The Democrats Abroad Asian American Pacific Islander Caucus is looking for your support at global, national, and chapter levels. Here is more information about opportunities to volunteer with our different working groups. Let us know how you want to get involved, by checking off the working groups you're interested in the form below.

Join us this Tuesday, August 4th, 2020, for an online discussion with Dr. Paul Song.

COVID-19, Healthcare Access, & AAPI Activism with Dr. Paul Song

We’ll be talking about the repercussions of COVID-19 in the U.S. for AAPI communities and other minority groups, as well as the effects on healthcare. We’ll also be talking about how we can effect change. RSVP here for the link!

Dr. Song is the grandson of the late Sang Don Kim, the very first popularly elected Mayor of Seoul, South Korea, a physician, and progressive activist. He serves on the national board of Physicians for a National Health Program and Progressive Democrats of America.

A national surrogate for the Bernie Sanders Campaign and the former Executive Chairman of the Courage Campaign, he previously served on the boards of People for the American Way, Healthcare Now, Liberty in North Korea, and the Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies.

Volunteer with the AAPI Caucus

Join one of our caucus working groups. We have established five groups which meet every other week. Sign up to volunteer here.

Events in a Box

To help local AAPI caucuses, we are preparing pre-made events that caucus leaders at the country and chapter levels can use for events to bring their members together. Volunteers can help create an event based on issues identified by the Issues Working Group and find ways to facilitate discussions.

Speakers

Organize speaking events with prominent members of the AAPI community. This could include these roles:

• Coordinate event with the Global Communications & Global AAPI Co-Chairs
• Zoom training with Global IT
• Liaise with speakers and plan logistics

Form a Local AAPI Caucus

As the Asian American and Pacific Islander Caucus, our goal is to speak to, and speak for, the diverse AAPI community among Democrats Abroad membership. The AAPI Caucus hopes to act as a unified voice to call for structural reforms and for recognizing AAPI perspectives in Democrats Abroad.

If you would like to form a local AAPI caucus in your locality, please make sure to reach out to your local leadership, join us at www.democratsabroad.org/aapi, and contact us at [email protected] to let us know that you are forming.

Read our newly published guide to forming a local AAPI Caucus.

My name is Powen, and I've been living in Berlin, Germany, since 2014. I've been involved in Democrats Abroad for almost that whole time. I'm currently the Press & Communications coordinator on the Berlin chapter board, and I also serve as one of the representatives for Germany to the Democratic Party Committee Abroad (DPCA).

I spent most of my formative years in Michigan, but have lived in Pennsylvania, California, North Carolina, and Mississippi as well. In addition to political activities and organizing, I also work with technology startups focusing on marketing and internationalization.

Starting the Asian American and Pacific Islander Caucus at Democrats Abroad is important to me because I believe that AAPI communities need a voice in our political system. The best way to focus on the needs, stories, and issues important to us to get organized and make ourselves heard.

What do we do? 

As the Asian American and Pacific Islander Caucus, our goal is to speak to, and speak for, the diverse AAPI community among Democrats Abroad membership in all three regions: Asia-Pacific, EMEA and the Americas. 

The AAPI Caucus hopes to act as a unified voice to call for structural reforms and for recognizing AAPI perspectives in Democrats Abroad.

What is this document? 

This document provides you and your country committee with the steps necessary to become an official arm of the global Asian American Pacific Islander Caucus. 

Why should you form a local AAPI Caucus? 

There are a number of reasons a local Asian American Pacific Caucus can be beneficial to your country or local chapter:

1. It will enable you to engage with your AAPI members more effectively and encourage greater involvement in your local activities.  
2. It will provide your local membership an outlet to shape conversations at the global level about issues relevant to the AAPI community. 
3. It will provide leadership opportunities for your members. 

►Download the AAPI Caucus guide to forming a local caucus (PDF).

Thanks to everyone who marked 4th of July this year by registering to vote and requesting your absentee ballot.

We'd like to recognize the volunteers at all the outdoor voter registration spots: Dan & Renee in Kreuzberg, Corey in Friedrichshain, Emily in Prenzlauer Berg, Diego & Jill in Wedding, and Donovan in Potsdam. Here are a few photos from our decentralized Independence Day (Facebook).

Great American Quiz Night

After the great time at last month's virtual trivia (to replace pub night), we're hosting another five rounds of quiz nightthis Wednesday from 7-9pm. Join alone or gather friends for a team, ►RSVP to get the the video call link.

Help more Americans vote from abroad!

Together with other Democrats Abroad groups around Germany, we're hosting virtual office hours to assist voters with registering and requesting absentee ballots (dates and times below).

You can learn how to help at one of our voter registration trainings! The more trained volunteers and phone bankers are answering questions and reaching out, the higher the overseas turnout in November will be.

• Voter registration training on July 21 & Aug 3, 2020
• Phone banking training on July 22 & July 28, 2020

As we continue into a summer of social distance, our calendar is filling up with online events, voter assistance, volunteer opportunities, and more. Please join us and invite a friend to join a virtual event!

This Tuesday, the Potsdam precinct is meeting online and getting organized. If you live in or around Potsdam, stop by and get to know your neighbors. Please spread the word to other Americans in the area. ►RSVP for Potsdam organizing meeting

On Wednesday, Kreuzbergers are getting together after work for a casual online chat and meet-up Stop by to say hi whether you live in the central district or nearby! ►RSVP for Kreuzberg Kiez meetup

Thursday, the Leipzig-Halle precinct is holding their monthly meeting. It's an active group that's growing fast: pass this along to anyone you know in Sachsen! ►Leipzig meeting info

In June, we're planning two big phone banking pushes! On June 11, we'll have a virtual Berlin party: pop into the room and hang out in between making calls to remind fellow Americans to vote from abroad. Phone banking is one of the best ways to reach voters abroad and help them request absentee ballots, especially in 2020.

On Flag Day (June 14) members all across Germany will be Dialing For Democracy, a fundraising call-a-thon. Callers will be calling all day to help meet our outreach goals and their sponsors will help provide critical funds to keep these projects going! ►Find out how you can be a part it.

Last but not least, we're planning an online American quiz night to replace our regular pub nights. Mark your calendar for June 17 and start getting your team together. 

We're looking forward to seeing you on the internet. Take care of yourself!

As we continue to keep social distance, we've got a full slate of events, voter assistance, volunteer opportunities, and more online. Please join us and invite a friend to join a virtual event!

Democrats Abroad advocates for tax fairness for Americans abroad, but can't provide individual tax advice. It's a common concern, so we're happy that Monique Luegger, EA, (a member and volunteer) is offering her expertise in an online Info Session: U.S. Taxes While Living Abroad for our members tomorrow on May 13, 2020.

You'll learn more about what you need to do as an American citizen or permanent resident living abroad. To support our voter outreach, we ask that each attendee contribute by making 20 phone calls in our current phone campaign, or a donating 10€. There are a few spots left!
►More details & RSVP for U.S. Tax Info Session

Office hours with the Berlin chapter chair are continuing this month. You can connect with Diego Rivas and get voting support on the video call on on Wednesday, May 20, 2020 from 6-6:45pm. ►RSVP for May Office Hours

Phone banking is an extremely important tool for Democrats Abroad to reach voters abroad and help them request absentee ballots. In 2020, we're relying on phone banking even more than usual, due to the constraints on in-person outreach. For the Global Presidential Primary, 61 phone bankers in Germany made over 3500 calls, leading to the 2nd highest turnout in Democrats Abroad!

Scroll down to find out how you can be part of this outreach -- through calling and financial support.

We're looking forward to seeing you on the internet. Take care of each other!

The Global Presidential Primary was a huge success! In the last two weeks, over 1200 new members have joined Democrats Abroad in and around Berlin (including in Leipzig, Jena, Potsdam, and Dresden), with similar increases in the rest of Germany.

Since many of you are hearing from us for the first time, here's quick rundown of what our 100% volunteer-powered group does, besides primary voting centers.

What is Democrats Abroad in Berlin?

As your local Democrats Abroad chapter, our mission is to help Americans living outside the U.S. exercise their right to vote. This includes

• voter registration events
• phone banking
• and other voter outreach initiatives

In addition to helping you register to vote and request absentee ballots, we also organize speakers, panels, film screenings, and discussions to keep you connected with current political issues. Finally, Democrats Abroad Berlin also hosts events for the American community, like 4th of July and Thanksgiving parties, all with the goal of helping people stay involved and engaged in U.S. political process while living in Germany.

Besides these emails (which we send out a few times a month), you can stay in touch with us on social media, too:

• Twitter: @demsinberlin
• Facebook: Democrats Abroad Germany - Berlin Chapter
• Instagram: @demsabroadgermany

Record-Breaking Global Primary Turnout

On each of the voting center days in Berlin, over 500 people voted! On Super Tuesday, Berlin had the biggest turnoutout of all Democrats Abroad polling centers. Thank you all for taking the time to cast your vote in the presidential primary. Here are a few photos (Facebook)

Thank you as well to all the volunteers who helped with distributing ballots, setting up, cleaning up, directing voters, tallying votes, helping people register to vote, and many more crucial roles. It was a huge, collective effort, and we couldn't have done it without everyone's support.

Upcoming Events Postponed ➜ Online Organizing

In line with the rest of Democrats Abroad Germany & public health regulations, we're postponing all events until further notice. 

We encourage you to stay home as much as possible, avoid any non-essential gatherings, and keep in touch with friends and neighbors for mutual support.

We’re currently looking into which of our events can be held online, and what tools to use. We’ll keep you posted and reassess at the end of the month about April events. Take care of each other.

In line with the rest of Democrats Abroad Germany & recommendations from local health officials, we’re postponing all events through March 31st. We encourage you to stay home as much as possible, avoid large gatherings, and keep in touch with friends and neighbors for mutual support.

We’re currently looking into which of our events can be held online, and what tools to use. We’ll keep you posted and reassess at the end of the month about April events. Take care of each other!

We had a big and energized crowd at the monthly meeting last week, the day after the Iowa caucus. Thanks to all the Berliners who came to get involved (see on Instagram). Neukölln & Pankow Kiez meetups also went really well: photos on Twitter. Our stalwart Kiez captains and volunteers will be hosting phone banking events over the next few weeks to encourage fellow Democrats to vote in the Global Presidential Primary. Scroll down ⬇︎ for dates & times.

Mark your calendar on Wednesday, Feb 19th, 2020, for monthly political pub night at Kater und Goldfisch in Wedding. It's a casual get-together, so stop by to get to know other members, get help with registering to vote, and find out more about getting involved. RSVP & see you there!

The Berlin Women's Caucus is hosting the first meet & greet of 2020 this Sunday afternoon, Feb 16th. More details here.

We are excited to announce that Democrats Abroad is hosting a Global Presidential Primary voting center in Leipzig!

On March 3 (Super Tuesday) and Sunday, March 7, 2020, Democrats Abroad members will have the opportunity to vote IN PERSON for their Democratic presidential candidate of choice at our polling station at the GRASSI Museum für Völkerkunde. The Deutsch-Amerikanisches Institut Sachsen (DAIS) will be organizing a speaker and side events, so come to hang out too!

This week, join us a film screening of Pariah on Wednesday and a planning meeting on Sunday. Check out the details below, RSVP and tell your friends! We look forward to seeing you there.

Volunteer at the Global Primary

To ensure that as many Americans as possible in our region can vote, we are looking for volunteers to assist at the voting center. No prior experience is necessary. If you want to help out on March 3 and/or March 7, please sign up using the links below. You may register for multiple shifts if you choose.

• Volunteer on Tuesday, March 3rd, 2020: https://www.volunteersignup.org/AEEPT
• Volunteer on Saturday, March 7th, 2020: http://www.volunteersignup.org/ACKEE

Spread the word about upcoming events in Leipzig!

Film Screening: Pariah (2011, OmU)

Wed. Feb 5, 2020, 7-9pm
GRASSI Museum für Völkerkunde zu Leipzig (Johannispl. 5-11, 04103 Leipzig)
RSVP | Facebook

Recipient of the 2011 Sundance Excellence in Cinematography Award, Pariah is a semi-autobiographical coming-out/coming-of-age story. The protagonist, a 17-year-old, African-American New Yorker named Alike, is on a journey to come to terms with, and ultimately embrace, her identity as a lesbian. The event features an introduction by Mascha Lange of the Institute of American Studies Leipzig.

A group of Democrats Abroad Leipzig-Halle members will be at the screening, and we'd love to see you there!

Meet & Plan in Leipzig

Sun. Feb 9, 2020, 2-4pm
Café Grundmann, Mahlmannstraße 16, 04107 Leipzig
RSVP | Facebook

Calling all Democrats in Leipzig, Halle, and surrounding areas! Are you feeling increasingly nervous as the primaries draw near?

Do you want to make a difference this election year but don't know how? We have good news for you! Join us on Sunday, February 9, 2020, at our planning session for the upcoming Global Presidential Primary in Leipzig.

Over "Kaffee und Kuchen" at the historic Café Grundmann, we will discuss what needs to be done to make our primary voting center a success. Never been to one of our Democrats Abroad meetings before? No problem! Come by and learn about our efforts to get out the vote in 2020. We'd love to see you there!

Global Presidential Primary in Leipzig

Tue. March 3, 2020, 4-8pm ✪ Volunteer
Sat. March 7, 2020, 10am-1:30pm ✪ Volunteer
GRASSI Museum für Völkerkunde zu Leipzig, Johannisplatz 5-11, 04103 Leipzig
RSVP | Facebook

At the Democrats Abroad Global Presidential Primary, YOU choose the 2020 Democratic nominee for President of the United States. Don’t miss your chance to vote in person this presidential year! Join thousands of U.S. citizens like you, living abroad, who will participate in this year’s Global Presidential Primary through Democrats Abroad.

Don’t miss your chance to vote in person this presidential year! Join thousands of U.S. citizens like you, living abroad, who will participate in this year’s Global Presidential Primary through Democrats Abroad.

Here are the official primary voting centers in the Berlin chapter's geographic region (all of the former East German states):

Berlin

Tuesday, March 3, 2020, 12pm to 8pm
Sunday, March 8, 2020, 11am to 7pm

The Digital Eatery, Unter den Linden 17, 10117 Berlin

Details | RSVP | Facebook

Dresden

Thursday, March 5, 2020, 4pm to 8pm

The Student Hotel, Prager Str. 13, 01069 Dresden

Details | RSVP | Facebook

Jena

Saturday, March 7, 2020, 10am to 6pm

Haus auf der Mauer, Johannisplatz 26, 07743 Jena

Details | RSVP | Facebook

Leipzig

Tuesday, March 3, 2020, 4pm to 9pm
Saturday, March 7, 2020, 10am to 2pm

GRASSI Museum für Völkerkunde zu Leipzig, Johannisplatz 5-11, 04103 Leipzig

Details | RSVP | Facebook

Primary Eligibility

Democrats Abroad has just a few requirements for voting in the primary:

• Be abroad and be a U.S. citizen
• Be a member of Democrats Abroad (you can join now or even at the voting center)
• Be 18 years old as of November 3, 2020
• Not have voted, or plan to vote, in any other 2020 state presidential primary (see below for more details)

You can only vote in the presidential primary once. That means that if you vote in the Global Primary but also want to vote in your state for down-ballot primary races (such as for your congressperson), you can! Just skip the presidential question on your state primary ballot.

Media Requests

If you're a journalist and would like to interview someone or cover the primary, please email [email protected] with your question or request, we'll be in touch right away.

Happy new year! We hope you're rested and recovered from your holiday celebrations, and ready for 2020. First things first:

• Go to votefromabroad.org to request your overseas ballot. You need to do this every calendar year to make sure you can vote.
• Tell a friend to do the same!

If you need help with registering and requesting your ballot, we're here to help! Email [email protected] and come to any of the events all around Berlin, Potsdam, Leipzig, and Dresden (upcoming event list below).

We'll be kicking off 2020 in Berlin on Wednesday January 15, 2020 at The Castle in Mitte. We'll be sharing information about how to register to vote and get involved in Berlin, and finishing out the evening in our usual political pub-night style.

That's not the only event this month though: the Dresden precinct is getting together on Jan 18th, as well as the Mitte(Jan 20) and Kreuzberg (Jan 23) Kiez groups. Join activists and organizers from all over Germany at the Annual General Meeting in Munich (Jan 24-26) -- it's not too late to register!

Help us by keeping an eye out for a temporary Berlin headquarters the next few months. We're happy to discuss office sublet or sharing options -- most of our voter registration and phone banking will usually be on evenings & weekends. Got an idea where our 2020 home could be, near transit with great internet? Read our wishlist and drop us a line!

Updates

Volunteering in 2020

2020 is the best time to get involved and have an impact on the future of the U.S. You can make a difference from here in Germany, reaching out to voters living abroad, making sure people register and request their ballots, and more!

• As we gear up in 2020, help keep our websites, Facebook, and Twitter accounts lively and up-to-date as Web & Social Media volunteer
• Become a Kiez Captain to get out the vote and help neighbors and volunteers in different Berlin districts
• Reach out to U.S. students studying at universities in Germany vote as the Study Abroad Coordinator
• Prefer something you can do at home? Phonebankers make calls to other Americans living abroad to remind them about voting. All you need is a computer and headphones.

Sound like something you might be interested in? Send us your questions and how you'd like to get involved to [email protected]

Upcoming Events

Call with Stacey Abrams, Fair Fight, and DNC on Voter Protection

Tue. Jan 14, 2020, 9-10pm (Berlin time)
Online call - RSVP for video conference link
RSVP

January 2020 Kickoff Meeting & Pub Night

Wed. Jan 15, 2020, from 7:30pm
The Castle Berlin Mitte, Invalidenstr. 129, Berlin 10115 (S Nordbahnhof)
RSVP | Facebook

January Book Club: The Cave by José Saramago

Thu. Jan 16, 2020, 7-8:30pm
Message In A Bottle, Knaackstr. 76, 10435 Berlin-Prenzlauer Berg (U2 Eberswalder Straße)
RSVP | Facebook

Kiez Meetup – Rosenthaler Platz (Mitte)

Mon. Jan 20, 2020, 7-9pm
Mein Haus am See, Brunnenstraße 197-198, 10119 Berlin (U8 Rosenthaler Platz)
RSVP | Facebook

Kiez Meetup – Mehringdamm (Kreuzberg)

Thu. Jan 23, 2020, 6-8pm
Vogt’s Bierexpress (next to Curry 36), Mehringdamm 32/34, 10961 Berlin-Kreuzberg
RSVP | Facebook

Events outside Berlin

January Meetup and Ballot Requests – Dresden

Sat. Jan 18, 2020, 2-5pm
Student Hotel (Dresden), Prager Str. 13, 01069 Dresden
RSVP | Facebook

Democrats Abroad Germany – Annual General Meeting

Fri-Sun Jan 24-26, 2020
Literaturhaus München, Salvatorplatz 1, 80333 Munich
Register | Details | Facebook

Democrats Abroad Berlin

http://www.democratsabroad.org/de-berlin
http://www.demsinberlin.de/
Like us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter

* 2020 presidential candidate events are not Democrats Abroad events. All campaigns are welcome to share any eventsthey’re organizing in Berlin for inclusion in our email newsletter.

Democrats Abroad, from the international level to country committees, caucuses and task forces, does not endorse or offer preferential treatment to any Democratic candidate when they are running against other Democrats.

We are proud to support the democratic process, and the full breadth of candidates in the running for the 2020 Democratic Party presidential nomination. As such, we reaffirm our commitment to supporting a fair and free impartial election, including before, during and after the Democrats Abroad Global Presidential Primary.

►Full statement on impartiality

We've just posted an announcement about the 2020 Women's March Berlin on our website:

Read The Future of Women's March Berlin: your help is needed!

If you pre-ordered, you should have gotten an email recently about picking up your t-shirt. If you haven’t gotten one yet but love how they look, get in touch about getting one: [email protected]

At last week's meeting, we swapped (ate) cookies and thanked all the volunteers and helpers who've pitched in at events and as organizers this year. Thomas Finnerty, our fall 2019 intern wrote a short recap of the party. Thanks Thomas for all his great work over the last few months!

Save the date for our first event in 2020: we'll be getting together on Wed. January 15, 2020 to register to vote, request absentee ballots, and training everyone how to help others do the same.

There won't be a political pub night in December. Instead, we encourage you to support some of the kiez events, if they happen to be in your neighborhood. Check out the event listings below, like the one tonight in Mitte near Friedrichstrasse.

We are still exploring options for a temporary Berlin headquarters starting in spring 2020. Ideally an office sublet, and we're happy to discuss sharing arrangements since our voter registration and phone banking will be mostly evenings & weekends. Got a hot tip for space near transit with great internet? Let us know!

Updates

Berlin T-shirts are here!

We're thrilled to share that our Berlin-themed t-shirts have arrived. Take a look at this awesome and comfortable way to show your local Democrats Abroad pride! Want one of your own? Drop us a line. 

Wanted: Location for a Democrats Abroad Berlin headquarters

Thanks to everyone who got in touch so far with ideas for our temporary 2020 Berlin HQ. We're looking at all the options and happy to get more leads from you all on office sublets where we can host voter registration & phonebanking drives.

Our primary criteria:

• Available for at least 6 months (May through October)
• Accessible location, ideally near 2 transit lines
• Access on nights and weekends
• Solid internet connection
• Room for 4-6 people at desks
• Storage (minimal, for flyers and voter info material)

That's the summary -- here are more details about what we we're looking for. Got a lead? Drop us a line: [email protected]

Help more 2020 candidates get on the primary ballot!

Democrats Abroad's Global Presidential Primary runs March 3-10, 2020. To appear on that ballot, 300 members need to sign the candidate's petition by January 6, 2020.

Just a few signatures stand between many candidates and getting on the primary ballot: visit the candidate petitions page to make sure your favorites make it! Here are step-by-step instructions on how to sign petitions.

Become a Kiez captain for your neighborhood

Each of us loves our own neighborhood, so we've started Kiez Captains to get out the vote and help connect neighbors and volunteers in different Berlin districts. We're still looking for leaders in Friedrichshain, Charlottenburg, Schöneberg, Tempelhof, and other areas. 

Kiez Captains are helping us reach American voters in every corner of Berlin in 2020. It's a 5-hour a month commitment, find out more about what it entails. Write [email protected] if you'd like to step up and become a Kiez Captain in your neighborhood.

Upcoming Events

Kiez Coffee & Chat – Friedrichstraße (Mitte)

TONIGHT: Mon. Dec 9, 2019, 6:30-8:30pm
New location: Meyerbeer Coffee, Universitätsstraße 2-3A, 10117 Berlin-Mitte
RSVP | Facebook

Kieztreff – Prenzlauer Berg

Tue. Dec 10th, 2019: 7-9pm
Wohnzimmer Bar, Lettestraße 6, 10437 Berlin-Prenzlauer Berg
RSVP | Facebook

Tom Steyer 2020 Drinks in Berlin

Please note: not a Democrats Abroad event*
Wed. Dec 11, 2019, from 7pm
Buchhandlung Caffetteria Bar, Tucholskystraße 32, 10117 Berlin-Mitte
RSVP to [email protected]

Kiez Adventsmarkt – Pankow

Sat. Dec 14, 2019, 4-6pm
Pankower Adventsmarkt, Heynstraße 15, 13187 Berlin-Pankow
RSVP | Facebook

Kiez Weihnachtszauber – Alexanderplatz (Mitte)

Sun. Dec 15, 2019, 2-4pm
Gendarmenmarkt (in front of Ampelmann store), Markgrafenstr. 37, 10117 Berlin-Mitte
RSVP | Facebook

Democrats Abroad speaks with Tom Steyer

Mon. Dec 16, 2019, 3-3:45pm
Online call -- RSVP for video conference link
RSVP | Facebook

December Book Club – The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

Thu. Dec 19, 2019, 7:30-9pm
Coffee Fellows (upstairs), Danziger Str. 1, 10437 Berlin
RSVP | Facebook

January 2020 Kickoff (Save The Date!)

Wed. Jan 15, 2020, 7:30pm
Location: TBA

Kiez Meetup – Mehringdamm (Kreuzberg)

Thu. Jan 23, 2020, 6-8pm
Vogt’s Bierexpress (next to Curry 36), Mehringdamm 32/34, 10961 Berlin-Kreuzberg
RSVP | Facebook

Events outside Berlin

Democrats Abroad Germany – Annual General Meeting

Fri-Sun Jan 24-26, 2020
Literaturhaus München, Salvatorplatz 1, 80333 Munich
Register | Details | Facebook

Democrats Abroad Berlin

http://www.democratsabroad.org/de-berlin
http://www.demsinberlin.de/
Like us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter

* 2020 presidential candidate events are not Democrats Abroad events. All campaigns are welcome to share any eventsthey’re organizing in Berlin for inclusion in our email newsletter.

Democrats Abroad, from the international level to country committees, caucuses and task forces, does not endorse or offer preferential treatment to any Democratic candidate when they are running against other Democrats.

We are proud to support the democratic process, and the full breadth of candidates in the running for the 2020 Democratic Party presidential nomination. As such, we reaffirm our commitment to supporting a fair and free impartial election, including before, during and after the Democrats Abroad Global Presidential Primary.

►Full statement on impartiality

Happy Wednesday! There's a lot of great events this week, so we want to make sure you know about all get-togethers. Hope to see you at one!

Tonight (Wednesday): Grab a drink and get together in a casual setting at November Political Pub Night at Buchhandlung Caffeteria in Mitte (Oranienburger Str.). Details/RSVP

Thursday: Discuss Min Jin Lee's historical novel Pachinko with Democrats Abroad Book Club at Coffee Fellows in Prenzlauer Berg. Details/RSVP

Saturday: Warm up the winter and start an all-American tradition in Berlin at the 1st Annual Tempelhof Turkey Trot. ►Register

Saturday night:

Thanksgiving Potluck – New Price!

To make Thanksgiving dinner more accessible for families, friends, and our community members, we've simplified and reduced the dinner donation: 10€ per person (kids 12-and-under & volunteers can join for free).

If you were on the fence, we'd really love to see you at the potluck of all our favorite sides on Saturday. Please register on our website so we can plan drinks and food:

►Register for Thanksgiving Dinner

• Sign up here to volunteer: https://volunteersignup.org/WHYD9
• Bring a dish for the potluck of sides: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050E45ABA72AABFD0-thanksgiving
• Invite your friends on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/2674436649312945/

Hope to see you there!

All funds raised from these events support Democrats Abroad Berlin's on-going voter registration efforts as we prepare for the 2020 general election. With thousands of American voters in Berlin and Germany, your support is the deciding factor.

Updates

Welcome our new membership & volunteer coordinator: Theresa Gasinski

On November 5th, the Berlin chapter members at the meeting elected Theresa Gasinski to the Berlin leadersip. Read more about Theresa and our fall 2019 intern Thomas Finnerty.

Kiez captains in your neighborhood

Berlin's a big place, so we've started Kiez Captains to have volunteers responsible for getting out the vote and organizing in different neighborhoods. Here are our first captains, you'll be hearing about their local meetups in the coming weeks.

• Kreuzberg (Mehringdamm): Dan
• Mitte (Alexanderplatz): Joe
• Mitte (Friedrichstraße): Katie
• Pankow: Meylen & Rebekah
• Prenzlauer Berg: Tania
• Schöneberg: Pia

They're helping lay the groundwork to mobilize in every corner of Berlin in 2020. It is a 5-hour a month commitment. Write [email protected] for more info and if you'd like to become a Kiez Captain in your neighborhood

2020 Candidates speak with Democrats Abroad

Democrats Abroad has reached out to all the campaigns to hold video conferences with Democrats Abroad. Here are the recordings from the sessions so far:

• Pete Buttigieg (Sep 19, 2019)
• Julián Castro (Oct 22, 2019)
• Bernie Sanders (Nov 7, 2019)
• Steve Bullock (Nov 14, 2019)
• Michael Bennet (Nov 19, 2019)

Upcoming Events

November Political Pub Night – Buchhandlung Caffeteria

Wed. Nov 20, 2019, from 7pm
Buchhandlung Caffetteria Bar, Tucholskystraße 32, 10117 Berlin-Mitte
RSVP | Facebook

November Book Club – Pachinko by Min Jin Lee

Thu. Nov 21, 2019, 7:30-9pm
Coffee Fellows (upstairs), Danziger Str. 1, 10437 Berlin
RSVP | Facebook

1st Annual Democrats Abroad Tempelhof Turkey Trot

Sat. Nov 23, 2019, 10:30am
Tempelhofer Feld (Tempelhofer Damm Entrance)
Register (20€) | Facebook

Thanksgiving Dinner

Sat. Nov 23, 2019, 6-10pm
Begegnungsstätte Falckensteinstraße, Falckensteinstraße 6, 10997 Berlin-Kreuzberg
Register (10€) | Facebook | Volunteer | Potluck

Save the date - Holiday Cookie Party

Volunteers make all the events and political organizing possible. We'll be appreciating all of them at our December cookie party/swap.

Tue. Dec 3, 2019, 7:30-9pm
Begegnungsstätte Falckensteinstraße, Falckensteinstraße 6, 10997 Berlin-Kreuzberg

Events outside Berlin

Democrats Abroad Germany – Annual General Meeting

Fri-Sun Jan 24-26, 2020
Literaturhaus München, Salvatorplatz 1, 80333 Munich
Register | Details | Stipend (Deadline: Nov 30, 2019) | Facebook

Democrats Abroad Berlin

http://www.democratsabroad.org/de-berlin
http://www.demsinberlin.de/
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At the meeting on Tuesday, November 5, 2019, the assembled members of the Berlin chapter voted to confirm Theresa Gasinski to the position of Volunteer & Membership Coordinator, which had been held since January 2019 by Julia Behringer. Julia stepped down in September for personal reasons. Here’s a little bit about Theresa:

Theresa is originally from Chicago, Illinois (go Cubs!) and moved to Berlin in June 2016. Since arriving, she’s participated in Democrats Abroad Berlin events and, in November 2019, was proudly elected to be the chapter’s Volunteer Coordinator. She’s always interested in hearing from DA members to learn more about their interests, skills and personalities, as well as their own ideas about the best ways to volunteer – so please don’t hesitate to reach out!

It was also the first official Democrats Abroad meeting for Thomas Finnerty, who will be interning with Democrats Abroad Berlin this fall.

Thomas is a Junior at Villanova University studying Political Science and Economics. He was born and raised in Rochester, New York and is studying abroad in Berlin from August to December of 2019 at CIEE Global Institute. He is a die hard Buffalo Bills fan and played baseball and basketball in high school. He enjoys music and hiking and has interned for U.S. Senator (NY) Kirsten Gillibrand.

We’re thrilled to have both Theresa and Thomas joining the Berlin team. Make sure to say hi if you see them at a meeting or pub night!

It's time to get new t-shirts! We're so excited to unveil two new Democrats Abroad t-shirts, designed especially for Democrats Abroad Berlin.

The t-shirts are 100% high-quality cotton (190 gsm) and printed right here in Berlin. We'll be taking pre-orders until October 31, 2019 and offering a special price of just 15 Euros per shirt (a discount of 5 Euros from the regular price). You'll be able to pick up your t-shirts at our many events in the later half of November.

►To get first dibs on these new t-shirts, click here to go to the pre-order form.

On Tuesday, November 5th, 2019, Democrats Abroad Berlin will hold an election to fill one chapter leadership position - Membership Coordinator - for the remainder of the current two-year term (until the next Berlin chapter leadership elections in early 2021).

A big thank you to Julia Behringer, who has done an amazing job working with the Berlin chapter members, coordinating volunteers, and being an important part the Berlin leadership team.

As the leadership of Germany’s largest chapter and one of the larger Democrats Abroad groups internationally, the Berlin chapter leadership positions carry significant responsibility and great opportunity to take political action while living abroad. As the Berlin chapter continues to grow and evolve, our leadership is as well. That’s why, in line with the bylaws changes enacted at the February 2018 Annual General Meeting in Hamburg, the Berlin chapter now directly elects leadership positions, and now will be holding an election to fill the vacant Membership Coordinator position.

Membership/Volunteer Coordinator Roles & Responsibilities

• First contact to new members
• Maintain list of active volunteers
• Communicate volunteer opportunities to members
• Develop new volunteer opportunities
• Match tasks to volunteers

The election will begin promptly at 7:30 PM at Begegnungsstätte Falckensteinstraße at Falckensteinstr. 6, 10997 Berlin (U1 Schlesisches Tor).

Quick Facts about the Election

• You must be a member of the Democrats Abroad Berlin Chapter before November 1, 2019, to be eligible to run for a leadership position
• To run for the member/volunteer coordinator positions, the member must submit their candidacy and a 250 word candidate statement by 8AM on November 5th, 2019 to [email protected], and attend the meeting that same evening.
• Nominations or self-nominations, for leadership positions may be made on election night, from the floor, and will require a second from another member of Democrats Abroad Berlin in the room
• Voters are presumed qualified to participate in the election if
  • (1) they have joined DAG before arriving at the voting center or
  • (2) at the voting center they join DAG and establish their identity by objective documentary evidence (including passport, residence card, military or student ID, etc.).
  • Persons who appear on the membership rolls of their DAG chapter do not need to provide any form of identification (ID) to be qualified to vote

We look forward to all candidates and a large turnout on election night to democratically elect our leadership that will take the helm of Democrats Abroad Berlin chapter through the 2020 elections.