By Alkman Granitsas, Chair, and Karen Lee, Vice Chair
What a year it’s been. Since entering office last January, the Trump Administration has taken a wrecking ball to the principles, values and alliances Americans once held dear. From the East Wing of the White House to the U.S. Constitution, from the functions of the federal government to the international trading system, President Donald Trump has been tearing everything down.
But resistance has been growing. Across America, citizens have turned out on the streets to protest the Trump Administration policies. Here in Greece too.
In the year since the current Executive Committee was elected, Democrats Abroad Greece has been growing – our membership is up and both new members and existing members are engaging. More and more members are reaching out, registering to vote, getting involved.
Here are a few highlights of what DAGR and its members have been doing in the last year:
- · Percentage increase in DAGR social media followers (Instagram) : +500%
- · Percentage increase DAGR social media followers (Facebook): +17%
- · Get Out the Vote (GOTV) phone banking campaigns: 1 (ongoing)
- · Protests staged by DAGR members over Trump Administration policies: 11
- · Monthly member challenges: 2
- · Vigils joined by DAGR members : 9
- · Grassroots protest groups formed by DAGR volunteers: 1
- · Participation of DAGR members in public fora: 5
- · Fundraising dinners held : 1
- · Online Kafeneion events : 1
- · Happy Hours staged in Athens, Thessaloniki and At Large in the past year: 26
- · Total number of Thessaloniki & At Large Member coffee hours : 9
- · Number of DAGR Executive Committee meetings held: 12
- · Number of DAGR Communications Committee meetings held: 50
- · Number of events to commemorate International Women’s Day: 2
- · Number of membership surveys conducted: 2
- · Newsletters published in last 12 months: 12
- · Number of website articles published: 37
- · Press releases issued: 7
- · Opinion pieces published: 4
- · Media interviews given: 10
- · Videos produced: 3
The year ahead will be even busier. With the mid-term elections just about 250 days away, we will be stepping up our efforts to Get Out the Vote. Because this year your vote counts more than ever.
We welcome volunteers who are willing to pick up the phone and help folks register to vote. But we are also relying on every member to help get the word out to all U.S. citizens abroad - tell a friend, share a social media post, create a meme: you can register through www.votefromabroad.org or www.fvap.gov.
This year will be pivotal in American history. We need you, our members, to stay engaged. And we need your help. America needs your help.
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