Donald Trump Hates June
Ah yes, we are entering June, the month our president probably hates the most. While many back home look forward to the national Juneteenth holiday and will take part in Pride Month celebrations nationwide, our fine leader will be huffing and puffing and hosting a huge military parade on the 14th, his birthday.
Attacks on DEI, stripping away Black History and imagery from libraries and government websites, they are all part of his white supremacist agenda. These actions and many others must be confronted head on by both our elected representatives and the citizenry at large. DASA will be hosting No Kings, No Tyrants - Day of Defiance activities on June 14th as a direct response to the planned parade. We also continue to host our Take Action Tuesdays. Consider joining both – you’ll feel better knowing you did your part to confront and resist unethical, exclusionary and undemocratic leadership.
Your voice and your vote.
No polite words adequately express what we all feel about the agenda being pursued by the White House and Republicans.
While Democrats Abroad doesn’t engage in foreign policy matters or the domestic policies of the countries we live in – as individuals we can always contact our elected US officials in regard to US-SA relations, show our respect for South Africa as a sovereign democratic nation, and use various platforms to speak out.
And please, request your own ballot and help us find every eligible US voter in South Africa because the damage 47 and his crew are doing here and globally is despicable. We've all come here for various reasons, or are dual citizens, but we each have both the opportunity and responsibility to play our part in building the future we know the next generation deserves in SA and the US, and there is no justice – social, economic, environmental or other - without racial justice. When we envision the countries we're fighting for, Antiracism, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Justice and Belonging must be at the core. We’ll need to be strong ambassadors for both countries in the days and years ahead.
One of our priorities is to develop our membership and find new voters well in advance of the 2026 midterms. We encourage each of you to please reach out to US Citizens you know or meet in South Africa and invite them to become a member at www.democratsabroad.org/join.
NEW VICE CHAIR THABO KORNEGAY
We are happy to share that Thabo Kornegay is joining our DASA Exco to serve as Vice Chair!
For this month's newsletter, we wanted to focus on the similarities between our two countries. For this I wanted to draw on my own experience as a dual citizen, whose family has roots in both South Africa and the United States. The Republic of South Africa has had just over 30yrs of development and history as a democracy. A little short of the 249yrs of experience the US has as a country. However, South Africa has engaged with social issues in a way that seeks to be deliberate, whereas for the US it has barely scratched the surface in dealing with its own societal issues. A critical social issue like economic redress to economically excluded proportions of the population is one such example of a policy topic that is completely avoided by US politics. However, dealing with that kind of man-made social abnormality would be an important step to take for a country and society similar to that of the US and South Africa.
Therefore as we approach Juneteenth, Pride Month, AND as we keep in mind the international students in the US, currently uncertain of the future of their studies in the US (international students contribute to the country's diversity, including the diversity of thought) it is important to point out that the US should learn from South Africa's example. Its example of bravery, in embracing a policy and legislative agenda of change and redress. Therefore, the assault on DEI is an assault on America's ability to achieve her full potential and by learning this lesson from South Africa, our country would be able to forge a path forward, toward a more equal society and therefore, a more perfect union for her people.
VOTING CONTINUES IN 2025!
EVERY OFFICE ACROSS THE STATES IS CRITICAL
Protect your vote before Republicans mess with it, and protect our democracy by voting in any elections you are eligible for in your state.
Do you vote in VA, NJ, or PA? You have state elections coming up!
There are also Special Elections for Congressional seats in AZ-7, TX-18 and VA-11.
Additional Special Elections may be called! There are also state and local elections which some may be qualified to vote in if you select "Intend to Return" on your FPCA. If not...remind friends and family to vote!
A LITTLE GOOD NEWS
FROM NEW YORK THIS MONTH...
From the International Chair: New York State Senator James Skoufis has introduced Senate Bill S7689A, which would make it easier for NY voters abroad to register and request a ballot. This bill is the result of many years of DA advocacy, and we’re grateful to all who helped make it possible! Bill details are HERE.
And..."The DNC congratulates New York state Senator-elect Sam Sutton on his huge upset victory in the New York Senate District 22 race, in a district that Donald Trump won by 55 points in November. Sutton’s victory, by nearly a 2-1 margin, extends Democrats’ 2025 special election winning streak as we continue to overperform in elections across the country. In blue, purple, and red districts everywhere, Democrats are overperforming and winning." Read more HERE
Democratic voters are showing up!
DEMOCRATS ABROAD RESISTS
Democrats Abroad's Resistance Advocacy
Click the box below to read more, sign up for Take Action alerts, and find ideas to implement!
SPEAK UP: Write to your State Leaders
Keep these contacts handy and please keep up the pressure on all of our elected officials - pressuring them to do more and of course giving thanks where it is due! Remember to mention that you are an overseas voter in South Africa and a member of Democrats Abroad.
READ the Democrats Abroad International Chair's Statement on the Big Bad Billionaire Budget Bill
READ HERE and HERE about what the Bill could mean for your District
HELP KILL THE BILL! PLEASE ACT - Contact Your Senators now! Find contact details above.
Implore friends and family in the States to as well! There are some valuable posts on social media - share them regularly over the coming weeks.
TAKE ACTION: More Info on taking action including issue-focused scripts at 5calls.org
CAUCUS HIGHLIGHT
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A Heads up and Call to Action from DASA Member Susan Cashin on Social Security services |
Please WATCH AND SHARE this video to make others aware that this is just the beginning of what's to come and urge them to immediately contact their representatives in Congress. They should state that this new service at the SSA is unacceptable and demand that reasonable service be restored immediately.
FIND THE FIGHTERS FOCUS: Field Team 6
Take a look at Field Team 6 - www.fieldteam6.org
*Including upcoming training on outreach skills
Watch recordings from their recent Register Democrats Summit
FIND THE FIGHTERS FOCUS: PERSIST
Take a look at PERSIST - www.thepersistnetwork.com
PERSIST is a "power network for politically engaged women — building community, spreading truth faster and further, and taking action every day to restore democracy, reshape the narrative, and reclaim it all."
Katie Phang, one of the media voices involved with PERSIST has also recently teamed up with the MeidasTouch Network. Check out her "Wait a Damn Minute" videos.
Follow and Share at these links
Thanks to DASA Member Keshia Bedard for helping us identify and amplify people and organisations leading the resistance and building coalitions! We'll also be sharing this info on our FB and Instagram accounts and within our WhatsApp group.
VOLUNTEER
THANK YOU!
Thank you to all who have been volunteering with DASA! There's a lot of work to do in the coming weeks and months. We have an energetic, committed and fun team of people involved in SA. Join us!
Volunteers make it all possible! Click on the red button above for the DASA volunteer interest form or email [email protected]
EVENTS
We’d love your input!
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Have ideas for DASA events or venues to use? Please take a minute to share ideas CLICK HERE
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Interested in hosting an event or have an idea on finding American voters in SA? Let us know [email protected]
Democrats Abroad will hold our 2025 DPCA Global Meeting on June 6-8, 2025 online via Webex. The meeting is open to all DA members.
While much of the meeting is administrative, keep an eye on the agenda as specific session timeframes and guest speakers are finalised.
FIND THE PRELIMINARY AGENDA & RSVP HERE
Join us in Taking Action!
DASA is currently running weekly 30 minute action-focused sessions on Zoom where we share critical actions and provide members with a weekly timeslot to follow through on these or other actions of interest. Once a month we'll hold an hour-long session to make time for sharing ideas and resources as well as planning other action-focused activities.
Thanks to DASA Member (new Vice Chair) Thabo Kornegay for co-hosting this initiative and Keshia Bedard for highlighting an organisation involved in the resistance each week!
Tuesday 3 June 5-5:30pm
Info & RSVP HERE
Tuesday 10 June 5-6 pm (60 min)
Info & RSVP HERE
The second half of this session will focus on plans for the 14 June Day of Defiance.
Tuesday 17 June 5-5:30 pm
Info & RSVP HERE
Tuesday 24 June 5-5:30 pm
Info & RSVP HERE
Saturday 14 June - SAVE THE DATE
Global Day of Defiance
We’re thinking of a Standing Together theme that celebrates US-SA unity, as well as our diversity, Democratic values and aspirations for the US. The idea is to defy 47 and the Republican agenda by coming together with joy in June, recognising Pride and Juneteenth in particular, as we celebrate and advocate.
Volunteers are needed to help with these events. Please email [email protected]
Joburg - RSVP HERE to show your interest and for plans as they develop. More soon but our plans in Joburg include a braai!
Cape Town - RSVP HERE to show your interest and for plans as they develop
PLEASE CONNECT TO STAY UPDATED & SHARE!
US Citizens in South Africa are invited to get in touch and get involved, contact us at [email protected]
**Join our WhatsApp group**
This is the quickest way for us to keep in touch regularly (informally) as a group!
Please email us if you would like to join the WhatsApp group.
It's time to build and prepare!
Please consider Donating Directly to DA South Africa
Can you contribute $25, $250 or $2500 toward our voter mobilisation work in South Africa? We're a volunteer led organisation but still have expenses in getting out the vote. We'll greatly appreciate your support. Thank you!
Thank you -
Democrats Abroad South Africa