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The Voice of Douglas County Democrats March 2017 B L U E N O T E S Sen. Aaron Ford Senate Majority Leader to keynote April 1 ‘Proud Nevada Blue Dinner’ This year we’re calling it the “Proud Nevada Blue Dinner,” and it is aptly named. Our keynote speaker will be Nevada Senate Majority Leader Aaron Ford. The annual Douglas County event will be held April 1 at Carson Valley Inn, starting at 5:30 p.m. Sen. Ford was elected to the Nevada State Senate in 2012 from District 11, which includes portions of Las Vegas Valley. A native of Dallas, Texas, Sen. Ford holds degrees from Texas Senator Ford A&M University, Ohio State University, and George Washington University. The Senator is this month’s Blue Notes featured Democrat. Please see his “profile” on page 5. Assemblyman Nelson Araujo, the senior director of the Collective Impact and Diversity (United Way of Southern Nevada), will also speak. Sen. Yvanna Cancela, Nevada’s first Latina state senator, will Assemblyman Araujo cohost the event with Douglas Dems Chair Kimi Cole. Cancela was appointed to the position to fill a vacancy in Senate District 10 and will serve until the 2018 general election. It’s a bargain at $75 per person. A dinner reservation form appears on page 4 of this edition of Blue Notes. The dinner event will include a silent auction and raffle. The menu choices include prime rib, chicken and pasta. Senator Cancela This is a confidential newsletter, but please share it with your Democratic friends! The voice of Douglas County, Nevada Democrats — March 2017 Page 2 DCDCC Feb. 23 — a great time for all! UPPER LEFT: A full house UPPER RIGHT: Kimi Cole MIDDLE LEFT: Clint Holman shares some thoughts with the overflow crowd MIDDLE RIGHT: Paul Yohey addresses the Douglas Dems BOTTOM LEFT: Melanie Meehan-Crossley promotes the April 1 “Proud Nevada Blue Dinner” (More photos on Page 3) The voice of Douglas County, Nevada Democrats — March 2017 Page 3 Pat ’n’ Pat (Left) Patrick Wilkes addresses the DCDCC and (right) Pat Stanley “models” his Dump Trump tee-shirt. DCDCC nominations The following Douglas County Democratic Central Committee offices will be filled at the March 23 meeting: □ Chair □ 1st Vice Chair □ 2nd vice chair □ Secretary □ Treasurer □ Member-at-large □ Member-at-large New state chair named Congratulations to Assemblyman William McCurdy II of Las Vegas, elected chair of the Nevada Democrats earlier this month. McCurdy, 28, is the youngest and first African-American chair in state party history. Our special thanks to Kimi Cole, our Douglas County chair, for making herself available for the position. We are so proud of William McCurdy II Kimi! The voice of Douglas County, Nevada Democrats — March 2017 Page 4 Proud Nevada Blue Saturday April 1 Carson Valley Inn 5:30p Social 7:00 Dinner Keynote by Aaron D. Ford, Majority Leader, Nevada Senate Name(s): Address: City: Zip: Phone: Email: Please select entrée(s): ___Roasted Chicken w/Spinach, Mushrooms & Parmesan Sauce ___Prime Rib w/potato ___Grilled Portabella Mushroom w/Pasta ___ Check here if you have any dietary restrictions; please describe: ___ Check here if you will require special ADA accommodation to fully participate in this event. Please describe: $65/person with reservation & payment received by March 17. $75/person if reservation and received after March 17. Requesting to be seated with Note: We are not discounting for tables of ten this year. Sorry, we are unable to attend but would like to donate $______ to Douglas Democrats. Mail with payment payable to DCDCC to DCDCC Dinner c/o Katherine Winans, 1171 Chaparral Court, Minden NV 89423 Information contact Katherine Winans: [email protected] or 267-0539 The voice of Douglas County, Nevada Democrats — March 2017 Page 5 Democrat Profile: Sen. Aaron Ford By Pat Stanley Whether he’s fighting for progressive causes in the Nevada State Senate or he’s fighting for justice as a trial lawyer, Sen. Aaron Ford is a man of and for the people. When asked why he became a Democrat, Ford, the keynote speaker at our April 1 “Proud Nevada Blue Dinner,” said he’s always viewed the Democratic Party as “the one fighting for the people and enhancing the standard of living for everyone.” That ethic resulted in his being selected Nevada Senate Majority Leader. “From the moment I was able to register to vote at age 18,” he said, “I did so as a Democrat.” Sen. Aaron Ford What makes him proud of his Democratic core beliefs? “Understanding that our party will never shrink from its core beliefs, namely that we’re greater together than we are on our own — that this country succeeds when everyone gets a fair shot, everyone does their fair share, and everyone plays by the same rules,” he said. To which he added, “I am proud to be a Democrat.” The Senator earned an undergraduate degree from Texas A&M, a master’s degree in international education from George Washington University, and a master’s degree in educational administration and his law degree and Ph.D. from Ohio State University. Before practicing law, he was a mathematics teacher. He currently represents Senate District 11 (Las Vegas area). He was elected to the Senate in 2012 and named its top Democrat three years later. Politics and leadership have been in his blood since he was a boy. “As far back as I can remember, I have always been interested in politics,” he said. That includes running for student council in grade school. He became involved with grassroots politics by serving as a precinct captain in Texas and as coordinator for Gen. Wesley Clark’s 2004 presidential bid in Dallas County. Ford said Democrats “need to do a better job at communicating with young Nevadans about the issues that impact them directly.” Their voices are important, he added. Young people need to know that they have “the opportunity to create real change.” Noting that “some of the best Democrats in Nevada live in our rural communities,” he said efforts must be made “to ensure they don’t feel left out of our party. Our party should do all it can to make sure we are inclusive of all Democrats — no matter what corner of Nevada they call home.” “I am also hopeful that we can foster better communication between our urban and rural activists thanks to the leadership of rural Democrats such as Kimi Cole, Alex Goff, and others,” he said. The voice of Douglas County, Nevada Democrats — March 2017 Page 6 From the Chair ... By Kimi Cole Viewing the sausage factory … up close and personal Kimi Cole As many of you are aware, I recently ran for to understand, and to cherish areas of agreement chair of the Nevada State Democratic Party. that can lead to valuable, powerful bonds of Although the outcome was not what I had hoped respect and friendship. for (I did not win), I would not trade the Old wounds were healed along the way. I can experience along the way for anything! admit when I have been party to Since mid-November I had opportunities to misunderstandings and apologize for any role I travel around the state of Nevada, speaking to had in developing conflict. Some of the best clubs from Reno to Las Vegas, from Pahrump to friendships and relationships I’ve enjoyed over Elko, and back again. Groups that invited me to the years began on a note of discord between speak were amazingly generous and welcoming, people with passions and perspectives that, on and many expressed their appreciation for my the surface, appeared to be at odds. When we’re views on supporting rural areas and being open able to step back from the situations, just for a minded to all, regardless of their personal views moment, often we can see that the passions are or preference backgrounds. to make positive changes and accomplish good There were some absolutely amazing things, and the tension comes from extreme interactions along the way, as I was able to motivation to inspire the changes sooner rather overcome past misperceptions about me and my than later. Understanding and compassion can views, which helped initially divided allow energies to be much more synergistic and conversations become friendships. productive, rather than unnecessarily fanning It’s amazing to me how much I and others can flames of conflict that lead to fruitless outcomes. tend to presume when we only have part of the Life can be messy at times, as can politics. It’s story or downright inaccurate information as a not always pretty discovering “how the sausage base. I learned the lesson long ago that, rather gets made.” But I will say that getting a closer than accepting anyone else’s opinion about view of the sausage factory has greatly increased someone else, I’ll just get to know people as they my appreciation for the perspectives and views are and make my own decisions. of others, as well as opening doors to new Rather than discovering those to be at odds understanding that will allow the next steps of with me, in fact, what I’ve discovered has been life to move eagerly forward. many new friends. Any misperceptions I may The support and encouragement I’ve received have had about them (or they about me) were from Douglas and statewide Democrats truly quickly dispelled during open conversations. bring amazing joy to my life. Thank you from I discovered that it’s much more stressful, and the bottom of my heart to all the wonderful ultimately futile, to insist on seeking and people I’ve gotten to know along the journey.