It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve as your Chair these past four years. Across terms, our cities and caucuses, and committees participated in over 100 in-person and virtual events. We celebrated Juneteenth. We held book clubs, trivia nights, Tacobout It Tuesdays, Solidarity Sundays. There was something for everyone, and every event pointed back to voting. 

Here’s what we accomplished together from 2023 to 2025:

✅  Volunteer-Powered GOTV

• Reached over 10,000 Americans in our primary and secondary WeChat groups.
• Chatted 3,000+ voters around ballot drop day in 2024 alone.
• Called and texted every single member at least 3 times. Didn’t get a message? Log in and update your contact settings, or reply to this email to connect with us on WeChat. 
• Launched state-specific voter chats, expanded volunteer groups, and got voters to the U.S. consulates before critical deadlines.
• Built voter macros tailored to China’s needs, making them quick, clear, and locally relevant.

✅  Major Accomplishments

• Trained and supported super volunteers who ran registration tables, led chats, and covered GOTV events in cities like Shanghai, Beijing, and Guangzhou.
• Built a goal structure to ensure every major city has a minimum number of active volunteers during election crunch times.
• Doubled 2023 donations with one 2024 Shanghai fundraiser. 
• Held 3 live Democratic Presidential Primaries in Beijing and Shanghai, with one ballot assistance event in Guangzhou. This is one of the most incredible democratic feats in the modern history of America. Thank you to all who participated in these historic events!

✅  Strategic Tools

• Used WeChat as our main communications tool, since email reach is 20-30% and phone calls seem to now be blocked.
• Continued CallHub training even though calls don’t connect locally, helping support global DA efforts.
• Worked with the Data Director to reconcile voter registration data.
• Identified the need for better message relays from Mobilize, Slack, and Mighty Networks to WeChat groups.
• Better employed DACN’s TeamUp calendar (VPN-free!), by adding event graphics and more.
• Created a DACN Signal group for all members looking to engage on a different platform. 
• Created a new format to crush it on Instagram. Check us out. 

The Challenge: 

We’re proud of what we’ve done, but we’re nowhere near done yet. The hard truth is these victories were made possible by the commitment of just a few, and the road ahead is steep. The same small group of volunteers completed all of the work from 2021 to today. If we want to win in 2025 and beyond, we need you to participate now. Without you, we won’t reach enough voters and will lose even more ground. 

Email us to get plugged in, or forward this to someone you think should be part of this movement. Don’t be complacent, don’t be shy. This is the moment to raise your hand.

Next, please join me in welcoming and supporting our new leaders!!!

Democrats Abroad China (DACN) 2025-27 Leadership Board:

🔹 Chair: Dustin Doyle

🔹 Vice Chair: Virginia (Ginny) Hunt

🔹 Secretary: Adam Bucky

🔹 Treasurer: Patricia (Tricia) Williams

🔹 Communications Coordinator: Robert (Bob) Paschen

🔹 IT Coordinator: Lynn Terzis

🔹 GOTV Coordinator: Geneva Jones

🔹 Events Coordinator: Madeline (Viv) Loh

🔹 Onboarding Coordinator: Scholastica Njilefac Tanyi-Agyeman

🔹 Member-At-Large: MF (Mary Frances) Cappiello 

In 2025, we’re up against:

❗️An election year where overseas votes could decide democratic victories - or fail to show and deepen the MAGA crisis. 

❗️A growing disinformation threat targeting U.S. voters abroad.

❗️A push to suppress absentee ballots through “residency” and return requirements.

❗️Project 2025 agenda enforcement.

‼️ Burnout. A core team can only do so much without more hands on deck.

We know what needs to be done:

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: hindsight is 2024. 

We cannot accomplish any of our goals without YOU. If we’re going to defend democracy from Shanghai to Sheboygan, we need more members stepping up today, not six months from now. The stakes are too high, and the opposition is too organized.

✅ Recruit and register new voters in every province.

✅ Expand outreach to students.

✅ Ramp up strategic communications and WeChat engagement.

✅ Install 5-10 members on each committee to properly support our new Board.

✅ Launch voter assistance events in every city between August 15 and October 31.

Fill a Vacancy

• Member-At-Large: vacant Leadership Board position. 
• Communications Deputy Officers: 3 non-voting Board positions. 
• Counsel: 1-2 individuals with a legal background advising on aspects of our work. 
• City Leaders: Beijing, Chengdu, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Kunming, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Suzhou, and Qingdao.
• Voter Assistants: 30 more volunteers are required; please train today.

Resist

Today marks a turning point. It’s the final day of Pride Month and a day when the U.S. Senate is poised to drag our country a century backward.

In 2025, we must fight harder than ever. In the past week, I’ve called Senator Ron Johnson six times. I urge you to call your Senators today and demand they vote NO on H.R. 1, a bill that would gut progress and deepen inequality. Our members are also stepping up to defend LGBTQ+ rights. Add your name to our petition. Next, help us stop the SAVE Act. This bill would force Americans voting under UOCAVA, including our troops and those of us living abroad, to re-register in person every year. That’s not just impractical, it’s disenfranchisement by design. 

Thank you

From all of us on the outgoing Leadership Board, thank you. It has been wonderful to serve alongside such dedicated, passionate volunteers. Your commitment has built something powerful. While our official roles are shifting, we’re not going anywhere. The battle for democracy is far from over. Join us and stand shoulder to shoulder with new leadership, backing them every step of the way. This fight is ours, together. Join us.

Liz Blackbourn

Chair Emerita, Democrats Abroad China

🔹 2023-25 Leadership Board: Liz Blackbourn, Terry Watkins Jr., Adam Bucky, Tricia Williams, Dustin Doyle, Ginny Hunt, Pam Forbes, Kevin Xin, Alex Vanderpol, Bob Paschen, Lynn Terzis

🔹 2025 Rules & Bylaws Committee: Adam Bucky, Dustin Doyle, Liz Blackbourn

🔹 2025 Nominations & Elections Committee: Patrick Cranley, Terry Watkins Jr., Liz Blackbourn