A conversation with Martha McDevitt Pugh and Tre’Shawn Griffin-Noordermeer who are the co-chairs of DA’s Global LGBTQ+ Caucus.

Our guests is this episode are Emily Lines and Cory Lemke.  They are the Co-Chairs of the Democrats Abroad Global Asian American and Pacific Islander Caucus.

Alex Rehbinder speaks to Rachel and David about the experience of stepping up from the country-committee level to revive DA's Global Youth Caucus, which he now co-chairs. The conversation touches on DA as a guilty pleasure, getting past the shyness of campaigning, and the YC's goal to field at least one young'un as a candidate for each global office in DA's internal elections. They talk about the YC's plan to formalize the mentoring of younger DA members by veteran DA members, the progression from holding the hat to putting your name in it, and how all issues--especially climate change--are youth issues. 

Meet Ann Hesse and Christina Skovsgaard from the Global Women’s Caucus. We discuss what a caucus is, the Women’s Caucus’s seven Action Teams, and Event Pizzas. We trace the line from John Adams to the ERA; touch on Ann’s view of DA members as part of a vast global laboratory of policy experiments; and note how much fun it can be to work to create a better world—all under the eyes of goddesses.

Learn about the incredible effort from members across Canada in the past election.

What was it like to serve in the White House through the 2016 transition? 

What has it been like to go from that inside view to working from outside the country with Democrats Abroad? 

Dianna English, Communications  Director for Democrats Abroad Canada, sits down with David and Rachel to talk about home as a mobile concept, working in the Peace Corps, and about finding your people. 

We also touch upon how much happens in Canada during an American election, exactly what it is about Canadians, and how washing your hands in Ethiopia relates to taking off your shoes in Canada.

On Oct 23, 2020, The Toronto Star posted a piece by Tyra J. Garrett that began: "Dear Canadians, Let’s talk in plain terms: The United States of America is where brown dreams go to die." https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/2020/10/23/if-donald-trump-wins-im-asking-you-canada-save-my-life-an-african-american-on-unbelonging-in-her-home.html

Rachel and David immediately reached out to talk to its author. In our conversation, Tyra shares with us her perspective as a young Black woman in Trump’s America who grew up with Obama as President. She talks about what things were like for her grandparents as share-croppers, and about her secret identity as a teacher and her superpower as a writer. We dip into whether America was too ambitious to think we could elect a woman right after electing our first African-American president, and touch on the reactions of Canadians to her Toronto Star piece. We talk about how the divisive nature of the current climate can be addressed in the wake of a Blue victory, and about whether David or Rachel has the better guest accommodations. Go Leafs Go!

Democrats Abroad chair Julia Bryan sits down with Rachel & David to give a snapshot of Democrats Abroad’s activities leading up to the 2020 election, and a taste of what comes next. From 560K+ phone calls, to helping to “cure” ballots, to the number of DA members vote in battleground states, DA—the state party for Democrats living outside the U.S.--is posed to be the margin of victory in many races up and down the ballot. The conversation also touches on archaic voting vocabulary, how to vote for dog-catcher, driving off the map, why an election office might give out false information, and what makes votefromabroad.org far and away the best registration portal for voters abroad.

Rachel and David sit down to discuss the 2020 election in turn with Grace Moyer, Pauline Kaszyca, Evelyn Lloyd, and Grace Pope—a group of voters with, between them, the perspective of 386 years. 

From memories of Truman (a “feisty little man”) and Roosevelt (who spoke in a “sociable way that was new”) to thoughts about the current occupant of the White House (none flattering; some explicit), all four currently live in Canada and are passionate about exercising their right to vote from abroad.

Are you doing everything that you can do to make sure everyone votes in this election? David and Rachel outline some of the ways in which Democrats abroad are working to ensure that everyone with the right to vote from outside the country does so.