. Most importantly, I’ll ensure Dems is prepared for 2016 with bigger and better campaign trips and closer relationships with other chapters in the DC area and beyond, and increase community service events so we can work directly on Democratic issues in the DC community. I’m so excited for another year of College Dems, and feel free to reach out to me if you have any ideas or questions!
POLITICAL AFFAIRS DIRECTOR
Arian Rubio
Hello! My name is Arian Rubio, and I am running for Political Affairs Director of GW College Democrats. I am in my first year at GW double majoring in Political Science with a Public Policy Focus and Philosophy. I currently serve as a student volunteer with the White House Office of Presidential Correspondence and I formerly served as an intern on Capitol Hill. I have also served as an outreach and debate preparation intern for a congressional campaign in New Jersey. In GW College Democrats, I am a member of the Campaign Committee, I attended our campaign trips to Kentucky and Georgia, and I have represented us in a debate with the College Republicans.
My focus as Political Affairs Director will be on doing better; not just doing more. Our focus will be on defining and asserting who we are. We always have events regarding our political views, but rarely do we try to define who we are as a component of the larger party. We are one party, but one of many different ideas. We must capitalize on that, through events such as internal debates to bring together the different ideologies of our inclusive party, define what issues are most important to us, and ultimately act on those priorities. We must capitalize on where and who we are. If we are truly the most politically active organization, then we must be the one with the largest presence, and take advantage of our location in the heart of American politics. We can do this through organizing from the grassroots level to the halls of the Capitol in order to voice our opinions to those who represent us. This means more than just showing up – it means showing up effectively.
Stand with me, so we can stand together. Thank you.
Lande Watson
Hello everyone, my name is Lande Watson, I’m a rising sophomore from the Bay Area, California, and it would be my honor to serve as your next Political Affairs Director. Serving as the Freshman Representative for Foggy Bottom this year has been the highlight of my college experience so far. I have particularly enjoyed the opportunity to lead the freshman committee and participate in political events, such as campaign trips to Kentucky and Georgia. As Political Affairs Director, I want to expand and enhance the opportunities that College Dems members can participate in and learn about politics. My main platform point is outreach, to D.C. political groups, campus student organizations, and GW faculty. There is an abundance of political organizations in D.C. that would love to work with college students and I will connect College Dems members to these opportunities. Additionally, I will work with student orgs, like the Roosevelt Institute, to do pre-debate issue preparation and other trainings so that more students can become involved in the debate process. Finally, I will set up a speaker series with political science department super stars like Professor Hayes and Professor Sides, so that even students who can’t take their classes have an opportunity to learn about politics from our amazing GW Faculty. I have the experience, passion and drive to implement these three ideas and thus provide more opportunities to all College Dems members. Thank you for taking the time to read this statement, and please feel free to approach me with any questions you have about my platform, experience, or if you just want to chat. I hope I have your vote on April 8th!
Emma Zimmerman
Hi all! My name is Emma Zimmerman. I’m a rising junior studying political science, originally from Seattle, WA, and I am so excited to be running as your next Political Affairs Director! I have been actively involved in Dems for two years, and this year I served on both the Finance/Alumni and Campaign committees. As a member of these committees I have helped plan some of our upcoming events and worked closely with our current Executive Board, so I am familiar with the leadership aspects of our group. As Political Affairs Director, it will be my responsibility to oversee our policy-related activities, as well as programing and campaigning events. I have a lot of campaign experience, both through Dems and having worked for the Washington State Democrats back in my home city of Seattle. I have also been involved in planning countless events over the years and have spent this year interning in the Senate, so I know all the best strategies for getting Members of Congress to campus. Beyond these basic responsibilities, there are three specific areas that I would like to focus on if elected. First, I want to expand the public policy focus of our group. This means campaigning for issues, not just candidates. Second, I will push for more active involvement on campus when it comes to things such as lobbying the Student Association or the GW administration for policy changes, for example the LGBTQ sensitivity training that we’ve seen come up recently. Lastly, we need to create more opportunities for active member involvement. I would like to create a Public Policy committee along the lines of the Finance/Alumni and Campaign committees, as well as short term groups of members to assist the E-Board in planning and organizing specific events.
MEMBERSHIP DIRECTOR
Hannah Corn
Hello everyone, my name is Hannah Corn. I am a freshman from New Jersey, majoring in International Affairs and Political Science and am running for next year’s position as Membership Director of the GW College Democrats. For the past year, I served on the GW Freshman Committee and can say that it has been the highlight of my GW experience thus far. Surrounding myself with students who get just as passionate about health care, women’s rights, and foreign policy as they do about Baked and Wired is something you can really find #onlyatGW.
I am extremely personable and have experience programming and planning events not only on the Freshman Committee, but also in my sorority as the Assistant to Programming for Sigma Kappa. I am open to all ideas and have experienced first-hand the amazing things we can accomplish. I want to ensure that this all-inclusive environment continues during my time at GW.
As Membership Director, I want Dems to become a more integrated part of the GW Community. We can increase transparency among our EBoard by incorporating a monthly poll asking members what types of events they would like to attend.
Additionally, I want to increase the number of active members by installing a point system that would reward members with reserved seats at the next big Dems event with limited seating. Lastly, my long-term goal is to increase overall membership by having more events with other student orgs. Our members’ interests span from politics to oil painting, from law to lacrosse, and our membership and events should reflect that.
Our party is based on inclusion and equality for all, and that begins with the quality and environment of our membership. I am Hannah Corn, and I want to be your Membership Director.
Owen Evans
My name is Owen Evans and I’m running to be your 2015-2016 Membership Director for the GW College Democrats. For the past two semesters I have served this org, first, as Mount Vernon Campus Freshman Representative and now as Assistant Membership Director. These experiences have made me more than capable to accomplish the tasks at hand, and furthermore, I already have an intimate knowledge of how Dems operates, what we do well, and what we can improve upon.
My overarching goal in this position would be to foster a stronger sense of community. To accomplish this I believe we should have more, informative general body meetings to make the members more comprehensively aware of different events and opportunities available through the Dems. I also believe we should have stronger lines of inter-committee communication, work together with other orgs to create more meaningful and empowering events that connect with a broader audience, and I also would explore creating a membership committee in order to foster more diverse and creative events that will promote our shared liberal ideals and engender well informed discussion around campus.
Over the course of this next year I want to completely revamp the spirit of this organization. People care about Dems and what we do. It is only right that they see we reciprocate. I want people to be able to get out of Dems what they put into it, I want them to feel comfortable around the leadership, and I want them to be able to call Dems their home. In the words of Leslie Knope, “we get the chance to work hard at work worth doing…alongside a team of people who you love.” If you vote for me, I will do my best to make sure students pick Dems as their team.
Charles Spirtos
Hello, I’m Charles Spirtos and I am a freshman from the Elliott School of International Affairs majoring in International Affairs and Middle Eastern Studies. I am running for the position of Membership Director for GW Dems.
I have been an active member of GW Dems throughout freshman year and have regularly attended both social events and campaigning/political events. Coming from a highly conservative area of Ohio, I hope to bring experience in dealing with our friends from the other side of the aisle to the E Board. I have served on many Congressional campaigns in high school, assisted Dems with the Lundergan-Grimes campaign in the fall, and currently volunteer in a minor capacity with Ready for Hillary.
I believe my skill set best aligns with the skills required of membership director. Extremely outgoing, I love interacting with new people and introducing them to my ideology. I believe my diligent persuasive techniques will convince members of the GW community to join Dems. I have served as Red Cross Blood Drive Coordinator throughout high school and maintain that same position here at GW. Blood Drive coordinating has taught me recruitment tactics that will apply well with this particular club.
An outspoken liberal, I am experienced with defending my viewpoints in light of opposition. I have recently won an SA Senate campaign on an extremely progressive platform, and I am willing to fight for Democrat ideals. Of great importance to me are LGBT rights and foreign policy. I hope to find a place on this esteemed E Board. Thanks!
FINANCE DIRECTOR
Rayhaan Merani
Hi, my name is Rayhaan Merani, I’m a political science major, and I’d like to be your next Finance Director. As a SA Senator on the Finance Committee (I promise I didn’t cut your budget, I’m a freshman) I’ve worked to allocate $1.1 million to hundreds of organizations and events on campus. As someone who’s worked on the committee to allocate money, I’ve developed both a comprehensive understanding of GW’s funding system and intricacies as well as relationships with members currently on the committee and in the Senate. As Finance Director of the College Democrats I would use my experience and relationships to do five things: ensure that we attain the maximum amounts of co-sponsorships needed for events, take the best spending practices seen in other organizations to spend and save money strategically, work with sponsors and donors outside GW to decrease reliance on SA funding, create a plan to increase our budget allocation for the next year to increase programming, and find ways to build revenue for the 2016 campaign year. I hope you’ll support me in my run for Finance Director of the GW College Democrats.
Jamie Reid
Hi everyone! My name is Jamie Reid and I am a freshman studying political science and international affairs from Atlanta, Georgia. I am currently the Mount Vernon Freshmen Representative, and will be running for College Democrats Financial Director. I have worked with a few Georgia House elections as well as the Jason Carter and Michelle Nunn Campaigns this year. In high school I was one of the heads of our speech and debate team, working a lot with managing the budget, and fundraising. Over my two years, I focused on new ways for the team to raise money. This involved coordination between the Parents Association, the debate team, and Atlanta Public Schools to ensure the money got where it needed to go so we could run an effective team. Though the financial director responsibilities are a step up from this, I feel as though my fundraising and budgeting experience have prepared me well for tackling the Dems financial needs.
My platform is simple. There needs to be a closer relationship between the Financial Director, the President, and the Vice President. The Financial Director is key to making sure that the entire organization is able to put on events, and this needs to work more smoothly with the executive. Secondly, the Dems need to make sure that the alumni community is kept in the loop of all the events we have. As the largest student organization, there is an ever-growing community of graduating students that need to be in contact with after their four years. These two ideas would be able to strengthen the position of the Financial Director, and I would be a good fit to make sure that these plans can be enacted for the organization as a whole.
Sebastian Weinmann
Hello fellow Democrats, I am Sebastian Weinmann. I’m running to be your 2015-2016 Finance Director because I have the proper experience, many great ideas, and a strong passion for all things Dems. I have the proper knowledge and skills to serve as your Finance Director because of various experiences that I have acquired during my academic and professional careers. In high school, I served as the treasurer of three honor societies. During this time, I oversaw community wide events, fundraisers, and charity efforts. I also managed the societies’ bank accounts by keeping records of donations, dues, and event fees. Additionally, I have years of experience working in an accounting firm, so I am not afraid of tons of paper work, and I can be trusted to handle confidential information. These experiences have given me the necessary knowledge and skills to successfully execute the responsibilities of the Finance Director. I also have many great ideas that I believe will improve not only the Finance Committee, but also GW College Dems as a whole. One idea that I want to pursue is improving our alumni relations. Our organization has a fantastic network of alumni and I believe we should reach out to them more in order to create a key income source through receiving donations, which would to benefit the organization, as well as to create networking opportunities, which would benefit the members themselves. My passion for Dems is another reason why I know I will be successful in serving as your Finance Director. I have demonstrated this passion during my entire time here at GW by attending almost every Dems event and by serving on the Freshman Committee. So remember, experience, great ideas, and passion for Dems are why you should vote for me as Finance Director on April 8th!
COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR
Jamie Kleiner
Hey everyone, my name is Jamie Kleiner and I will be running for Communications Director for the 2015-2016 school year. For the past year, I have served as an active member on the Freshman Committee and have worked hard to make Dems more inclusive for the freshman class. As one of the only “Vernies” on the committee, I worked very hard to reach out to our entire freshman class by planning activities on both The Foggy Bottom and Mount Vernon Campus. Through my experience on the committee, I gained valuable insight about the organizational and managerial aspects of College Dems.
As Communications Director I intend to both continue the already outstanding work of our current communications team, as well as add additional innovative ideas in order to further our organization’s publicity. One of my biggest objectives will be to strengthen our ties with the university’s radio station, WRGW, which assigns coverage that specifically reports on political student organizations. WRGW should be at all of our debates, guest speakers, and political events. Additionally, I believe that our membership needs to have more advanced notice about our monthly events. I therefore intend to create a monthly calendar system that will be posted to our website, Facebook, Twitter, etc. I will also add a link to the monthly calendar at the bottom of every list serve. This will give members easy access to our agenda, thus opening up more opportunities for the general body to propose event ideas to our Membership Director. Lastly, I hope to appoint a “photo committee” in order to better encapsulate our social and political events for social media. Having talented photographers on our executive team will help enrich our visual presence around campus. As Communications Director, I will strengthen our organization’s networking.
COMMUNITY SERVICE DIRECTOR
Kate Bell
Hey Colonials! My name is Kate Bell and I’m running to be re-elected as the community service director for the 2015-2016 College Democrats Executive Board.
Within this organization I’ve been on executive board for two years, serving as the Freshman Representative and the community service director this year. I’m a proud brother of Alpha Phi Omega, a community service fraternity, and I’m a Freshman Day of Service Leader and Community Building Community guide! I have both participated in and been a leader for the Alternative Breaks program, and I currently serve as the Director of Outreach for the Colonial Army. I believe my commitment to the community makes me the most passionate and qualified candidate.
This past year as community service director, I teamed up with organizations such as the DC Humane Society, The American Red Cross, The American Cancer Society, and the Free Minds Book Club to host and participate in events on and off campus that serve the DC community and address countless issue areas that our neighbors face. I helped coordinate our participation in advocacy walks, blood drives against the college Republicans, and write night events. I have worked tirelessly to coordinate events for our members that make a real and lasting impact in the community, and will continue to do so if reelected.
This organization is special. There is no GPA, major, or specific skills set requirement. What brings us together is simply much deeper than that. It is our passion and commitment to advance the democratic agenda that makes our connection to each other and to the party unbreakable. I am honored to serve on such an incredible executive board, and I hope you give me the chance to continue to set a standard of excellence for our participation in the service community.
]]>The seven elected positions on the executive board are: President, Vice President, Political Affairs Director, Finance Director, Membership Director, Communications Director, and Community Service Director. The remaining positions are filled by appointment once the 2015-2016 executive board is elected.
All candidacy statements will be due by 11:59 PM on Friday, March 27th. Candidates may begin campaigning upon receiving confirmation on Sunday, March 29th. Candidacy statements should be no longer than 300 words and must be emailed to [email protected] before the deadline. The election will be held on Wednesday, April 8th.
Only dues-paying members may vote in the election. The last day to pay dues is Wednesday, April 1st. Dues must be paid at office hours, which are posted HERE. (Note: if you receive our emails, you can vote).
Keep in mind that no slating is allowed and that you may not campaign at official College Dems events or use College Dems property to campaign.
You can find position descriptions and full campaign rules in our constitution, which is available HERE. Please also feel free to ask current board members for position information, and to email the election commission with any additional questions.
]]>Volunteer shift lengths will be approximately four to five hours on Monday, March 9th (10:30am-3:00pm, 2:30pm-7:00pm, 6:30pm-11:00pm). Volunteers are encouraged to sign up for more than one shift, and special accommodations can be made if you are unable to attend the full shift. For more information, and to sign up, click here.
This is a very high profile and complex event that would not be possible without the help of dedicated, professional volunteers. Not only will volunteers be helping to create a motivating environment, but all volunteers will have the opportunity to attend a portion of the event.
To learn more about Concordia, click here. For a video showcasing CWA’s work, click here.
]]>In addition to the online webinar on Wednesday, DART will be hosting an additional information session for GW students on Thursday, January 29th at 5:30pm. The meeting will be in the Multicultural Student Services Center, room 209. Interested students should click here for more information and to register.
]]>…but unlimited distress. One in eight families struggle with hunger in the DC area, and, according to a population survey from 2012, every county in America exhibits some level of food insecurity (Gundersen, C., E. Engelhard, A. Satoh, & E. Waxman). Working at Miriam’s Kitchen this semester gave me a particular interest and passion for hunger and homelessness, and I was extremely excited to be able to participate in spreading awareness through the Snap Challenge. When I first began the challenge, I was surprised by how fast the first day went by. As an over-achieving GW college student, there are often many days when I either forget to eat a meal or only have time to scarf down a granola bar while running around fulfilling my various responsibilities. So Sunday went by, I had spent no more than $3.00, and I was not feeling like I had given anything up. It was slightly alarming.
So when I began to contemplate writing this blog entry, I had a much different concept in mind. After that first night, I hypothesized that I would write about how overly committed students (like myself) can also be thought of as food insecure, and how this was an issue that needs to be addressed. It was an initially compelling idea; the comparison between those who were searching for food and those who were searching for time for food. But while this is an issue, I completely underestimated the true effect of living for an extended amount of time on $4.30 a day.
Each day, my sense of smell increased exponentially. Walking by the food trucks was suddenly an extremely difficult task. I started constantly thinking about when I would next be able to eat. As someone who is avidly not a foodie and has never particularly enjoyed cuisine, food began to occupy a large part of my thoughts. For any of you Harry Potter fans, hunger is equivalent to wearing a horcrux. For sure. You don’t realize it at first, but before long you are in a terrible mood and only food can bring any sort of relief.
Once you are in this desperate state, there is not one moment when nutrition crosses your mind. Anything that qualifies as edible is desirable – and in most cases this leads to sugar crashes and headaches. This week was also tech week for a show that I involved in, so many long nights at the theater resulted in mooching off of candy that people had brought in. This highlights the “food desert” phenomenon that is so prominent in urban areas – the lack of readily available healthy food. I have also recently been very interested in dental hygiene and health, and diet is a huge component of overall oral health. So not only is your energy and your short-term health compromised from sugary diets, your long-term oral health is compromised, which can lead to much more serious issues.
After a few days, I began to figure out the best ways to embrace the challenge. I found that you can buy an entire bag of pasta at Trader Joe’s for $1.00, which provided several meals! I also bought a bunch of bananas for under $2.00; each of which was sufficient for breakfast. I am sure that over the next few months I will be much more conscious of how much I am spending on food and the nutritional quality of that food.
I highly suggest taking on the SNAP challenge. For one week, it enables you to see the reality of food stamps. For one week it makes you aware of how a large portion of the world lives. For one week it reminds you of everything you can be grateful for.
How is the experience: So far, difficult! Living in DC, it is difficult to find anything to eat that is less than $4.30. While when divided, my mac and cheese and frozen peas only came to to about .60, I did not feel full or healthy afterwards. The pizza was the only thing I could find that would not break my daily budget and would be ready quickly. I feel that living on food stamps requires extreme planning and preparation, which most people on food stamps do not have the time to do. At the end of the day, I feel low in energy and not as ready to take on the week as I usually am. I am anxious to see what the rest of this experience brings!
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Hello, my name is Jake Brooke and It would be my honor to serve as your freshman Rep. As a middle-class second-generation Anglo-Mexican American, whom has lived across this great nation, from Los Angeles to New York City; I have seen the struggles of ordinary Americans first hand, and am committed from day one in our fight for candidates and policies that safeguard the principles of the New Deal. As your freshman rep, I will help us lead the charge as we continue to march forward be it for economic opportunity, for universal healthcare, a just immigration system,to end climate change, and the fight for equal rights for the LGBT community. So on election night, please consider me for your freshman representative, thank you and best regards.
Hannah Corn
What’s the point of representation? It’s to act as a proxy for a multitude of interests that can only be described as diverse. If there’s one thing I’ve embodied my whole life, it’s diversity. When I was 8 months old, I was adopted from Yichun, China. My Father is Jewish, my Mother is Methodist, and my little sister is gay. We all come from different parts of the United States, even different parts of the world with different views, opinions, and inquiries, but the beauty of it all is that we are all united by a commonalty – – we stand proud under the name “Democrat.”
I will act as your liaison, your personal voice at the General Body meetings, to ensure that your time in the GW Democrats is well-spent. A leader needs to be both passionate and accountable. As the former President of my high school’s Chinese Honors Society and Global Outreach Association, Human Services Chair of my YMCA Youth and Government Program, and 15-hour a week dancer, accountability is my nature. I believe in complete transparency. I will be devoted to advocating for each and every GW Democrat of the Class of 2018, and you can be confident that I will voice those opinions during our meetings.
So Raise High Colonials and join the conversation, the conversation of “not what we can do, but what we will do. Together.
Justine Dougherty
Home is where the heart is. If this is true, my home is politics and the Democratic Party. My name is Justine Dougherty and I have had a passion and hunger for news and politics my entire life. A few years ago, I discovered what I wanted to do in life; I want to do this. I want to organize, campaign, and influence change that demonstrates the core values of my moral and ethical standards. That would be why I want to become your Freshman Representative of the GW College Democrats.
Just being a part of the largest College Dems chapter in the country is exciting enough. But what excites me the most, is to be able to support all of you. There is no doubt in my mind that we have future politicians, ambassadors, community leaders, and public servants in this freshman class of GW College Democrats. I want to foster this in all of you and be one of the many reasons you guys succeed here at GW and in the greater political landscape. We live in the heart of American politics and the world is always watching. With all of you, I want to show the best of the Democratic Party and the best that GW has to offer. (Hint: We are the best that GW has to offer.) I can’t wait to have the best year yet and to hopefully be your next Foggy Bottom Freshman Representative!
Robbie Dornbush
I am absolutely excited to run for the position of Freshman Representative of Foggy Bottom and to volunteer with the GW College Democrats. Coming from the south, I have learned to be an ardent Democrat in the face of extremism, so it is nice to be around like-minded individuals. United, we as College Democrats can pull together and combine our voices and energy to really affect positive change. That is a thrilling prospect that I want to be an integral part of. The energy and passion that I see in this organization is amazing. It is the type of energy that I have seen from volunteering with campaigns and from being around Democratic veterans talking of historic races and administrations. I have experience with listening and learning from a body of students from my time in student government in high school, and I have experience working on organizing political events and volunteers because of a fellowship I did with the Michelle Nunn Campaign in Georgia. Due to my experience and my enthusiasm, I want to run for the position of Freshman Representative.
Juan Pablo Rivera Garza
My name is Juan Pablo Rivera Garza and I would like to run for Freshman Representative of the College Democrats.
I am convinced that we live in one of the most pivotal times in this country’s history. Few generations in history have witnessed a culmination of events as stark and monumental as we have. For that reason I believe firmly that we have an incredible opportunity to use the experience of living through the harrowing events of the last two decades as catalysts for positive change. However, for this to happen we as a country have to learn to work together and stand united. With that in mind, the Democratic Party far and away is the only political party that can effectively lead during these trying times.
Now, I’m sure what I’m saying to you is probably not at all different from what you already think, but I think it is important that a Freshman representative recognizes the importances of energizing the most important demographic—our generation.
I want to run for Freshman representative because I truly believe I have the vision and the energy needed to ensure the continued success of the GWU College Democrats. It is vital that a Freshman Representative is willing to not only go out to the their fellow Freshman and convince of the importance of supporting Democratic policies, but also of being engaged participants in elevating the causes of the party (hopefully by joining college democrats). With the right energy and enthusiasm the Freshman class can end up being a worthy contributor to the College Democrats.
Daniel Kaseff
Hello, my name is Daniel Kaseff. I am from Westport, Connecticut, am majoring in Political Science, and have an unhealthy obsession with elections. In my past few years as a Nutmegger, I have worked on Mayoral, Congressional, Senatorial, and Gubernatorial campaigns. I have seen successful victories like Senator Chris Murphy’s 2012 election, and incredibly competitive elections like the one Connecticut Governor Dan Malloy is in right now. I hope to bring this experience to the Executive Board of the GW College Democrats. As President of my high school’s Young Democrats club, I fought to advance progressive causes within my community. As Foggy Bottom’s Freshman Representative, I hope to continue that fight with all of my fellow Democrats.
Cian Pallasch
I’d like to put my name on the ballot for the GW College Democrats Foggy Bottom Representative. I’ve been supporting Democrats since I was 12, canvassing in Iowa for Obama. Having campaigning in every election cycle since then, I’ve worked with a range of local democratic parties and have seen the campaign tactics of the national Democratic Party progress in the past four years.
One of the primary responsibilities of the representative is to organize the freshmen of Foggy Bottom: to mobilize students in support of Democrats and to give students influence in US politics. In the two years before coming to DC, I was active in Chicago politics, working with various community groups and co-founding an entirely student-run interest group. The difficulties and advantages of student organizing are not new to me.
Perhaps the most important responsibility of the Freshman Representative is to accurately represent the views of the freshmen. I believe that the students at GW are well-versed enough in politics to make educated decisions regarding agenda-setting. I view at my responsibility to push the beliefs of the students I represent. If GW Democrats work on the issues most prevalent to students they not only allow students their due influence in politics, but also ensure that GW students will participate in events with their greatest enthusiasm.
I’d feel comfortable accepting all the responsibilities of becoming Freshman Representative, and dedicating as much time as necessary to ensure that every students voice can be heard and that these students may, while working with GW Democrats, may make a difference in the world.
Jesus Martinez
A lot of people apply to GW because they want to be in the political science program. I didn’t. I wanted to become a doctor save lives, serve the community. I soon learned that for me the best way to serve the community was not through medicinal means, but through the Democratic Party. Being a Democrat to me means fighting for the rights of women. Ensuring women are given equal rights, and breaking the gender barrier in the political system as I hope to work for Hillary’s presidential campaign in 2016 (if she runs of course). It means the rights of my people. As a Latino immigration reform has become a hot issue in the past few months. This is why I chose to intern at the Joe Garcia for Congress campaign over the summer to ensure that Hispanic voters were well represented in Congress. Being a Democrat to me means the rights of the LGBT community, so that all people can have the equal rights they deserve. Being a Democrat to me, means everyone having a voice. It means fair and equal representation for everyone. If I were freshman representative I would want to match up to these standards. I would want GW Dems to feel inclusive to the whole student body. I would ensure the freshman class felt a place in Dems, that these opportunities; through phone banks, and local campaigns would be easily accessible to them. Everyone is welcome to the Democratic Party and everyone is given a chance to stand up for their rights, and the rights of others.
Anna LaRocco Masi
My name is Anna LaRocco Masi. I am from Pittsboro North Carolina. My major is political science, and I really love Stephen Colbert. I am really excited for a chance to be part of the GW Democrats, because there wasn’t really anything like this at my high school, and of course now I can actually vote!
When I was in high school, I served in various leadership positions, from honors societies to president of clubs to even being founder of a couple of clubs. Now I want to start again on my journey of being very involved in the clubs I enjoy the most.
I am sure I share a lot of leadership qualities with other candidates, and am just as driven as them. The item that makes me stand out is I am very dedicated to what I believe in and don’t change my views, even when they are unpopular. The best way I can show this is the fact that I am from North Carolina, which being a state of the south, has a lot of Republicans.
Being a good leader involves constructive criticism of every aspect of the club, including the freshman representative. If that were me, I’d say my weaknesses are that I won’t be one of the smartest or fastest members, as one can note from my SAT scores. However, I work twice as hard just to keep up with them and I am very passionate about being an active member of D.C. Politics.
I also love to make politics extra fun, so if you want me to tell a joke I will. I even made a facebook account for my friend Abraham Lincoln. Thank you for taking the time to read my candidacy statement. This is a political party after all.
Arian Rubio
My name is Arian Rubio, and I intend to run for Foggy Bottom Freshman Representative. I am a proud New Jerseyan living in Potomac House this year, and I plan on studying political science (with a public policy focus) and economics here at GW. I am currently in the University Honors Program and I currently have an internship with U.S. Representative Rush Holt (D-NJ) on Capitol Hill for my first semester. I have previous experience interning for Rep. Holt’s district office in New Jersey and working for a congressional campaign for Rep. Holt’s successor as a member of the campaign’s debate preparation and outreach teams. On another note, for the past two years, I have never left home without my leather-bound copy of the U.S. Constitution, which I often have signed by various public officials.
I feel passionate about the values for which the College Democrats have been outstanding advocates, and I feel as though it is my responsibility as a proud Democrat and a proud American to promote those values to better the lives of working Americans. I believe that the position of Freshman Representative would help me do so. I can offer my skills such as initiative, responsibility, and the ability to connect easily with others, which are essential qualities for a representative. My overwhelming interest in public service and the ideals of our nation would translate easily as a Freshman Representative. A love for political and policy involvement, as well as a deep passion to better the lives of the American people, is deeply essential in our society, and I believe that I can bring this to the College Democrats at GW. I look forward to hearing from you.
Charles Spirtos
I’d like to put my name on the ballot for the GW College Democrats Foggy Bottom Representative. I’ve been supporting Democrats since I was 12, canvassing in Iowa for Obama. Having campaigning in every election cycle since then, I’ve worked with a range of local democratic parties and have seen the campaign tactics of the national Democratic Party progress in the past four years.
One of the primary responsibilities of the representative is to organize the freshmen of Foggy Bottom: to mobilize students in support of Democrats and to give students influence in US politics. In the two years before coming to DC, I was active in Chicago politics, working with various community groups and co-founding an entirely student-run interest group. The difficulties and advantages of student organizing are not new to me.
Perhaps the most important responsibility of the Freshman Representative is to accurately represent the views of the freshmen. I believe that the students at GW are well-versed enough in politics to make educated decisions regarding agenda- setting. I view at my responsibility to push the beliefs of the students I represent. If GW Democrats work on the issues most prevalent to students they not only allow students their due influence in politics, but also ensure that GW students will participate in events with their greatest enthusiasm.
I’d feel comfortable accepting all the responsibilities of becoming Freshman Representative, and dedicating as much time as necessary to ensure that every students voice can be heard and that these students may, while working with GW Democrats, may make a difference in the world.
Lande Watson
My name is Lande Watson and I’m running for Foggy Bottom Freshman Representative to the George Washington College Democrats. I’m originally from Northern California, home of all your Apple products, and I’m majoring in Political Science and Women’s Studies in the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences. From being a founding member of my high school’s first Democrats club to interning for my local Democratic Assemblymember, working toward the goals of the Democratic party has always been a central part of my life. Now, as I take on my new identity as a debt-ridden college student subsisting mainly on quesadillas from Carvings, I hope to work with all of you to support the fight for important issues like ensuring all Americans have access to affordable health care, guaranteeing equal pay for equal work, and protectingreproductive rights. President Obama said, “If you’re walking down the right path and you’re willing to keep walking, eventually you’ll make progress.” Freshmen Democrats, let’s start walking.
Sebastian Weinmann
Hello fellow Democrats! My name is Sebastian Weinmann and I would like to be your 2018 Freshman Representative. First, I would like to tell you a little about myself. I am from suburban Philadelphia, I’m an Eagle Scout, and I have a huge, probably unhealthy, obsession with The West Wing.
One reason I know I will be successful in this position is my leadership experience from both Boy Scouts and high school. I will use this experience to not only listen to your ideas, but also make your ideas a reality. Another reason I know I am the right person for the job is that I am passionate about everything I do. I am passionate about giving back to the community. I am passionate about fighting for equal rights, whether it is equality for the LGBTQ community, or equal pay for women. I am passionate about protecting the environment, and making sure the wealthiest Americans are paying their fair share. I am passionate about protecting the 47%. And overall, I am passionate about making sure our elected leaders are not only passionate about these issues, but are also willing to act on these issues.
So I promise you, if you elect me your Freshman Representative, I will put everything I have into making this year a great year for all us here at GW, while at the same time making a difference for others in our community.
President Obama once said, “If you are walking down the right path, and you are willing to keep on walking, eventually you will make progress”. Well GW, College Dems is my path, and you better believe that no matter what I will keep on walking, and I guarantee you that together we will make progress. Thank You!
]]>My name is Owen Evans and I am looking to run for Freshman representative for the GW College Democrats. One of the most intriguing and unique things that I notice about this organization is its commitment to putting idealism into action. I’m enthralled by the debates, the community service opportunities, and the campaign trips. All of these things connect students to what is truly important in our world. It also allows them to see the impact that they have on other people and our nation’s ongoing dialogue. I have various leadership experiences. I created and ran a cancer charity in my hometown that raised $80,000 over two years for kids with pediatric cancer, I was very active in student government, and I also achieved the rank of Eagle Scout before my eighteenth birthday. I am organized, I am diligent, and I am capable of being a part of this massive organization. I hope that through my tenure, we will expose students to the issues of the day and show them how they can get involved in a proactive and meaningful way.
Tom Guettler
You know you go to GW when you are part of the largest chapter of the college democrats in the country. We all joined this group because we want to be a part of everything that this city and our college has to offer. We are not only in search of opportunities to get involved, but also to gain the first hand experience of working in politics, so that we can have the knowledge necessary to help run this country in the future. We all came to GW for different reasons, but I think that a lot of us came here for its strong political activism. We are sitting in the heart of the nation’s capital and it is up to us to get involved. That is why we’re here, that is why we’re involved in this organization.
My name is Tom Guettler and I want to be a part of this process with you. We only have four years to be a part of this, so let’s not waste our first year. It is my intention, as your freshman representative, to make sure that freshman always have opportunities in this organization. As this position is still somewhat new, I am positive there is room for improvement, room for more activities, and room for more opportunities. Elect me if you think we, as freshmen, can start our college careers in the best way possible. If we came here to be politically active then why wait until we’re upperclassmen? Let’s start right now!
Jamie Kleiner
Hey everyone, my name is Jamie Kleiner and I hope to represent the freshmen class of the Mount Vernon campus. I have come to love our beautiful campus. Yes, waking up itchy from bug bites and having to stand in the hot sweaty vex during rush hour has its moments…but I truly love living here because we get the best of both worlds, a suburban campus within an urban school.
However, living on The Vern does have important tradeoffs. Its no secret that some “Vernies” feel excluded from the Foggy Bottom campus. At times, I have felt this way myself. So, in order fix this problem, I believe The Vern should be more involved in one of GW’s largest political student organizations: The GW Dems. If I am fortunate enough to be elected as freshmen representative of The Vern, I promise that our suburban campus will become very high profile within this organization. For example: Eckles Library has a usable auditorium, Ames Hall has large lecture rooms, and West Hall has open space conference rooms. The GW Democrats should take advantage of this space and invite guest speakers to the Vern. Also, rather than letting our beautiful quad go to waste, the club should use this space for special events geared towards ALL GW freshmen. We can offer the club powerful recruitment potential, service activities and more!
Almost 700 of GW’s freshmen class are residents of The Vern. My goal is for the Vern to have a much higher profile in the GW Democrats as well as within the University as a whole. As freshmen representative of the Mount Vernon campus, I will work in collaboration with the elected Foggy Bottom representative in order to break down the barrier between the two campuses. I hope to win your support!
Rebecca Marx
To my fellow classmates and professors, I am known as “the Bleeding Liberal” which is an identification I take with pride. My beliefs and political opinions are so core to my existence it seeps into my daily conversation. Being a democrat is so important and relevant to the essence of my being, that dating a democrat is more important to me than dating a Jew (which is far more gasping if you knew that my father is a Rabbi).
I grew up in a very liberal house hold, but those ideas have still been shaped by my experiences as a minority and a women. This past year, I worked on a Congressional Campaign for the “Liberal Lion of Pennsylvania” aka the least favorite state senator of Governor Tom Corbett (the worst thing that has happened to PA and we’ve been plagued with Rick Santorum as our official). As well as working for the Liberal Lion, I’ve held an internship with the County Commissioners office who is the first democrat to be the chairman of the county in over 150 years, and will hopefully be representing PA in DC in a few years. Through the work with my internships as well as the other organizations and clubs I have been involved in, being a strong democrat is who I am and what I am known as.
Politics is so synthesized with my everyday conversation and knowledge that if you ever listen to me in class or in a daily conversation, you will hear political references non-stop. Or you could always say something the least bit controversial and enjoy my long winded response as an outgoing, Hillary fanatic, bleeding liberal.
Chelsea Rivera
My name is Chelsea Rivera and I am hoping to serve as your Vern Freshman representative for College Democrats here at GW.
I come from Sparta, a small town in the swamps of Jersey. (If you are a New Jerseyan or maybe just a Bruce fan, you would understand that statement). From the beginning, I always wanted to give back in every way possible. In high school, I served as the President of multiple service clubs including Key Club, where I organized fundraisers and volunteering events such as a Stand Up 2 Cancer Ugly Sweater Fundraiser or the Salvation Army Bell Ringing; VP in our chapter of Operation Smile where we held a “Spin-a-thon” and clothing drive; and VP of our GSA. I even organized three charity birthday parties where I asked for donations to CHABHA Project, SmileTrain, and the Samaritan Inn instead of presents. I also volunteered as a leader in our Therapeutic Riding Program at my stable, and was an active participant in Pass-it-Along. In addition to this, I volunteered to work the phone booths for Cory Booker’s campaign (who cemented my aspirations to be a Senator like him), and even got to meet him!
As your Freshman board member, I will utilize my experience and leadership in community service to voice and press my ideas, and yours as one cohesive Freshman body. As your politically passionate and active representative, it would be an honor to be an ambassador for my Democratic Party and all of its participants. In the efforts to live up to my party, with the help of you, I will be a leader that voices change.
So in the words of Hillary Clinton, “In this world and the world of tomorrow, we must go forward together or not at all.” So who’s with me? Thank you.
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