Inside This Issue:
- Sign Our Petition: Urge Texas Lawmakers to ‘Vote No’ on Permitless Carry
- Texans Rally For Our Voting Rights — Saturday, May 8
- Volunteer Committee Kickoff Event — Monday, May 17
- Action Alert: Help Fight Republican Efforts to Restrict Voting in Texas
- In Memoriam: Linda L.S. "Muffie" Moroney, 1943-2021
- Save the Date for HCDP Fundraiser ‘Bid on Blue’ Auction, May 26
- Celebrate Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month
- Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo Wins EMILY’s List’s 2021 Gabrielle Giffords Rising Star Award
- New Poll Captures Texas Voters’ Thoughts for Lawmakers
- May 21 is Last Day to Apply for Summer 2021 Virtual Leadership Academy
- Help Support HCDP Through Our Membership Program
- Celebrate Pride with Harris County Democrats
Happy Mother's Day to all moms, step-moms, dog moms, cat moms and everyone in between!
- Team HCDP
Sign Our Petition: Urge Texas Lawmakers to ‘Vote No’ on Permitless Carry
The Texas Senate moved to bring the permitless carry bill (HB 1927) to the floor and passed it. It is imperative that we ask Gov. Abbott to stop this bill from becoming law, making it one of the most dangerous and reckless policies in Texas. It would no longer require Texas residents to obtain a license to carry or to receive training before carrying a handgun in public.
Democrats have been fighting harder than ever for common sense gun safety reform since the 2019 massacre in El Paso. The devastating consequences of this bill will likely exacerbate the increasing gun violence we are seeing today.
The stakes are high. Can you sign our petition opposing this bill and call Gov. Greg Abbott TODAY.
Texans Rally For Our Voting Rights — Saturday, May 8
Join SwingTXLeft, VoteSimple, Our Vote Texas, Texas Organizing Project, Pure Justice, Houston in Action, Our Revolution Harris County, Weekly Cornyn Houston Office Protest, Texas Freedom Network, Community Voices for Public Education, Indivisible TX Lege, Southwest Democrats, ACLU of TX, and the Gulf Coast AFL-CIO in rallying against voter suppression bills #SB7 and #HB6.
Texans turned out in record numbers last fall! Governor Abbott and his Republican cronies in the legislature are trying to silence the voices of Black, brown, young, Indigenous and new Americans and govern only for the wealthiest few. Right now, Senate Bill 7, House Bill 6, and more than 50 restrictive anti-voter bills are snaking their way through the Texas Legislature.
Join voters, lawmakers, advocates, business leaders, and artists on Saturday, May 8, 2021 at 11:00 AM for a statewide day of action to protect the right to vote. This may be our last chance to stop the bills from becoming law.
Volunteer Committee Kickoff Event — Monday May 17
HCDP is looking for passionate, volunteer leaders to collaborate organizing efforts through 2022! Interested in assisting our communications team craft key messages? Do you have new ideas for organizing your community and registering voters? Would you like to support the elections team and prepare for more record turnout? We have committees for YOU!
Join us for this kickoff event on Monday, May 17, 2021 at 6:00 PM to learn how you can contribute!
Action Alert: Help Fight Republican Efforts to Restrict Voting in Texas
We're pushing back on voter suppression bills making their way through the Texas Legislature — bills like Senate Bill 7, which would create new restrictions on early voting, on how voters can receive applications to vote by mail, and on the distribution of polling places in Harris County. SB7 has already passed the Senate and awaits action in the House.
Can we count on you to join us to protect the vote?
In Memoriam: Linda L.S. ‘Muffie’ Moroney, 1943-2021
The Harris County Democratic Party is saddened to learn of the death on April 19, 2021, of ROADwomen co-founder and Sisters United Alliance board member Muffie Maroney at the age of 77. She was an inspiration for so many of us — a champion of women's rights, an LGBTQI advocate and a mentor to many Houston-area leaders. May she rest in peace.
Save the Date: HCDP Fundraiser ‘Bid on Blue’ Silent Auction, May 26
The Harris County Democratic Party is hosting Bid on Blue, a virtual silent auction, on May 26, 2021 at 7:00 PM! We’ll have lots more exciting details soon about the items you can bid on! This event will raise critical funds necessary to support HCDP’s robust voter registration initiative, underwrite our Leadership Academy, and launch our voter engagement efforts for the 2022 midterm elections.
Celebrate Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month
May marks Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month! In honor of the month-long celebration, we'd like to highlight some organizations that you can give back to: ⭐ Stop AAPI Hate ⭐ OCA-Greater Houston ⭐ Emgage ⭐ Asian Americans Advancing Justice ⭐ The Chinese Community Center ⭐ Asian American Advocacy Fund ⭐ Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA), AFL-CIO ⭐ AAPI Victory Alliance ⭐ CAIR-Houston
Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo Wins EMILY’s List’s 2021 Gabrielle Giffords Rising Star Award
EMILY’s List, the influential group that works to elect Democratic women, has named Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo as its 2021 “EMILY’s List Gabrielle Giffords Rising Star Award” winner. “We are honored to announce Judge Lina Hidalgo as the recipient of the 2021 EMILY’s List Gabrielle Giffords Rising Star Award,” Emily Cain, EMILY’s List’s executive director, said in a news release. “Lina, the first woman and first Latina to be elected Harris County judge and only the second to be elected to Harris County’s Commissioners Court, truly embodies the values this award represents by leading with compassion, commitment to community, and as a champion for families.”
New Poll Captures Texas Voters' Thoughts for Lawmakers
A recent University of Texas/Texas Tribune poll gave Texas voters an opportunity to provide some thoughts for lawmakers — “on guns, policing, abortion, alcohol to go and a variety of other issues that remain pending as the Texas Legislature enters the last month of its regular season."
May 21 is Last Day to Apply for Summer 2021 Virtual Leadership Academy
We've had a group of amazing students, activists and community leaders graduate from our Leadership Academy. Hear from our alumi on why YOU should join the 10-week virtual program. Make sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to read their stories!
You can gain hands-on exposure to grassroots organizing, strengthen your understanding of the political process, and help us prepare to elect the progressive leaders in our community when you participate in the HCDP Virtual Leadership Academy.
If you have an interest in politics and identify as a Democrat or Progressive, and have an aptitude for creative thinking and output, apply today!
Help Support HCDP Through Our Membership Program
Work by the Harris County Democratic Party is supported through our membership program.
- Friend of HCDP - $10 a month
- Ally of HCDP - $15 a month
- Activist of HCDP - $30 a month
- Advocate of HCDP - $60 a month
- Champion of HCDP - $125 a month
Sustaining members who donate a regular monthly or annual amount allow us to underwrite our day-to-day operations. This is how we pay our staff. This is how we support Democratic candidates. This is how we fund our voter outreach.
This is how we win in 2022.
Celebrate Pride with Harris County Democrats
In celebration of Pride month, HCDP is asking you to showcase your support for the LGBTQIA+ community by displaying a yard sign created by our supporters! Leading up to Pride month, we'll be hosting a public competition asking you to design a Pride yard sign that will be voted on by the public. The winning sign will be available for purcahse at a Pride party at our office on June 12, 2021.
We’re also excited to be joining The Pride Run on Saturday, June 12, 2021 at 7:30 AM! The Pride Run™ was launched to be Nation’s first intentionally LGBTQIA inclusive synchronized 5k/10k walk and run dedicated to bringing everyone in the community together to have fun, be active, and support a wonderful and diverse community.
Register to join our team, the Democratic Running Mates!