Catch Up With the Coordinated Campaign: 8/22 – 8/29

  • Posted on August 31, 2010
  •  by HCDP

This week the Coordinated Campaign continued direct voter contact through neighborhood Precinct Chair trainings, phone calls, and community events around the county.

While many students were worried about finding their class and buying books, the Harris County Democratic Party focused on registering student voters at the University of Houston.  The Coordinated Campaign partnered with the Eta Mu Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha, Fraternity, Inc., the Student Government Association (SGA) and the University Democrats to register voters.  We participated in the first day of class lunchtime event and the Cat’s Back clubs and organization fest.  We registered 72 voters for Harris County.  The Youth Outreach team also collected over 150 names and emailsfor individuals interested in learning more about or candidates and helping the Democratic Party turn Texas Blue!  With a little sweat and loads of enthusiasm, we will continue to engage our college campus through youth outreach!

Thursday, the campaign hosted our first “Field School”, an intense all day training aimed to arm our newly hired Field Office Managers with the knowledge and tools they will need to run successful satellite campaign offices. The new staffers were trained on Texas VAN, voter contact, outreach, grassroots organizing and volunteer recruitment. We are still in the process of opening campaign field offices across Harris County. Check to which office is nearest you!

Saturday morning, Campaign Manager Jamaal Smith spoke to the Sharpstown Democratic Club on our 500 Surge for Success Program and our plans to turn Harris County Blue this November.

The highlight of the weekend was without a doubt, the HCDP Brunch Honoring Latino Trailblazers held Saturday at the Sheraton Suites Galleria. Over 300 enthusiastic Democrats packed the room as we honored: Commissioner Silvia Garcia, Senator Mario Gallegos, Hon. Lenora Sorola-Pohlman, Tony Campos, Frumencio Reyes and the Hon. Leonel Castillo. Master of Ceremonies, Harris County Sheriff Adrian Garcia led the program along with keynote speaker, Former Senator Gonzalo Barrientos.

Also in attendance were many of the candidates on this November’s ballot as well as Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee and Congressman Al Green who presented the honorees with Congressional Certificates of Honor.

The crowd was treated to many light moments and quite a few emotional ones, as we looked back at the history of the Latino community in the hopes of emulating these Trailblazers in the future. “Long overdue” was a phrase that came up often during the ceremony, and we are thankful for the opportunity we had to honor not only our Latino Trailblazers but also the Latino Community.

A special thank you once more goes out to our presenters, underwriters, sponsors and volunteers, without whom this event would not have been possible.