Message from DA Spain Chair and Vice-Chair 

And you thought New Kids on the Block was a boy band

Greetings from your new DA Spain Chair and Vice-Chair! Although we are both relatively new to DA, we are both very happy to be involved in this great organization and committed to making the most of our time in office.

Here’s a bit of background. Daniel worked in public service for 34 years and worked in The US House of Representatives and USDA. Kathy is a retired lawyer and law professor who splits her time between Central Texas and southeastern Spain (specifically, Torrevieja, near Alicante). She’s also a murder mystery aficionado, wife, mom, and relatively recent grandmother. 

Although we are very different people, we share a single, overriding goal for DA Spain: to elect Democrats in the upcoming midterm elections. We both believe that Biden’s victory in 2020 can lead to complacency on the part of Democratic voters. In the meantime, Republican voter suppression measures in several states will make it more difficult to elect Democrats to support and enhance Biden’s agenda. 

Our team is rounded out by our recently elected secretary, Katharine Giery who hails from San Sebastian and Christina Samson of Madrid who is assuming the role of treasurer that she previously held in her home chapter. 

Next week we will be joined by our newly elected Voting Reps Jo-Angela Touza Medina of Vigo, Laura Rostowfske and Chris Reilly of Barcelona and Jim Mercereau of Madrid as we attend the virtual Global Annual Meeting in the Asian time zone. Meeting start time is 3AM our time. We will be voting for the new leadership of Democrats Abroad Global and a series of Resolutions and By-Law changes. We will be drinking a lot of coffee.

So thank you for entrusting these offices to us. We’re hoping to make you proud in the coming months. And please contact us if you have ideas or feedback! Our inboxes are always open. 

Daniel James: [email protected]
Kathy Tullos: [email protected]

Calls to Action

NJ Voters please contact your state legislators. Former Gov. Christie had the voting regulations changed to make it more difficult for overseas voters to participate in local elections. We are also trying to make permanent the temporary change for the pandemic which allowed the FPCA ballot request to be returned by email, rather than postal mail which is currently the regulation.

**********

With the 300+ bills that have been introduced in Republican controlled state legislatures to make it more difficult to vote please consider calling your Senator to let them know it is important to support US SB-1 which is to protect voting rights of all Americans. The House did its job and now it is the Senate's turn to negate these undemocratic laws. If you vote in WV or AZ please be sure to contact Senators Manchin and Sinema who are iffy on getting rid of the Jim Crow era filibuster rule.

**********

Senator Gillibrand has been a good friend to Democrats Abroad for many years and could really use our support for legislation - now called The Military Justice Improvement and Increased Prevention Act (MJI-IPA). At this very moment, we have the opportunity to help push the legistation over the finish line! Please consider adding your voice to the call to finally provide protection for the brave people who protect us all. Read more and take action

News

DA Spain Women’s Caucus (SWC) Says Hola!

DA Spain is happy to announce that it includes a Women’s Caucus. Doris Stanger of Barcelona has kindly offered to serve as the group’s first leader.

The Caucus only came into being this Spring, but it has already held its first virtual event. On April 29th, several members met to discuss various topics of interest, including vaccinations for Americans in Spain. The discussion was lively and enjoyable. The SWC gathered information about the vaccine, which included communications from the US embassy and steps on how to register for the shot. Read more

Not already a caucus member? Simply join the GWC caucus and you automatically become a Spain member. To get involved, fill out the Volunteer Information Form. 

**********

Be a committer and join a committee! New volunteer opportunities – DA Spain committees forming 

DA Spain has experienced substantial growth over the last few years and needs to grow its infrastructure as a result. The national Executive Committee is therefore considering proposals to create the following committees: bylaws revision, communications, finance and fundraising, get out the vote and outreach, and training and onboarding. Each committee has vital work to do and needs volunteers. If you’d like to learn more or to volunteer, DAS Committee Volunteer Interest Form 

**********

Primary season in the USA approaches

Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Virginia, and Washington will hold primary elections between now and early August. If you vote in these states, please educate yourself about the races involved and arrange to vote. Check out VotefromAbroad.org - State Voting Guide and FAQs to look up your state’s primary and general election deadlines, as well as its submission rules, find your local election officials, and stay on top of voting in this year’s elections. If you have a question that is not answered in the FAQs, please reach out to our Voter Help Desk.

**********

LGBTQ+ Pride month in the United States commemorates the Stonewall riots, which occurred at the end of June 1969. Many pride events are held during June to remember the birth of the movement and recognize the impact LGBTQ+ people have had and the struggles they still face in the world. 

The Global LGBTQ+ Caucus is planning a marathon of LGBTQ+ events on June 20th that will include speakers, music, films, poetry, drag, games, and more. All DA members - LGBTQ+ and allies - are encouraged to join. We are doing a call for events, speakers and performances to make this an inspiring and special day. 

To learn more and get involved: 

• Take a moment to fill in the DA LGBTQ+ Caucus Pride Survey
• Join us for the Global Virtual Pride Marathon 2021 RSVP here
• Keep an eye out for more June events

Chapter and Verse

Spain Fun Fact

There are 44 UNESCO World Heritage sites in Spain. Only Italy and China have more.