Welcome to the North Carolinians Abroad State Team of Democrats Abroad! 

We’re so glad you’re here! Get in touch at [email protected].

Our votes from abroad can be the margin of victory in local, statewide and Federal elections. After the many challenges voters faced in 2021, the 2022 Midterm Elections are set to be the most crucial of our lifetimes. Read on to find out how you can make your vote count!

Get Involved

​​​There are many opportunities to have an impact! Even if you don’t have a lot of time to spare - every little bit helps. From voter outreach and assistance to event planning and support, it’s all hands on deck to ensure that every overseas voter can cast all the ballots for which they are eligible this midterm year.    

We’ll be organizing “Meet the Candidates” events, Action Hours, and phone banking throughout the 2022 election season. In addition, we are following developments in voting legislation and redistricting back home. As a team, we’ll be sharing our experiences, our knowledge of the process of voting from abroad, and other state-specific election information that has a real impact in the 2022 election. 

Please reach out to us today if you would like to get involved! Check our Events for upcoming planning meetings.
Here are some quick ways to stay up-to-date on the new developments and stay in contact with us:

• Join our Slack Channel
• Write to [email protected]

Welcome to the Marylanders Abroad State Team of Democrats Abroad! 

We’re so glad you’re here! Get in touch at [email protected].

Our votes from abroad can be the margin of victory in local, statewide and Federal elections. After the many challenges voters faced in 2021, the 2022 Midterm Elections are set to be the most crucial of our lifetimes. Read on to find out how you can make your vote count!

Get Involved

​​​There are many opportunities to have an impact! Even if you don’t have a lot of time to spare - every little bit helps. From voter outreach and assistance to event planning and support, it’s all hands on deck to ensure that every overseas voter can cast all the ballots for which they are eligible this midterm year.    

We’ll be organizing “Meet the Candidates” events, Action Hours, and phone banking throughout the 2022 election season. In addition, we are following developments in voting legislation and redistricting back home. As a team, we’ll be sharing our experiences, our knowledge of the process of voting from abroad, and other state-specific election information that has a real impact in the 2022 election. 

Please reach out to us today if you would like to get involved! Check our Events for upcoming planning meetings.
Here are some quick ways to stay up-to-date on the new developments and stay in contact with us:

• Join our Slack Channel
• Write to [email protected]

Welcome to the Georgians Abroad State Team of Democrats Abroad! 

We’re so glad you’re here! Get in touch at [email protected].

Our votes from abroad can be the margin of victory in local, statewide and Federal elections. After the many challenges voters faced in 2021, the 2022 Midterm Elections are set to be the most crucial of our lifetimes. Read on to find out how you can make your vote count!

Get Involved

​​​There are many opportunities to have an impact! Even if you don’t have a lot of time to spare - every little bit helps. From voter outreach and assistance to event planning and support, it’s all hands on deck to ensure that every overseas voter can cast all the ballots for which they are eligible this midterm year.    

We’ll be organizing “Meet the Candidates” events, Action Hours, and phone banking throughout the 2022 election season. In addition, we are following developments in voting legislation and redistricting back home. As a team, we’ll be sharing our experiences, our knowledge of the process of voting from abroad, and other state-specific election information that has a real impact in the 2022 election. 

Please reach out to us today if you would like to get involved! Check our Events for upcoming planning meetings.
Here are some quick ways to stay up-to-date on the new developments and stay in contact with us:

• Join our Slack Channel
• Write to [email protected]

Please RSVP at https://apia.vote/Mineta2022
At the end of the short program, we will provide an opportunity for you to stay on and access break out rooms so you can be  in community together for an informal gathering.

Secretary Norman Y. Mineta. He was a political giant not only for many Americans but especially in the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities, motivating and mentoring generations of AAPIs to get involved and make a difference. Many Americans will remember Secretary Mineta for his calm, competent and unprecedented response to 9/11, his leadership in the creation of the Transportation Security Administration (“TSA”), and his stewardship of the legislation that helped victims of the Japanese American internment camps receive reparations. For many of us he will also be remembered as a founding father of the ecosystem that created many AAPI advocacy organizations that exist today – including APIAVote.

- Christine Chen, Executive Director of APIA Vote

Grace Meng spoke eloquently with us on May 1, 2022 at our AAPI Heritage Month Kickoff.

Asians now make up 7% of the U.S. population and are the fastest-growing ethnic group in the U.S. By 2060, the U.S. Asian population is projected to reach 46 million. AAPI voters were also proven to be a key voting bloc in 2020, especially in Georgia and Arizona. In 2020, almost 60% of eligible AAPI voters participated in the November election. Almost 50% of those that voted did not vote in the 2016 election.  

if you missed her and were thinking "hey, this isn't such an important election", please watch and share Congresswoman Meng's important and insightful remarks.

Podcasts & Social Media 2022
Posted by Terese Sarno · · 1 reaction

August Recommendations
Posted by Terese Sarno · July 26, 2022 9:57 PM · 1 reaction

July Recommendations
Posted by Terese Sarno · June 30, 2022 8:07 AM · 1 reaction

TRANSITIONING TO CIVILIAN LIFE and JOBS!
Posted by Bob Gould · April 06, 2022 9:30 AM · 1 reaction

Memorizing multiple passwords can be a pain, but it's downright dangerous to use the same one for everything, and online privacy is not the place you want to be cutting corners. With many employees still working remotely, it's never been more essential to make sure that your online presence is secure and safe from prying eyes.  

Some apps are free, but the safest and easiest to use are named in the link below. Some apps can also help you create unique passwords for you instead of having to dream them up, or use the same ones over and over (not recommended).

As promised, here is the latest on the best apps to keep your passwords safe. 

The Loneliness, Loss and Regret: what getting old really feels like – new study (UK, September 2021)

Paula had not been living in her retirement apartment for very long when I arrived for our interview. She welcomed me into a modern, comfortable home. We sat in the living room, taking in the impressive view from her balcony and our conversation unfolded.

Paula, 72, told me how four years ago she’d lost her husband. She had been his carer for over ten years, as he slowly declined from a degenerative condition. Read more…

This health care practice robs many seniors of vitality and life in their twilight years

“Doctor, what did they do to him? Dad just doesn’t look the same. Please help him!”

Of all the overnight admissions to the hospital, he looks the worst and the daughter’s cry pierces our heart.

A year ago, a prolonged surgery and trips back to theatre to battle the complications affected his memory …  Read more… 

Why so many elderly in China are unvaccinated

For weeks the authorities in Shanghai tried to stem an outbreak of covid-19 with a whack-a-mole approach. Individual buildings were locked down, only for the virus to spread elsewhere. Finally, on March 28th, officials decided to lock down all of the city’s 25m residents in two phases, beginning with the east side of town, home to the main financial centre.  Read more… 

In April, we saw the escalation of the war in Ukraine, and I understood from some DA colleagues that many American Seniors abroad are quite worried about this state of affairs. Yes, we need to be hopeful and indeed supportive of our government’s policies with regards this war. As I said in March’s Chair’s Corner many, if not all of us, “remember the trauma of World War II and many of us, had fathers and relatives who participated in that war. War always brings suffering and trauma.” Let us hope that this war does not drag on and that we can celebrate a peaceful solution to this conflict.

I am happy to report that our WEP Committee had its first meeting on April 6^th and a smaller group met on April 9^th. We are working hard to come together to eliminate WEP. I would like to thank Rebecca Lammers, Chair of the Taxation Task Force for her help and leadership in our formation of this WEP committee. Also, the Medicare Part B/ Medicare Portability Committee had our first meeting on April 14^th. We are liaising with the Medicare Portability Task Force (MPTF), chaired by Heather Stone and thank her for her help. In our new Seniors Medicare Part B Committee, chaired by Toni Kamins (who is also a member of the MPTF) we are hoping to have a clear understanding of Medicare Part B for those of us living abroad as well as to make Medicare Portable. Thank you to all those members of the Seniors Caucus who volunteered for these committees. We need many hands on deck.

Finally, I would like to celebrate with you the confirmation of Ketanji Brown Jackson as an Associate Justice for the Supreme Court. It was a difficult confirmation. I felt horrified and sometimes physically sick by how this dear judge was treated by some Senators in the Judiciary Committee. It felt to me as if their words were shaped by racism and misogyny. Nevertheless, this well-qualified and intelligent woman was confirmed. I am currently reading the biography of Constance Baker Motley, another judge who was an inspiration for Justice Jackson. Both are inspirational women and patriotic Americans.

Some tips and tricks for you and yours to make things easier and to keep you in the loop!

Posted by Lauren Hakulinen · · 1 reaction

Hoopla!!
Posted by Lauren Hakulinen · May 23, 2022 9:45 AM · 1 reaction

Password Safety
Posted by Lauren Hakulinen · April 29, 2022 11:34 AM · 1 reaction

Posted by Lauren Hakulinen · · 1 reaction

At IOP Disinformation Conference, Obama Warns of “Anger, Resentment, Conflict, Division”
Posted by Lauren Hakulinen · May 23, 2022 9:36 AM · 2 reactions

Charities and non-profit organizations
Posted by Lauren Hakulinen · May 23, 2022 9:35 AM · 1 reaction

Join us in celebrating our Asian American and Pacific Islander heritage and the difference we are making both at home and abroad!

Whether you want to know more about the power of our voting bloc, our commitment to unity and inclusion for all minority groups, or learn about some of our many different Asian American and Pacific Islander traditions, we look forward to welcoming you to one of our AAPI heritage month events!

You don't need to be a member to attend, just click the RSVP button!

Missed an event? 

Military Spouse Scholarship: To access information on the National Military Family Association’s scholarship program, along with FAQS + eligibility details, click here.

The Journey of the Military Child: The MCEC (Military Child Education Coalition) will continue to serve military-connected students with their 24th annual signature event. They will welcome in-person attendees to Washington, DC for a refreshed, reinvigorated, and revitalized professional learning event, the 2022 MCEC Global Summit. It will focus on supporting and nurturing all areas of development and learning while incorporating a broader view of the skills and knowledge military-connected children need for long-term success. The Global Summit will be July 18-20 at the Renaissance Hotel in downtown Washington, DC. For information, click here.

The Posse Veterans Program: The Posse Veterans Program identifies, trains, and supports groups of ten veterans (in a cohort or “posse”) who will pursue their bachelor's degrees together. Learn how the Posse Program identifies post-9/11 Veterans for its program, how Posse’s partner colleges select Veterans for the program and guarantee that tuition is covered for all four years, and how Posse’s 200+ Corporate partners support Posse alumni. Nominations will remain open through September 15, 2022 for the 2023 Scholarship Cohort. For more information go here or here. 

Posted by Terese Sarno · · 1 reaction

VMF August Educational Resources
Posted by Terese Sarno · July 26, 2022 9:57 PM · 1 reaction

VMF July Educational Resources
Posted by Terese Sarno · June 30, 2022 2:43 AM · 1 reaction

Sonnet for Memorial Day

by Nancy Harb Almendras
(DA Germany)

“Sweet and fitting to die for one’s country,”
Says Horace, ironically echoed
By Owen, who so much did disagree.
Even Ernest Hemingway plainly showed
Futility of war and its great toll
Gathered in Flanders Fields where many lay.
Remarque’s teacher his students did cajole
To take up duty, arms, instead of play.
 
Dulce et decorum est, pro patria
Mori; as if we’ve learned nothing yet
Denizens repeat the old, old story…
As widows cry we express regret
As once again on Memorial Day
We come around to barbecue and pray.