Minutes of Democrats Abroad Guatemala
Executive Committee meeting on Thursday, August 15, 2019 at 12:00 noon at El Sitio Café and via Skype
Members in Attendance: John Chudy, Chair; Kee Adams Evans, Events Coordinator; Dave Evans, Acting Treasurer; and via Skype Hyungjoon Jin, Member at Large, Scotney Young, Media Contact, and Aimee Van Cleave, US Peace Corps Volunteer
Per our bylaws (paragraph 19.3), all meetings are open to all members.
Call to order : 12:06pm
Approval of Agenda and Minutes: July minutes and August agenda approved.
Treasurer’s report: Our balance as of August 15 is Q4428 (after adding back in Q95 unspent for July 18 Movie Night).
Chair’s Report: Aimee Van Cleave, a newly active Peace Corps Volunteer in Guatemala, was introduced as GOTV liaison with Peace Corps Volunteers in Guatemala. Following several months of language and cross cultural training, Aimee was recently assigned to her post in San Antonio Aguas Calientes, and to her new job with the Ministry of Agriculture. Prior to joining Peace Corps, Aimee worked for the Association of State Democratic Committees (ASDC), covering western states. The mission of the ASDC is to help build strong state parties in order to elect Democrats from the State House to the White House. Prior to ASDC, Aimee served as Executive Director for the Wyoming State Democratic Party. She also has campaign experience around the United States, which among the more significant ones is that of Sen. Maggie Hassan’s of New Hampshire. Aimee will work with Kee on out-reach to the 150 Peace Corps Volunteers in Guatemala and to the extended NGO community that Peace Corps works with. Welcome Aimee!
Another recruitment email to replace our Secretary and Treasurer will go out in November, after the Democratic presidential candidate field has thinned a bit and corresponding enthusiasm has begun to pick up. Filling the Guatemala City MeetUp Group chair and establishment of one in Huehuetenango remains active.
Counsel, Juan Pablo Aris, got stuck in traffic near Barcenas and was unable to make the meeting, and therefore was unable to report on amending the DAGT bylaws. We will look for that report next month.
Events for 2019: The next Movie Night will feature Matewan to be presented in September, at Casa Convento Concepción, date and time TBD. Sound issue remains to be addressed. A small amplifier which should correct the problem will arrive in country September 5th. We decided that a return to a regular monthly schedule of films is the best way to maintain interest. Another showing of Fahrenheit 11/9 will be set for October, date TBD.
Debate Watch Party: The next debate will be take place September 12th to be held in Houston, TX. Dave and Kee have offered to host a watch party at their home.
Fund Raisers: Democrats Abroad Guatemala bumper sticker campaign continues to go very well. Stickers are available for purchase at movie night, debate watch parties and voter registration events as long as supplies last, at Q20 each or three for Q50. Scotney has designed a Facebook challenge for best display of the bumper sticker. Kee and Scotney will continue to encourage member participation in the challenge.
2019 FPCA promotion: Kee and Scotney have been discussing filming one or more short videos on the preparation of your FPCA.
Americas Regional Meeting: To be held October 25 - 26, 2019 in San Jose, Costa Rica. Focus is GOTV and DA tools to enhance GOTV work including training on VoteFromAbroad.Org and approaches on outreach to voters. Americas Regional Meeting to be held October 25 - 26, 2019 in San Jose, Costa Rica. Focus is GOTV and DA tools to enhance GOTV work including training on VoteFromAbroad.Org and approaches on outreach to voters. DAGT’s representatives? The next regular monthly meeting will be September 19th via Webex at 3pm Guatemala time. A reminder and login information will be shared with the DAGT Excom prior to this meeting.
DAGT September Excom meeting: Thursday, September 19th at 12:00 noon local time, at El Sitio café in Antigua and on Skype
Travel Notes: Scotney will be traveling to the USA Sept 5-16. Hyung will be away in Texas, September 19-22, and in New Jersey September 29 to October 2.
Adjourned: 1:14 pm