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ed. note: I'm really glad to see this post by Texas DNC member David Holmes. I support his suggestion here 100%. As Texas' youngest delegate to the national convention in 2004 (not the same as a DNC member), I concur there is much value in this seat becoming a "youth" seat. (Don't worry, I'm not running...this year!) -KT
Twelve years ago this June, at the Texas Democratic Party State Convention, I ran for a position on the Democratic National Committee and lost by one vote.
When I first ran, I did not expect to win; I simply wanted to make a statement: Young people should be in leadership positions in the Texas Democratic Party. When I lost by one vote, I realized that a large number of Democrats in Texas agreed with me.
So, four years later I put together an effort that was much more than a statement and won a seat on the DNC.
Having few prescribed duties other than attending a couple meetings a year, each DNC member is free to find their own way to fill their time on the DNC. When I first won the seat, I decided my goal would be to bring young people into the party. But during the last Presidential cycle I saw so many new activists showing up to meetings who were not necessarily young, that I change my goal to: Bring New People into the Party.
To do that, I held trainings on how to navigate Democratic Convention process and more trainings on how to organize precincts.
My friend TG Caraway and I started a podcast covering Texas Politics and Music in part to keep Democrats across Texas appraised of the actions of the DNC and the State party. SDEC member Michael Wilson and I continue that today. The DOT Show.
One factor that helped me win a seat on the DNC was that Texas Party rules state that an attempt should be made to include young people, among other groups, in the leadership of every level of the party. The National Rules do not carry the same goal so I and a number of others across the country led an attempt to change that. We failed the first time, but it will pass when it comes back up.
Texas has 10 seats elected directly to the DNC. By tradition, five of those seats are set aside to ensure diversity among our delegation: 2 seats go to the Black Caucus, 2 to Tejano, and one to Labor.
The other five seats are considered at large - again by tradition - and I hold one of those seats.
We have all seen the increasing importance of young voters on the national level and I want to point out to you that Texas was actually ahead of the curve when it came to youth leadership: When Texas Democrats elected me to the DNC, you made me the youngest member ever elected by any state up to that point.
Young Democrats are generally defined as those under 35.
I am asking the leaders of our party and all of you who become delegates to the next convention to help me start a new tradition. The seat I currently hold should be designated a youth seat in the same manner in which the other seats are designated. Youth participation is too important not to make that happen.
And since I will not be under 35 for very much longer, I will not be running for this seat again.
The time I have spent on the DNC has been a great period of growth for me, and I believe I got some good things accomplished while I was there. I thank all of you for your support during that time. I look forward to continuing to work with you to get Democrats Elected. |
