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Statement on Roe v. Wade Overturning

New York – (June 24, 2022) – When the first person dies from today’s decision that took away their right to control their own body, we should all remember the names Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, Samuel Alito, Amy Coney Barrett, and John Roberts.

We will not forget.

This decision will not stop abortions from happening, they will only make them less safe.

The blood of those from these decisions will be on the hands of the conservative justices who voted in favor of overturning Roe V. Wade.

We will not forget.

“It is absurd that this SCOTUS believes a person’s uterus is more worthy of restriction than a handgun,” says NYSYD Executive Vice President, Tyler White. “To everyone who is feeling the weight of this decision, I empathize, I feel it too. It is heart-wrenching to hear that people believe your right to autonomy is anything other than unalienable. It’s hard to think of a path out right now, but we will walk that path to full personhood in the eyes of the law by overwhelmingly voting for and supporting those entities who believe in our right over our own bodies.”

New York, along with several other states have codified Roe, but this isn’t a state-by-state issue—it needs to be passed on the federal level. Congress must act now!

When we vote in our primaries and in the General Election, we will make sure to support those who will make the decision to protect a person’s right over their own body.

We will not forget.

When this decision is used to skirt any Americans’ privacy and have their rights stripped away, let us again remember Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, Samuel Alito, Amy Coney Barrett, and John Roberts.

The six justices that have failed the American people.

What do we do now?

Be present and channel your energy from attending a rally near you behind pro-choice organizations in our state, such as the New York Abortion Access Fund

We have the privilege to be a reproductive health sanctuary in New York State and welcome you with open arms to act upon, what should be, your inalienable right of propriety over your own body. Sign up as a volunteer to help people traveling to New York for care stay with you via the Haven Coalition

If you know someone who lives in a state where their rights are at risk, encourage them to knock on doors & GOTV for pro-choice candidates. We can help remotely to work on GOTV outreach and volunteer for pro-choice organizations in their area. The resource pages for Planned Parenthood’s Bans Off Our Bodies and Abortion Access fund’s Bans Off NYC are a good place to
start

Let us mourn, scream, march today, and prepare for the fight that has once again arrived at our doorsteps. The fight continues.

We will not forget.

January 6th – One Year Later

Today marks one year since a violent mob attempted to prevent the peaceful transfer of power in our nation’s capital. The events of that day are a stain on history- from the explosives found near Congress, to the tragic deaths of Capitol Police officers in the line of duty, to the display of hate symbols in our Capitol.

What was also a stain was when the dust settled, New York Representatives Chris Jacobs, Nicole Malliotakis, Elise Stefanik, and Lee Zeldin betrayed their oath to the Constitution by refusing to certify legitimate electoral votes. New Yorkers still remember this. The NYSYD, and millions of other New Yorkers, implore the House Sedition Caucus to follow the example of Congressman Rice of South Carolina, who admitted that there was no reason to not certify the 2020 election and expressed regret for his vote.

NYS Young Democrats Stand with the AAPI Community #StopAsianHate

The New York State Young Democrats (NYSYD) stand with our Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) members and community against anti-AAPI hate crimes. While these incidents are not exclusive to the pandemic, violent attacks on individuals, especially Asian elders, vandalism of businesses, racial epithets shouted by strangers, and more have plagued the lives of AAPI individuals throughout the country over the last year. Since the beginning of COVID, there has been a 1900% increase in hate crimes against AAPI throughout the country. The latest of which ended the lives of 8 people, 6 of whom were women, in Atlanta, GA just yesterday.

This xenophobic behavior is a remnant of our country’s racist history and a trait of the worst of our society. It must be stopped. We call on everyone to do their part in protecting our AAPI members, neighbors, friends, & family using the intervention links below. We can #StopAsianHate together.

In addition to the physical effects of these hate crimes, we acknowledge this additionally takes a toll on one’s mental health whether they were a victim or not. To anyone who has been directly or indirectly affected by AAPI Hate Crimes, we encourage you to speak up and speak out about your experience. You are not alone and there are many avenues of support available to you, some of which have been linked below. NYSYD stands with you against this hate and with our AAPI community.

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STOP AAPI HATE – A research center dedicated to documenting anti-Asian hate incidents, providing resources for victims, & advocating for policies to reinforce human and civil rights protections

National Asian Pacific American Bar Association Hate Crime Resources – Legal resources, advocacy groups, statistics, toolkits, trainings, & more courtesy of the NAPABA

Asian Mental Health Collective Therapist Directory – List of Asian Mental Health Professionals in New York State

Hollaback! Bystander Intervention Training – Bystander Intervention Training session in conjunction with Asian Americans Advancing for Justice (AAJC)

NAPAWF NYC – COVID Racist Harassment Coping Guide – A guide to caring for oneself before, during, and after an incident of harassment developed by the NYC chapter of the National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum

Detox Local – An extensive list of mental health and substance use resources specifically for the AAPI (American Asian and Pacific Islander) community.

Resignations & Impeachment

Representatives Chris Jacobs (NY-27), Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11), Elise Stefanik (NY-21), and Lee Zeldin (NY-01) to resign for their complicity in Wednesday’s deadly insurrection on the US Capitol.

Representatives Lee Zeldin, Nicole Malliotakis, Elise Stefanik, and Chris Jacobs have violated their oath to the American people and have shamed and disgraced their home districts and New Yorkers as a whole. With their lawless acts to delegitimize our electoral process, attempting to undermine our democratic institutions, and public-facing objections to a duly elected President – and Vice President-Elect, we have seen firsthand how their actions and words have serious and deadly consequences. What happened on Wednesday was an absolutely disgrace and this all falls on the shoulders of any and all republicans who have aided Donald Trump’s actions over the past four years!

These Elected Officials do not represent New York and they do not deserve to hold any form of elected office. Join Chairman Jay Jacobs and me in signing this petition demanding their resignation.

Sign the Petition

Today, we have learned that the Republicans will choose not to act (shocking, right?) and that Congressional Democrats will once again have to step in and help save our great country. We applaud any and all congressional representatives (including Rep. Jones, Rep. Bowman, and Rep. AOC), who have drafted articles of impeachment for Donald Trump and expulsion for any of their colleagues who chose to be complacent with Trump’s actions.

The New York State Young Democrats will choose to not sit idly by while our country is under siege by the radical right under the direction of a failed President. We will continue to flood the NYS Assembly, NYS Senate, and the Congressional chambers with young, dedicated, patriotic, and righteous democrats, who will serve and protect the constitution of the United States against all enemies both foreign and domestic.

NYSYD Calls on Schmitt to Resign

Assemblyman Colin Schmitt’s decision to support the demonstrations that took place in Washington, DC by seeing off a group of participants was a severe betrayal of his oath of office, the oath he swore as a United States service member, and the values that unite us as New Yorkers.

Anyone who has witnessed the last four years of Donald Trump spreading outright lies and allowing the poison of white supremacy to spread knew that there was a real danger that the demonstrations would end in needless violence. When Donald Trump ordered the Proud Boys to, “Stand back, and stand by,” on national television, they knew what the second part of that statement meant.

What happened today was domestic terrorism that featured law enforcement discovering multiple explosive devices, gallows, and the proud display of hate symbols in the beating heart of the world’s oldest continuous democracy. Media reports and security officials have raised the specter of violence for months. There very well could have been a more unnecessary tragedy that day in the capital. Assemblyman Schmitt has his own legislative staff, did he not think of the safety of those working in the capital who were just trying to do their jobs that day? Did he not think of the safety of law enforcement?

Furthermore, Assemblyman Schmitt’s decision to give a maskless address to a group of these individuals traveling out of state to a heavily working-class and Black city during an unprecedented surge of COVID-19 cases is deeply insulting to Washington workers who have suffered greatly during the pandemic.

We demand that Assemblyman Schmitt resigns from his seat in the New York State Assembly, and apologize to the voters of his district.

Merry Christmas from your friends at the New York State Young Democrats

Merry Christmas from NYSYD

We don’t need to tell you how hard this year has been. We have spent months under lockdown, we have seen racial strife, and we have seen despots try to overturn the will of the people. Yet, we have made it to the other side.

The holidays are usually a time when we take inventory of the good things in our lives and the things that stay permanent: friends and family. While this holiday may be a bit different in that we can’t gather around a tree to see what Santa brought or, later, a large group at a dinner table, we can take solace in that, even while apart, we still have each other.

Our dinner table conversations may be done over Zoom (which, by the way, is free for the next few days) but it comes with some benefits. Instead of having to listen to our crazy uncle spout conspiracy theories that he heard on OANN, we can mute them. Instead of having to sit and endure questions about when we’re going to settle down, we can say “we’re having a bad connection,” turn off our video, and move into the next room for a few minutes.

No matter how you celebrate today, we wish you the happiest of holidays!

Merry Christmas from the New York State Young Democrats!

From our NYSYD family to yours: Happy Thanksgiving! Have a safe and healthy holiday.

Happy Thanksgiving

I’ll be direct… 2020 has been a rough year! We have seen tragedy after tragedy while also attempting to get in front of a global pandemic and restoring the soul of our nation. I have asked a lot from this organization, its leaders and members since I became President just a few months ago, and today I wanted you to know how thankful I am for each and every one of you.

I want to wish you and yours a happy, healthy, safe, and filling thanksgiving. I know some tables will look different this year, but remember even if we aren’t together in person—we are spiritually and safely together today and always because we are New York Strong!

Through the hard times of 2020, we have had pockets of joy, celebration, and hope for a better tomorrow. We have a lot to be thankful for. We have secured a new White House administration, we still control the House of Representatives, we are two Senators away from securing the U.S. Senate (and making our own Chuck Schumer the Majority Leader), we now have a SUPERMAJORITY in the New York State Assembly and Senate, we have elected numerous young Democrats (and Young at Heart Democrats) to various levels of government and this organization is continuing to thrive through the most difficult of time. We could not have done this without your help.

Whether you donated, made a phone call, sent a text message, joined us virtually for one of our many events, or simply read one of the hundreds of emails we’ve sent out this year… THANK YOU! Your support has meant everything to this organization. Let’s continue on our path of electing young democrats to office, pushing a principled and progressive policy agenda, and working hard to prove that #YoungGetsItDone.

Happy Thanksgiving, friends!

Today we come together as New Yorkers and Americans to Remember Those We Lost. September 11, 2001 #NeverForget

Remembering & Honoring

As New Yorkers, September 11th is a difficult time for each and every one of us. Today is one of those days where you will always remember exactly where you were when you heard the news. Today is one of those days where you can still feel exactly how you felt in 2001 when watching the news coverage or seeing firsthand any of the towers collapsing. Today is one of those days where you can vividly recall the horrific images of New York and remember living through those uncertain times.

September 11th, 2001 changed us as a state, but it made us stronger!

When tragedy struck, we came together as a state. We weren’t upstate or downstate, Democrats or Republicans, progressives, liberal or conservative, we were New Yorkers, and we were mourning our losses together. First responders came from far and wide to aid the NYPD and NYFD in protecting our fellow New Yorkers and in the recovery process. Many of our brave heroes suffered greatly for their bravery during this time, and we can’t thank them enough for their service to our great Empire State.

On the 19th Anniversary of one of our nation’s darkest days, we honor the brave heroes for their service, we continue to mourn the losses of our neighbors and loved ones, and we stand united together in taking a moment, not to be political, but to be a New Yorker!

Both Sides of the Candlestick

To say the members of the New York State Young Democrats (NYSYD) are sad and hurt regarding the current state of our country would be an immense understatement. We are not only sad and hurt, but we are angry, frustrated, and more ready than ever to mobilize and to do the work necessary to bring ever-lasting change to our state and local governments.

What has happened to George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and countless others are appalling acts of police brutality and racism, and they are not made any less painful by 45’s comments and actions in recent days. Moreover, our anger increases when we have to deal with leaders within our own party — that we help get elected — fail to help create safe spaces for New Yorkers to peacefully protest and come together to mourn (looking at you Mayor De Blasio).

Our anger, our frustration, our hurt, and our sadness have compiled into taking actions and making our collective voices heard in halls of power and in the streets. The NYSYD has always and will continue to always burn the candle at both ends.

Our members from Long Island, to Brooklyn, to Manhattan, to Westchester, to Putnam, to Utica, to Yates, and beyond have marched, rallied, and have spoken out against racial injustice, because we know that BLACK LIVES MATTER! We ask our members to continue to protest, and organize within every community in New York State, but our work cannot stop there!

We, The New York State Young Democrats, call on EVERY New York State Democratic Legislator in the State Senate and Assembly to support an array of necessary and long overdue bills to get passed. These bills, which make up the Police Reform Package have highlighted by our friends at the NYS Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic and Asian Legislative Caucus include:

  1. The Repeal of 50-A
    1. A.2513/S.3695 (O’Donnell/Bailey)
  2. False 9-1-1 Complaints
    1. A.3566 (Ortiz/Benjamin)
  3. Office of the Special Prosecutor
    1. A.1601/S.2574 (Perry/Bailey)
  4. Police Stat Act
    1. A. 1360a/S.1830b (Lentol/Hoylman)
  5. Right to Monitor Act
    1. A.1360a/S.3253 (Perry/Parker)
  6. Local Independent Oversight of Police
    1. A.10560/S.7527 (Richardson/Myrie)
  7. Medical Attention For Persons Under Arrest
    1. A.8226a/S.6601 (Fernandez/Bailey)
  8. Establishing the Crime of Strangulation
    1. A.6144/S.6670a (Mosley/Benjamin)
  9. Failure to Obtain Medical Care
    1. A.3056b/S.4076 (Fernandez/Biaggi)
  10. Bans Racial/Ethnic Profiling by Police
    1. A.4615/S.1137a (Bichotte/Benjamin)
  11. Reducing Arrests for Non-Criminal Offenses
    1. A.4053/S.2571 (Aubry/Bailey)
  12. Expanded Use of Law Enforcement Body Cameras
    1. Body Cameras for NYS Police | A.8674/S.6686 (Walker/Parker)
    2. Body Cameras for MTA Police | A.8943a/S.6793a (Reyes/Ramos)

WE NEED YOUR HELP TO GET THIS DONE NOW!

CLICK HERE to send your petition to your local elected and DEMAND PUBLIC SUPPORT for this Police Reform Package.

Our work has just begun and we will not be finished until we, as a collective voice, are heard in every corner in every county, and in every chamber of every local and state government.