Friends,

There’s a new dynamic in American politics.

The Democratic Party has been on a streak, winning  up and down the ballot: from school boards to state houses and assemblies to elections for the House of Representatives. By some counts, Democrats have won more than 150 local, state and special elections across the country in the last year and-a-half, including in many deep red districts. And where Democrats haven’t won outright, they have outperformed. 

There is also a discernible shift taking place within the party. A new generation is emerging as seen in New York, Virginia, Texas, Maine and Michigan, among other places. Come next year, when the presidential campaigns begin to take shape, the Democratic party will have a new look and feel.

Meanwhile, in the Republican party, the MAGA coalition is cracking and mainstream Republicans are walking away. So too are Republican-leaning Independents, big time. With a chronic sub-40% approval rating – and more than 60% disapproval – President Donald Trump is sleepwalking the GOP to an electoral blowout. By this time next year, there will be fewer and fewer voters who will openly admit they voted for Trump. 

In contrast with those disaffected Trump voters, being a Democrat is now a badge of honor.

As the U.S. prepares to celebrate its 250th anniversary, it's also worth remembering the values that Democrats stand for and what helped make America truly exceptional. Among them: equality of opportunity for everyone and without prejudice for race, creed, sexual orientation, faith or gender. Here in Greece, DAGR is proud to support Athens Pride for a 10th consecutive year because we believe that diversity, equity and inclusiveness makes us stronger as a nation, not weaker. 

We welcome your participation and, as always, urge you to register to vote at votefromabroad.org or FVAP.gov. And come join us for a drink at our regular Happy Hours in Athens and Thessaloniki, or for a morning coffee in the park in Thessaloniki. 

Once again, thank you for staying engaged. Give yourselves a pat on the back: if you are reading this newsletter, you are on the right side of history. And the rest of America is beginning to appreciate that.

Alkman Granitsas
Chair, Democrats Abroad Greece



Monday, JUN 08 - 23:00 EET
Align Your Money With Your Values: Investments
Att: Night owls! Try Third Act’s session on investments and find whether your investment funds contain fossil fuel companies. They’ll also help find alternative investments and tell how to find a financial advisor that shares your values. RSVP here for the online event.

Tuesday, JUN 09 - 19:30-22:00 EET
Happy Hour in Athens
Athens Happy Hour meets again at its fav retreat, En Aithria in Monastiraki. We start at 6, so those working downtown can stop by before heading home. Stop in and see what's shaping up for the months ahead. And don't hesitate to bring a friend. Details on DAGR Events Page.

Tuesday, JUN 09 - 19:00-21:00 EET 
Happy Hour in Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki friends, old and new, meet up again at our beloved happy hour venue: Cafe Bazaar. If you’re in the mood to talk out the events of recent weeks, get help with registering to vote, or just learn what’s coming up, join us to raise a glass to better times. Details on DAGR Events Page.

Saturday, JUN 13 - all day and more
Athens PRIDE 
Culminating nearly a month of cultural (aka fun!) events, the big scene in Syntagma Square goes on all day with displays, entertainment, the parade and party into the night. This year is the 10th anniversary of DAGR’s presence! It also marks the civil union of our late chair, Steve Medeiros and his longtime spouse, Tony. It was the first such union performed under Greece’s new law by then-Athens Mayor Kaminis. This year’s Pride theme is ‘It’s All About You.” Come and celebrate with us. Better yet, volunteer to help greet people at the booth! 

Sunday, JUN 14 - 16:00 EET
Juneteenth: Faith & Freedom film screening
Leading up to the holiday to follow on the 19th, Dems Abroad Italy is sponsoring this 56‑minute documentary that explores the legacy of slavery, the resilience of Black communities, and the complicated role of Christianity in both oppression and liberation. Powerful and illuminating! Get more details and RSVP to join the film and discussion online.

Sunday, JUN 14 - all day
Flag Day!
Today may be ballyhooed on ‘Falsehood Social’ as the birthday of the Mar-a-lago Mafia’s favorite don. But we recommend remembering Old Glory before it was ‘impositioned’ by the slurring grifter. HELADA's 2005 TakeBackTheFlag collection still resonates 20 years later, maybe now more than ever. 

Tuesday, JUN 16 - 19:30 EET  
DAGR ExCom Meeting
The Dems Abroad Greece board, aka ExCom, meets online every month. Members are welcome to sit in and come up to speed on the many things your board has to handle. Get a leg up on events in planning, and much more. Reply on this email for the link.

Thursday, JUN 18 - 19:00 EET
Obama Presidential Center Grand Opening Ceremony
Hope has a home, and it’s time to open the doors. Raised on the South Side of Chicago, the Obama Presidential Center is a global hub for inspiring, empowering, and connecting people to make change. The Grand Opening Ceremony marks the official unveiling of the Center. While the ceremony itself is invite-only, the entire community is invited to be part of this historic day. Livestreaming will begin at 7 p.m. local time in Greece. More info: https://www.obama.org/visit/grand-opening/

Friday, JUN 19 - all day
Juneteenth
The Global Black Caucus offered the Faith and Freedom video on the 14th, a Sunday, when more folks might be free to watch it. But, well, the date was unfortunate. So, feel free to celebrate now by seeking out that one or another video on the history or by looking up a summary narrative on Wikipedia. 

Sunday, JUN 21 - all day
Father’s Day
We ignored Mother’s Day last month. Women’s Caucus aside, it’s really not political. So we should probably ignore Father’s Day, too. Or start a DA Men’s Caucus. But if you want to go ahead and you’re short of ideas, may we suggest … the tie having been gift-wrapped again last Christmas … perhaps Wikipedia’s selection of ‘Everyman’ treatments, extolling the virtues of the "just, plain good guy to have on your side."

Saturday, JUN 27 - 11:00 EET
Saturday Coffee in Thessaloniki 
Wake up with purpose this Saturday—join us for bold brews and even bolder conversations that turn your coffee into a catalyst for change. Let’s shape the future together, one cup and one compelling idea at a time. Venue: Xarchakos Cafe Bar, Parko Xanthi. RSVP if you want.

SAVE THE DATE: 4th of July in Athens and Thessaloniki – details to come!

And that’s not all …
See what other country committees and global caucuses are doing, on the DA website Events page.

DPCA Annual General Meeting 
2026 Dems Abroad AGM was hosted by the new African committees in Nairobi, and they outdid themselves with ‘taste of Kenya’ snacks and activities for the in-person attendees. Over 200 more attended online. Watch the keynote speech by Jane Kleeb, NB state party chair, state chairs assn president, and a VC on the DNC. THIS is not to be missed! More recordings from the weekend are here. For a look at what ‘organizer Jane’ did back home, try Cracks in the Heartland. Our musical coda this month! And source of our 'banner' photo at the top of this newsletter. Thanks on all counts

Harvard University Graduation Speech.
PhD graduate Andrew O’Donohue lays it out in 12 minutes. If you missed this one, don’t do it again!

Obama on the Stephen Colbert Show
Celebrating and building buzz for the Obama Presidential Library (and much more) which opens June 19. Tickets went on sale, just after recording this interview in 4 parts. A refreshing reminder of what "presidential" still means in the US. Watch all parts, and feel the blood flowing to the brain again.

Adam Schiff’s Farewell Message to Colbert
Okay, it’s solid Dem-happy material, but it’s also spot on, has some great moments from The Late Show and sends the message we’re all thinking. You’ll have to watch the vid to know what it is. 

Prince William: A Planet for Us All
Refreshing and inspiring. This 2020 production has just been uploaded again. Not a moment too soon! Prince William took on the environmental movement, and in particular the children, for special support. Privileged to travel and learn from his father and grandfather, he’s putting his position, wealth and influence behind saving the planet before it’s all gone. Video, 48 mins.

Buying Trump’s Favor
In May, the breaking news was the $1.776 Billion slush fund that Trump’s DOJ gave Trump to bailout Trump’s MAGA convicts, donors and allies. About 6 months back, More Perfect Union had already investigated the ‘perfectly legal’ but oh-so slimy donations, by industrial giants seeking favors, policy turn-abouts, and government contracts. 15-min video.

Democrats Abroad are now on Substack, too. Check DA global news here!

Stirring the Pot: The Dissident’s Kitchen 
DA Global Women’s Caucus is putting together a cookbook with “Recipes for the Resistance” and they’d love to have your favorite! Learn more here. They’ll be collecting recipes and the stories behind them until July 4.

Greece’s Got Talent!
From time to time, DAGR needs an informed webinar panelist, a writer, a video editor, someone who can put together a poster in Canva, etc. We have loads of talent among us but we don’t always know who to ask. Here’s your chance to bust a friend. Let us know someone you know who has a skill or a desire to hone one.

REMINDER: 
Primaries are popping! Are you registered for yours? Check VoteFromAbroad for your state’s deadlines and details. And if you’ve missed your state’s primary, you can still register for the general election in November. Do it now, so you don’t miss the chance to thwart Trump and his MAGA minions!

Primaries and Primary Run-Offs (Special Elections) in JUNE. 
We're sending reminders each month. If YOU can vote in these elections, please do! If you still need to register for a primary OR for the general election in November, PLEASE DO! Info on ballot return at www.votefromabroad.org



Thessaloniki Reviews Rebecca Solnit’s New Book
The Jazzy Book Club of Thessaloniki met on Saturday, May 9, at Xarchakos Café, central Thessaloniki, for a lively discussion of Rebecca Solnit’s recently published book The Beginning Comes After the End (2026). The fresh ideas and photos may whet your appetite to read it.

Open Letter to American Organizations
As its first act of the new month, DAGR sent out an open letter to American organizations in Greece, asking them to remind their staff and members that Americans can vote from abroad, that trusted websites can facilitate the effort and that the right to vote has always been the keystone of democracy.

US Memorial Day Commemoration
American service organizations gathered at the Evangelistria Cemetery in Thessaloniki to lay wreaths in remembrance of the 191 known fallen Greek American soldiers who lost their lives in World War I, World War II and the Korean War.

DAGR’s First Walking Tour: Thessaloniki
As an introduction for recent arrivals and fill-in-the-blanks for older residents, a walking tour is a great way to get in touch with the rich history we pass every day. The Thessaloniki chapter put thought into action and arranged a walking tour at the end of May. We predict this won’t be the last one!



Ari Velsher’s Banned Book Club: “Boy Erased” 
“Boy Erased” is the personal account of a 19-yr-old boy’s survival of conversion therapy. Velsher interviews the author, Garrad Conley, about the soul-destroying experience and his recovery from it. His wisdom is lost on SCOTUS, which ruled, earlier this year, that conversion therapy may continue despite some states’ efforts to ban it. Happy PRIDE Month?

AI: Just What We’ve All Been Hoping For
More Perfect Union dug into the human workers hired (for less and less) to train AI to do their jobs. It’s pretty scary, particularly when you know that a handful of uber-wealthy are sucking up the product and will be spitting out the no-longer-needed workers once they’ve made their buck. Check it out, if you haven’t had enough chills up your spine today.

Welcome to the Capitalist Wing of Antifa!
A humorous take, as all of JVL’s are, on those of us caught between capitalism and the uncomfortable feeling that this s**t we’re seeing now is not really capitalism OR whatever-ism. It’s a social media meme for the unschooled. Bulwark’s Jonathan V. Last enlightens us on the whole ‘fool the electorate’ thing.

Obit: Former Rep. Barney Frank Dies
The brilliant, witty, House member from Massachusetts, Barney Frank is remembered as sponsor, with Sen. Chris Dodd, of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. The first openly gay member of Congress, Frank championed civil rights and progressive programs, in particular, affordable housing. The New York Times gives due credit to Frank’s long and notable public service.

Easy Solution Could Prevent Whale Deaths
Crab, lobster and even sea bass fishers use traps tethered to floating buoys. Whales can become entangled, lacerated, infected, and may even die. Some canny fishers are combining a tech solution to save whales and even increase their crustacean catch. Sierra Club tells how it works. Meanwhile, the Canadian Whale Institute’s team frees any whales found entangled.



$67 million of National Park Entrance Fees Are Funding Trump’s D.C. Projects
Share this gift link widely in your social media networks so everyone who votes can get the picture. Crumbling infrastructure and safety hazards still greet visitors PAYING to visit our national parks. Meanwhile, you-know-who and friends are diverting $67 million from the entrance fees to vanity projects near the White House. When they lose both houses of Congress in November, we can all giggle and point. And yell, “Impeach!”

Meanwhile, set jaw to "determined" and see what each of us can do to encourage more friends, relatives and our whole social media reach to inform themselves, get determined, too, and vote the corrupt self-servers out!

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