Houston Democrats

HCDP LOGO CONTEST: EARN A TICKET TO JOHNSON-RAYBURN DINNER

The HCDP is holding a logo contest in order to create a new line of merchandise for the HCDP (i.e. shirts, hats, coffee mugs).  All creative Democrats are encouraged to submit a logo.  After a selection team picks the top three, HCDP Sustaining Members will vote online for their favorite logo.  The person who submits the winning design will earn one complimentary ticket to the HCDP’s annual Johnson-Rayburn dinner/fundraiser (valued at $120).  See submission guidelines and deadlines here.  Click here to become an HCDP sustaining member.

CINCO DE MAYO PARADE ENTRY, SPONSORED BY THE HARRIS COUNTY TEJANO DEMOCRATS

All Democratic clubs and activists are encouraged to march with the Harris County Democratic Party.  Democratic candidates are welcome to join our entry, too.  Bring your club banners.  Wear Democratic shirts and buttons, and comfortable shoes.  Clubs can bring giveaways (gum, candy, or other giveaways) if you like.  Show the community just how many Democrats there really are in Harris County!

Saturday, May 6th, 10:00 am to 11:30 am (meet at 8:30 am to help decorate float)

PARADE STARTS AT 10 AM SHARP:  RAIN OR SHINE.  Be there by 9:30 am to line up our groups.

Meet:             St. Emanuel and Preston, Downtown Houston (Minute Maid Parking Lot B); find parking where available

Line up:          parade entry #73; 9:300 am—don’t be late!

DemKids:        Make this a family event.  There will be a small trailer where kids can ride.

Parade route: 15 blocks; Start on Texas @ Hamilton, Left on La Branch, Right on Walker, Right on Austin, Right on Preston, Ending @ La Branch

NEED:            Air mattress or two.  Let’s make the ride for the DemKids a bit more comfortable.  That trailer bottom is hard!

Special thanks to the Harris County Tejano Democrats for their sponsorship of the Party’s parade entry.  Please contact Janie Reyes, President, Harris County Tejano Democrats, with any questions:  jr4700@aol.com, 713-864-4700.

HCDP's ISSUES FORUM:  EDUCATION

This Fighting Back Workshop is the second in a series of issues forums planned for this election year.  Learn effective ways to frame and discuss education issues.  All candidates and Democratic activists are invited to attend.  Sponsored by the HCDP and Democracy for Houston.

Speakers include:Diane Trautman, Democratic Candidate for State Representative District 127 (Kingwood/Humble) and Sherrie Matula, Democratic Candidate for State Representative District 129 (Clear Lake).  Both candidates have extensive backgrounds in education (over 23 years each!).  Click here to see the agenda for this working group.

Saturday, May 6, 2006

HCDP HQ, 1445 North Loop West, Ste. 110, Houston

Registration:      12:30 - 1:00 pm
Sessions:          1:00 - 4:00 pm
Suggested donation to HCDP:  $10; refreshments and handouts included

RSVP:               713-802-0085, hcdp@hcdp.org, or murvin@gmail.com

CONGRESSWOMAN SHEILA JACKSON LEE SPONSORS STUDENT EMPOWERMENT:  A STUDENT TOWN HALL MEETING

Monday, May 8, 2006, 1-3 p.m.

Texas Southern University

TSU Student Center, 2nd Floor

3100 Cleburne Street, Houston, Texas 77004

* Refreshments Provided

Discussion Topics include:  Career Opportunities; Graduate School Information; U.S. Congressional Education Reports

A Student Speak-Out Session, where topics will include The Plight of Hurricane Katrina Victims, The Ongoing War in Iraq, and Immigration.

RSVP: Shelton Roulhac (713) 655-0050 or Christina Sanders (713) 313-7182.  SPONSORED BY CONGRESSWOMAN LEE.

HCDP BROWN BAG

Tuesday, May 9, 2006, 12:00 – 1:00 pm

HCDP Headquarters, 1445 North Loop West, Ste 110, Houston

Topic:   Should the military speak out in time of war?

Speakers: Ted Ankrum, retired military and US Congressional candidate, and Jim Rine, Veterans for Peace

Brown Bag Lunch is a monthly event of the Harris County Democratic Party.  Bring your lunch. We provide the soft drinks.

TEXAS DEMOCRATIC PARTY HEARING FOR 2006 PLATFORM

Saturday, May 13, 2006, 10:00 am - 4:00 pm

HCDP Headquarters, 1445 North Loop West, Ste 110, Houston

Meeting, officiated by State Democratic Party officials, will address the content of the state's party platform for 2006.  Any Democrat may testify.  Click here to read the TDP's 2004 platform.  For information, contact Stan Merriman (stan.merriman@sbcglobal.net or 713-666-8444).

EVERYONE’S ART CAR PARADE TABLING, SPONSORED BY THE HARRIS COUNTY YOUNG DEMOCRATS

Saturday, May 13, 2006, 12:00 – 3:00 pm

Meet at 12:00 pm sharp at Bagby and Lamar, Downtown Houston

www.harriscountyyd.org/

Join the Harris County Young Democrats as they register people to vote and pass out flyers to the parade attendees.  The HCYD members will be tabling in Eleanor Tinsley Park before and after the parade.  However, most of them will most likely be on Allen Parkway during the parade, which starts at 1:00 PM.  Contact Kate Rybka, Harris County Young Democrats’ President (cell 713-443-7088, hcyd.president@gmail.com) for more information or to find the group.  We regret that there will be no parade entry this year for the HCDP, but we plan to have a great showing next year. 

FLAG ASSEMBLY FOR MEMORIAL DAY OBSERVANCE (SEE ASSOCIATED ENTRY FOR MAY 28TH)

Wednesday, May 17, 2006, 6:00 – 10:00 pm

HCDP HQ, 1445 North Loop West, Ste. 110, Houston

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED:  Join members of San Jacinto Democratic Veterans Brigade and Veterans for Peace as they plan and assemble flags for the Memorial Day Observance for US Military & All Other Casualties from the Afghanistan and Iraq Wars.  The memorial will include a flag and identifying tag for each of the 2,700+ soldiers we lost in these wars.  For more information, contact Jim Rine, 281-414-1386, sanjacsec@yahoo.com.  Sponsored by the San Jacinto Democratic Veterans Brigade and Veterans for Peace.

HCDP COUNTY EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING, FEATURING THE PRECINCT CHAIR SWEARING IN CEREMONY

Thursday, May 18th, 6:00 - 8:30 pm

IBEW Local Union 716, 2nd floor

1475 North Loop West, Houston (adjacent to the HCDP HQ)

The Harris County Democratic Party will honor our precinct chairs at a swearing in ceremony.  Meet the candidates and mingle with great Democrats.  Join us for a delicious BBQ dinner (free for precinct chairs, $15 per person for others). Please RSVP to hcdp@hcdp.org or call 713-802-0085 by May 15th.  

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED:  To volunteer to set up or tear down, please email Julie Harris, the HCDP Volunteer Coordinator, at hcdpvols@yahoo.com.

MOVIE PREMIERE--“THE BIG BUY:  HOW TOM DELAY STOLE CONGRESS”

Premieres Friday, May 19, 2006

Angelika Film Center, 510 Texas Avenue (at the corner of Smith), Downtown Houston

Although this film was originally scheduled to premiere on May 5th, the Promotions & Events Director of the Angelika Film Center told me that this film will open on May 19th.  Click here for show times at the Angelika.  Click here to read more about the film and view  the trailer.  For your weekly dose of grassroots action, download a flyer and help the HCDP recruit like-minded folks!  Stake out the exits after the show and pass out these flyers to movie-goers.  Imagine how many folks we can bring into the HCDP if we cover many showings, if every Democrat reaches out to new voters!!

HCDP's ISSUES FORUM:  ENERGY

This Fighting Back Workshop is the third in a series of issues forums planned for this election year.  Learn effective ways to frame and discuss energy policies and rising gas prices.  All candidates and Democratic activists are invited to attend.  Sponsored by the HCDP and Democracy for Houston.

Saturday, May 20, 2006

HCDP HQ, 1445 North Loop West, Ste. 110, Houston

Speakers:          Oil Patch Democrats

Registration:      12:30 - 1:00 pm
Sessions:          1:00 - 4:00 pm
Suggested donation to HCDP:  $10; refreshments and handouts included.

RSVP:  713-802-0085, hcdp@hcdp.org, or murvin@gmail.com

MEMORIAL DAY OBSERVANCE FOR US MILITARY & ALL OTHER CASUALTIES FROM THE AFGHANISTAN AND IRAQ WARS

(SEE ASSOCIATED ENTRY FOR MAY 17TH)

Ceremony:        Sunday, May 28th, 10 am to 5 pm

Flag Display:      Monday, May 29th and Tuesday, May 30th

Hermann Park, Fannin & Hermann Park Circle, near the Houston Museum of Natural Sciences, Houston, TX

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!  To read names and place flags on May 28th.  For more information, contact Jim Rine, 281-414-1386, sanjacsec@yahoo.com.  Sponsored by the San Jacinto Democratic Veterans Brigade and Veterans for Peace.

STATE DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION

The Harris County Democratic Party is proud to send a 1,055-member delegation to represent our county at the state democratic convention.  Visit the State Convention page on the HCDP website for convention details, delegate lists, and transportation options. 

Final details forthcoming. The HCDP is working to arrange bus transportation from Houston to Fort Worth.  Initial cost estimates suggest a per-person charge of $60, round trip.  52 people RSVPed to ride the HCDP bus to the state convention, so far.  ALMOST ENOUGH FOR A FULL BUS!!  If you would like to be added to a list of people interested in bus transportation, send an email to Melissa Taylor at mrt@hcdp.org.  After we determine how many bus riders we have and how many busses we need, we will send another call for preferences for departure and return times.  Right now, bus #1 is expected to depart Thursday morning and return Saturday night, and a possible bus #2 will leave Thursday after work and return Saturday night.  Those who RSVP first will be the ones to choose which bus they prefer if we end up using two busses.  RSVP right away.  

HCDP'S YEAR OF THE YELLOW DOG FUNDRAISER

Friday, June 23, 2006, 6:00-9:00 pm

Save the date for the HCDP's annual fundraiser!  Details forthcoming.

GAY PRIDE PARADE ENTRY, SPONSORED BY ROAD WOMEN

All Democratic clubs and activists are encouraged to march with the Harris County Democratic Party.  Bring your club banners.  Wear Democratic shirts and buttons, and comfortable shoes.  Show the community just how many Democrats there really are in Harris County!

Saturday, June 24th, late evening (details forthcoming)

Line up:             Parade entry #, line up location details forthcoming

DemKids:           Make this a family event.  There will be a small trailer where kids can ride.

This year’s theme is “Say It Out Loud.”  How can we incorporate this theme into our entry?  HCDP and ROADWomen invite you to e-mail your theme interpretation and suggestions to roadie@roadwomen.com.  Special thanks to the River Oaks Area Democratic Women for their sponsorship of the Party’s parade entry. 

GET ACTIVE WITH A DEMOCRATIC CLUB NEAR YOU!

Find a Democratic club near you!

SUPPORT LOCAL DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES

The HCDP encourages all Democrats to meet, get to know, and volunteer for our local candidates.  Visit the HCDP’s updated candidates’ page for campaign contact information.  Get involved!

Continue your work to Turn Texas Blue.  I applaud your efforts.

Sincerely,

Melissa Taylor
Director of Party Administration, Harris County Democratic Party
1445 North Loop West, Suite 110, Houston, TX 77008
(713) 802-0085  work -- (713) 802-2082  fax
www.hcdp.org -- mrt@hcdp.org