Hi, I'm Aileen Dinin, the vice-chair of the Düsseldorf-Ruhrgebiet chapter of Democrats Abroad Germany. I was previously the Chapter Chair, and before that the Ruhrgebiet Precinct Captain. I'm a native New Yorker, although I vote in Austin, Texas. I have lived in Essen (and in Germany) for eight years. My husband (also a Democrats Abroad member) works for a large German utility company, and that's what brought us here. I got started early in politics - somewhere in my parents house is a toddler-size t-shirt that says "Vote for my dad, John Dinin", from my father's two decades in local politics. Although that shirt had an elephant on it, I shifted to the left pretty early on and have stayed there ever since. I'm definitely an issues voter, and the issues I care about include healthcare (particularly women's health), labor rights, and equality for all people. I'm looking forward to working with Democrats in the Düsseldorf and Ruhrgebiet areas!