Democrats Abroad Sweden (DAS) held its annual general meeting 13.45-16.00 Saturday 18 April, in the community room of Tegskyrkan in Umeå and online. Among other business, it heard reports from Vice Chair Bill Borden and Chair Carolyn Glynn (pictured below left), as well as each of the five regional chapter chairs; heard and approved the treasurer's report for fiscal and calendar year 2025; and approved the latest set of revisions to its bylaws. Eighteen DAS members attended online, with thirteen attending in person in Umeå; 25 were required for quorum. Following the close of the business meeting, Democrats Abroad (DA) Norrland Secretary Manya Sundström along with guitarist Peggy Sjöström (pictured below right; Manya on the left) led those online and in Umeå in a number of protest songs, starting with Woody Guthrie's This land is your land.

A reporter from the local newspaper Västerbotten-Kuriren interviewed six of those in the room at Tegskyrkan. An article is expected to appear early in the week.

DAS thanks Secretary Zoe Kelly-Nacht for taking the minutes, DA Skåne Chapter Chair Karin Williams for managing the chat and ensuring the meeting was quorate, DA Norrland Chair David Rosenberg for managing the technical setup in Umeå so that the hybrid meeting could run smoothly, Carol Spadinger and Sheri Eklund for agreeing to attest the minutes, the DA Norrland chapter for hosting the meeting, and all those who participated. Steven Schubert took the in-room photos and Karin Williams the photos online. Joel Parthemore hosted the online meeting on WebEx and provided technical support.

Chorus:
This land is your land, and this land is my land
From California to the New York island,
From the Redwood Forest to the Gulf Stream waters;
This land was made for you and me.

As I went walking that ribbon of highway
And I saw above me that endless skyway;
I saw below me that golden valley;
This land was made for you and me.

CHORUS

I roamed and rambled, and I followed my footsteps
To the sparkling sands of her diamond deserts;
All around me, a voice was sounding;
This land was made for you and me.

CHORUS

When the sun came shining, and I was strolling
And the wheat fields waving and the dust clouds rolling
As the fog was lifting a voice was chanting:
This land was made for you and me.

CHORUS

As I went walking I saw a sign there, 
Sign was painted, said, "Private Property".
But on the back side, it didn't say nothing.
That side was made for you and me.

CHORUS

In the squares of the city, in the shadow of the steeple
Near the relief office, I seen my people
And some are grumblin' and some are wonderin'
If this land's still made for you and me.

CHORUS

Nobody livin' can ever stop me
As I go walkin' that freedom highway.
Nobody livin' can ever make me turn back.
This land was made for you and me.

CHORUS

We sang only the first two verses. The song has been recorded in any number of variations, including many omitting the later verses given their perceived critical attitude.