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2022 May 8 Newsletter contents:
- Message from your national officers
- Small action - DAJ Bylaws - May 10th Deadline
- Leadership Position Openings
- Upcoming DA Japan Events
- DA regional and Global Meeting for May
🌟Message from your national officers
Getting back rested from the Golden Week holiday, we reach out to you, our members, with three key issues that require our action: the Supreme Court draft opinion on Roe, Get Out the Vote and the DAJapan Bylaws Ballot.
First, the FINAL call for Democrats Abroad Japan Bylaws Amendment Ballots! Ballots must be returned before midnight on May 10th. Please find your ballots HERE: at least 15 more ballots are needed to validate the election.
When being questioned under oath during the confirmation hearings, the three most recently appointed Supreme Court Justices agreed Roe was the law of the land. However, the recently leaked Supreme Court draft opinion with its sweeping rejection of Roe and privacy rights should not come as any surprise to DA Japan members, who have been watching the erosion of rights under conservative leadership in the US.
This must be a call to action NOW! Voting in the fall elections is not enough. We must raise our voices about the issues that matter to us throughout the year, at all levels of government. This draft opinion represents more than the right to women’s healthcare choices. It demonstrates the fragility of rights protections, and threat to privacy laws, which will impact your legal access to birth control, marriage equality rights, gender and sexual minorities rights, interracial marriage and more. This is not just about access to abortion. This must be our wake-up call. We welcome the new members who have signed up this past week. In response, your leadership is calling an action meeting online: Now what? Roe, privacy and the Midterms on May 10th 8~9:30pm RSVP HERE:
GOTV: calling DA members voting in key battleground states will continue until early July. DA Japan will have our own phone banking campaign later in the month and we need ALL our member engaged! The reason we exist is to affect policy and change election outcomes. You can volunteer from anywhere in Japan to help get out the vote. There are many ways to get involved - let us know what you can do HERE:
❤️ From your DA Japan Executive Committee
Sarajean (Chair), Matt (Vice Chair), Dave (Secretary), Regina (Treasurer)
DA Japan - representing American Voters in Japan.
Together, We Win!
Know Your Rights, Register & Vote! https://www.votefromabroad.org
Have you seen the NEW DA Japan DONATION PAGE?
Help us reach new and more voters by sharing this newsletter with all your American friends!
http://www.democratsabroad.org/jp_news
🌟 One Action you can take today - turn in your DAJ Bylaws Ballot
There are 3 amendments to the DAJ Charter on the ballot. Please help us decide how to manage the organization. Voting is open through May 10th. Please find your ballots HERE:
🌟DA Japan leadership openings - At large positions
We currently have at least two at-large positions open => representing Northeast Honshu and Hokkaido. The role of at-large members:
- work on getting out the vote in their regions,
- active involvement in monthly advisory board meetings - which includes the executive committee leadership and the leadership from the chapters as well as leadership from the main committees.
- You must reside in the region you represent
The Chair is soliciting nominations for potential appointees through the end of May. If you’re interested or can introduce a member, please contact Sarajean ASAP.
🌟Upcoming DA Japan Events
1️⃣ SOS Meeting online: Now what? Roe, privacy and the midterms.
Tuesday, May 10th, 8:00-9:00pm meeting online:
An open conversation for DAJ members. This event will consist of three key parts: 1) facilitated discussion, 2) sharing ideas from the global women’s caucus, 3) next steps and action items we will take.
RSVP HERE:
2️⃣ Online Speakeasy Thurs May 12, 7:30~10 pm JST
As always, bring your favorite beverage and hang out with friends old and new.
RSVP HERE:
3️⃣ DA Japan Advisory Board Meeting
Sun. May 15th, 10am to 12noon Japan time 
See your leaders in action! Key discussion items 1) GOTV 2) calling campaign 3) chapters 4) new leaders 5) DAJ Day
RSVP HERE:
4️⃣ AP GOTV Phonebanking Action hour
Sun. May 15th, 12noon Japan time
Online phone banking party with people from throughout the Asia Pacific region. RSVP HERE:
5️⃣ DA Japan Global Resolutions Discussion #2
Tuesday, May 17th, 8pm
DA Japan review of bylaws and charter amendments in preparation for the global meeting
This is your chance to influence the DPCA and DNC stance on issues - feel free to join and share any issues that matter to you! RSVP HERE:
🌟 REGIONAL AND GLOBAL MEETINGS OPEN TO THE MEMBERSHIP
- Asia Pacific monthly regional meeting Sun. May 15th, 3pm
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Asia Pacific DNC elections Sat. May 22nd, 2pm
- RSVP HERE:
- DA Global Meeting May 22-23 JST Open to all DA members. Online via WebEx.
DID YOU KNOW:
For $5 a month - just 1 bowl of ramen - Can have a big impact for DA and DAJ!
- Calling all DAJ members 2X per year => $3000 / 30 people @ $100 per year or 60 people @ $5 per month
- THUS => If just 30 people gave $100 per year or if 60 people contributed $5 per month, we could call all our members 2X this year to get them to vote.
Even if you don't have the time to call, you can help us by making a contribution right on the DA Japan DONATION PAGE HERE. No more need to make bank transfers!
DA Japan - representing American Voters in Japan.
Together, We Win!