Before we get to the recap of our September 2019 membership meeting, don't forget that our next monthly meeting will be at a new location—the Marseilles Hotel (1741 Collins Ave)!

And now, on to the recap!

Guest Speakers

Matt Haggman and Aaron Bos-Lun talked about the Blue Gala, the Miami-Dade Democratic Party's annual fundraiser, which will be at the Miami Beach Convention Center on Saturday, November 2. Money raised will support our organizing efforts in Miami-Dade, the biggest county in the largest swing state in the country, so that we can put a Democrat in the White House in 2020!

Next we heard from Mohammed Islam, candidate for Miami Beach City Commission in Group 6. He spoke about his background as a civil engineer, along with his desire to address high taxes, the drainage system, the sea wall, and homeowner issues.

Our third speaker was Congresswoman Donna Shalala. She described her legislative efforts, including:

• training for potential foster parents of LGBTQ children
• an environmentally conscious infrastructure bill (which should bring dollars to our community)
• extending Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Venezuela and victims of Hurricane Dorian in the Bahamas
• gun legislation, which has passed the House
• a DACA bill, which has passed the House

Reports

Secretary Ileana Oroza reported that there were 145 paid club members—the dip from last month is due to expired memberships that had not been renewed. Need to renew your membership or join for the first time? Annual dues are $25 and you can pay those dues right here!

Campaign Chair Matthew Land reported on our candidates’ forum, which took place on September 23 at the Betsy Hotel. Missed the forum? You can watch the Facebook livestream of the forum here. Also make sure to check our candidate guide.

Communications Chair Christopher Richmond shared stats from our Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts, and encouraged attendees to engage with our social media.

Fundraising Chair Victoria Villamil was away, but sent a reminder about our Painting with a Twist on October 6. The fundraiser went great, raising over $1,225! Thank you to David Sexton from Painting with a Twist, and to everyone who helped make it such a big success.

Organizing Chair Janis Good reported on our Neighborhood and Building Organizers program. Interesting in helping us win in 2020 as a Neighborhood or Building Organizer? Sign up on our website. 

Outreach Chair Amanda Knapp reported that she and Parliamentarian Helen Mittelman are organizing a Day of Action every second Saturday of the month, from noon to 3 p.m., at the Hotel Gaythering. We will also be doing outreach at the Antiques Market on Lincoln Road on October 27, November 24, and December 15 from 3 to 6 p.m. Amanda also announced our Halloween party at the Marseilles Hotel on October 26 from 7 to 10 p.m. You can find these actions Find out about all of our events here.

Program Chair Bill Warren reported on our Immigration Forum on October 10 at All Souls' Episcopal Church. Thanks to our moderator, Adonia Simpson, and our panelists, Dr. Micah Kubic, Jonathan Fried, Paula Muñoz, and Bruce Coane for sharing their knowledge with us!

Voter Registration Chair Honey Bernstein reported on our volunteer efforts to register new voters at the Fillmore, the Climate Strike at City Hall, and on National Voter Registration Day. We have lots of voter registration events coming up—check out our events page for more.